Let God Transform You

Let God Transform You "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2 Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior is the first step to the beginning of your new life, and securing your eternal home in Heaven. The transformation of your mind is the next important step in this process, and is one that will change your life to one that God requires you to live. Being transformed, means that you will give up your sin filled life, as it can no longer control you, as you will have the Holy Spirit inside you to make you a new creation, a new person with Jesus in your heart. The Bible gives us the blueprint to the life that God expects us to live, as He gives us His commandments to follow daily in our life. The Holy Spirit will convict you when Satan tempts you to sin and do wrong, and you can be certain that Satan will attack you with all his power. There will be daily battles between the forces of good and evil that you will encounter, as Satan will tempt you on every front, to regain control of your soul, but God will be with you and will help you withstand these temptations. The transformation and the renewing of your mind must be a complete one as you must now make God first in your life, and turn from the selfish lifestyle you lived in the past, and not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. Sin must disappear from your daily life, and be replaced with the fruits of the spirit, as God must now control all aspects of your daily life. Through your daily prayer, Bible study, and personal discipleship, you develop a close relationship with God, and now give your life completely over to Him. You give yourself to God completely, and let Him control everything, and be transformed into the person He wants you to be. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 28 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Be Prepared

Be Prepared "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 As I was reading the newspaper this morning I saw where a local high school student was killed tragically in an automobile accident last night. He was only 18 years old and will not experience a life that so many people take for granted. So many around us, die each day, and I am sure that many of them are lost, and have not accepted Jesus as their Savior. It is wonderful when people live to be an old age, and have had so many more opportunities to accept Jesus, but none of us are promised a long life, as only God knows what He has destined for us. This is why it is so important to get our life in order and be prepared for whatever our fate will be. We are not promised tomorrow or even the rest of today, as we do not know what the future will hold. We all will die someday, and will end up in either Heaven or Hell, as there is no other options available. I have discussed many times in my devotionals what Hell will be like, as it is a place that has been feared since the beginning of time, and is a dark place of endless night, and a dreary place with no hope. Most people think about Hell more and more the older they get, but for many there may not be an option as their days are cut short. The only thing we know from all the verses throughout the Bible is that Hell is a place where we don't want to go. Heaven is the only other option, and is a place where everyone should long to go, as it is a place of peace, contentment, joy and abundant hope. There is no worry, no trouble or trials, no sickness, only happiness. I encourage you to think today about your eternal future home, and be prepared while you still have time. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 27 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Can Calm The Storm

God Can Calm The Storm "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Isaiah 40:29 I just received a request from an old friend, asking me to pray for her, as she was going through some tough times in her life. So often in life we experience trials and tribulations, because Satan is attacking us to get our thoughts and minds off worshipping God. If we are constantly in turmoil in our life, we often forget about God and concentrate only on our troubles. This is exactly what Satan would like us to concentrate on, and spend our time worrying and trying to just do damage control on our situations. When we spend our time worrying about just trying to get by the seemingly insurmountable problems of everyday life, there is little time left to spend with God and building a closer relationship with Him. This is why the Bible tells us that we are going to have times of trials and troubles during this life, but this is the time we need to be calling out to God to be with us during these times. Even though our problems still may be there, God can make them lighter and easier to bear. When God is by your side, you will be more at peace as He will provide comfort to you, even in your darkest hours. We see example after example in our Bible's where men such as David, Moses, Joseph, Jacob and the disciples ran to Jesus during their troubles, instead of running away from Him. They knew that God would be with them during these times and would provide peace and comfort. If you find yourself dealing with what may seem like a situation that doesn't have an answer, don't turn from God, but run toward Him. Ask Him to walk with you through your storm, and calm the winds and the waves. God is there for you, and will provide all you need to lead you to victory over the worst situation. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Journey With God

A Journey With God "They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31 Have you ever had a "Journey With God"? A journey with God could be when you have just gotten married, and starting out your new life with your spouse. It could also be when you are moving away and leaving your family and friends behind. It could be when you are working on a relationship issue with a family member or friend. It could be when you are suddenly facing a life threatening illness. A journey with God could be all of the above and many other journey's that you might face in life. A journey with God will take you into the unknown, where you might face pain, loss, fear, doubt, and a future which is uncertain. The reason you need to have God along on your journey is that whatever circumstances you encounter on your journey's you will need a sense of His presence with you. We see in the life of Joseph, a journey with God. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was wrongly accused by the wife of his employer. He was thrown into jail for something he didn't do. This journey took 13 years, but during this time Joseph did not complain, or lose his faith in God. During his journey Joseph learned patience and humility, and that God would not leave him or abandon him. All of your journey's may not be as dramatic as Joseph's was, but you will certainly have trials and troubles during your journey's, and you need to have God by your side. God will see you through all your trials and troubles, and will give you His peace and His comfort during these times. God will lift you above all your trials, "you will run and not grow weary" and He will carry you through all your journey's. Don't start any journey in life without taking God along with you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 25 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Fruit Of The Spirit

Fruit Of The Spirit "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." Galatians 5:22 In a back yard there once lived an apple tree and an old thorn bush. The apple tree produced nice juicy apples. Kids would climb up the tree and eat the apples. Worms would eat the ones that fell on the ground. Birds would peck away at the apples on the tree. The owner would prune and spray the tree to make sure it produced good apples. About 50 feet away from the apple tree stood an old thorn bush. Nobody ever messed with the thorn bush, as kids would shun it, birds would not light on its branches. Everybody did their best to avoid it and leave it alone. At first the apple tree liked all the attention, however as time went along, it started becoming envious of the thorn bush, and wished that everybody would leave it alone, so it could get some peace. The thorn bush, meanwhile was envious of the apple tree, as no one ever came near it or paid any attention to it. Both trees were envious of the other and wanted something different. As Christians, we are sometimes like the apple tree and the thorn bush. Like the apple tree we are taken advantage of by the world. People are always asking for our fruit and then walk away without saying thanks. People climb over us, abuse us and do all kinds of things to us, and we are expected to just sit back and take it. However we don't realize that God has removed our thorns and planted us where we are today so that we can bear fruit for others to see and be a witness for Him where ever we are. When we are like the thorn bush, however, we bear no fruit and only take up space along a fence line, having no meaning and purpose. As you read this think about your life, and decide if you are bearing fruit. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 24 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Will Not My Will

God's Will Not My Will "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16 When I think back on my life I can see many things that I would have done differently. I have made decisions that I should not have made, and did things I should not have done. I am sure I am not alone, as I suspect that many of you could relate to this. The unfortunate reality is that we can never go back and relive our past, and erase all the mistakes we have made. I know that most of the mistakes I made were ones where I was selfishly looking at things with my own self interest in mind. I can remember praying for things that were the desires of my heart at the time, and would question why God did not grant them. So often I would pray, and want an instantaneous answer from God granting my prayers. I now realize that God always answers our prayers, but what we don't realize is that it sometimes is not what we want to hear. God could, if He chose, grant us everything we desire, but so often we ask for things that would not be good for us, and we should be grateful that He didn't answer our prayers. Just imagine if God granted everything we wanted and desired, we would never have any trouble or trials in our lives. Everything would always be perfect as we would live in a perfect world if we got everything we asked for and wanted. The thing that I have come to realize is that my prayers are no longer what I want and desire to happen, but is that God's will be done in my life. When I am down in my valleys and the mountains seem too steep to climb, I now pray that God will deliver me, but in His time frame and that His will be done in all situations. God knows what is best for me, and knows what is best for you. My prayers are that "God's will" and not "my will" be done. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 23 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Are You Really Saved

Are You Really Saved "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:3 Over the years I have heard many people say they are Christians, but do not live the life of a Christian. Today, I would like to discuss what a true Christian should be like. When you make the decision to accept Christ into your heart and life by faith, you are surrendering your life to Him. From that moment on, your life no longer belongs to you, it belongs to Jesus. That is the critical part of what salvation means, and what I am afraid many people who claim to be Christians don't get. When you accept Jesus, you are a new person, a "new person in Christ." You have been forgiven of all your previous sins, and must start a new beginning. This means that when you wake up the next day, your life must be different. It is true, you are going to the same job, the same school, will have the same friends, but whatever was causing you to sin prior to you being saved must be changed. There may be situations in your job, your school, with your friends that caused you to sin yesterday, but today must be changed, as you cannot go on sinning after God has given you His salvation. Yesterday, your job, your school, your friends were the most important thing in your life, but today God has to be the most important thing. You now have to set aside time for Him, and make Him your first priority. All the other things that took up your time, your talents, your priorities have to now be changed to allow God to be first in your life. If your life doesn't change and you continue to allow all the other things in your life, which caused you to sin, are still your priority, I would question if you have truly been saved. Today, I want you to consider if you are placing God first in your life, and if you have truly been changed. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 22 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Man's Responsibility

A Man's Responsibility "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." 1st Timothy 2:8 Each day as I send out my daily devotionals, I try to encourage you and give you Godly guidance and advice, which you can put into practice in your daily family life. Today's message is directed at one of the core areas that is so critical to the spiritual life of a family, and that is the role of the man in the family. Men, you must assume the spiritual leadership in your home, and make God part of your daily life and your families daily life. This means that you need to spend time reading your Bible, praying for your wife and children every day, without fail. This is your God given role to be the leader of your household, and you cannot neglect this role. If your wife or children do not see you in this light, you are robbing them of the most important gift you can ever give them. There is no better lesson for your children than to see God in your life, and seeing how you are depending upon Him during all the situations that confront the family today. Seeing how God answers prayers, helps prepare them for the real world they are living in, and helps them to learn to be dependent upon God in their own lives. If you are not the spiritual leader you need to be, let me challenge you to start today and become this leader. Take the next 4 weeks, and take 10 minutes each day to pray with your wife alone, and another 5 minutes each day at mealtime to pray with your children. Spend 15 minutes each day with your family reading the Bible and discussing what you have read together. Spend just a few minutes each day at the dinner table just sharing each other's thoughts and needs. Trust me this 4 weeks and this 30 minutes each day will change your life, and your relationship with your wife and children. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 21 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Comfort

God's Comfort "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." 2nd Corinthians 1:5 I get many e-mails each day, from my readers, telling me about all the trials and troubles they are dealing with. The people that are going through these situations call them their times of trouble, but God calls them times of trials and testing. I know that many of you are going through your tough times, whether it be a time of sickness, a family issue, a financial issue or a relationship issue, just to name a few, and don't know where to turn. You need to remember that God is not setting in Heaven planning these trials and troubles for you to deal with, but is wanting you to turn to Him as He is the only way of escape, as He is your Deliverer. The answer to any problem you may be facing is through prayer, reading God's Word, and establishing a closer relationship with Him. God can give you peace and contentment, even in the fiercest storm when you put your trust in Him. God doesn't want you to cope with your troubles all by yourself, but wants you to give them to Him, as the scripture above states, as He will comfort you. If you try to handle your problems yourself, you will hang on to them, but if you give them to God you will let them go. So if you are dealing with a situation in your life today, and don't know where to turn, ask God to help you, as He will comfort you and give you peace. There is no problem too great, or one too small for God to handle, but until you seek God, and ask Him to intercede for you, you are all alone. When you ask God to help you, He is more than able to provide all that is needed to give you the victory over any trouble or trial you will ever face, as "through Christ our comfort overflows." My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 20 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Keep Moving Ahead

Keep Moving Ahead "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1st John 1:9 When I was a young boy about 6 years old, I was playing in our yard underneath an old tree, when it suddenly uprooted and fell on me. My grandmother was working in her garden and saw it fall, and rushed immediately and pulled the tree off me. If it had not been for her immediate action I probably would have been killed. I can remember many times when I was with my grandfather, hunting in the mountains, I would think that a tree was going to fall on me again, and still have thoughts of this even today. Sadly, many Christians still do the same thing in regard to our daily struggle with sin. We still hang on to the past and are reluctant to let it go. God only asks when we fail is that we humble ourselves to Him, confess our sins, accept His forgiveness, and move forward. We never get victory standing still or dwelling in the past. Our victory is won by moving forward. There will always be times in our lives when we will fall short, when we will fail, but don't accept failure and let anything that has happened in your past prevent you from moving forward and strengthening your relationship with God. God has forgiven you from all your past, and when you accept Him as your savior, you are a new creation, and one that should focus on what lies ahead. We live in a world that is full of sin and evil, and as Jesus told us, we will have trials and tribulations in this life, but we will be able to overcome any of these by trusting in God, as Jesus told His disciples to "be of good cheer" because He has overcome this world. So whatever you are battling in your life, never give up, as the old hymn says, "There Is Victory In Jesus." My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 19 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Serve God Every Day

Serve God Every Day "You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun." Acts 13:11 Are there days when you wake up, maybe not feeling well physically, or dealing with problems in your life, and serving the Lord is the last thing on your mind. This may be God giving you a spiritual test to see just how dedicated you are to serving Him, or it could be Satan's way to keep you distracted, and his way of leading you astray. Each of you are going to have these kinds of days, and the test is to serve God despite what you are dealing with in your own life. My message today is to let you know that serving God is something that every child of God is called to do every day. It is not an option, it is a commandment. It is not something we do when we feel like it, but it is what our life as a Christian is all about. Despite how you feel, or what you are going through, the problems of your daily life must never take away your commitment to serving God. When you have these kind of days, you need to seek God even more, and pray that He will give you the strength to accomplish all He desires you to do that day. You need to realize that you can't always rely on your own strength, to get through your problems, but that you need to rely on the strength of God to help you deal with them. Remember that when you are weak, God is strong. You will find that it is amazing how many of these kind of days will go by quickly, and how God will bless you on those days. God will always help you when you are serving Him, following Him, and honoring Him with your life. So even despite what you are facing in your life today, don't forget that serving God is not an option, but a mandate, as you don't want to give Satan a foothold in your life, but to keep God first, and let Him bless you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 18 Robert William Brock, Jr.

No Coincidence With God

No Coincidence With God "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me." John 9:4 I was talking with a good friend recently and was telling him about how my father was killed in battle during World War II, when he commented that it was a coincidence that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. After he left, I began to think that there is nothing in life that is a coincidence, as everything that happens to us from our birth to our death is not a coincidence, but is part of God's plan. The Bible tells us that God is all knowing, that He knows us while we are in our mother's womb, that He even knows the numbers of hairs on our head, that all our days are destined, even before they come to be. It is no accident that you live where you live, that you work where you work, where you go to school. It is no coincident the people in your life are there, as there are no coincidences with God, things just don't "happen". There is a divine purpose in our life, that includes the good, and also the bad things. I know that some of you may be going through bad times in your life today, and may be questioning why this is happening to you, but you need to realize that God knows what you are going through, as it is no accident, but part of His plan for your life. There was a man named Job, who found himself in a difficult position, and who saw his life crumbling around him. In spite of all his troubles, he never lost his faith in God, as it was all part of God's plan to later bless him abundantly. We never know how God will deliver us from trouble, how He will bless us, but our job is to hold on to our faith, continue to praise Him in spite of the problems we face, and know He will never leave us or forsake us. There are no coincidences with God, as he is with you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 17 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Helping Others

Helping Others "You are doing the things your own father does" John 8:41 Everyone has times when the burdens of this life become overwhelming. Whatever the reasons, it happens to everyone. You wake up feeling like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. The joy, the peace, the pleasures of this life seem so far away. When you have gone through these valleys you know how difficult it can be. There are people that will cross your path today that are going through these tough times, and my message today is to ask you to help them carry their burdens. I know you also may be hurting with these same burdens, but God's greatest commandment was to love others as we love ourselves, and today I want you to concentrate on others. Helping others in their hour of need is one of the greatest ways God can use your own life, and you will be blessed beyond your imagination for your faithfulness. Bearing the burdens of others is what God has called all of us to do with our lives. When you look at the earthly ministry of Jesus it was dealing one on one with hurting people, and is the example He left us. Find someone today that is hurting, pick them up, help them carry their burden, make their load just a little bit lighter. This is what Jesus would do, and what He would expect each of us to do. You don't need a degree or be trained to show someone that you love them and care about them, and will be there in their time of need. Just an encouraging word, or taking a moment to listen to them, or a simple act of kindness or generosity can make a difference in someone's life. You see, without the Lord, we have a difficult time loving ourselves, let alone others, but when we realize how much God loved us, and sacrificed for us, it becomes easy for us to love others. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 16 Robert William Brock, Jr.

It Takes Discipline

It Takes Discipline "He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white." Revelation 3:4 Have you ever wondered if you are really saved? Have you ever thought that you are doing most of the things that Christians are supposed to be doing, but don't have real joy in your life? When you don't read your Bible each day, or pray each day do you really miss it? I would like for you to think about these questions, and ask yourself if this could be you. The basic fact is that your relationship with Christ is only as good as what you put into it. You can't develop a real relationship with Jesus in just one hour at church on Sunday, or at a Bible study once a week with your friends, or an occasional prayer sometime during your week. A real relationship with Jesus will only happen when you take the time and effort to make it happen. It takes discipline to make Jesus part of your life. You need to start your day with Jesus, reading your Bible, praying and thanking Him for everything. This may mean that you have to get up a little earlier in your day to make the time for Him, which may be difficult at first, but it is necessary. I can assure you that once you make time for Jesus each day, that you will begin to look forward to this time, where you can share your needs with Him, and He can also give you His peace and His comfort in your life. You will begin to live your life with joy in your heart and a quiet peace about you. You will begin to grow in your relationship with God, and the troubles of daily living will be easier to bear. The key to being a Christian is all about your daily, personal relationship with Jesus. This relationship is not only the most important relationship you will ever have, but it is the only thing that you will take from this life into eternity. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 15 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Is Your Cross Heavy

Is Your Cross Heavy "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:14 I know that many of you today are bearing a cross, and a burden that is becoming heavy. It may be a serious illness, a marriage that is in trouble, a financial issue, a lost job, the death of a loved one, or a multitude of other problems that you are facing. How you bear your cross becomes the challenge that you are dealing with. In the above scripture Jesus said to "pick up the cross and follow me". For Jesus, the cross He bore was the sins of all mankind. God has not asked you to bear such a burden, but your own cross is still heavy and He tells you how to bear it. The Bible tells us that we will have trials and troubles during our life, but God will not give us more than we can handle. It also tells us that we can't do anything in our own strength, but that we need God to help us bear our cross. You must remember that God knows what is going on in your life right now, and knows the cross you are bearing. The Bible tells us also, that we are to be thankful for all things, and that includes even the problem you are facing today. Even though you may not understand why you are facing the trials and troubles you have, God knows and understands, as this is part of His plan for your life. Even though your cross may be heavy, God can lighten your cross and help you carry it. He can give you peace and comfort you during your struggle. He is with you every step of the way, and is there to help you. This is your time to reach out to God and get closer to Him. Let Him take control of your life today, and give you peace and let Him comfort you. The cross you bear can become lighter when you let Jesus pick it up and carry it for you, as He tells you to ask Him for anything in His name and He will do it. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 14 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Let God Restore You

Let God Restore You "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you, and make you strong." 1st Peter 5:10 Is your life in turmoil today? Do you feel defeated, and don't know where to turn, or what to do, to get out of your situation? If this is you, Satan has you in his grasp, and is rendering you helpless to correct your situation by yourself. Although Satan is crouching at your door seeking to devour you, it doesn't have to be a time for despair or discouragement. The answer to what you are going through, is to turn to God who is holding out His hand and is waiting to help you. To receive His help you must reach out to Him, and humble yourself in His sight, and He will lift you up. "Humble yourself, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." 1st Peter 5:6. You need to realize that you truly do need God's help, and prayerfully come before Him each day, and ask Him for deliverance. You can't win the spiritual battle that is raging within you by yourself, but with God's help you can be victorious and conquer any of your mountains. To get God's help you need to start your day in the Word of God, getting up early and reading your Bible and praying to God to deliver you. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may withstand the attacks of Satan. You can't give lip service and stand against the attacks of Satan, you must prepare your hearts, souls and minds for action. You must pray, read your Bible, get to know God personally, and then He will be there to help you deal with any problem. God will provide you His peace and His comfort, even during the fiercest battles that are raging within you. Humble yourself, seek His face, and ask Him for help and watch God change your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 13 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Daily Devotional: The Power Of Faith

My Daily Devotional: The Power Of Faith: The Power Of Faith "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 ...

The Power Of Faith

The Power Of Faith "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 Do you believe God can do all things? Do you believe that with God, all things are possible? Well, the Bible tells us that over and over, and gives us many examples where the impossible has really happened. Moses parted the Red Sea, which was impossible. Little David defeated and killed Goliath, which would have been impossible. Jesus raised the dead, made the lame to walk, gave sight to the blind, and performed many other miracles that seemed impossible. With so many demonstrations and examples that the Bible gives us, why don't we believe that all things are possible with God? The answer lies in the fact that we don't have enough faith. Jesus tells us that if we have faith as small as a tiny mustard seed that we could make any mountain move. I know that many of you are having problems in your life today, and need to make your mountains move. You need to have the faith and ask God to deliver you from whatever mountain you may be facing. If this is you, get into a close relationship with God and ask Him for your miracle, and then expect it and receive it. This means that you need to make God first in your life, read your Bible, obey it's commandments and pray for God for your deliverance. The same Jesus that did these miraculous things centuries ago can still do them today. What you think is impossible in your life today, is indeed possible when you have faith in God. God can, and still heals cancer and many other diseases even today, when people have the faith and believe. Faith is such a wonderful thing, as by faith we have become children of God, and with faith you can please God, and with God impossible things become possible. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 12, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Your Tug Of War

Your Tug Of War "Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart." Psalm 119:2 When I was young I remember playing the game of "Tug of War" with my friends. The purpose is to get an equal number of people on each side of a rope, and pull each other to a pit of mud or water in the middle. The losers naturally ends up muddy or wet. This simple game reminds me so much of what life is like, as we have God on one side, trying to keep us from getting muddy or wet and free from sin, and Satan on the other side, trying to pull us into the miry pit and bog us down with sins. In the game of life we make the choice each day, as to what side of the rope we are on, as we can decide if we want to be on God's side or on Satan's side. The side we choose is often determined by the condition of our heart. Many times our own wants and desires get the best of us, and we forget about God and others, and are pulled closer to the miry pit. Satan's desire is for us to be self centered, thinking only about ourselves, and many find themselves as a selfish group of people wanting only their own desires to be fulfilled. The Bible tells us what we need to do to always be on God's side, which is to make Him first in our lives, and to treat others as we treat ourselves. We should never value ourselves and think about ourselves first, but always make God first in our life. It is always a fierce battle to overcome the temptations to let Satan take control of your life, and many of you may already be in the battle, even as you read this. It is easy to be on the side with Satan if you are leading a sinful life and don't care, but if you want a life with a future you need to be on God's side. Take some time today to make sure you have God on your side, and choose carefully who you will serve. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 11, 2013

Your Tug Of War

Your Tug Of War "Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart." Psalm 119:2 When I was young I remember playing the game of "Tug of War" with my friends. The purpose is to get an equal number of people on each side of a rope, and pull each other to a pit of mud or water in the middle. The losers naturally ends up muddy or wet. This simple game reminds me so much of what life is like, as we have God on one side, trying to keep us from getting muddy or wet and free from sin, and Satan on the other side, trying to pull us into the miry pit and bog us down with sins. In the game of life we make the choice each day, as to what side of the rope we are on, as we can decide if we want to be on God's side or on Satan's side. The side we choose is often determined by the condition of our heart. Many times our own wants and desires get the best of us, and we forget about God and others, and are pulled closer to the miry pit. Satan's desire is for us to be self centered, thinking only about ourselves, and many find themselves as a selfish group of people wanting only their own desires to be fulfilled. The Bible tells us what we need to do to always be on God's side, which is to make Him first in our lives, and to treat others as we treat ourselves. We should never value ourselves and think about ourselves first, but always make God first in our life. It is always a fierce battle to overcome the temptations to let Satan take control of your life, and many of you may already be in the battle, even as you read this. It is easy to be on the side with Satan if you are leading a sinful life and don't care, but if you want a life with a future you need to be on God's side. Take some time today to make sure you have God on your side, and choose carefully who you will serve. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 11, 2013

A Time For Renewal

A Time For Renewal "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 118:1 This morning as I looked out my window, I noticed that my daffodils and tulips were beginning to sprout and emerge from their dormant sleep, after a hard winter. Even though there is still snow on the ground they are becoming alive, and getting ready to put forth their beautiful flowers in preparation for the Easter season. I love daffodils and tulips as they remind me of Easter, a precious time when Jesus died for my sins and then was raised from the grave. This is the time of the year that all Christians need to rededicate their lives to serving Jesus, and realize the sacrifice that He made for us that day on Calvary. Just like my daffodils and tulips emerge each year, and put forth their beautiful flowers, we need to put forth our best effort to worship God and thank Him for what he did for us. This should be a time of renewing ourselves, and seeking ways that we can become closer to God. Many times Christians become dormant and lose the focus they may have had when they first accepted Jesus into their heart. All the busyness and pressures of life eats into the time they spend with God each day. They spend less time reading their Bible, and their prayer time and worship time begins to reduce. God wants us to give our first fruits each day to worship and glorify Him. If you have found yourself in this situation, where you are spending less time with God each day, this could be the time to change your habits, and renew and rededicate yourself to make God number one in your life. Just like my daffodils and tulips rise from their dormant state, and put forth their best splendor, this is the time for you to do the same. Renew yourself and make God number one in your life again. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 10, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Make A Difference

Make A Difference "In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free." Psalm 118:5 As I set in front of my computer screen this morning, answering the responses to my daily devotionals, I am reminded of how much people need someone to listen to them and hear their problems. I have just read one from a young man that is threatening to kill himself, because he does not see any hope in his future. After chatting with him for a few minutes on facebook, and telling him that there is hope and a future for him, and that Jesus loves him and so do I, he just now prayed the sinners prayer and accepted Jesus as his savior. I am not this experienced minister that can lead thousands of people to Christ, but I had this opportunity, just now, to lead one lost soul to Christ this morning, that God had placed in my path. I experience this kind of opportunity almost on a weekly basis anymore, as I have put my trust in God, and am letting Him lead and guide me where He wants me to be. My friends, I want you to listen to me today, and know that God is placing people in your path today, that needs you to listen to them and hear their problems. Please take time in your busy schedule to find these people, and tell them about the mighty God you serve, and to help them. Even if you only listen to them, and give them some encouraging words, this may be all that they need. I believe God places people in our paths each and every day, and if we will only take the time to listen and tell them that they are not alone, and that God loves them and cares about them, you can make a difference in someone's life today. Tell them about Jesus, and pray with them, and show them that there is hope and a future for them. Tell them that whatever their problems may be, that Jesus has an answer. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 9, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Time For A Change

Time For A Change "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12 About a year ago, I made a new year resolution that I would try to get healthy. Over the years I had gained a lot of weight that had begun to affect my health, and my way of life. During the past 12 months, through a very disciplined change of lifestyle, I have now reached my goal weight, and currently am back to the same weight as I was when Margaret and I were married almost 48 years ago. I feel much better, and have been able to stop taking any medications. Although this process has been difficult, I now know that I still have the discipline that was needed to accomplish my goal. As I have gone through this process I realize that this same kind of dedication should be applied to my spiritual life as well. It is easy to be led astray by the temptations of this world, and be swayed by the pressure from all sides, to use my time, my talents, my money and most of all my own selfish desires to not focus more on God and others. It takes discipline to make God number one in our lives, as we need to read our Bibles more each day, take time to pray more each morning and throughout our day, and more time to seek His wisdom and knowledge, but most of all do what God commands. It takes discipline to get our minds focused on God and others, instead of spending all our time focused on what our own wants and desires are. We must understand that there is a constant battle going on between God and Satan for our very souls every day. Satan wants us to be self centered, think only about ourselves, to be undisciplined, and tempts us continually with things that are not good for us. It takes discipline to resist all of Satan's attacks, but the rewards will last forever, and is well worth the change. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 8, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Stay The Course

Stay The Course "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1st Corinthians 16:13 It is difficult to turn on the television, read the newspaper, or even go to the grocery store, and not be reminded of how badly our great nation is turning away from God and His teachings. The Bible tells us that in the last days that people will turn their backs on God, and be led astray by the false teachings and beliefs that will prevail in society. We are rapidly reaching this critical time that God and the Bible warns us about. Even though we can see the examples, and the times throughout Biblical history, where the people of Israel turned their backs on God, and can see the punishment that God inflicted on them, we have not learned what the wrath of God can do, and what is awaiting us. The scripture above tells us how, we as Christians, are to react to these conditions. We are to be on "our guard", and know what to look for, to know right from wrong, and avoid the temptations that confront us daily. We must read and seek wisdom and knowledge from our Bible, which is our lifeline to our relationship with God. We are to "stand firm in the faith", and keep our eyes on Jesus, obey His commands, pray, and continue to worship Him daily. We must make God number one in our life, and put on the full armor of God, which he will provide to help us stay the course. We must be "courageous and strong", and even though Satan will attack us on every front, God will provide all that we need to withstand every obstacle in our way. We must not allow ourselves to stagger and stumble, and lose that vision of the eternal life that God has in store for us. Even though the Bible has warned us what is to come, we must not be troubled, but keep our eyes on Jesus, as He can and will deliver us. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 7, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Christian's Character

A Christian's Character "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." Psalm 139:23 The true test of a Christian is how we handle the everyday issues that life throws at us, the mundane, but most of all how we handle these when no one is looking. There are many Christians that put on a good front in public for others to see, but behind closed doors are completely different. True character is not in the saying, not in the boasting, but in the living. Character means walking in integrity both in the public eye, while others watch, but also in our private life, when no one is present. God knows what your true character is like, both hidden and in the public eye. Your true character should be pleasing to God, not just once in a while, but at all times, and not just when it makes you feel good. Just remember that you cannot do anything outside the presence of God, as you cannot hide from Him, or do anything that He does not see. I have always thought that when we allow ourselves to come to the place that we are comfortable with ourselves, both in the public eye and also in private, and when we would not be ashamed for God to see our true character, that we have reached the place where God wants us to be. There is nothing that should be greater in our lives, than wanting to please God, and when we are pleasing Him in both the public eye and in private, we have fulfilled what God expects from us. If you are hiding sin in your life today, but are putting on a good face for the public, you are heading in the wrong direction. You need to get in the right relationship with God, let Him direct you, seek His wisdom, and maybe even ask Him for forgiveness. You must be a Christian of Godly character, one that is serving God and being an example for mankind. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 6 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Positive Christian

A Positive Christian "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." 2nd Corinthians 2:14 Over the years I have observed so many people who profess to be a Christian, but they are always so sad and miserable. They usually are the pessimist, as nothing goes right for them. They are always negative, and frown so much they almost trip over their bottom lip. This is not the life that God wants for them, as we are supposed to project Christ and the joy He brings into our life. The Christian life is to be a positive one and a joyful life. The Christian will be positive in their speech, their thinking, their actions and their reactions, even during their times of troubles and trials. There will be struggles for Christians, but even during these times, there will be peace and a sense of contentment, as they will keep their faith and trust in God, and know that He is greater than these troubles, and that He will see them through. Christians are over-comers, not losers. You must remember that when you chose God's side, you are choosing the winning side, and will be victorious. We have the promise that if we will just endure a few moments of suffering in this life, that we will reign with God in the life to come. "If we endure, we will also reign with him." 2nd Timothy 2:12. We must always remember that we are not sufficient on our own, nor or we self-reliant by ourselves, but when we rely on our all-sufficient God for everything, we need to be strong and of good courage, as God will supply all our needs according to the riches of His glory. So if you find yourself in situations where you need the joy and peace back in your life, just remember that if God be for you, then who can be against you. Trust God today for your victory and claim it. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 5 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Recipe

God's Recipe "Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right." Proverbs 8:6 This past weekend my wife and I baked our favorite cake, a three layer coconut cake, which we do several times a year, on special occasions. As I was mixing the ingredients, I thought about all the things that we were adding to the mixture. We added raw eggs, cooking oil, baking soda, flour and many other ingredients to the mixture, each of which by themselves, would not be good and taste terribly, but when mixed together, and then baked are delicious. As we mixed all these ingredients together, this made me think that God works the same way in our lives. We experience bad times during our lives, when things do not go well, as we have times of sickness, times of bad relationships, times of stress, times of doubt, times of sorrow, and times when many other situations take away our happiness. However, there are many times during life when we are happy, when we are joyful, when everything seems to fit together, when we are content and things just seem right in all aspects of our lives. But God knows that when He puts all of the good times, and all of the bad times, all in His order, they always work for good. All of our life experiences work together to make us what we are, and to have us at the place that God wants us to be. During the bad times and the good times God is molding us and making us to be the people we are today. If you are experiencing either of these situations, either the good times or the bad times, in your life today, just remember that God is still in control. Be content where you are, but know that God is all knowing and knows where you are, and wants you to continue to trust in Him, and in His time will make something wonderful. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 4 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Jesus Forgives

Jesus Forgives "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son." John 3:16 I received an e-mail this morning from one of my readers, stating that they had simply sinned too much for God to ever forgive them. I am sure that many people find themselves in this same situation, thinking that they have done things so bad during their life that God could not forgive them. There is nothing that you have done that God is not willing to forgive you for. The Bible tells us that there are no categories of sin, as there is no such thing as "good sins" and "bad sins". That is why one sin is no better or worse than another sin, since all sin is rebellion against God. God's desire is for people to be saved, as that was His purpose for sending His son Jesus to die for all our sins, and to save us. God doesn't send people to hell, as you choose to go to hell by rejecting Christ as your Savior. Hell was not created for man, but for Satan and the people who follow him. You can only get to Hell by choosing to go there. I want you to realize that God will forgive you for your sins, if you will only ask him, as He already paid for them. Your sins, no matter what they are, can be forgiven, because Christ was crucified on the cross, and shed His precious blood as payment for them. That is why there is nothing you have done, as there is no sin you have committed, that God won't forgive you for. The price for your sins has already been paid. All you have to do is ask for forgiveness and accept Jesus as your Savior. Take just a few moments right now, as you read this devotional, and ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of all your sins. Today may be your only chance to accept His forgiveness, as your tomorrow is not promised and then it will be too late. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 3, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Master Plan

God's Master Plan "For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul." Proverbs 2:10 As I have gotten older, I have found myself reflecting back into my past more, and thinking about how my life has unfolded. I reflect on the times when I was uncertain about what to do in situations, and many times made the wrong choices, and things did not turn out as I expected. I also reflect back on the times that I made the right choices, that turned out the way I wanted them to. There were things that happened along the way that were unexpected, and caught me by surprise, and things that were planned exactly as I had envisioned. I realize now that as my life was unfolding, that God had a master plan just for me, that I was living out as the years progressed. He positioned me in the areas I needed to be in at that specific time and place, where I learned from all my experiences, both good and bad. Through all of these times and experiences, God was molding me and shaping me to be the person I am today. I know that God has destined me to be doing what I am doing today, as this was his plan for me all along. All the wisdom and knowledge I learned from my family, and from my career, have unfolded into God's great design for me, that is being fulfilled as each day passes. When I read my Bible, I can feel the wisdom and understanding that God is giving me, as my goal is to serve God each day, and live my life to fulfill His plans for me. God has a plan for each of you as well, and you too are in the stage of your life where God has designed for you to be at this very time. I encourage you to seek God's wisdom and guidance, follow Him, and let your life unfold into His plan. Spend time with Him each day, read your Bibles, and let God lead and direct your path, to fulfill His plan for you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 2, 2013 Robert William Brock, Jr.

You Can Make A Difference

You Can Make A Difference "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance." Psalm 33:12 I recently had one of my readers send me an e-mail asking for prayer for one of her sons, who had gotten with the wrong crowd, and had been led astray due to drugs. As I thought about the advice I wanted to send her, I thought that what this young man needed so badly was to have someone cross his path that could help him. I can remember times in my own life when things were going badly, and I needed to have someone to simply cross my path, and give me some encouragement. I looked back through past devotionals I had written and sent these to him, and told him that what he was doing was wrong and that he needed to change his ways. Before the day was over, I received an e-mail from this young man, thanking me for the encouragement and taking the time to pray for him. I immediately put him on my daily mailing list and he began to read my Daily Devotionals. I also send him a special word of encouragement each morning telling him that I would be praying for him. He would always answer each of my e-mails and thank me for praying for him. This morning I received a message from him telling me that he had just asked Jesus into his heart, and thanked me for all the encouragement I had given him, and that I had been the only one that had ever taken the time to care about him. My friends, this is how easy it can be to make a difference in someone's life. There are people you work with, go to school with, or people in your neighborhood where you can cross their path and make a difference in their life. I want to encourage you to look for them today and tell them you care, and give them some encouraging words. You too can make a difference in someone's life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six February 1 Robert William Brock, Jr.