Facing Difficulties

Facing Difficulties "When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.' Proverbs 14:32 Each morning I get dozens of e-mails from people who are facing very difficult circumstances in their life. As I respond to these people, I almost always tell them that God does not want them to be facing these difficult situations, and that He wants to help them change their circumstances. I always tell them to pray, as this needs to be the first thing that they need to do, and will be a key part in helping them out of their situations. I also tell them to look at their relationship with God, and that they need to make Him number one in their lives. The problems may not magically disappear when you wake up in the morning, as God knows what you are going through, but He will provide you peace and comfort as you battle your problems. Many times, our problems can be traced to sin, and rebellion. Doing things our way, instead of God's way. Once you turn your life over to God, He will help you work your way out of the problems over a period of time. It may not be easy, as you didn't get into the problems you are facing overnight, and rarely will God deliver you from them overnight. However, once you begin to depend on God each day, and trust Him and have faith, you will begin to see things begin to change in your life, for the better. The Bible tells us that we are not to have a spirit of fear. If you are serious about seeing your situation change, you must get serious about trusting God to help you make those changes. I pray today, that any of you who are dealing with difficulties in your life that need to be changed, will heed this special word, and begin to let God take control of your situation. Just remember that the same God that led the children of Israel out of bondage will also deliver you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 31 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Father's Role

A Father's Role "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 There is not a day that passes that I do not think about my father. Even though he was killed in World War II, when I was only 2 years old, I have missed sharing my life with him. It was difficult growing up without my father, as there were many things that I would like to have been able to talk to him about. After praying about today's devotional, the Lord has put on my heart to use it as a special encouragement to all the fathers. There are so many Godly fathers who are the spiritual heads of their homes. They work hard to provide for their families. They love and honor their wives. They realize that their children are gifts from God, and help nurture and mold their lives. These fathers realize that serving God is their most important responsibility as head of their homes. For all the fathers that I just described, I want you to know that you are in my prayers. I want to encourage you to spend a special time each day alone with God. Let Him encourage you, prepare you, and make you a special father, training and teaching your children in the ways of the Lord. If you spend a quiet time with God each day, and make Him number one in your life, you are on the path that God wants you to be on, which is to make your wife and your children your priorities. Getting the right balance in your life is the biggest hurdle you will face each day, as getting that perfect balance between work, home, serving God, and finding time to relax. The other hurdle you will face is being able to give God control, and trusting Him in all things. If you are not doing these things, this is the perfect day to start, just surrender your life and your family to God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 30 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Do You Have Perfect Peace

Do You Have Perfect Peace “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 Do you enjoy perfect peace in your life? If not, God will provide a peace and joy in your life like you have never experienced before. The scripture above is my favorite verse in the Bible, and until I put my entire trust in God, and turned over all my life to Him, I had never experienced the peace and joy in my own life, like I have had these last 20 years. As I was writing my first book “God’s Plan For a Joy Filled Life” I kept coming back to this verse, as I wrote the many chapters. I began to realize more and more that as I had begun trusting God for everything during these years, and as He was showing me how He was fulfilling my every need, I became even more at peace with myself. I had spent the first 48 years of my life making the majority of decisions for me and my family, without asking God for guidance, and therefore had never had the peace in myself that was right there before me. I have changed my attitude about myself, and the way I now look at life, and now put my complete trust in God, and ask Him for guidance in all things. As I began to trust God for all my needs, I have discovered the true meaning of the above scripture. I regret not having found this wonderful peace, that I could have enjoyed all throughout the years by not putting my trust in God. My plan for my remaining days is to direct all my energies to fulfilling God’s plan for my life, and as I am following His guidance, He is leading me to fulfill things that I never thought possible. There is nothing that cannot be accomplished when we put our trust in God. God can give you this same peace I am experiencing, if you will let Him into your heart, and accept the many blessings that He has waiting for you. Ask God for your perfect peace. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 29 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Rejoice In Your Trials

Rejoice In Your Trials “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 God tells you many times throughout the Bible, and especially in the above scripture, that you will face trials in your daily lives. You will have days that everything will go wrong, and you will face adversities from many different directions. During these times, you must have faith in God that these trials are the times when you are being tested in how strong your faith is in Him. You must trust in His word during these times, and not become discouraged, but believe that you are being tested for a reason. It is how you come through, and handle these trials, that will demonstrate your true faith in God, and His promised assurance that He will watch over you. The testing of your faith helps you develop perseverance, which enables you to become better equipped to handle future adversities. By not getting upset and reacting negatively every time things do not go right, remember that God is judging you, and is watching to see how you react to your situations. If you handle situations the way He directs you to, you will become stronger in dealing with situations and trials in the future. As you think back at the end of the day and see how you reacted to your problems in a positive manner, you will feel better about yourself, and will help to instill a positive attitude when future problems arise. So if you face problems today, deal with them in a positive manner and do what is right in all situations. When you persevere in your trials, with God's help, you will then be rewarded with His blessings. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 28 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Be An Overcomer

Be An Overcomer "He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." Revelation 21:7 I have spent much of my life being an "overcomer". I had a difficult time during my early years, with my speech, as I inherited a stuttering problem from my father. This has haunted me throughout my life, although I have been able to overcome much of it as I have gotten older. I had to overcome being the youngest person in my school, which caused many social problems as I was growing up. I was often the youngest person in administration in my jobs throughout the years, which caused some credibility issues, as people normally don't like taking orders from someone much younger than they are. Life is full of areas where we have to be overcomer's to survive. I know it would be nice to ride through life on a pink cloud with harps playing in the background, but this is not what life is like. We are not in kindergarten as we progress through life; we are in a battle. Satan is attacking us wherever we go, and in whatever we do, and if he can make us feel insecure, worthless, and with no sense of self worth, he has won the battle. But, you have someone that will help you fight your battles, as God does not want you to face your struggles alone. He will be with you each step of the way, to give you strength, comfort and His peace, as you do battle with Satan. You will all face your own giants, whatever they might be, and you must learn to overcome and defeat them. Don't let Satan get the victory, and cause you not to be the person God wants you to be. Don't walk around as defeated Christians, but become victorious Christians. You can become a conqueror, as there is nothing that can keep you from being victorious, when you have Jesus with you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 27 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Mentors

My Mentors "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death." Proverbs 13:14 As I have written my daily devotionals for the past 10 years, I am constantly reminded of all the wise and Godly mentors that have been part of my life. Both my grandfathers, and my grandmother, and my mother have all played such an important role in making me the person I am today, and influenced so much of what I try to replicate in my life each day. My father was killed in World War II, and I missed not having him as a mentor, but my life has been blessed with the others who raised me, and always taught me so much of what a Godly man should be. These precious people, by their wise counsel, have helped me grow in faith, in family life, in work, and in life in general. As I write my devotionals I am always constantly reminded, just how much these people have meant, in helping me grow in an understanding of the Christian life. The Bible is filled with wonderful mentoring relationships, such as Jethro to Moses, Elijah to Elisha, Barnabas to the Apostle Paul, Jesus to the Twelve Disciple, and Pricilla and Aquila to Apollos. As I write my devotionals each day, I am always aware of the many contributions my mentors have made in my life, and almost always think about how they would address the situations I face each day as I write. I am so grateful to have had them in my life, and would not be the person I am today without their influence. Today, I want you to think about the mentors that have touched your life. Think about what they have taught you, how they were positioned in your life, at the right time, and think about all the wisdom you learned from their teaching. Be grateful to them, and honor them by passing on to others what the Spirit has passed to you, through them. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Mentors

My Mentors "The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death." Proverbs 13:14 As I have written my daily devotionals for the past 10 years, I am constantly reminded of all the wise and Godly mentors that have been part of my life. Both my grandfathers, and my grandmother, and my mother have all played such an important role in making me the person I am today, and influenced so much of what I try to replicate in my life each day. My father was killed in World War II, and I missed not having him as a mentor, but my life has been blessed with the others who raised me, and always taught me so much of what a Godly man should be. These precious people, by their wise counsel, have helped me grow in faith, in family life, in work, and in life in general. As I write my devotionals I am always constantly reminded, just how much these people have meant, in helping me grow in an understanding of the Christian life. The Bible is filled with wonderful mentoring relationships, such as Jethro to Moses, Elijah to Elisha, Barnabas to the Apostle Paul, Jesus to the Twelve Disciple, and Pricilla and Aquila to Apollos. As I write my devotionals each day, I am always aware of the many contributions my mentors have made in my life, and almost always think about how they would address the situations I face each day as I write. I am so grateful to have had them in my life, and would not be the person I am today without their influence. Today, I want you to think about the mentors that have touched your life. Think about what they have taught you, how they were positioned in your life, at the right time, and think about all the wisdom you learned from their teaching. Be grateful to them, and honor them by passing on to others what the Spirit has passed to you, through them. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Making The Right Choices

Making The Right Choices "From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him." Proverbs 12:14 Have you ever been torn between making a choice which you know is wrong and evil, and making a choice which you know is right and good? All throughout the day you are making choices, and each choice is critical because they all carry consequences. Good choices bring forth good consequences, and bad choices bring forth bad consequences. In my devotionals I am constantly reminding you just how important your daily walk with God really is, as just a few minutes alone with God each morning, reading your Bible and praying, can help you avoid the temptation to make a bad choice. The closer you are to the Lord, the more you will take on the mind of Christ. The more you think like God, the more Godly your choices will be. So much of the pain and heartache you face in this life stems from your own poor choices. As you make those choices in your life throughout the day, based on what God would want you to do, what would please Him, what would honor Him, after a while making the right choices becomes easier and natural. The more you practice making Godly choices, the easier it becomes to make Godly choices. Today, I want to encourage you to consciously think about the choices you are making, and ask yourself if this is a choice that honors God, and is this a choice that a follower of Jesus would make. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. To not take advantage of asking the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you make the right choices is foolish. It is God who gives you the ability to make choices, and it is God who will guide you, if you let him. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 25 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Just Say No

Just Say No "A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but the Lord condemns a crafty man." Proverbs 12:2 Back in the Ronald Reagan Presidency, there was a campaign against drugs with the buzz words "Just Say No". It was a simple but powerful statement, since it zeroed in on the fact that we all have the ability to say "No". God created us with the free will to make our own choices, and throughout each day, we are confronted with hundreds of choices. Every time we make a choice we are making the decision to do the right thing, or the wrong thing. If you are tempted to do the wrong thing, you can "Just Say No." You will be tempted daily by Satan to go along with the crowd, to do things that will bring satisfaction to yourself at the expense of others, to always put yourself first, or just to do evil and follow Satan. We live in a world that encourages us to say "Yes". The world teaches that you only live once, so don't ever deny yourself whatever pleasure comes your way. Don't forget that Satan's stated goals is to "kill, steal, and destroy." Satan wants you to say "yes" to all things evil, that will show your rebellion to God. But just remember that you have a choice, and can "Just Say No". To withstand the temptations of this world and Satan, I would encourage you to begin your day with prayer, and spending a few minutes alone with God. He will equip you with the strength and wisdom to make the correct choices during your day. Just remember that God loves you, and only wants the best for you. When you say "No" to sin, and follow God, you are not only honoring God, but also honoring yourself, since our blessings follow our obedience. When you are confronted with sin, I pray that you will have the courage and strength to say "No". My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 24 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Loving The Unlovely

Loving The Unlovely "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 Over the past ten years I have been actively involved in a food distribution program, where we distribute food at a community resource center to the needy. During this time I have had the opportunity to minister to many people, and tell them about God. During this time, I have always invited these people to come to church with me, and many have taken me up on this opportunity. Unfortunately, many do not come, and will openly tell me that they do not feel accepted by the local churches, because of the way they dress. Most of these people do not have new clothes, and feel out of place in the churches, where many people come to church dressed in their finest attire, and someone who is shabbily dressed is often avoided, and not accepted. The churches that do not openly accept the poor, need to remember the ministry of Jesus, as He spent much of his time with the poor, unappealing people of His day. He talked with them, ate with them and genuinely cared for them, and He expects as much from us. "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." Matthew 25:45. Most Christians go to their big churches, and attend their Bible Study meetings, and hear their preachers talk about the churches outreach ministry, but do very little in reaching out even in their own churches to the needy people in their midst. These are the people the church should be reaching out to, and take time to listen, to encourage, and to see how they could meet an immediate need. A smile, a kind word, a listening ear, will show these people the love of God, and demonstrate your concern about them. Be God's ambassador, and reach out to these people today. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 23 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Keep The Devil Away

Keep The Devil Away "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16 I am sure most of you have heard the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well today, I want to give you a new one, "A scripture a day will keep the devil away." Just as the old saying emphasized the importance of getting the right nourishment in order to stay healthy, my new saying emphasizes the importance of having God's word in the lives of believers each day. One of the reasons I began writing my daily devotionals many years ago, was to provide my family with a daily scripture, that would remind them to keep the presence of God in their daily lives. I believe it is important to keep the word of God in our daily life, and not only read the scripture, but to have them dwell in us as well. The words of God do not mean anything, if we only read them, and a moment later forget about them. It is only when we read them, and then abide by them will they have a meaning to us. We need to let the wisdom of the scriptures sink into our hearts, and hear what they say and then abide by them. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves; Do what it says."James 1:22. My friend, if you will read God's word each day, you will do well, but you will do even better, when you let it dwell and abide in you. When you begin to listen to God speak to you through His scriptures, it will change your behavior, your attitudes and your daily walk with God. Think about each scripture you get each day from me, and carry it with you during the hours ahead. The presence of God in your life will make you a new creation, and you will "keep the devil away." My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 22 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Gentle Whispers

God's Gentle Whispers “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1st Kings 19:11-12 This scripture means a great deal to me, as it describes the way God has spoken to me throughout the years. He did not tear mountains apart, or cause earthquakes, or fire to get my attention. There were no sudden sounds of thunder or lightening when He spoke to me, as He spoke to me in gentle whispers. All through the years God has been speaking to me, as He spoke to me through my wife, my children, and numerous other people I encountered. God has spoken to me when I had difficulties and trials in my life, as He put these in front of me to change the direction I was going. These were not thunderous words where the earth trembled, but were the words of a gentle whisper. These gentle whispers eventually got my attention, and I began to ask myself the question: What is God’s purpose and will for my life? When I began concentrating on knowing what God’s plan was for me, the gentle whispers became more and more clear, and I began to understand what God was saying to me. These gentle whispers became all that I wanted to hear, as they began to direct me and control my life. They became the things that I yearned for, and wanted to commit myself to following and obeying. My life finally began to be meaningful, as I began to understand more and got closer to God. Those gentle whispers from God changed my life, and my life will never be the same. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 21 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Mountaintop

My Mountaintop "Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." Psalm 36:5 As I was growing up, I spent a lot of my time hunting in the mountains with my grandfather. We would climb the mountains to the very top, where we could overlook the valleys below. Many times, early in the morning, we could look down and see the fog in the valleys below, that seemed like clouds, floating in the air, with the brilliant rays of sunlight shining above them. These were beautiful scenes, and they have been etched and engrained in my mind all these years. On my mountaintop it seemed like we were on top of the world, as we couldn't get any higher, but could see everything around us. When I was on these mountain tops with my grandfather, all the cares of the world were forgotten, and everything seemed at peace. This is what I envision heaven to be like, as I will be above all the cares, the hurts, the worries, the struggles, the trials, the pain and all the other things that weigh me down on this earth. They will lay at my feet, and be below me, and cannot get to me, and destroy my peace and my joy. So often people live deep in the valleys, where the worry, trials and struggles of life keep them mired down, and they see very little hope for the future. They are constantly looking up at their problems, which seem like mountains, with cliffs too steep to climb. When you are in the valleys, often you only see the sides of the hills, but can't see the view from the mountaintops. On top of the mountain there is hope, peace, joy and contentment. So if you are down in the valleys today, there is a mountaintop experience just waiting for you. Ask God to help you climb to your mountaintop, and experience His love, peace and joy in your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 20 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Is In Control

God Is In Control "When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you." Psalm 73:21 When I read the scripture above, I pictured someone who was very troubled, having problems, and not knowing where to turn for help. I am sure many of you are going through situations in your life today where you could relate to this scripture, as you do not see any way out of your dilemma, and don't know where to turn to for help. If you are in this situation, there is an answer which was found in the very next scripture. "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory" Psalm 73:22-24. This is so comforting as no matter what situation you may find yourself in at the present time, no matter how down you may be, no matter how threatened you may feel, no matter how fearful you may be of what lies ahead, God is telling you that He is always with you, loving you, guiding you, and leading you. You may wonder why these things are happening to you right now, but God knows, and He also knows what you are feeling inside, and just how insecure, and how afraid you may be. He is feeling your pain, and knows that you cannot do this alone. In fact, in the midst of all the concerns the psalmist had in the scripture above, the scriptures goes on to say. "Whom have I in Heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26. So even though you may feel depressed, afraid, and don't know where to turn, God has told you that He loves you, cares about you, and will let you overcome any of your troubles, and give you victory. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 19 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Healthy Marriage

A Healthy Marriage "However, each one of you also must love his wife, as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:33 Almost on a daily basis, I hear from my readers about problems they are having in their marriages. Statistics show that almost half of all marriages today will end in divorce. This is alarming, as there is much advice in the Bible as to what a healthy marriage should be like. Many times people jump into relationships outside of God's timing, and end up paying a big price. In most failed marriages there is not a spiritual base. I realize that money, communication, and other issues can be the cause of many problems in a marriage, but if there is no spiritual base there is little foundation to build on, and most marriages will end in failure. This is why God placed such an emphasis on having a strong spiritual base, and gave us scriptures like the one above. This base starts with the personal walk each person has with God, and is solidified by both people bringing their faith together as one. The Bible tells us the man needs to be the spiritual head of his home, and he must take this job seriously. When two people lay a solid foundation, the everyday issues that arise will never become major problems in their relationship. Other than God, your spouse must become the most important person in your life, and you must learn to sacrifice your wants and desires, and fulfill your spouse's needs. You must be patient with each other, and show your love and respect in all situations. Both of you will make mistakes, but you must learn to forgive, and not let these continue and turn into major issues. A healthy marriage is something that God blesses, and will bear much fruit, but without God being present most will fail. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 18 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13 When you go out into the world today, you are going to do battle with the evil forces of Satan. Satan will do everything in his power to rob you of your peace. There will be things that will go wrong, and in most instances these will be things that will irritate you and cause you to be tempted to sin. You may get cut off in traffic, or you might be late for an appointment. The waitress in the coffee shop might be rude and upset you. Regardless of what the problem might be, Satan will be there to create havoc in your normal routine, just enough to get you off track in your daily walk with God. The scripture above warns you that you need to go out prepared to do battle against all evil forces, and need to put on the full armor of God, so that you can withstand these evil forces of Satan. You must start your day with God, and be committed to let the Holy Spirit lead and guide you to withstand these evil forces. You must be willing to get your mind off yourself, and let the Holy Spirit be in control of your life. You must be strong, and committed to forget self, and do it God's way. It will not be easy, but if you want victory in your life, you must not compromise any aspect of what is right, even though you will be tempted. Don't live in fear, but live in faith, and trust in God in all the trials you will face. Fear can defeat you, but God will never fail you. You can fail when you try to do things your way, but when you are following the Holy Spirit, you can never fail, as Christ is always victorious. Just remember to put God first in all things, put on His armor and you will prevail in all things. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 17 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Love Never Fails

Love Never Fails "For mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." James 1:20 This morning my wife and I spent almost two hours talking to a young man whose father, in anger, had said some very nasty things to his son. The son has been rebelling and not obeying his mother and father, and I am sure this moment of anger was sparked by another rebellious act. Parents often become frustrated because their children don't follow their directions and orders, and this kind of anger grows out of frustration and the effort to force compliance. However, this young man was more upset by his father's anger than he was by him not following his father's orders. Instead of helping, anger had hindered the situation. In a moment, it may seem like a raised voice would help achieve desired results, but in the end a raised voice will only create a more defensive position, and will hinder the resolution of any problem. Any outburst of anger will damage respect and the desire to please will be damaged and diminished. Even though some people may accomplish conformity and compliance by a burst of anger, it will undermine the other desired results, and many times can destroy relationships. Acts of anger can tear down the relationships we work so hard to build, especially if they occur frequently. The Bible tells us in the scripture above that a "man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires". The Bible does tell us in 1st Corinthians 13:6 "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Don't let anger rule your life; replace it with love. Love is patient, love is kind, and love will never fail you. Replace your anger with love and change your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 16 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Giving Your All

Giving Your All "But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny." Mark 12:42 This is the account of a poor widow giving her last two mites, which teaches us that God looks not to the quantity of the gift but to the quality of the giver. Jesus set the example of how we are to give, as he gave his all. How can we see the needs of those around us and do nothing? Most people do well in giving to the Church, but our giving should not end there, as there are many outside the Church walls that are suffering, and Jesus does not want their cries to go unheard and unanswered. When we look at the ministry of Jesus, we see that He ministered out in the public where the people were. He went to them, and they came to Him. Most people who need help do not come to church on Sunday, and it is our call to search them out, to find them, to minister to them, and just show them that we love them. The command that Jesus gives us is found in 1st John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." When you begin to reach out to people in this manner, this is what Jesus commands of you. When you begin going to the people outside the walls of the church, this is putting the real principle of giving in the proper perspective, and fulfilling God's command of "It is more blessed to give than to receive" Acts 20:35. Just remember that all that you have is not due to your ability to have accumulated it, but is due to God allowing you to have it. God owns all that you have, and expects you to give back part of what He has given you, as He loves a cheerful giver. The poor widow gave everything. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 15 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Sabbath Day

The Sabbath Day "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." Exodus 20:8 Over the years, I have noticed a very disturbing trend in our culture that is having a dramatic effect on the values of our Christian lifestyle. During the era I grew up, Sunday was always a time of rest, and a day where people went to church and worshipped God. It was a day where people took the day off from their busy schedules and strengthened their relationship with God. The day was focused on God, the family and building family relationships. There were no activities that kept people from attending church, and then coming back home and being with their family and friends. In today's culture, the focus of honoring the Sabbath day has been replaced by using Sunday as a day to get caught up on the things that were not done during the week. Instead of spending the day going to church, and worshipping God most people get their shopping done, or go to sporting events with their children. The secular world has invaded the Sabbath day, as Sunday is now becoming the big day each week to have numerous sporting events that children participate in. This keeps the family from going to church together, and does not give them any time to rest and to spend quality time together. The hustle and bustle of getting prepared and travel to attend the sporting events, and getting caught up on all the odd jobs and projects, has made Sunday a hectic day, instead of a day of rest. When we look at the life of Jesus, He always took time to rest, and one of the commandments tell us to take one day each week as our Sabbath. If you find this to be your weekly routine, I would encourage you to make a change, and again make Sunday the day to go to church and spend worshipping God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 14 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Expect Big Things

Expect Big Things "I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22 Do you expect big things from God? I believe many Christians do not live up to their expectations because they think too small. They accept being average, blending in with their environment, being like everyone else, or just doing enough to get by. I don't believe a Christian should accept just being average, as I believe they should stand out from the crowd. We can see the story of David and see how someone can rise above the average and make a difference. David was just a teenager when he faced the giant Goliath, but he trusted God and had enough faith to kill this mighty warrior. He expected big things and they happened. Even before the battle with Goliath, David, as a mere young boy, had killed several large wild animals who were attacking his flock of sheep. Again he rose to the occasion and expected big things, and they happened. David also became King of Israel when only a young man, a great responsibility, because he expected big things and they happened. David expected big things to happen and they did, because of his faith and trust in God. Today, in our society, we are content to just get by, accept the average, and don't expect big things to happen. God is the same today as He was in David's time, and I believe if we expect big things, and have the same kind of faith and trust that David had, big things can also happen today. I know that David was God's appointed, but we also must believe in God for God sized tasks. We must live by faith, have no fear, and trust God for all things. We can't do anything on our own, but when we step out in faith, and put our entire trust in God, we can accomplish big things in our lives when we are doing the will of God and can have victory. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 13 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Travel God's Path

Travel God's Path "Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance." Romans 5:3 I counsel a lot of people who are suffering from a multitude of problems. I know that many people see their suffering as a punishment from God for all the sins they have committed, but so many times I find people who are suffering not from some sin they have committed, but rather from the path they are traveling. God is always aware of all the problems people face in their lives, and will close a door to get them to go in another direction. How many times have you heard people say that I had my goals planned from the time I was young. I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and worked very hard to make my dreams come true, but nothing is working out the way I wanted them to. So often when I hear people say this, I remind them that God may have a different purpose for your life. In the book of Psalm, the Bible tells us that all our days are destined to be, even while we are in our mother's womb. You may be going in the wrong direction with all your plans, and you may be suffering because God wants to get you back on the right path. We see from the story of Jonah, how God got his attention, when He did not do what God wanted. Jonah suffered in the belly of a fish for three days, while God got his attention and set him on the right path. I would encourage each of you, if you find yourself in a situation where you are suffering because you want to travel a certain path in your life, it may be God telling you that He does not want you to go that way. He may be closing the door, but there will always be other doors that He will open. Pray and seek God's wisdom and let Him lead you in the path you are to follow. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 12 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Is Your Future Secure

Is Your Future Secure "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." 1st John 3:6 Are you living a sin free life? Have you asked Jesus into your heart? Do you feel comfortable in your daily walk with God, and know for sure where you will spend your eternity? These are important questions I want you to consider and spend time thinking about. We live in a world that is filled with sin. There are temptations that each of you face in your daily life. The newspapers, the television, the music, the lifestyles, the culture, and even the government all have succumbed to the temptations of Satan and evil, and are gradually creating an environment that is enticing you to compromise your Godly values, which is drawing you further and further away from Biblical teachings. I want you to think about the scripture above, which tells you that you have to live in this sin filled world, with all its temptations, but tells you plainly that you have to live a sin free life. When you are bombarded daily with issues like abortion, same sex marriages, prayer in school and public places, which go against all the teachings of the Bible, it is difficult. However, the Bible does not give you any justification to continue to sin. When you accept Jesus as your savior, and ask Him into your heart, the Bible is clear that you cannot go on sinning. When Jesus comes into your heart, the Holy Spirit also comes into you, and it will lead and guide you in leading a sin free life. You must listen to the Holy Spirit, read your Bible daily, pray daily and keep in the presence of God daily. This is the only way to resist the temptations of this world, and lead the kind of life that God wants you to live. This is the only way to know for sure where you will spend your eternity. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 11 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Pray For Our Nation

Pray For Our Nation "How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations!" Lamentations 1:1 The scripture above describes the city of Jerusalem after the Babylonians had destroyed it. Jerusalem was once a great city that had been blessed by God throughout the years, but now was reduced to rubble, the Holy Temple destroyed, and with its people killed and scattered throughout the land. God had invoked his divine judgment on Jerusalem because they had rejected Him, turned from His commands and were living wicked lives. Biblical history has shown us how God had blessed the people of Israel when they obeyed His laws and continued to worship Him. He let them prosper like no nation had prospered. He gave them miraculous power to defeat all their enemies, even though many times they were outnumbered. History also shows us what happened to them when they turned their backs on God, as many times he allowed them to be plundered and their lands taken. God has blessed our nation, because since it was founded we have followed God, much like He had blessed Israel when they followed God's laws and commandments. However, our great nation is slowly following in Israel's footsteps and turning our back on God. We are getting away from His laws, and becoming more like Sodom and Gomorrah. We have allowed abortion, same sex marriages, taken prayer out of our schools, all which go against Biblical teaching. If we don't turn from our wicked ways, it is not going to be long before God turns His wrath on our nation and reduce it to rubble, like He did Jerusalem. I would encourage each of you to pray that we will turn back to God before it is too late. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 10 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Guard Your Tongue

Guard Your Tongue "The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment." Proverbs 10"21 I have written many devotionals over the years about the power of the tongue. The words that come out of our mouths can harm, damage and even ruin reputations. The Bible tells us over and over that whatever comes out of our mouth, comes from the heart. Words spoken that damage someone's character or reputation can never be taken back no matter how much you tell them that you are sorry, as there is always damage that can never be repaired. I remember my grandmother once saying that the tongue is an "unruly member" and if we let it loose it can destroy people. She gave me an example, and said that it is like throwing up a bucket of feathers into the wind, which scatters everywhere. No matter how much we try to retrieve the feathers we will never recover all of them. Our words are like the feathers, and we will never be able to recover or make right all the damage that can be done. Once they are out there, we have no idea where they will go, and it is impossible to recover all of them. Even though we wish we hadn't spoken them, and can apologize there will always be a trace that will remain. If there is a lesson I can pass on to you today, it is on controlling your tongue. Take time to think before you speak, and always remember, are the words you speak ones that will "edify, encourage, and build others up", or are they words that will "do harm, tear down and discourage" others. We need to be reminded each day by the many scriptures in the Bible, about the power of the tongue, and the damage it can do. Make it a point today to choose your words wisely, as they can do great harm and turn people away, but they can also be used to let others see the presence of God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 9 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Joy Of The Lord

The Joy Of The Lord "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven." Matthew 5:12 Did you know that if you don't have the joy of the Lord in your life today, it is your fault. When you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have the assurance that you will spend all your eternity in heaven with God. This should be enough to always give you joy in your life. I know that many of you may be going through tough times in your life today, but this is no reason to not have the joy of the Lord in your life. I know some of you may be facing health issues, financial issues, relationship issues, family problems and many other problems, but this is no reason to let any of these circumstances steal your joy. Just before Jesus died on the cross, he told His disciples that they would have trials and tribulations, but he also told them to be of good cheer, for He had overcome the world. When you have Jesus in your heart, no matter what is going on in your life, you have the promise of His strength to see you through the fiercest storms. Because you have Jesus in your heart, you have the Holy Spirit which will supply you with God's power. Because you know Jesus you have the peace that surpasses all human understanding, and you will always have joy in your heart. If you find yourself in this situation today, dealing with trials and troubles, that have taken away your joy, but you want your joy back, you can find it simply by turning your life over to Christ. You know deep down that something is missing, and that there has to be more to this life than you are experiencing. Jesus can give you joy. If you don't have the joy of the Lord in your life today, it is your fault. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior, and you too can experience His Joy. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 8 Robert William Brock, Jr.

A Husband's Role

A Husband's Role "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." Genesis 2:23 In today's world, we see the decline of the family, as over half of all marriages now end in divorce. This is not the way God planned the family, as when God made Adam, he gave him Eve as a helpmate. When the devil came in the form of a serpent, he tempted Eve, because she was the weaker of the two, not because of her gender or age, but because of her failure to know or fully understand the consequences for not obeying the commandments of God. Adam was the head of the household, and was to teach Eve what God had commanded, and what would happen if she disobeyed. We don't know if Adam taught her, as the Bible is silent, but we do know that Adam was not deceived, as he sinned knowingly and willingly. The Bible speaks much about the importance of the husband being the head of the household, and the responsibility of the family rests upon his shoulders, to keep and maintain holiness and unity with God and the others within his home. The decline in the family today is largely due to the husband not fulfilling his role as head of the household. The husband must be the spiritual leader of his home, and lead and direct his wife and children in the ways of the Lord. When God is present in the family, and the husband is the head of the family, teaching his wife and children the commandments of God, and using the Bible as the guideline for all family life, families will grow and prosper. The children will know family values, and right from wrong, and future generations will be influenced by these Godly values. Husband's, step up to the plate, and be the man God wants you to be, and take your position as spiritual leader of your family. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 7 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Quiet Times With Jesus

Quiet Times With Jesus "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues." Matthew 4:23 We live in a culture today, where everybody is on the move. We are constantly in our cars, as we always have somewhere to go, and errands to run. We travel to work, to school, to the grocery store, and most people spend considerable time alone in their cars, just getting from place to place. When I think about Jesus wanting to go to another village to preach, it took Him several days on foot to go from place to place, as His travel was on foot, and was usually with His disciples. I can imagine that they spent much of this time talking to each other, and also spent much time alone with their own thoughts. I am confident that each of the disciples had their own quiet time alone with Jesus, sharing their thoughts and listening to Jesus ministering to them. Can you imagine walking alongside Jesus, and letting Him talk to you and give you His wisdom? In whatever journey of life you find yourself in today, Jesus is still there and will listen to you, and will share all His knowledge and wisdom with you. In the time you are in your auto, in this quiet time, do you take advantage to let Jesus minister to you? Do you take this time to thank Him for all the things He blesses you with? Do you tell Him the problems you have, and ask Him for help in dealing with them? All the time you spend getting from one place to another are opportunities to spend with Jesus. He can walk with you, and impart His wisdom and knowledge to you during these times, if you will only let Him. These are times where you can spend alone with Jesus, and let Him minister to you. So use these quiet times alone with Jesus to thank Him, ask Him for help, guidance, and wisdom, and to seek His will for your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 6 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Growing Pains

Growing Pains "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding." Proverbs 3:13 As I have grown in my faith as a Christian, I have thought will I ever get to be where I need to be. I know that when I first got saved and asked Jesus into my heart, there was much I needed to learn, and thought that by reading my Bible and praying, that someday I would reach that point where I would know all that God wanted me to know. During these past 30 years, after having read my Bible each day and praying to God for wisdom and knowledge, I still find that there is so much that I still do not understand. However, the more I read my Bible the more wisdom and knowledge God gives me about how to live my life each day. There are many days that scriptures I have read in the past just leap off the page, and I truly understand and know what these scriptures say to me. The fruits of the spirit that God promises us are being revealed more and more to me, as I seek the word of God in my life, and apply it to my daily living. If you also want to grow in your spiritual walk with God, be faithful, diligent, and steadfast in building a closer relationship with God, and let Him minister to you on a daily basis. When you allow God to minister to you daily, your life will be changed as you will feel the Holy Spirit begin to lead and guide you to live the kind of life God wants you to live. All the problems and trials you encounter, will not seem as overwhelming as God will provide you His peace and His comfort, even in the darkest moments. It is like going from kindergarten, to grade school, to high school and then to college, as you will graduate in each step to a better understanding of what God's plan is for your life. If you seek God's wisdom you will find it. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 5 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Homesick For Heaven

Homesick For Heaven "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2nd Corinthians 5:1 I have a dear friend, who has spent the past several years in terrible pain, due to cancer, which has spread throughout her body, and the radiation treatments leave her weak and exhausted. Her husband passed away several years ago, and she is struggling and just getting by each day. She recently sent me an e-mail asking me to pray for her, and stated that she was homesick for Heaven. Our life on earth is so often filled with trials and troubles, and often reaches the point that we just want it to end, and rid ourselves of the pain and struggles we face in our daily lives. We should all be homesick for Heaven, and long to be there, as there will be no more pain and suffering to bear. I know that during the past several years as my age is catching up with me, and the pains throughout my body seem to be more frequent, I also am getting more homesick for Heaven. It is a wonderful feeling to know that there is something better waiting for me, when this life is over. Physical death does not bother me any longer, as it only holds the promise of a new perfect body in Heaven where I will live eternally with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have always thought that each of us has a hole in our heart that only God can fill. That hole can never be filled completely until we are in our eternal home with the Lord. When I look at scriptures such as the one above, I am encouraged knowing that what lies ahead for me, and the great reunions I will have with my loved ones that have gone ahead. I believe God has designed us to be homesick for Heaven, and we will never be at peace until we share Heaven with Him. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 4 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Secure Your Future

Secure Your Future "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." 1st Corinthians 10:13 The world we live in today is much different than the days of our ancestors, as there is so much more evil that is paraded in front of us, through our televisions, our music, and the overall lack of morality that is prevailing in our culture today. The breakdown of the family is a prime example, of what has occurred in our society. It is reported that almost half of all marriages now end in divorce. Homosexual lifestyles are becoming the norm, and abortions are common practice in the world today. Temptations are everywhere we look, and is causing people to turn from God, and seek the ways of the world and the devil. The godly lifestyle and Christian values that our forefathers held so dearly, has been replaced with one that does not value life any longer, and has been compromised so much that there is hardly any resemblance to the values of yesteryear. Our nation is slowly, but surely resembling the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that God destroyed because of the evil and wickedness that was prevalent in them. The Bible tells us that in the last days that nations will turn from God, and that this will be a sign that Jesus will return before the whole world is lost. The scripture above and others like it, tell us that we do not have to conform to the patterns of the world, but to rise above them, and follow the commands and the Word of God. Our God is faithful, and even though we will be tempted, He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. Even as the world is decaying around us, don't succumb to the temptations of Satan and his evil, but seek first the power of God, who will let you have victory over the evil, and secure your eternal future. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 3 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Secure Your Future

Secure Your Future "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." 1st Corinthians 10:13 The world we live in today is much different than the days of our ancestors, as there is so much more evil that is paraded in front of us, through our televisions, our music, and the overall lack of morality that is prevailing in our culture today. The breakdown of the family is a prime example, of what has occurred in our society. It is reported that almost half of all marriages now end in divorce. Homosexual lifestyles are becoming the norm, and abortions are common practice in the world today. Temptations are everywhere we look, and is causing people to turn from God, and seek the ways of the world and the devil. The godly lifestyle and Christian values that our forefathers held so dearly, has been replaced with one that does not value life any longer, and has been compromised so much that there is hardly any resemblance to the values of yesteryear. Our nation is slowly, but surely resembling the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that God destroyed because of the evil and wickedness that was prevalent in them. The Bible tells us that in the last days that nations will turn from God, and that this will be a sign that Jesus will return before the whole world is lost. The scripture above and others like it, tell us that we do not have to conform to the patterns of the world, but to rise above them, and follow the commands and the Word of God. Our God is faithful, and even though we will be tempted, He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. Even as the world is decaying around us, don't succumb to the temptations of Satan and his evil, but seek first the power of God, who will let you have victory over the evil, and secure your eternal future. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 3 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Take Time For God

Good Morning to all my friends. This is another day that God has given us, let us be glad and rejoice in it. My prayer for you is that God will bless each of you today and give you His peace and His comfort in all that you do. Today's Challenge------------------ Take Time For God “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.” Luke 16:15 So often in life we get our minds and our lives focused away from serving God. We get so carried away with wanting the things of the world, and spending our time on our own pleasures that we forget to devote any time to serving and worshipping God. Our businesses, our hobbies, our relationships and even our families consume all our time and we have no time left for God. When this occurs we find ourselves trusting in our own selves and our own abilities to make our lives enjoyable and successful. I encounter so many people who are running to and fro and have no time left to even take time to have a meal together with their families. Many of these people think they have found the secret to being successful in their businesses and their family relationships. So often we forget that even though we think we are doing it by ourselves, God is still in control and can in an instant take away our so called success, as we have seen by the recent disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes that have destroyed all the material wealth people have spent a lifetime accumulating. We think we have our values adjusted to what we want and desire out of life, and ones that make us blend in with the crowd, and make us appear to others that we have it all together. But when our values are centered toward worldly things and are all a show we put on, so that we will be recognized and respected by the people around us, we could easily be crossing the line as to what God tells us to do. When we get our minds away from God’s values and commands we are walking on thin ice. God knows our hearts and whether or not our motives for our actions and behavior are reflective of his wishes for us. Many times what we place a value on may make us part of the in crowd, but is detestable in God’s sight. We need to step back and assess our lives and seek God’s wisdom to determine if we are doing the things that God has willed for us. We need to ask ourselves if we are taking the time to spend with God and seeking his wisdom as to what his plan is for us. God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, and his plan will be revealed to each of us when we seek him. He will let us know what his will for us is, and when we seek to do his will, we will know whether our values are the ones that are pleasing to the eyes of men or to God. When we stand before God one day and give an accounting of our lives, we want our values that we have followed during our lives to be ones that are pleasing in God’s eyes and not men’s eyes. My Daily Devotional Volume Two December 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Daily Devotional: What Is Your Goal

My Daily Devotional: What Is Your Goal

What Is Your Goal

What Is Your Goal "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." 2nd Peter 2:12 Throughout the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, we see prophesies telling us what the future holds. These prophesies have proven to be 100% accurate in all situations, as more and more of them are coming to pass. I have always liked to know what the future holds for me, and I have studied and read the Bible through many times, and have found time and time again the things I wanted to know. There is only one future that any of us should be concerned with however, and that is where we will spend our eternity. This life is only temporary, a fleeting shadow, and will soon pass away. However, our eternal life will be forever, and will have no end. I know that throughout my life, I always have liked to have goals and objectives that kept me on track, and focused on what I needed to work on, as without a plan I would wander aimlessly from one thing to another, and never get anything accomplished. This always worked for me for most of my life, but the most important thing I now realize, is that I only need to have one goal and objective in mind, and that is to know for certain where I will spend my eternity. Nothing else matters in this life, as if I do not meet this one goal and objective, my whole existence in life will have been meaningless. I am constantly asking God each day if I am still on target with my goal, and asking him to help me make any change that I need to make. My goal in life is to make sure that I am living the kind of life that God wants me to live, and becoming the person He wants me to be. I know that my future is in God's hands, and with Him by my side, I know that my future is secure, and my goal will be met. My Daily Devotional Volume Six March 1 Robert William Brock, Jr.