Devote Time for God
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
I have written many times about the use of our time, but was reminded just this week when another friend stated that he did not have time to read his Bible each day. Our time is the one thing that we should all have control over, and is the one thing that we need to use wisely. Time control is all about priorities, and our priorities need to be the things that matter most in our lives. When we have a newborn baby almost everyone gives this new baby their top priority. We rush to it when it cries and watch over it all during the night when it may cough or make any sound. A Christian’s priority must be the same, as God tells us that our number one priority is to love God with all our heart, mind and strength. He must be number one in our lives, and be part of everything we do. In order to find time for God we must control our schedule. We need to wake up every day and have on our schedule the time to spend with God. I believe God expects us to give Him a tithe of our time as well as our money. We need to make time for God, and spend this time reading and studying His word and praying to Him, and thanking Him for everything He has given us. Putting God on our schedule may require some changes. It may mean that we need to get up earlier in the morning or stay up a little later at night. But God needs to be on everyone’s daily schedule, and His time must not be pushed aside by other worldly matters. We cannot relegate God to only a few hours at church on Sunday, but need to make Him a priority in our daily routine and schedule. When you find time for God every day, not just in a passing thought, but a tithe to God where you devote your thoughts entirely on Him, then God will begin to bless you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Reflections On Life
"So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Matthew 24:44
Maybe my recent devotionals were written because I suddenly realize that I am getting older, or maybe simply that I have reached the point of my life (which I have heard other older people talk about) where they begin to reflect back on their lives. Whatever the reason, I seem to find more scriptures about the winter of life, as I read my Bible each day. One day we suddenly realize where did our life go, as it only seems like yesterday when we were young and just starting on our journey. Our future was ahead of us, and we could make it whatever we wanted. Our dreams and visions of what lay ahead, made us alive with anticipation. Every day was a new adventure, as we tried to make our dreams and visions become realities. Then, before we know it, we suddenly realize that we are in the winter season of life, and begin to reflect back to see what actually took place during all those years. We see many successes in our past; many times of joy and happiness; times that God blessed us and gave us peace and joy, and so many times we would love to experience and relive just one more time. Unfortunately, we also see times of disappointments, failure, and times where we made bad choices, and suffered the consequences. There were times we felt all alone, and did not know where to turn to get away from the trials and troubles that faced us. These are the times that we want to forget and erase from our memories. It is this mixture of the good times and the bad times that has gotten us to where we are today, and made us the people we have become. Hopefully we have rejoiced in the good times and thanked God for them, and hopefully we have learned from our mistakes that caused the bad times, and not made the same mistakes again. As you look back and reflect on your life, I hope you have been blessed with more joy and happiness, and with more successes than you were with disappointments and failure. I hope you are seeing the fruits of the seeds you have sown during your life, and that they have produced a bountiful harvest. Whatever you are seeing as the result of your life; whether it is a fruitful harvest, or one that has not produced much fruit, I want you to know that whatever you see, does not determine what your future still holds for you. Your future is still up to you, and your eternal destiny still awaits. You may have accepted Jesus into your heart years ago, and you have let Him lead and guide you through life, and experienced His many blessings. However, you may have rejected Him to this point in your life. If you have not accepted Him yet, it is not too late. Jesus is still there, as He has always been, and even if you are in the winter of your life, He is still waiting. He doesn't care what has happened in your past, whether you have messed up, and done things you should not have done. He is not concerned with how you may have lived your life, and all the sins you may have committed to this point. There is nothing that you have done that is too evil or too bad that He will not forgive and forget. Just like me, you are going to stand before the judgment throne of God one day, and be held accountable for your life, as this is the fate that awaits all of us. God is only interested in your future, and is not concerned about your past. It is not too late to ask Him into your heart, and ask Him to forget your past and forgive you of all your sins. You can begin your life all over again today, and assure your future, by making a simple decision to make Jesus your Lord and Savior.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
"So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Matthew 24:44
Maybe my recent devotionals were written because I suddenly realize that I am getting older, or maybe simply that I have reached the point of my life (which I have heard other older people talk about) where they begin to reflect back on their lives. Whatever the reason, I seem to find more scriptures about the winter of life, as I read my Bible each day. One day we suddenly realize where did our life go, as it only seems like yesterday when we were young and just starting on our journey. Our future was ahead of us, and we could make it whatever we wanted. Our dreams and visions of what lay ahead, made us alive with anticipation. Every day was a new adventure, as we tried to make our dreams and visions become realities. Then, before we know it, we suddenly realize that we are in the winter season of life, and begin to reflect back to see what actually took place during all those years. We see many successes in our past; many times of joy and happiness; times that God blessed us and gave us peace and joy, and so many times we would love to experience and relive just one more time. Unfortunately, we also see times of disappointments, failure, and times where we made bad choices, and suffered the consequences. There were times we felt all alone, and did not know where to turn to get away from the trials and troubles that faced us. These are the times that we want to forget and erase from our memories. It is this mixture of the good times and the bad times that has gotten us to where we are today, and made us the people we have become. Hopefully we have rejoiced in the good times and thanked God for them, and hopefully we have learned from our mistakes that caused the bad times, and not made the same mistakes again. As you look back and reflect on your life, I hope you have been blessed with more joy and happiness, and with more successes than you were with disappointments and failure. I hope you are seeing the fruits of the seeds you have sown during your life, and that they have produced a bountiful harvest. Whatever you are seeing as the result of your life; whether it is a fruitful harvest, or one that has not produced much fruit, I want you to know that whatever you see, does not determine what your future still holds for you. Your future is still up to you, and your eternal destiny still awaits. You may have accepted Jesus into your heart years ago, and you have let Him lead and guide you through life, and experienced His many blessings. However, you may have rejected Him to this point in your life. If you have not accepted Him yet, it is not too late. Jesus is still there, as He has always been, and even if you are in the winter of your life, He is still waiting. He doesn't care what has happened in your past, whether you have messed up, and done things you should not have done. He is not concerned with how you may have lived your life, and all the sins you may have committed to this point. There is nothing that you have done that is too evil or too bad that He will not forgive and forget. Just like me, you are going to stand before the judgment throne of God one day, and be held accountable for your life, as this is the fate that awaits all of us. God is only interested in your future, and is not concerned about your past. It is not too late to ask Him into your heart, and ask Him to forget your past and forgive you of all your sins. You can begin your life all over again today, and assure your future, by making a simple decision to make Jesus your Lord and Savior.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
My Daily Devotional
The Biblical View of Marriage
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Ephesians 5:31-33
The Bible has a very high view of marriage, as it is to be a lifetime plan, not a convenience that can be disregarded as it is being done today. I have seen statistics that state that as many as half of all marriages today end in divorce. This is not the state that God teaches in the Bible as to how marriage is supposed to function. Somewhere along the line the idea of permanence has been thrown aside. Most marriage vows use the phrase “till death do us part”, but so often this vow is thrown by the wayside, and the result is broken families and dysfunctional children that do not have the structure and foundation on which to build their own lives. God wants the family to be a place that gives honor to the marriage vows, where the husband and wife remain faithful to one another, and where minor disagreements and differences are not the grounds for divorce and breaking up the home. It is true that the Bible gives marriages a reason for divorce, but so often marriages of today are breaking up for reasons other than these. I am sure that God is very displeased with our generation today, as the sacred union of marriage is being degraded in this fashion. We can look at the history of Sodom and Gomorrah and see the punishment that God inflicted on that generation, and should learn from this example that God can also punish us as well. We need to give honor to our marriage vows, and follow the word of God in dealing with issues that may arise in the family. What can we expect from our children and grandchildren if we don’t give them an example of what a godly family is like?
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Ephesians 5:31-33
The Bible has a very high view of marriage, as it is to be a lifetime plan, not a convenience that can be disregarded as it is being done today. I have seen statistics that state that as many as half of all marriages today end in divorce. This is not the state that God teaches in the Bible as to how marriage is supposed to function. Somewhere along the line the idea of permanence has been thrown aside. Most marriage vows use the phrase “till death do us part”, but so often this vow is thrown by the wayside, and the result is broken families and dysfunctional children that do not have the structure and foundation on which to build their own lives. God wants the family to be a place that gives honor to the marriage vows, where the husband and wife remain faithful to one another, and where minor disagreements and differences are not the grounds for divorce and breaking up the home. It is true that the Bible gives marriages a reason for divorce, but so often marriages of today are breaking up for reasons other than these. I am sure that God is very displeased with our generation today, as the sacred union of marriage is being degraded in this fashion. We can look at the history of Sodom and Gomorrah and see the punishment that God inflicted on that generation, and should learn from this example that God can also punish us as well. We need to give honor to our marriage vows, and follow the word of God in dealing with issues that may arise in the family. What can we expect from our children and grandchildren if we don’t give them an example of what a godly family is like?
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Giving Back to God What is His
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”
Deuteronomy 8:18
I love the story I heard of a church that had a parking problem. It was next door to a store that was closed on Sunday. They asked the owner if they could use his parking lot. He said that they could use it for 51 Sundays out of the year, but that it would be closed off one week. They were happy with the deal, but curious why it would be chained off that one Sunday. He explained that he just wanted them to remember that it wasn’t their parking lot. You know, there’s a lot of wisdom in this, as if you use something long enough, you tend to assume that it’s yours, but everything we have belongs to God. God wants us to remember that as indicated in the scripture above. Everything we have, our homes, our automobiles, our furniture, our bank accounts are not ours but God’s, as only He has allowed us to accumulate them. We need to remember that everything we own can be taken away just as easily, as we see families lose all their wealth and their material possessions every day in hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and other natural disasters. What we have belongs to God; it’s His stuff to begin with, as He blesses us by letting us use it, but it’s still His. When we understand this principal, it makes giving back to God become a lot easier. As long as a man thinks he owns what he has, then giving back to God will be difficult. But once a man realizes he owns nothing, but owes everything, and that even his life is given to him in trust, then the proper portion of his blessings will be given back to God. I would encourage each of you to begin to give back to God what is already His, and you will be blessed.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”
Deuteronomy 8:18
I love the story I heard of a church that had a parking problem. It was next door to a store that was closed on Sunday. They asked the owner if they could use his parking lot. He said that they could use it for 51 Sundays out of the year, but that it would be closed off one week. They were happy with the deal, but curious why it would be chained off that one Sunday. He explained that he just wanted them to remember that it wasn’t their parking lot. You know, there’s a lot of wisdom in this, as if you use something long enough, you tend to assume that it’s yours, but everything we have belongs to God. God wants us to remember that as indicated in the scripture above. Everything we have, our homes, our automobiles, our furniture, our bank accounts are not ours but God’s, as only He has allowed us to accumulate them. We need to remember that everything we own can be taken away just as easily, as we see families lose all their wealth and their material possessions every day in hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and other natural disasters. What we have belongs to God; it’s His stuff to begin with, as He blesses us by letting us use it, but it’s still His. When we understand this principal, it makes giving back to God become a lot easier. As long as a man thinks he owns what he has, then giving back to God will be difficult. But once a man realizes he owns nothing, but owes everything, and that even his life is given to him in trust, then the proper portion of his blessings will be given back to God. I would encourage each of you to begin to give back to God what is already His, and you will be blessed.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Friday, November 26, 2010
My Daily Devotional
My Path to Heaven
“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.”
Proverbs 4:1-2
During the past ten years I have chosen to fill my mind with the Word of God and sound biblical teaching. It helps to keep me walking in the way of the Lord and fulfilling the plan he has for my life. During this time I have been enlightened so much by the wisdom that God has given me. The Bible has become my path to better understand just what kind of life that God wants me and each of you to live. The Bible is our roadmap to a happy and joy filled life, and one that can lead to our everlasting life in heaven with our Lord and Savior. There is nothing greater than to learn God’s wisdom and apply it to our lives. All my devotionals, my books and my teachings have been directed to help my family and all my readers know the importance of what an eternal life means to them, as without the assurance of our home in Heaven there is nothing else that matters. Our time on this earth is only temporary as we are only passing through, but our time in Heaven will be for all eternity. It is difficult to comprehend what Heaven will be like, as there will be no troubles, no trials or heartaches, as only peace and joy will surround us, and this will last forever. What a future to look forward to. I only hope and pray that my family and all my readers will be prepared, as the path is a narrow one that leads to Heaven and Jesus tells us that few will find it. God has revealed this path to me and I am on this path and am looking forward to spending my eternity with God. I would encourage each of you to spend time in God’s word, and find this path for yourself and walk on it every day of your time on this earth, so that you can also spend your eternity with God.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.”
Proverbs 4:1-2
During the past ten years I have chosen to fill my mind with the Word of God and sound biblical teaching. It helps to keep me walking in the way of the Lord and fulfilling the plan he has for my life. During this time I have been enlightened so much by the wisdom that God has given me. The Bible has become my path to better understand just what kind of life that God wants me and each of you to live. The Bible is our roadmap to a happy and joy filled life, and one that can lead to our everlasting life in heaven with our Lord and Savior. There is nothing greater than to learn God’s wisdom and apply it to our lives. All my devotionals, my books and my teachings have been directed to help my family and all my readers know the importance of what an eternal life means to them, as without the assurance of our home in Heaven there is nothing else that matters. Our time on this earth is only temporary as we are only passing through, but our time in Heaven will be for all eternity. It is difficult to comprehend what Heaven will be like, as there will be no troubles, no trials or heartaches, as only peace and joy will surround us, and this will last forever. What a future to look forward to. I only hope and pray that my family and all my readers will be prepared, as the path is a narrow one that leads to Heaven and Jesus tells us that few will find it. God has revealed this path to me and I am on this path and am looking forward to spending my eternity with God. I would encourage each of you to spend time in God’s word, and find this path for yourself and walk on it every day of your time on this earth, so that you can also spend your eternity with God.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Thursday, November 25, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Let Us Give Thanks
“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
Psalm 95:2
The last Thursday of November, Thanksgiving Day, along with many of our holidays, is observed by most Americans as a day of feasting. It is sandwiched between Halloween, a day that has become a day relegated to ghosts, witches, demons and other wicked creatures, and Christmas, which signifies the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Today, millions of Americans regard Thanksgiving Day only as the day before they head off to the malls to begin their shopping for Christmas. Somehow our perception of Thanksgiving Day has gone askew, as we’ve forgotten the reason for celebration of that first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day historically was a time of feasting for the pilgrims and Indians. In the early 1600’s the pilgrims had only been in the United States several years, when they hosted the first feast to celebrate life with their Indian friends, and give thanks to God for His provision in their difficult circumstances. Thanksgiving Day should be a time that each of us should give thanks to God for what He has given and blessed us with. We as Americans are extremely blessed, and Thanksgiving should be a time when we show our gratitude to others by sharing some of our blessings with them. It should be a time when we share our love with a special friend, and show the people around us that we care about them. We should make it a time when we focus on God, and thank Him for our material wealth, our health, our country, our church and our families. It should be a time of thanking God for everything He has provided to us.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
Psalm 95:2
The last Thursday of November, Thanksgiving Day, along with many of our holidays, is observed by most Americans as a day of feasting. It is sandwiched between Halloween, a day that has become a day relegated to ghosts, witches, demons and other wicked creatures, and Christmas, which signifies the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Today, millions of Americans regard Thanksgiving Day only as the day before they head off to the malls to begin their shopping for Christmas. Somehow our perception of Thanksgiving Day has gone askew, as we’ve forgotten the reason for celebration of that first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day historically was a time of feasting for the pilgrims and Indians. In the early 1600’s the pilgrims had only been in the United States several years, when they hosted the first feast to celebrate life with their Indian friends, and give thanks to God for His provision in their difficult circumstances. Thanksgiving Day should be a time that each of us should give thanks to God for what He has given and blessed us with. We as Americans are extremely blessed, and Thanksgiving should be a time when we show our gratitude to others by sharing some of our blessings with them. It should be a time when we share our love with a special friend, and show the people around us that we care about them. We should make it a time when we focus on God, and thank Him for our material wealth, our health, our country, our church and our families. It should be a time of thanking God for everything He has provided to us.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Jesus is Coming Soon
“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”
2nd Thessalonians 2:3
Are you aware of the signs of Christ’s return? They are all around us in our world that gives us indications that Christ’s return is soon. Many times we put off doing things that need to be done today, as we have become complacent and believe that we have until tomorrow or next week to get things done. This may not be true as Jesus warns us that tomorrow may never come, as no one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return. He tells us that His coming will be as swift as the twinkling of the eye. We need to be ready for the return of Jesus, and not be caught unaware by falling into spiritual compromise and a luke-warm faith. We should never gamble that tomorrow will come as usual, and we will have time to repent and ask God for salvation. Today is the day for salvation and everyone that is not right with God must take control of their life and ask God to save their souls before it is too late. We cannot afford to put off until tomorrow something as important as spending all eternity with God. The signs of God’s coming are all around us as the prophesy of the scriptures are being fulfilled every day. There is nothing that is more important in your life than to get right with God and be ready for His coming. The future will be bright and joyful when we are ready and prepared to meet Jesus, but it can be disastrous when we are not prepared. I would encourage each of you to not delay asking Jesus into your hearts as time is running out, and tomorrow may be too late. With Jesus as your Savior there is nothing to fear about your future, as you will be safe in the knowledge that you have an eternal home in heaven with our Lord and Savior.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”
2nd Thessalonians 2:3
Are you aware of the signs of Christ’s return? They are all around us in our world that gives us indications that Christ’s return is soon. Many times we put off doing things that need to be done today, as we have become complacent and believe that we have until tomorrow or next week to get things done. This may not be true as Jesus warns us that tomorrow may never come, as no one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return. He tells us that His coming will be as swift as the twinkling of the eye. We need to be ready for the return of Jesus, and not be caught unaware by falling into spiritual compromise and a luke-warm faith. We should never gamble that tomorrow will come as usual, and we will have time to repent and ask God for salvation. Today is the day for salvation and everyone that is not right with God must take control of their life and ask God to save their souls before it is too late. We cannot afford to put off until tomorrow something as important as spending all eternity with God. The signs of God’s coming are all around us as the prophesy of the scriptures are being fulfilled every day. There is nothing that is more important in your life than to get right with God and be ready for His coming. The future will be bright and joyful when we are ready and prepared to meet Jesus, but it can be disastrous when we are not prepared. I would encourage each of you to not delay asking Jesus into your hearts as time is running out, and tomorrow may be too late. With Jesus as your Savior there is nothing to fear about your future, as you will be safe in the knowledge that you have an eternal home in heaven with our Lord and Savior.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
My Daily Devotional
A Life Without Limits
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:36
When I read the scripture above I am reminded that we indeed are free, and that there are no limits to what we can do with God by our side. As I was doing family research on my Great Grand Father I found him to be a perfect example of someone who had no limits. He was a man that had come from humble beginnings, but was raised in a home where Godly family values were followed daily. He was called to the ministry at an early age, and spent his entire life in the southeastern part of Kentucky as a minister and a schoolteacher. He was the first Methodist minister to settle in Kentucky and was the founder of almost all of the Methodist Churches in the westward movement. He was one of the most sought out speakers in the area, and is listed as being one of the most influential men to settle in the eastern part of the state of Kentucky. He certainly was not living a life of confinement and limitation, but was trusting in God to direct his path, and according to all historical documents God had provided him a life without limits. The same is true in our lives as God has not placed any limits on what we can accomplish. When we are following God and His plan there is nothing that can keep us from fulfilling what He has planned for us. Your dreams, ambitions and success in life can all come true when you follow and live your life with God first in all you do. I believe that God will allow us to go beyond our limits, as He sets no boundaries when we are doing His work. When our desire, our efforts and our time and talents are put to the work of God, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish with Him by our side. I would encourage each of you to put God first in your life and follow Him, and your life can also be one without limits, and one that is pleasing to God.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:36
When I read the scripture above I am reminded that we indeed are free, and that there are no limits to what we can do with God by our side. As I was doing family research on my Great Grand Father I found him to be a perfect example of someone who had no limits. He was a man that had come from humble beginnings, but was raised in a home where Godly family values were followed daily. He was called to the ministry at an early age, and spent his entire life in the southeastern part of Kentucky as a minister and a schoolteacher. He was the first Methodist minister to settle in Kentucky and was the founder of almost all of the Methodist Churches in the westward movement. He was one of the most sought out speakers in the area, and is listed as being one of the most influential men to settle in the eastern part of the state of Kentucky. He certainly was not living a life of confinement and limitation, but was trusting in God to direct his path, and according to all historical documents God had provided him a life without limits. The same is true in our lives as God has not placed any limits on what we can accomplish. When we are following God and His plan there is nothing that can keep us from fulfilling what He has planned for us. Your dreams, ambitions and success in life can all come true when you follow and live your life with God first in all you do. I believe that God will allow us to go beyond our limits, as He sets no boundaries when we are doing His work. When our desire, our efforts and our time and talents are put to the work of God, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish with Him by our side. I would encourage each of you to put God first in your life and follow Him, and your life can also be one without limits, and one that is pleasing to God.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Monday, November 22, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Commit Fully to Jesus
“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”
Philippians 3:8
In the previous devotional I talked about following Jesus and the difference He can make in your life and just how He can impact your world. There is a choice each of us has to make if we genuinely choose to follow Jesus and make Him Lord of our lives. I believe we have to give our hearts completely to Him and commit everything we do entirely to Him. I do not believe we can half heartedly commit, and still go our own way and do our own thing. It is all or nothing. I believe when we decide to go along with Jesus we become a part of His life, and He becomes a part of ours. There are many benefits to committing our entire self to following Jesus. God promises us an eternal life, which will last forever after the brief life on earth is over. He promises to give us strength, and will be with us during our trials and troubles. He is our shoulder to cry on, and does not leave us without hope. His mercy and forgiveness is assured no matter what each day brings. God has planned our lives and our purpose in a good and perfect way, and when we follow Him our paths and our steps are easy to follow. God promises us a peace and joy in our lives, even through our disappointments. Just these few promises mentioned above, should be enough to want us to sacrifice our worldly wants and desires and to follow him. Anything that we sacrifice in order to follow Jesus we will get back a thousand-fold in paradise. Our sights must be firmly fixed on the choice to follow Jesus, as there is much more to gain than we will ever lose by not following Him. Don’t make the mistake to not allow Jesus to come into your life, and lose out on all the things He has in store for you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”
Philippians 3:8
In the previous devotional I talked about following Jesus and the difference He can make in your life and just how He can impact your world. There is a choice each of us has to make if we genuinely choose to follow Jesus and make Him Lord of our lives. I believe we have to give our hearts completely to Him and commit everything we do entirely to Him. I do not believe we can half heartedly commit, and still go our own way and do our own thing. It is all or nothing. I believe when we decide to go along with Jesus we become a part of His life, and He becomes a part of ours. There are many benefits to committing our entire self to following Jesus. God promises us an eternal life, which will last forever after the brief life on earth is over. He promises to give us strength, and will be with us during our trials and troubles. He is our shoulder to cry on, and does not leave us without hope. His mercy and forgiveness is assured no matter what each day brings. God has planned our lives and our purpose in a good and perfect way, and when we follow Him our paths and our steps are easy to follow. God promises us a peace and joy in our lives, even through our disappointments. Just these few promises mentioned above, should be enough to want us to sacrifice our worldly wants and desires and to follow him. Anything that we sacrifice in order to follow Jesus we will get back a thousand-fold in paradise. Our sights must be firmly fixed on the choice to follow Jesus, as there is much more to gain than we will ever lose by not following Him. Don’t make the mistake to not allow Jesus to come into your life, and lose out on all the things He has in store for you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Walk With God
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10
Have you ever considered that Jesus wants us to walk with Him everyday? All of us who have given our lives to Jesus have been invited to follow Him everyday. I know that in my situation I resisted following Jesus for many of my younger years, although He was calling out to me. However he did not give up on me and continued calling my name and begging me to follow Him. All during the time I was not following Him I believe I was afraid of the change that I would have to make in my life. However, I now know what I was missing and regret not making this commitment earlier in my life. As the scripture above says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge is understanding. There is no formal education and earning any college degree or diploma, that can describe the wisdom and understanding that Jesus gives us when we begin to follow Him. It is much like going from complete darkness to being able to see again when you discover the wisdom that God grants, when you accept Jesus as your Savior. The Bible, which for me, was difficult to understand and comprehend the true meaning of scriptures, suddenly became a storehouse of knowledge, as God poured out the meaning of each scripture, and enabled me to understand and apply these to my life. It was as if the Bible was written entirely for me, and was giving me a roadmap as to how to live my life, and handle every situation that confronted me. Where God leads us sometimes is not always the easy road. But when we encounter a rough time in our lives, we know that God has led us into a season of testing our faith. Let me encourage each of you to keep following God. Do not turn away from Him. Trust Him and He will strengthen you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10
Have you ever considered that Jesus wants us to walk with Him everyday? All of us who have given our lives to Jesus have been invited to follow Him everyday. I know that in my situation I resisted following Jesus for many of my younger years, although He was calling out to me. However he did not give up on me and continued calling my name and begging me to follow Him. All during the time I was not following Him I believe I was afraid of the change that I would have to make in my life. However, I now know what I was missing and regret not making this commitment earlier in my life. As the scripture above says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge is understanding. There is no formal education and earning any college degree or diploma, that can describe the wisdom and understanding that Jesus gives us when we begin to follow Him. It is much like going from complete darkness to being able to see again when you discover the wisdom that God grants, when you accept Jesus as your Savior. The Bible, which for me, was difficult to understand and comprehend the true meaning of scriptures, suddenly became a storehouse of knowledge, as God poured out the meaning of each scripture, and enabled me to understand and apply these to my life. It was as if the Bible was written entirely for me, and was giving me a roadmap as to how to live my life, and handle every situation that confronted me. Where God leads us sometimes is not always the easy road. But when we encounter a rough time in our lives, we know that God has led us into a season of testing our faith. Let me encourage each of you to keep following God. Do not turn away from Him. Trust Him and He will strengthen you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Saturday, November 20, 2010
My Daily Devotional
God is Always in Season
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8
Fall is a wonderful season, as I always look forward to the time when we can go to our local apple orchard and get our favorite Johnagold apples. We discovered them several years ago and love them so much that we have planted two of these apple trees in our own small orchard. These apples are the best we have ever found and they last from early October until after Christmas. However, as wonderful as these apples are, they are here for only a season and then they are gone until next year. This analogy is true for many things in our life as most things have a season when they thrive and bring forth their fruit. Is there anything in our life that remains in season always? There most definitely is, and it is the Word of God, as it is the same yesterday, today and forever. You can rely on God’s unchanging Word no matter what is going on in your life, whether it is happy times or times of trials and troubles. You probably have experienced times and circumstances in your past where the promises from the Bible worked as God had promised you, and in the future these promises will still be the same. God’s word will always remain constant, and you will always be confident in depending upon them in both your good times and also in your bad times. Seasons change all during our lives and we move from one season to another. We may move from one place to another, from one job to another, experience the death of a loved one, experience relationship issues, health issues and many other changes may affect our world and our life. However, I would encourage each of you, to remember that God is in every moment of every hour of every day, and there are no seasons with Him, as you can always count on Him to be there.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8
Fall is a wonderful season, as I always look forward to the time when we can go to our local apple orchard and get our favorite Johnagold apples. We discovered them several years ago and love them so much that we have planted two of these apple trees in our own small orchard. These apples are the best we have ever found and they last from early October until after Christmas. However, as wonderful as these apples are, they are here for only a season and then they are gone until next year. This analogy is true for many things in our life as most things have a season when they thrive and bring forth their fruit. Is there anything in our life that remains in season always? There most definitely is, and it is the Word of God, as it is the same yesterday, today and forever. You can rely on God’s unchanging Word no matter what is going on in your life, whether it is happy times or times of trials and troubles. You probably have experienced times and circumstances in your past where the promises from the Bible worked as God had promised you, and in the future these promises will still be the same. God’s word will always remain constant, and you will always be confident in depending upon them in both your good times and also in your bad times. Seasons change all during our lives and we move from one season to another. We may move from one place to another, from one job to another, experience the death of a loved one, experience relationship issues, health issues and many other changes may affect our world and our life. However, I would encourage each of you, to remember that God is in every moment of every hour of every day, and there are no seasons with Him, as you can always count on Him to be there.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Friday, November 19, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Be a Contagious Christian
“Always be prepared to give an answer to every one who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
1st Peter 3:15
Most of us have heard stories from various people in our lives that have touched our hearts and impacted our lives. When I read the scripture above I was reminded of the story about a young missionary named Bob Pierce who while on a mission trip to China ran across a young Chinese girl whose widowed mother could not afford to send her to a mission school, and he felt such compassion that he gave all the money he had to help, which was only five dollars. However that was enough to enroll her in the school, and he committed to send money each month for her continued support. After returning to America he began to tell others about the needs he had seen in China, and the story of what he had done to help this young girl. From his story the concept of child sponsorship caught on and began to grow. Today the organization he started, World Vision, has over 500,000 people sponsoring children every month and also supports 100 million people in 99 countries. It has become one of the largest relief agencies in the world. All of us may not have an impressive story such as this to tell others, but if we’re genuine followers of Jesus, we need to tell our story of salvation and what it has meant to us. Our story of our life-changing salvation can have a dramatic impact on those we talk to. Our testimonies can be absolutely contagious in their influence and impact. Real life stories can change minds, touch hearts and impact lives. Your story may impact someone’s life as you share the dramatic transformation it had in your life. It may just be the key that unlocks the heart of some uncommitted person and help them step across the line from skepticism to saving faith and accepting Jesus as their savior.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Always be prepared to give an answer to every one who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
1st Peter 3:15
Most of us have heard stories from various people in our lives that have touched our hearts and impacted our lives. When I read the scripture above I was reminded of the story about a young missionary named Bob Pierce who while on a mission trip to China ran across a young Chinese girl whose widowed mother could not afford to send her to a mission school, and he felt such compassion that he gave all the money he had to help, which was only five dollars. However that was enough to enroll her in the school, and he committed to send money each month for her continued support. After returning to America he began to tell others about the needs he had seen in China, and the story of what he had done to help this young girl. From his story the concept of child sponsorship caught on and began to grow. Today the organization he started, World Vision, has over 500,000 people sponsoring children every month and also supports 100 million people in 99 countries. It has become one of the largest relief agencies in the world. All of us may not have an impressive story such as this to tell others, but if we’re genuine followers of Jesus, we need to tell our story of salvation and what it has meant to us. Our story of our life-changing salvation can have a dramatic impact on those we talk to. Our testimonies can be absolutely contagious in their influence and impact. Real life stories can change minds, touch hearts and impact lives. Your story may impact someone’s life as you share the dramatic transformation it had in your life. It may just be the key that unlocks the heart of some uncommitted person and help them step across the line from skepticism to saving faith and accepting Jesus as their savior.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Respect Other Christians
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:23
In our society it is not unusual to find someone who is in the process of changing churches for many varied reasons. Many leave because they don’t like what is going on in their churches, others because of personality conflicts, others because of the style of worship and others because of differing opinions concerning the understanding of doctrine. Everyone needs to feel comfortable in their church and with the people that they associate with, as part of the churches mission must be to uplift and encourage fellow brothers and sisters. I believe God cares about our relationship with our churches and with our relationships with the people who attend them. I also believe that there is too much denominational strife between our churches today that is destroying the faith of others. We need to remember that Heaven will be a place where there are not any denominations; there will not be a section for the Catholics, one for the Baptists, one for the Methodists, and another one for the Presbyterians, etc. All of us will be together in one Holy place where there will not be any disagreement or animosity toward others. Until we reach heaven we need to be understanding and show compassion with others points of view of the Bible. We need to always seek God’s wisdom and verify for ourselves what God teaches us and put it into practice. Bitter theological debates about religion can be divisive, and cause others to turn away from God and the church, and must be avoided. We need to hold fast to our own convictions that we have verified as true by studying God’s word for ourselves, and be careful to not cause any one to turn away from God by our actions.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:23
In our society it is not unusual to find someone who is in the process of changing churches for many varied reasons. Many leave because they don’t like what is going on in their churches, others because of personality conflicts, others because of the style of worship and others because of differing opinions concerning the understanding of doctrine. Everyone needs to feel comfortable in their church and with the people that they associate with, as part of the churches mission must be to uplift and encourage fellow brothers and sisters. I believe God cares about our relationship with our churches and with our relationships with the people who attend them. I also believe that there is too much denominational strife between our churches today that is destroying the faith of others. We need to remember that Heaven will be a place where there are not any denominations; there will not be a section for the Catholics, one for the Baptists, one for the Methodists, and another one for the Presbyterians, etc. All of us will be together in one Holy place where there will not be any disagreement or animosity toward others. Until we reach heaven we need to be understanding and show compassion with others points of view of the Bible. We need to always seek God’s wisdom and verify for ourselves what God teaches us and put it into practice. Bitter theological debates about religion can be divisive, and cause others to turn away from God and the church, and must be avoided. We need to hold fast to our own convictions that we have verified as true by studying God’s word for ourselves, and be careful to not cause any one to turn away from God by our actions.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Verify With God’s Word
“We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.”
Acts 15:24
Faith in God is a wonderful thing to have, as it can get us through many of the trials and troubles that all of us will endure at some point in our lives. By our faith we have become children of God and received our salvation. We need to have faith in the Word of God and trust it, but we always need to make sure that the Word of God comes from our own understanding and make sure that it is right, by verifying it ourselves in the Bible. Too often, however, we as Christians believe in the wrong things that we have heard from others and don’t verify it for ourselves. I have heard pastors, deacons and Sunday school teachers teach the wrong things even though they think they are right. People are quick to believe in gossip about co-workers, friends, neighbors, and our governmental leaders are a target for almost anyone. When we believe misinformation this can lead to slander, we can hurt others by judging them about things that might not be true. How can we protect ourselves and keep from hurting others? One way is to not believe just one side of a story that is told about someone. We need to hear both sides of a story, and then we can understand the situation better. In addition, we can protect ourselves from false doctrine by comparing what we hear to the actual Word of God found in our Bible. We should test everything with the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. James wrote “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5. Let us resolve to not hurt ourselves or others by believing in things that we shouldn’t, but let God give us wisdom.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said.”
Acts 15:24
Faith in God is a wonderful thing to have, as it can get us through many of the trials and troubles that all of us will endure at some point in our lives. By our faith we have become children of God and received our salvation. We need to have faith in the Word of God and trust it, but we always need to make sure that the Word of God comes from our own understanding and make sure that it is right, by verifying it ourselves in the Bible. Too often, however, we as Christians believe in the wrong things that we have heard from others and don’t verify it for ourselves. I have heard pastors, deacons and Sunday school teachers teach the wrong things even though they think they are right. People are quick to believe in gossip about co-workers, friends, neighbors, and our governmental leaders are a target for almost anyone. When we believe misinformation this can lead to slander, we can hurt others by judging them about things that might not be true. How can we protect ourselves and keep from hurting others? One way is to not believe just one side of a story that is told about someone. We need to hear both sides of a story, and then we can understand the situation better. In addition, we can protect ourselves from false doctrine by comparing what we hear to the actual Word of God found in our Bible. We should test everything with the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. James wrote “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5. Let us resolve to not hurt ourselves or others by believing in things that we shouldn’t, but let God give us wisdom.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Implement God’s Word
“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Luke 8:21
This scripture reminds me of a situation that I encountered during a college basketball game where my coach was telling us how to run an offensive play that would almost certainly produce a score that would enable us to break up a tied basketball game and give us a victory. He called a time out and told each of us exactly what we were to do during the play and if we each did our job we could win the game. All of my teammates heard his instructions and did exactly what he told us to do, and the result was a score in the last seconds of the ball game and we won. God is telling us in the scripture above that if we hear and obey God’s word, and do what we are told to do we will also be victorious in our life. So many times however we read and know what God is telling us to do, but for some other reason we do not put His words into practice in our lives and we fail. There are instructions throughout the Bible that tell us how to deal with almost any situation we will ever face during our life, but so often we read and know what to do, but do not put God’s wisdom into practice and the result is failure. If you are dealing with issues in your life today that you don’t know how to handle, chances are that God already has a play designed that will allow you to conquer these issues and defeat it. To get the answer it is as easy as opening your Bible and studying it to find out what the answer is and you will be successful. God tells us that there will be trials and troubles in our lives, but He has the answers for these, and that He will help us get through them. I encourage each of you to turn to Jesus during your times of trouble, as He has the answer to deal with your problems. Your job is to put into practice God’s word and follow His instructions.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Luke 8:21
This scripture reminds me of a situation that I encountered during a college basketball game where my coach was telling us how to run an offensive play that would almost certainly produce a score that would enable us to break up a tied basketball game and give us a victory. He called a time out and told each of us exactly what we were to do during the play and if we each did our job we could win the game. All of my teammates heard his instructions and did exactly what he told us to do, and the result was a score in the last seconds of the ball game and we won. God is telling us in the scripture above that if we hear and obey God’s word, and do what we are told to do we will also be victorious in our life. So many times however we read and know what God is telling us to do, but for some other reason we do not put His words into practice in our lives and we fail. There are instructions throughout the Bible that tell us how to deal with almost any situation we will ever face during our life, but so often we read and know what to do, but do not put God’s wisdom into practice and the result is failure. If you are dealing with issues in your life today that you don’t know how to handle, chances are that God already has a play designed that will allow you to conquer these issues and defeat it. To get the answer it is as easy as opening your Bible and studying it to find out what the answer is and you will be successful. God tells us that there will be trials and troubles in our lives, but He has the answers for these, and that He will help us get through them. I encourage each of you to turn to Jesus during your times of trouble, as He has the answer to deal with your problems. Your job is to put into practice God’s word and follow His instructions.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Monday, November 15, 2010
My Daily Devotional
I Can Talk To God
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”
Romans 10:17
It was almost 20 years ago that God began talking to me. No, I did not hear his booming voice come down from heaven, but heard Him through gentle whispers. These gentle whispers were enough, however, to get my attention and want to know more about what He was saying to me. Although God was placing His vision in my heart, I hesitated for several years before succumbing to Him and what He was saying. As this time passed I could more clearly see what God wanted me to do, and as this vision became more engrained in my mind and thoughts, I began questioning why God had chosen me to do His work. I had never had thoughts before of what God was asking me to do, and this was completely out of my comfort zone. However, as I began to read and study my Bible I became more at ease as my faith and trust in God began to grow and the task did not seem as large. God continued to talk to me, and still does, in these gentle whispers and continues to lead me and direct me in the fulfillment of my tasks. So often I do not know how these tasks will be carried out, but in all circumstances, as I have forged ahead everything falls into place. Many times I press and push for these tasks to be completed in a time frame I establish, and many times I can become frustrated as God knows when the time is right, and without fail He has always allowed them to be completed. When I now hear these gentle whispers I rush forward without any hesitation to answer God’s call to me, and in all situations God allows these gentle whispers to come to pass. Hearing God’s voice is such an important part of my life now, and I can hardly contain myself as He talks to me and I can talk to Him and get help and answers to any of my problems.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”
Romans 10:17
It was almost 20 years ago that God began talking to me. No, I did not hear his booming voice come down from heaven, but heard Him through gentle whispers. These gentle whispers were enough, however, to get my attention and want to know more about what He was saying to me. Although God was placing His vision in my heart, I hesitated for several years before succumbing to Him and what He was saying. As this time passed I could more clearly see what God wanted me to do, and as this vision became more engrained in my mind and thoughts, I began questioning why God had chosen me to do His work. I had never had thoughts before of what God was asking me to do, and this was completely out of my comfort zone. However, as I began to read and study my Bible I became more at ease as my faith and trust in God began to grow and the task did not seem as large. God continued to talk to me, and still does, in these gentle whispers and continues to lead me and direct me in the fulfillment of my tasks. So often I do not know how these tasks will be carried out, but in all circumstances, as I have forged ahead everything falls into place. Many times I press and push for these tasks to be completed in a time frame I establish, and many times I can become frustrated as God knows when the time is right, and without fail He has always allowed them to be completed. When I now hear these gentle whispers I rush forward without any hesitation to answer God’s call to me, and in all situations God allows these gentle whispers to come to pass. Hearing God’s voice is such an important part of my life now, and I can hardly contain myself as He talks to me and I can talk to Him and get help and answers to any of my problems.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
My Daily Devotional
The Vision of Noah
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:4
Having spent the past decade trying to implement a ministry that God has placed on my heart to implement, one of my largest hurdles has been to communicate my vision to my family and have them behind me 100%. Although God has allowed all aspects of my ministry to succeed and grow much greater than I ever envisioned, this hurdle has gnawed at me all during this time. I have done much research on how God worked in the life of many of the chosen in the Bible. The best example I have discovered is of Noah’s wife, whose name may not be recorded in Scripture, but evidently caught Noah’s vision. Here was a woman whose husband told her that God wanted him to spend a good part of his life building a huge boat in the desert, one large enough to load with thousands of animals, that she would have to live with for over a year. Noah’s wife must have been a woman of great faith in both her husband and also in God. While Noah was urging his neighbors to repent from their wicked ways, they probably thought he was crazy. His 100-plus year construction project seemed to be a work of insanity. However, I doubt that his wife was one of the people laughing at him. I imagine she was devoted to her husband and her children as they also assisted in this project, and she evidently served her husband and children with love and joy. Marriage provides many opportunities for spouses to lovingly serve each other. This must have been the case with Noah and his wife as they must have had their priorities in order and their priorities must have been aligned with God’s priorities. We must be careful in our lives to recognize the visions that God gives to others and assist in any way in the fulfillment of these visions.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:4
Having spent the past decade trying to implement a ministry that God has placed on my heart to implement, one of my largest hurdles has been to communicate my vision to my family and have them behind me 100%. Although God has allowed all aspects of my ministry to succeed and grow much greater than I ever envisioned, this hurdle has gnawed at me all during this time. I have done much research on how God worked in the life of many of the chosen in the Bible. The best example I have discovered is of Noah’s wife, whose name may not be recorded in Scripture, but evidently caught Noah’s vision. Here was a woman whose husband told her that God wanted him to spend a good part of his life building a huge boat in the desert, one large enough to load with thousands of animals, that she would have to live with for over a year. Noah’s wife must have been a woman of great faith in both her husband and also in God. While Noah was urging his neighbors to repent from their wicked ways, they probably thought he was crazy. His 100-plus year construction project seemed to be a work of insanity. However, I doubt that his wife was one of the people laughing at him. I imagine she was devoted to her husband and her children as they also assisted in this project, and she evidently served her husband and children with love and joy. Marriage provides many opportunities for spouses to lovingly serve each other. This must have been the case with Noah and his wife as they must have had their priorities in order and their priorities must have been aligned with God’s priorities. We must be careful in our lives to recognize the visions that God gives to others and assist in any way in the fulfillment of these visions.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Our Prayer Time
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”
Psalm 68:19
Do you pray daily? This is an important question to ask yourself. Each of us needs to set aside time in our daily routine to pray to God. I know that with the pressures on our lives that prayer of any significance beyond the “bless me today” kind of prayer may seem not to be doable in your schedule. However, I believe that God wants us to give Him our tithes in our time as well as our money. This means that we need to spend at least a tenth of our waking time worshiping God. We are to spend time praying, and spend time reading and studying the Bible. Part of this time could be spent on helping others that are in need. Our days should not consist of all our time spent on ourselves and our needs, as God commanded us to love others as we love ourselves. This means our time should not be spent entirely on our pleasures, but some time should be spent to assist, encourage or help someone other than ourselves. But a good part of our worship time should be spent in prayer. During our prayer time we need to thank God for all the blessings that He gives us daily, and also ask Him to give us guidance and wisdom that we can use to better understand and follow what He wants us to do in fulfilling the purpose He has for our lives. Our prayer time should include the Lord’s Prayer as it encompasses all of the things that God tells us are important. We need to pray to the Lord who bears our burdens, about our burdens, for the necessities of life and for mutual encouragement with other believers. We need to always offer praise, affection and love for the God who loves you. We need to understand that God loves to hear the voices of His people, and that He also loves the sound of your voice.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”
Psalm 68:19
Do you pray daily? This is an important question to ask yourself. Each of us needs to set aside time in our daily routine to pray to God. I know that with the pressures on our lives that prayer of any significance beyond the “bless me today” kind of prayer may seem not to be doable in your schedule. However, I believe that God wants us to give Him our tithes in our time as well as our money. This means that we need to spend at least a tenth of our waking time worshiping God. We are to spend time praying, and spend time reading and studying the Bible. Part of this time could be spent on helping others that are in need. Our days should not consist of all our time spent on ourselves and our needs, as God commanded us to love others as we love ourselves. This means our time should not be spent entirely on our pleasures, but some time should be spent to assist, encourage or help someone other than ourselves. But a good part of our worship time should be spent in prayer. During our prayer time we need to thank God for all the blessings that He gives us daily, and also ask Him to give us guidance and wisdom that we can use to better understand and follow what He wants us to do in fulfilling the purpose He has for our lives. Our prayer time should include the Lord’s Prayer as it encompasses all of the things that God tells us are important. We need to pray to the Lord who bears our burdens, about our burdens, for the necessities of life and for mutual encouragement with other believers. We need to always offer praise, affection and love for the God who loves you. We need to understand that God loves to hear the voices of His people, and that He also loves the sound of your voice.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Friday, November 12, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Fathers Love Your Children
“The father of a righteous man has great joy, he who has a wise son delights in him.”
Proverbs 23:24
This devotional is dedicated to the many fathers that receive my devotionals, and the importance your role is in your family. Various studies conducted by Yale, Johns Hopkins and other groups have documented that the absence of a father is a stronger factor than poverty in contributing to juvenile delinquency. In forty eight cultures around the world crime rates were highest among adults who, as children, had been raised solely by women. A lack of closeness with fathers was the common factor in hypertension, coronary heart disease, malignant tumors, mental illness and suicide. A study of thirty-nine teenage girls suffering from anorexia showed that thirty-six of them had one common denominator, a lack of closeness with their fathers. It is a fact that an emotionally or physically absent father contributes to a child’s low motivation, low self-esteem and susceptibility to group influence and juvenile delinquency. It is clear, fathers are important in the lives of their children, and they need to be there not just physically, but emotionally as well. Being a father myself, I sometimes do not come up to the standard I set for myself, nevertheless, through the years of raising three wonderful children, God has continued to remind me that God’s standard for fatherhood is not perfection, it is love. And although I may have failed in some respect it was not in my love for each of them as this has always been the most important thing in my life. I would encourage each father to make sure that your children see the love you have for them, and demonstrate this to them each and every day during the time you have them. There is not a greater heritage that you can pass on to them than to show them love.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“The father of a righteous man has great joy, he who has a wise son delights in him.”
Proverbs 23:24
This devotional is dedicated to the many fathers that receive my devotionals, and the importance your role is in your family. Various studies conducted by Yale, Johns Hopkins and other groups have documented that the absence of a father is a stronger factor than poverty in contributing to juvenile delinquency. In forty eight cultures around the world crime rates were highest among adults who, as children, had been raised solely by women. A lack of closeness with fathers was the common factor in hypertension, coronary heart disease, malignant tumors, mental illness and suicide. A study of thirty-nine teenage girls suffering from anorexia showed that thirty-six of them had one common denominator, a lack of closeness with their fathers. It is a fact that an emotionally or physically absent father contributes to a child’s low motivation, low self-esteem and susceptibility to group influence and juvenile delinquency. It is clear, fathers are important in the lives of their children, and they need to be there not just physically, but emotionally as well. Being a father myself, I sometimes do not come up to the standard I set for myself, nevertheless, through the years of raising three wonderful children, God has continued to remind me that God’s standard for fatherhood is not perfection, it is love. And although I may have failed in some respect it was not in my love for each of them as this has always been the most important thing in my life. I would encourage each father to make sure that your children see the love you have for them, and demonstrate this to them each and every day during the time you have them. There is not a greater heritage that you can pass on to them than to show them love.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Are You Approachable
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
One thing that jumps out at me when I read this scripture is just how approachable Jesus must have been, as He was inviting all that heard him to come to Him and He would give them rest. This makes me think just how approachable are we to the people we meet. Do we make ourselves accessible to others if they want to discuss some issue on their heart? Does that include parents, children, friends, co-workers, clients, students, neighbors and other people in your life? I have seen many people throughout my life that had this gift of being approachable, and also seen others that seemed to push people away from them. I believe that as Christians it is our duty to make ourselves accessible to others that may need to talk to us about issues they may be having. How they seek access, whether face-to-face, or by telephone, or by e-mail or some other avenue is not as significant as whether such access will be granted. I would ask each of you to consider if you are approachable? Jesus gave us many examples such as the leper who found Jesus approachable. The prodigal son found his father approachable. The apostle Paul found the mother of Rufus approachable. If we do not make ourselves accessible to others we are going to miss many opportunities to make an influence, and be a witness for God in the life of others. We need to remember that you and I are created in God’s image, and since our Lord is approachable, we need to be approachable as well. Be sure the people in your life have some way to approach you. At times it may require extra effort on your part and humility of spirit but that is the way of Jesus. We can also use the examples above and call out to others to approach us instead of waiting for them.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
One thing that jumps out at me when I read this scripture is just how approachable Jesus must have been, as He was inviting all that heard him to come to Him and He would give them rest. This makes me think just how approachable are we to the people we meet. Do we make ourselves accessible to others if they want to discuss some issue on their heart? Does that include parents, children, friends, co-workers, clients, students, neighbors and other people in your life? I have seen many people throughout my life that had this gift of being approachable, and also seen others that seemed to push people away from them. I believe that as Christians it is our duty to make ourselves accessible to others that may need to talk to us about issues they may be having. How they seek access, whether face-to-face, or by telephone, or by e-mail or some other avenue is not as significant as whether such access will be granted. I would ask each of you to consider if you are approachable? Jesus gave us many examples such as the leper who found Jesus approachable. The prodigal son found his father approachable. The apostle Paul found the mother of Rufus approachable. If we do not make ourselves accessible to others we are going to miss many opportunities to make an influence, and be a witness for God in the life of others. We need to remember that you and I are created in God’s image, and since our Lord is approachable, we need to be approachable as well. Be sure the people in your life have some way to approach you. At times it may require extra effort on your part and humility of spirit but that is the way of Jesus. We can also use the examples above and call out to others to approach us instead of waiting for them.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Clear Communications
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
John 3:36
This past week at our weekly food distribution we had the opportunity to talk to a young man about his salvation. He seemed amazed that it was so simple to ask Jesus into his heart, and said if he had known it was so easy he would have done this earlier in his life. This incident reminded me of a story I had read about Dwight L. Moody who approached the president of a large coal mine, and told him about salvation. The man listened patiently and courteously and then said, “It’s too cheap, I can’t believe it’s true. You ask me to do nothing except to accept Christ in order to obtain salvation. It is too cheap. It should cost more than that.” D. L. Moody replied, “Did you go down in the shaft of the coal mine today?” “Yes I did”, said the man, “I pushed a button and the lift came up and took me down, as the company has spent thousands of dollars to construct the lift for our employees.” “That’s it exactly”, said D. L. Moody, “as God has already paid a tremendous price for your salvation. The price God paid was the most expensive thing in the world, yet God offers it to you free.” D. L. Moody was one of the greatest of all American Evangelists, and used this example to demonstrate how easy it was for someone to seek salvation. In this simple encounter we can see a very important component of clearly communicating the Gospel, using illustrations. As Christians we may have many occasions to talk to people about their salvation, and many times we may find that they do not clearly understand how easy it is. Sharing illustrations such as this could go a long way in shedding more light on their understanding that could lead them to God.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
John 3:36
This past week at our weekly food distribution we had the opportunity to talk to a young man about his salvation. He seemed amazed that it was so simple to ask Jesus into his heart, and said if he had known it was so easy he would have done this earlier in his life. This incident reminded me of a story I had read about Dwight L. Moody who approached the president of a large coal mine, and told him about salvation. The man listened patiently and courteously and then said, “It’s too cheap, I can’t believe it’s true. You ask me to do nothing except to accept Christ in order to obtain salvation. It is too cheap. It should cost more than that.” D. L. Moody replied, “Did you go down in the shaft of the coal mine today?” “Yes I did”, said the man, “I pushed a button and the lift came up and took me down, as the company has spent thousands of dollars to construct the lift for our employees.” “That’s it exactly”, said D. L. Moody, “as God has already paid a tremendous price for your salvation. The price God paid was the most expensive thing in the world, yet God offers it to you free.” D. L. Moody was one of the greatest of all American Evangelists, and used this example to demonstrate how easy it was for someone to seek salvation. In this simple encounter we can see a very important component of clearly communicating the Gospel, using illustrations. As Christians we may have many occasions to talk to people about their salvation, and many times we may find that they do not clearly understand how easy it is. Sharing illustrations such as this could go a long way in shedding more light on their understanding that could lead them to God.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
My Daily Devotional
God Will Never Forsake You
“For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.”
Psalm 94:14
There are not many people who go through life without their up’s and down’s. Life is constantly changing, as some days we may be shouting to God, and praising Him for the good things that are happening to us. Then, there will be days where the storm clouds are all around us, and our world seems to be falling apart. We need to have a godly mindset in order to handle these changes, and deal with them properly. If we have our faith and trust in God, and have Him as number one in our lives, we will know that God will never reject us and forsake us. Even when the trials and troubles of life surround us, we will know that God is still there with us. We need to look at each new day, and even each hour, as an opportunity for God to bless us. So often we overlook all the blessings that God sends our way, as we seldom recognize an encouraging word from a friend, or a pat on the back from our boss, or even an unexpected financial blessing, as blessings from God. We can even see the blessings from God by looking at the beautiful blue sky or the large oak tree on our way to work, or the food before us at dinner. God has given us all these blessings, but so often we take them for granted, and do not appreciate them as we should. We need to always remember that God wants the best for us, and even when we may have a trial come our way, God is still there with us. So when we awake each morning we need to look for all the blessings that God has provided, and thank him for these. When our trials come we must not walk in fear, but hold on to the faith and trust that God is with us through all our challenges in life. Look for God’s blessings today and thank Him and trust Him during your challenges, as God will never forsake you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.”
Psalm 94:14
There are not many people who go through life without their up’s and down’s. Life is constantly changing, as some days we may be shouting to God, and praising Him for the good things that are happening to us. Then, there will be days where the storm clouds are all around us, and our world seems to be falling apart. We need to have a godly mindset in order to handle these changes, and deal with them properly. If we have our faith and trust in God, and have Him as number one in our lives, we will know that God will never reject us and forsake us. Even when the trials and troubles of life surround us, we will know that God is still there with us. We need to look at each new day, and even each hour, as an opportunity for God to bless us. So often we overlook all the blessings that God sends our way, as we seldom recognize an encouraging word from a friend, or a pat on the back from our boss, or even an unexpected financial blessing, as blessings from God. We can even see the blessings from God by looking at the beautiful blue sky or the large oak tree on our way to work, or the food before us at dinner. God has given us all these blessings, but so often we take them for granted, and do not appreciate them as we should. We need to always remember that God wants the best for us, and even when we may have a trial come our way, God is still there with us. So when we awake each morning we need to look for all the blessings that God has provided, and thank him for these. When our trials come we must not walk in fear, but hold on to the faith and trust that God is with us through all our challenges in life. Look for God’s blessings today and thank Him and trust Him during your challenges, as God will never forsake you.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Monday, November 8, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Listen to God’s Call
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
1st Corinthians 1:27
Several months ago Reverend Jerry Falwell passed away, and the Reverend Billy Graham’s health is failing. These two men are some of the greatest evangelical leaders that our nation has had for the past several decades. Neither of them was afraid to speak the truth, and both were dedicated to God and spent their lives making our nation a better place. Neither of these men came from well known families, but had humble beginnings, however God had big plans for each of them and their purpose in life was destined to reach thousands of people and bring them to Christ. These situations are not uncommon as God often chooses the least likely in the world’s eyes. Look at David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons. David was merely a shepherd when Samuel found him, and not even his father suspected that God had chosen him to be king. When we consider the marvelous things that God did through Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham, and see each of them give all the credit to God for what they became, it is wonderful to know that God has a destiny and a purpose for each of us that can enhance God’s kingdom. We may not be famous, but we are not insignificant in God’s eyes, and we need to listen to Him and let Him lead us in the path He wants us to follow. I believe God speaks to all of us and gives us visions as to what we are to do, as God chooses many time the weak to carry out His mission. I would encourage each of you to listen to God when He speaks to you and sacrifice all you have to do His bidding. We will all be amazed at what God can do through each of us when we heed and listen to Him and obey and follow His call and will for our life.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
1st Corinthians 1:27
Several months ago Reverend Jerry Falwell passed away, and the Reverend Billy Graham’s health is failing. These two men are some of the greatest evangelical leaders that our nation has had for the past several decades. Neither of them was afraid to speak the truth, and both were dedicated to God and spent their lives making our nation a better place. Neither of these men came from well known families, but had humble beginnings, however God had big plans for each of them and their purpose in life was destined to reach thousands of people and bring them to Christ. These situations are not uncommon as God often chooses the least likely in the world’s eyes. Look at David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons. David was merely a shepherd when Samuel found him, and not even his father suspected that God had chosen him to be king. When we consider the marvelous things that God did through Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham, and see each of them give all the credit to God for what they became, it is wonderful to know that God has a destiny and a purpose for each of us that can enhance God’s kingdom. We may not be famous, but we are not insignificant in God’s eyes, and we need to listen to Him and let Him lead us in the path He wants us to follow. I believe God speaks to all of us and gives us visions as to what we are to do, as God chooses many time the weak to carry out His mission. I would encourage each of you to listen to God when He speaks to you and sacrifice all you have to do His bidding. We will all be amazed at what God can do through each of us when we heed and listen to Him and obey and follow His call and will for our life.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Sunday, November 7, 2010
My Daily Devotional
God’s Stand on Sin
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
Psalm 51:1-2
The above scripture was David’s humble prayer for forgiveness and cleansing of his sins. We see many scriptures throughout the Bible where David and others were asking God to forgive them when they had sinned against God. Even as David had sinned when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, sin is a transgression of a command from God, and thus all sin is against God, whether it has injured another human being or not. There is no justification for a Christian to continue to go on sinning after he has accepted Jesus as his savior. 1st John 3:9 “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” All Christians need to take heed, and begin to ask God for wisdom and guidance in their daily life, to give them the strength and courage to live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God. There is no excuse for sin in your daily life when you have accepted Jesus into your heart. When we stand before God at our Day of Judgment there is no excuse that we will be able to bring to the table, that can defend our reason for sin. God has given us His commands that we are to follow, and the Bible clearly spells out how we are to live our lives obeying and following these commands. Our lives need to be characterized not by sin, but by doing what is right, which is what we must practice in our daily living. Our focus each and every day must be to do what is pleasing in the sight of God, and our actions and our thoughts must demonstrate this as we are a witness to God in all we do.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
Psalm 51:1-2
The above scripture was David’s humble prayer for forgiveness and cleansing of his sins. We see many scriptures throughout the Bible where David and others were asking God to forgive them when they had sinned against God. Even as David had sinned when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, sin is a transgression of a command from God, and thus all sin is against God, whether it has injured another human being or not. There is no justification for a Christian to continue to go on sinning after he has accepted Jesus as his savior. 1st John 3:9 “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” All Christians need to take heed, and begin to ask God for wisdom and guidance in their daily life, to give them the strength and courage to live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God. There is no excuse for sin in your daily life when you have accepted Jesus into your heart. When we stand before God at our Day of Judgment there is no excuse that we will be able to bring to the table, that can defend our reason for sin. God has given us His commands that we are to follow, and the Bible clearly spells out how we are to live our lives obeying and following these commands. Our lives need to be characterized not by sin, but by doing what is right, which is what we must practice in our daily living. Our focus each and every day must be to do what is pleasing in the sight of God, and our actions and our thoughts must demonstrate this as we are a witness to God in all we do.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Saturday, November 6, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Love one Another
“A new command I give you: Love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
During the recent election there has been much heated discussion between the candidates that have bordered on hatred, and much innuendo about the character including personal attacks on their families. It is obvious that there is very little love lost during many of these heated exchanges. I have always held to the belief that all people may disagree about certain issues, however we can disagree and still treat other people with dignity and respect even if they do not share our convictions. In our society it is becoming difficult for people to “disagree with grace” both in our churches and also in our society in general. This loss of civility means we frequently see a basic lack of mutual respect in conversation between persons in any kind of public discourse and also in private conversation within our homes. Many of the problems in dysfunctional families, which are increasing astronomically in our present day culture, stem from the different viewpoints family members have and the inability to work together to reconcile their differences. The society of yesterday which our ancestors lived in, was one where reconciliation was practiced, and when issues arose where there were disagreements they were settled respectfully and the dignity of those involved was not damaged. God instructs us to always treat others with respect and with dignity, and not to let divisions occur that will hinder anyone’s walk with God. We should never cause others to become angry as this is causing them to sin, but should try to settle any disputes with kindness and compassion, and to always show our Christianity and be a witness to God in everything we do.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“A new command I give you: Love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
During the recent election there has been much heated discussion between the candidates that have bordered on hatred, and much innuendo about the character including personal attacks on their families. It is obvious that there is very little love lost during many of these heated exchanges. I have always held to the belief that all people may disagree about certain issues, however we can disagree and still treat other people with dignity and respect even if they do not share our convictions. In our society it is becoming difficult for people to “disagree with grace” both in our churches and also in our society in general. This loss of civility means we frequently see a basic lack of mutual respect in conversation between persons in any kind of public discourse and also in private conversation within our homes. Many of the problems in dysfunctional families, which are increasing astronomically in our present day culture, stem from the different viewpoints family members have and the inability to work together to reconcile their differences. The society of yesterday which our ancestors lived in, was one where reconciliation was practiced, and when issues arose where there were disagreements they were settled respectfully and the dignity of those involved was not damaged. God instructs us to always treat others with respect and with dignity, and not to let divisions occur that will hinder anyone’s walk with God. We should never cause others to become angry as this is causing them to sin, but should try to settle any disputes with kindness and compassion, and to always show our Christianity and be a witness to God in everything we do.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Friday, November 5, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Be a Witness for God
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1st Peter 3:12
During all my years in Health Care Administration it was always so obvious just how much the eyes of all my employees were on me. Corporate America has a way of taking a toll on a Christian, as almost all business settings have similar environments, consisting of backstabbing, rumor mills, brownnosing up to the boss and pushing to get ahead. With all the emphasis to move up the corporate ladder it is a wonder that any work gets accomplished with all the individual agendas among the employees. If you are a Christian working in this environment you come even more under the watchful eye and scrutiny of all the other members of the workforce. They watch to see if you are prone to lose your cool, to become angry or to say words that are disrespectful to others when things do not go your way. Any kind of behavior that is unbecoming of a Christian gives others room to doubt your actual Christianity. A Christian has a very big responsibility in their workplace to be a person of character at all times, and in all situations. You cannot be caring and respectful one day and uncaring and disrespectful the next. Your daily walk, your actions and your behavior quickly tell others the true person you are, and you will either be known as a true witness for God or you will not. There is little room for error if you are not truly walking and being a witness for God as people will quickly find you out. I would encourage each of you before you go out into your workplace each day, to ask God to give you the patience, the understanding and ability to conduct yourselves in the way that will be pleasing to God, as you are His witness wherever you go.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
1st Peter 3:12
During all my years in Health Care Administration it was always so obvious just how much the eyes of all my employees were on me. Corporate America has a way of taking a toll on a Christian, as almost all business settings have similar environments, consisting of backstabbing, rumor mills, brownnosing up to the boss and pushing to get ahead. With all the emphasis to move up the corporate ladder it is a wonder that any work gets accomplished with all the individual agendas among the employees. If you are a Christian working in this environment you come even more under the watchful eye and scrutiny of all the other members of the workforce. They watch to see if you are prone to lose your cool, to become angry or to say words that are disrespectful to others when things do not go your way. Any kind of behavior that is unbecoming of a Christian gives others room to doubt your actual Christianity. A Christian has a very big responsibility in their workplace to be a person of character at all times, and in all situations. You cannot be caring and respectful one day and uncaring and disrespectful the next. Your daily walk, your actions and your behavior quickly tell others the true person you are, and you will either be known as a true witness for God or you will not. There is little room for error if you are not truly walking and being a witness for God as people will quickly find you out. I would encourage each of you before you go out into your workplace each day, to ask God to give you the patience, the understanding and ability to conduct yourselves in the way that will be pleasing to God, as you are His witness wherever you go.
(Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Use Words Wisely
“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11
Have you ever thought about your choice of words that you use daily? Just being able to say the right word, the helpful word, the encouraging, correcting, guiding, blessing word is like apples of gold set forth in a stunning and beautiful way as the scripture above indicates. There is something incredibly powerful about our words, especially when the right word is said in the right way at the right moment. We all need to take time to reflect on the nature of our own speech and the words that we use. We need to ask ourselves if our words reveal us to be a believer, blesser, builder, encourager, teacher, counselor, consoler and friend, which is what our words need to convey to others. If we find that our words convey us as a grumbler, complainer, criticizer or blamer we need to try to adjust our attitude, as this is not the nature that God would want us to have and convey to others. James 3:9 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.” Perhaps you may find that you are a little bit of all these things, the up-lifter and encourager at certain times, and a demoralizer and discourager at other times. God wants us to be a positive influence at all times in our lives; to be uplifting and encouraging; to be faithful in all things, and to be a witness of God’s grace wherever we are and in whatever we do. We must guard our use of words so that they always show the love in our hearts. Your words can carry a powerful message, and be a blessing to others, and you must allow the Holy Spirit to be the master of your tongue, so that what you say, when you say it, and how you say it, may build people and honor your Lord with apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11
Have you ever thought about your choice of words that you use daily? Just being able to say the right word, the helpful word, the encouraging, correcting, guiding, blessing word is like apples of gold set forth in a stunning and beautiful way as the scripture above indicates. There is something incredibly powerful about our words, especially when the right word is said in the right way at the right moment. We all need to take time to reflect on the nature of our own speech and the words that we use. We need to ask ourselves if our words reveal us to be a believer, blesser, builder, encourager, teacher, counselor, consoler and friend, which is what our words need to convey to others. If we find that our words convey us as a grumbler, complainer, criticizer or blamer we need to try to adjust our attitude, as this is not the nature that God would want us to have and convey to others. James 3:9 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.” Perhaps you may find that you are a little bit of all these things, the up-lifter and encourager at certain times, and a demoralizer and discourager at other times. God wants us to be a positive influence at all times in our lives; to be uplifting and encouraging; to be faithful in all things, and to be a witness of God’s grace wherever we are and in whatever we do. We must guard our use of words so that they always show the love in our hearts. Your words can carry a powerful message, and be a blessing to others, and you must allow the Holy Spirit to be the master of your tongue, so that what you say, when you say it, and how you say it, may build people and honor your Lord with apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Many of my readers have asked if my Daily Devotionals have been published and if they could purchase them. The Devotionals I am posting are from My Daily Devotional Volume III which was published in 2009 and can be purchased at amazon.com or from me at robbrock@comcast.net)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Sow Good Seeds
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.”
Matthew 13:24-26
In a nearby city there is an annual festival called the Johnny Appleseed Festival named after the legendary character that supposedly went around the country planting apple seeds. This is a fun festival where hundreds of families get together each fall to celebrate this historic event. The scripture above also tells us a story about planting seeds, and the result of the type of seed we sow in our families. Parents have the choice of sowing good seeds like the wheat or bad seeds like the weeds in their homes and families. The dysfunctional families that are springing up all around us are prime examples where the parents have sown weeds in their homes, and they are choking the life out of families today. The divorce rate is growing astronomically in our society. The weeds of contention, strife, hostility and unkind words are so prevalent in families today, that the children that come from these broken homes carry this baggage to their own families and the trend continues. I recently heard a program from one of the leading pastors in the country about disciplining unruly children, and how oftentimes the cause of these children’s behavioral problems are “learned behavior”. He stated that 99.9% of this learned behavior comes from home life. I would encourage all parents to begin to get these bad seeds out of your family, and begin to sow love, peace and joy in your family instead. We must begin to be the living examples for our children in our daily walk, and bring God back into our homes and reverse this trend.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.”
Matthew 13:24-26
In a nearby city there is an annual festival called the Johnny Appleseed Festival named after the legendary character that supposedly went around the country planting apple seeds. This is a fun festival where hundreds of families get together each fall to celebrate this historic event. The scripture above also tells us a story about planting seeds, and the result of the type of seed we sow in our families. Parents have the choice of sowing good seeds like the wheat or bad seeds like the weeds in their homes and families. The dysfunctional families that are springing up all around us are prime examples where the parents have sown weeds in their homes, and they are choking the life out of families today. The divorce rate is growing astronomically in our society. The weeds of contention, strife, hostility and unkind words are so prevalent in families today, that the children that come from these broken homes carry this baggage to their own families and the trend continues. I recently heard a program from one of the leading pastors in the country about disciplining unruly children, and how oftentimes the cause of these children’s behavioral problems are “learned behavior”. He stated that 99.9% of this learned behavior comes from home life. I would encourage all parents to begin to get these bad seeds out of your family, and begin to sow love, peace and joy in your family instead. We must begin to be the living examples for our children in our daily walk, and bring God back into our homes and reverse this trend.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Daily Devotional
Visions from God
“Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
Nehemiah 2:17
I love the story of Nehemiah who had the great vision of rebuilding the walls and the city of Jerusalem seventy years after King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem, which was a city he had never seen, and went out by night to survey the wall and the city. He inspected all that needed to be repaired and scoped out what materials and manpower would be needed to complete the project. Nehemiah was a man of vision, and a man that had his plans in order to know the steps that would be necessary to rebuild the wall and the city. I believe that all of us need to have our visions firmly implanted into our minds as to what God is leading us to do. I know that God has given me the vision for my ministry, and through His direction and guidance I am seeing a tremendous result as I implement His plan for my life. The thing that I discovered that made Nehemiah so successful in getting his vision accomplished was that he planned in advance every task and every job, and organized and worked together with many others to get the job done. A vision without a plan is only a wish, but with a plan it can become a reality. I have heard many people throughout the years say they have a vision of something they want to happen, but so often this vision does not come to fruition because they do not have a plan. God will put many visions into your mind, big ones and small ones, visions for your family, your place of work, and your community. When God places these visions in your mind just remember that planning will turn these visions into reality, and God will give you direction and wisdom to make these plans come true.
“Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
Nehemiah 2:17
I love the story of Nehemiah who had the great vision of rebuilding the walls and the city of Jerusalem seventy years after King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem, which was a city he had never seen, and went out by night to survey the wall and the city. He inspected all that needed to be repaired and scoped out what materials and manpower would be needed to complete the project. Nehemiah was a man of vision, and a man that had his plans in order to know the steps that would be necessary to rebuild the wall and the city. I believe that all of us need to have our visions firmly implanted into our minds as to what God is leading us to do. I know that God has given me the vision for my ministry, and through His direction and guidance I am seeing a tremendous result as I implement His plan for my life. The thing that I discovered that made Nehemiah so successful in getting his vision accomplished was that he planned in advance every task and every job, and organized and worked together with many others to get the job done. A vision without a plan is only a wish, but with a plan it can become a reality. I have heard many people throughout the years say they have a vision of something they want to happen, but so often this vision does not come to fruition because they do not have a plan. God will put many visions into your mind, big ones and small ones, visions for your family, your place of work, and your community. When God places these visions in your mind just remember that planning will turn these visions into reality, and God will give you direction and wisdom to make these plans come true.
Monday, November 1, 2010
My Daily Devotional
The Return of Christ
“For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
1st Thessalonians 5:2
How close are we to the return of Jesus Christ? What are the signs that tell us that his return is near? The most thrilling event in all of human history is yet to come, as our Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth in His power and glory to set up His kingdom that will last 1,000 years. Most Christian scholars believe that His return is soon. Even unbelievers are taking a closer look at biblical prophecies that predict the end of all things. Without question the Bible is very clear about the subject of Jesus’ coming again and how it should affect believers today. In the scripture above the Apostle Peter is telling us that the return of Jesus will be like a thief in the night, as no one knows the time or day of this great event. I strongly believe that all Christians need to take a hard look at their daily Christian life and their lifestyle to make sure that their lives are in order, to be one of the chosen people on this great judgment day. If you find that there are things in your life that are not pleasing to God, this is the time to change the things that are not as they should be according to God’s word. This is something that we must not put off any longer as we may have done in the past. There is nothing more important than making sure our home in heaven is guaranteed, and that we have committed the rest of our life to serving God and obeying His commands. I would encourage each of you to prepare your hearts to receive God’s word, and allow the Holy Spirit to ignite a passion in you for Christ’s return. We need to ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance and renew our personal devotion to Him, and further prepare ourselves for that great and glorious day, and the return of our Lord.
“For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
1st Thessalonians 5:2
How close are we to the return of Jesus Christ? What are the signs that tell us that his return is near? The most thrilling event in all of human history is yet to come, as our Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth in His power and glory to set up His kingdom that will last 1,000 years. Most Christian scholars believe that His return is soon. Even unbelievers are taking a closer look at biblical prophecies that predict the end of all things. Without question the Bible is very clear about the subject of Jesus’ coming again and how it should affect believers today. In the scripture above the Apostle Peter is telling us that the return of Jesus will be like a thief in the night, as no one knows the time or day of this great event. I strongly believe that all Christians need to take a hard look at their daily Christian life and their lifestyle to make sure that their lives are in order, to be one of the chosen people on this great judgment day. If you find that there are things in your life that are not pleasing to God, this is the time to change the things that are not as they should be according to God’s word. This is something that we must not put off any longer as we may have done in the past. There is nothing more important than making sure our home in heaven is guaranteed, and that we have committed the rest of our life to serving God and obeying His commands. I would encourage each of you to prepare your hearts to receive God’s word, and allow the Holy Spirit to ignite a passion in you for Christ’s return. We need to ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance and renew our personal devotion to Him, and further prepare ourselves for that great and glorious day, and the return of our Lord.
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