It's For Your Own Good

It's For Your Own Good "And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness." Deuteronomy 6:25 There are not many children as they were growing up that did not hear their parents tell them, "It's For Your Own Good", when they had done wrong. So often they may not have always agreed with their parents at the time, but later ended up finding out the hard way that their parents were right. The same is true with God. We might not always understand why certain things happen, or why He wants us to do things a certain way, but God always knows what's best for us. God gives us the freedom to make our own choices, and sometimes our choices get us into trouble. When we do make wrong choices God is always there to help us through the aftermath of these bad choices, because that's what a loving Father does. But think how much better off we would be if we would take heed to His Word in the first place. When you accept Jesus as your savior, the Holy Spirit is there to direct you and lead you on the right path. When you listen to the gentle whispers that God will speak to you, when you are being tempted to do wrong, and turn from temptation, God's peace and contentment will surround you. If you are dealing with issues today where you are uncertain about what steps to take, I would encourage you to open your hearts, let God speak to you, let Him give you the wisdom and courage to do what is right and good. Follow these gentle whispers and obey them, and let them lead and guide you in the direction you need to go. Let them direct your path, and lead you to fulfill God's promise that He will never leave you or forsake you. Let God lead you to an eternal life, "it's for your own good." My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 31 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Are You Ready

Are You Ready "Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10 When I turned on the television this morning there was a report that said that the population of the world this week would exceed "Seven Billion" people. Do you realize that all seven billion of these people are sinners? Each one of these seven billion people have one thing in common, as they will all die, unless Christ comes first to claim His children. Each of these people will spend their eternity in either hell or Heaven. Death is the great equalizer, and does not spare the rich man from the poor man, as it will claim all people. For many of these people, today will be their last day on this earth as their life will end, and their fate will be sealed. They will have no tomorrow to get their life in order, no time to accept the saving grace of Jesus, and all the wealth, money, and material possessions they accumulated will not matter anymore. Yes, death is the great equalizer, and it spares no man. If you were one of these people that death will call on today, do you know where you will spend your eternity? In the few short years you have on this earth, which James calls "a vapor", have you prepared for your eternal home? Have you spent your time laying up treasures that will rust and rot away, or have you been laying up treasures in Heaven? These are serious questions that only you can answer, as no one can help you, and you are on your own. I want to impress upon you the seriousness of this important matter as when you take your last breath, you need to be prepared to meet Jesus, as you will not have another opportunity. I encourage you to think about this, and take a moment right now and ask Jesus into your heart, as you still have time to accept His offer to spend your eternity with Him. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 30 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Wrath Of God

The Wrath Of God "The wrath of God is being revealed from Heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them." Romans 1:18-19 We often hear people speak about the wrath of God, but do we really understand how God will deal with those who continue to deny Him, and continue in their wickedness and in their evil ways. We can see the wrath of God simply by looking at the story of Noah. God looked down on the earth He had created and found it was evil and wicked, and He sent a great flood that destroyed it completely, and all that was in it. We can see the same thing happening in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, as they were wicked and evil, and He destroyed all except Lot's family, the only ones that were found to be righteous. Scriptures like the one above warns us about the wrath of God and how the evil and wicked will be dealt with. We need to heed God's warnings, as all people have an opportunity to hear and read God's Holy Word, and ask for and receive God's forgiveness. God's judgment will be harsh, and many do not realize the future they face if they do not turn from their life of sin, and accept Jesus as their savior. We are not promised that we will see another day, and may not have another chance to be forgiven of our sins, so today is a critical one in the lives of so many people. If you have not received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this may be the last chance you have to make your future secure. You don't have to face the wrath of God if you make things right today, before it is too late. Take just a moment now to accept Christ as your savior, and secure your eternal future, and avoid the wrath of God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 29 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Is With You

God Is With You "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18 I have written many devotionals over the years about why do we suffer so much in life. We lose our jobs, have unexplained deaths in our family, have relationship issues, severe financial issues, problems with our children, the list could go on. I believe we can get some solace from the writings of the apostle Paul, who tells us to be content with all things. So often we don't understand why things happen to us, as we do not see all of God's great plan, but even during our times of struggle, we need to remember that God is still there. He knows what we face each day. He knows how our hearts ache, and how we are so burdened down with the stresses of life, but He also tells us that He will not give us more than we can bear. We can see the struggles that Job had, we can see the trials that the disciples had, as most were imprisoned and their life threatened continuously. However, they were content with their situations, and trusted and had faith in God that He would see them through all their trials and struggles. If you are going through situations in your life that you don't understand, you also have the promise from God that He will not give you more than you can bear. He is still there for you, just like he was for His disciples. Don't lose your faith and turn away from Him in your time of trouble, rather draw closer to Him. Continue to pray about your situation, be like the persistent widow, pray without ceasing. In God's time He will answer your prayers; He will lead you out of your valleys, and let you reach your mountaintops. There is no situation that is too great for your God to handle. Keep your faith and trust God for your answer. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 28 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Trust In God-Don't Worry

Trust In God-Don't Worry "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." John 14:1 This scripture is such a great promise by Jesus telling us not to be troubled or worry. He tells us that He will provide all our needs, and that we should not be concerned about the things of this life which are material in nature, like our money and possessions which will rust and rot away. We should instead have our trust in God for everything, and depend upon Him to provide what we need. We have this promise because when we ask Jesus into our hearts, and make Him our savior He also gives us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in the paths of righteousness. God loves us so much that He gave His only son to die on the cross for our sins, and His only requirement is that we love Him back. He made this clear when He gave us His number one commandment, which is to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. What a loving God we have, to give us so much, and ask for so little in return. I want you to understand when your life becomes burdened down with trouble and worry, your focus becomes centered towards yourselves. God does not want you to be so engrossed in yourself, and your wants and desires, but to be centered on living a life that is devoted to serving Him. There are so many things that tempt you each day to get your minds and hearts off Jesus, but this is Satan tempting you. However, you can make the choice every time you are tempted by the things of this world to turn from them, and keep your heart and your mind focused on serving God. The choices you make during life will determine where you will spend your eternity. Make the right choices each day, and trust in God for all things and your eternal future will be secure. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 27 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Reflections Of Life

Reflections of Life “You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!” Galatians 4:10 We all see the power of God in our lives when we make Him number one in our lives and follow His commands. As I look back on my life I can see how God has worked in me, and how He has influenced me, and made me the person I have become. I believe that in the winter of our lives God gives us the wisdom and understanding to reflect back on our lives and see our accomplishments and also our failures. Old age is winter for many people, but for those who are wise and optimistic, it is the happiest and most fruitful time of their life as they now begin to see the abundance of their harvest. We can see the fruits of our labor begin to be manifested in our children and our grandchildren, as they bring back the memories of our own childhood, and we relive aspects of our youth all over again. Old age arrives suddenly, as does the snow, as one morning on awakening one realizes that everything is white. However I believe that by growing old one learns to remain young, as we can now understand and rid ourselves of our shortcomings, because they no longer serve any useful purpose. We can now see how God begins to put all the pieces of His magnificent puzzle into place, and can begin to see His design, His purpose for all things and can see our part in completing this amazing puzzle. Even as through the effect of the setting sun on the beautiful twilights of autumn we can see our reason and place in God’s magnificent and beautiful world. Things that used to cause us grief, worry and strife no longer seem to be the important things of life as we now get a glimpse of the future that God has planned for us; a future that far surpasses what God has given us in this life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Is Always Watching

God Is Always Watching "For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths." Proverbs 5:21 My grandmother gave me some valuable advice when I was a little boy, when she said that God was watching me at all times, and that I should live my life as if He was standing beside me, watching. This is probably the best advice I have ever received, and I wish that everyone could live with this in mind. Throughout each day we are tempted with evil, and make choices that are good or bad. If we made these choices with the idea that God was standing there beside us, watching our every move, we would make better decisions. The fact is that God is standing there beside us, watching our every move, our every choice, knows our every thought, but most of all knows our heart. There is nothing that we do, that God is not aware of. There is an old Cherokee saying that during life we are constantly in a battle between good and evil, and that God and Satan are doing battle for our soul each moment of our day. The winner will be whichever we feed, good or evil. The advice my grandmother taught me has kept me focused so many times in making the right choice, and feeding good instead of evil. Some day we are all going to stand before God at His judgment throne, and be judged based on all the good and bad choices we made during life. There will be nothing hidden from God, as all our ways, the good, the bad and the ugly, will be in full view, and He will examine all our paths during life. The battle between good and evil will then be over, and a victor will have been chosen. As you make all your choices today, take a moment to ask yourself, am I choosing God or am I choosing Satan, and remember God is watching. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 25 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Don't Be Afraid To Fail

Don't Be Afraid To Fail "Thus you will walk in the ways of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous." Proverbs 2:20 Recently, as I was counseling a young man, who had just declared bankruptcy, due to some bad financial decisions, I was reminded of the story of Abraham Lincoln, one of our greatest presidents. President Lincoln, had lost 8 previous elections that he entered, until his last attempt which was for the presidency, and had suffered defeat and failure in many aspects of his life prior to this time. No one likes to fail, but failure is a part of life. It is something that we all have to experience from time to time. The key, however, is how do you respond when you fail? There are some valuable tips you need to learn from failure. The first is to accept responsibility for your failure, as you will not be able to move forward if you point the blame of failure on others. Don't use the excuse that someone else was to blame, but accept responsibility for it. Learn from your mistakes, don't make them again, and move forward. The second is not to let your loss or failure keep you from trying again. Many people become so devastated by failing, that they simply refuse to try again. You can't move ahead in life if you are afraid of losing or failure. Instead of losing and failing making you weak, it can make you strong. The third is to remember that there is no failure with God. You can't fail when you are serving the Lord. When you are following the will of God, He will give you the wisdom to make the right choices. Pray about the choices you make each day, and ask God for His wisdom and guidance. Fourth, if you do fail at something consider the fact that God may be closing the door to the path you are following, as He wants to lead you on another path. When you trust God, he will lead you to the path of the righteous. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 24 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Something Beautiful

Something Beautiful "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26 There was a wonderful song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither called "God Made Something Beautiful Of My Life". Some of the words are, "Something beautiful, something good; All my confusion He understood. All I had to offer Him Was brokenness and strife, But He made something beautiful of my life." These are good words, and describes so well what our life is like before we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are without hope and have absolutely nothing to offer God except our brokenness and despair, however God can transform us through His amazing grace, and forgive us of all our sins, and can make something beautiful of our lives. There is nothing that you have done in your past that God is not willing to forgive, as His grace is sufficient to forget all your sins, and let you begin anew. God's transforming grace is available to all who will receive it. God has not given up on you, even if you have given up, or others have. All you have to do is ask God to give you this grace. You don't have to wait for it, as you can receive it any time you ask for it. But you have to make the first step and ask Him for it, and then be willing to let Him take control of your life. You don't have to remain in the broken condition you are in today, but simply asking God to be your Lord and Savior, can restore you and put a new spirit in you. Jesus is ready to receive you and help you become the person He sees you to be--radically transformed and fully committed for His glory. When you take this first step and ask Jesus into your heart, He can make something beautiful of your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 23 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Cares About Little Things

God Cares About Little Things "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 In the course of a day, there are so many things in our life that happens that ruins our happiness and joy. I am not talking about the major issues we often have, such as a serious health problem, or a crisis in our marriage, or even a major financial challenge. I am talking about the little things that can ruin your day, such as losing your car keys, misplacing your wallet, getting a traffic ticket, spilling your coffee, or your computer not working. So often people let the little things ruin their day and cause them to lose their entire focus on the important things of life. I have warned you over and over in my devotionals, that it doesn't take much for Satan to control your day if you let him, which is one of the reasons you must have a committed 24/7 relationship with God. Just letting your guard down for a few minutes is all that is needed for Satan to take control, and take away your joy and happiness. When the apostle Paul said to "Pray without ceasing", this is what he was talking about, as a momentary lapse in your relationship with God, can allow Satan a foothold, which is all it takes to ruin your day. You must realize that God cares about all the little things in your life. He cares if you can't find your wallet or your car keys. He cares if you spill your coffee, or your computer isn't working. Don't depend upon yourselves to handle these small issues, but turn them over to God to help you handle. No matter how small the problem might be, you can still pray that God can deliver you from these, just as you will pray for the big issues. God wants you to live in peace, and if the small things are robbing you of peace, turn them over to God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 22 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Waiting Room

God's Waiting Room "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." Psalm 37:7 What should you do when doors you thought God had opened suddenly slam shut? You're thinking, "Lord, I did all the right things in my eye, but you are closing the doors. Why is this happening?" If you are experiencing this in your life, don't panic, as God is still directing your steps, just not in the way you wanted. God is aware of your situation, and although you may feel your hopes and dreams are crushed, this is the time to rely on His wisdom and unfailing love. God knows the plan He has for you, so now is the time to trust Him to work things out for your good. You will find out that when God closed this door, He has just opened a new door which will lead you to an even greater reward. Remember, that your timing is not God's timing, and when you begin to understand God's timing, you'll be better able to see why your doors were suddenly closed. The problem that most people have is that they want things done in their time frame, which often is not in the time frame that God has for them. When you don't see the clear path in front of you, this is where your faith and trust in God must come into play. You will need to wait, with the expectancy that God knows the path you are to follow, and is leading you in the way He wants you to go. God has each of us on a definite plan and time frame, and while He's getting us ready, He keeps us in His waiting room, where we are learning to trust Him for everything. If God has you in His waiting room today, it's because He wants you to reach a new level of maturity and when ready, He will release new levels of blessing in your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 21 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Putting Worry In It's Place

Putting Worry In Its Place ''Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'' Matthew 6:33-34 Many people are what I call worry warts because they worry about every little thing. Every minute of the day they are constantly worrying about things that could or might happen, which most often don't happen. Worrying runs opposite to having faith in God, and can literally strangle the life out of something. We are supposed to trust God to take care of us today, tomorrow, and into the future. Worry has always been in contradiction to having faith. Real planning for the future is trusting in God for everything. If God feeds the birds, surely we can trust Him to provide for us, since we are greater than the birds. We simply just worry too much about issues at home, at work, and our own selfish desires. We learn what to worry about from personal experiences, as well as from family and friends. Our worry also varies in our ability to handle worries. Some are overwhelmed, while others take worry in stride. We respond to worries differently, some with positive thinking, and prayer, while others with negativity. We have a God who not only cares for us, but already knows our needs. God has a plan for us, and If we ask for His will to be done in our lives, and seek Him first, everything will take care of itself. God places high value on living one day at a time, and trusting Him for all things. Striving after our desires leads to worry, but striving for God's kingdom takes away worry. The answer is to trust God for everything. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 20 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Use Your Words Wisely

Use Your Words Wisely “Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips.” Ecclesiastes 10:12 I have always heard the saying that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." That statement is not true, in fact, words may not break our bones, but they certainly can damage our spirits. I had a severe speech problem during my teen aged years and know just how bad words can hurt. Words can also uplift and encourage also, and I will always remember the words from my grandmother as I grew up, as they were always encouraging words, and words that built me up, and made me think that I could do anything, and accomplish anything in my life. I know what her words meant to me, and how they helped me develop my self esteem and self worth. I have always thought as I have raised my own family, if I was doing the same thing for them as my grandmother did for me, and build them up to think they could do anything and be anything they wanted to be. My grandmother was so skillful in making people think they were special, and everyone who knew her liked to be around her, as she made everyone feel good about themselves. This was her gift from God, and she used it to the fullest extent possible. Positive words from someone wise and respected, will stay with us forever, but negative words, used without love, may be more harmful than any physical hurt. We can recover from a physical hurt, but we will always remember the hurtful words spoken to us, as they will be engraved in our minds. The Bible is full of encouraging, wonderful words of promise to each of us. My desire is that the words spoken out of my mouth are words of encouragement and inspiration to others. What comes from our mouth, originates in our heart. Is your heart right? My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 19 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Daily Devotional

Drink Upstream From The Herd Dedicated To My Grandfather: John Jeff Brock "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1st Timothy 4:12 As I was growing up my grandfather and I loved to hunt, and we spent much of our days in the mountains. There were many mountain springs through the hills, where we would always find water to drink, and also most of the farmers let their cows roam the mountains. One of my grandfathers sayings was "always drink upstream from the herd." When I think back on this time in my life, I can see much wisdom in this simple statement. Throughout our lives we are all influenced by the people around us. We all meet, work with, and have contact with people, who have good morals, good family values and follow God. We also encounter people, who have very little or no morals, bad family values and follow Satan. When we encounter either group of these people, we have a choice to make, whether to gravitate to people who have their lives centered around God, or to people who are worldly, with their lives centered around Satan. Whatever group we choose to follow, this group will certainly influence our lives, and we will gravitate to their level. We can choose higher values as our way of life, or we can choose to lower ourselves to worldly values and their standards. My grandfather also had another saying "when you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty". There is nothing that will influence a young person more than to get into the wrong crowd, as their influence will so easily lead them astray. Are you with the wrong crowd in your life, and are you "drinking upstream from the herd." My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 18 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Glimpse Of Heaven

My Glimpse Of Heaven "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne." Revelation 3:21 Today, as I look out my window, I am drawn to the bright rays of the sun peeking through the clouds, and knowing that you are far above them in Heaven, looking down on me, and all the world around me. I stand in awe today, of your power and your majesty, as to the beautiful world that you have created here on earth, and I can only imagine what the heaven will be like that you have also created for me. I can hardly wait to walk on the street of gold you have prepared for me, and see and hear the angels filling the air and sounds with their heavenly music. I long to be reunited with my father, my mother, my wonderful wife, my children, my grandchildren, and my grandparents, and spend my eternity there in a great reunion in your beautiful garden. I anticipate getting to spend all my days in your kingdom where there will be no fear, no worry, no sickness and no concern about anything, and being able to live in peace and harmony all my days. I want to experience your presence and spend time with you, in the paradise you have prepared for me. But today Lord, I am still on this beautiful earth, with my earthly family, and as I struggle to obey your commands and do your will, I stand committed to do what you would have me do while I am still in this earthly body. I wait with anticipation for the day you will decide that my time on earth is over, your work in me has been fulfilled, and you will welcome me with open arms to the place you have prepared for me. Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and Savior. and letting me have just a glimpse of what you have prepared for me, I can't wait to come home. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 17 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Clouds Of Life

The Clouds Of Life “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27 Have you ever thought about the significance of the clouds in your life? Without the clouds you wouldn’t be shielded from the burning sun, there would be no lavish sunsets, no beneficial rain and no beautiful landscapes. The most beautiful scenery in any picture is the fluffy clouds floating against a sky of blue. Just looking at a beautiful sunset with the fiery red rays of the sun piercing through the clouds is one of the most beautiful sights you can behold. But the thing that should excite you the most, is knowing that God is behind the clouds. When the storm clouds of life are constantly over your head, and you can relate to the cartoon character in the comic strip Charley Brown, who always had a black cloud constantly over him, look beyond the clouds and you will find God. The Bible says that God will test you with trials and troubles, but won't let you bear more than you can stand. He will always be there to lead and guide you, to overcome any storm of life. God wants you to persevere over any obstacle, but will let you be tested with difficult times so you can learn to trust Him, and put your burdens on His shoulders. You are never alone as Jesus is always with you through your difficult times. He is just behind your clouds to lift you up and carry you. Just as the sun breaks through the clouds, God is there just waiting to let His light shine on you. You will face clouds in life—sometimes slight, but sometimes dark and frightening. Whatever clouds you face today, ask Jesus, the light of the world, to help you look behind the cloud to see His glory, His mercy, His grace and reveal the plans He has for you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 16 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Don't Be Greedy

Don't Be Greedy "For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods." Psalm 96:4 Before turning my life over to Christ, I would often strive for a position, a material possession, and do anything to achieve it. More often than not, once I had this position, or possession ... it didn't fulfill the need, it didn't fill that empty hole in my heart. Often half our problems come from wanting our own way and the other half comes from getting it. It is like the little boy who was riding a hobbyhorse together with his sister. The boy said, "If one of us would get off this horse, there would be more room for me." Often we find that we want what others have, rather than being content with what God has given us. We may work, scheme, maneuver, and do almost anything in order to have our way. Once we have our way, we wonder, "Was it worth the effort? Did I push too hard and use too much energy on something that I am not sure is right for me?" Maybe you are happy and satisfied for a moment, but your happiness is fleeting, if it is not in line with God's will. This can be very true when it comes to spiritual matters. If you act with your own gain and pleasure in mind, you actually end up denying the power of God in your life. When it comes to spiritual gifts, this also is true. We can become so focused on having a certain gift that we miss God's greater blessings. Therefore, make a commitment to stay balanced in your view of the spiritual gifts. Don't belittle or discredit the gifts that He has given someone else. Keep in mind that a spiritual gift should: build up the body of Christ. encourage other believers in the way they should go. Bring comfort and hope to those who are hurting and lonely and discouraged. Ask God to make you aware of your gift and how He wants you to use it. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 15 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Are You A Fisher Of Men

Are You A Fisher Of Men "Come follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19 As I was growing up I spent many wonderful days with my grandfather on the banks of the Cumberland River fishing. These were some of the most peaceful times of my life, just being with my grandfather as our minds were not on our difficulties and struggles, but rather on just talking and spending time together. We both loved to fish, and whether we caught anything or not really didn't matter to us. The Bible tells us that several of the Disciples were fishermen, and I can imagine they also experienced the peace and contentment that fishing can bring. The Bible also tells us that we are all called to be fishermen, however instead of catching fish we are to catch the souls of the lost and unsaved. We are to cast the Gospel in open waters and sit back and hope for a bite, and if we are lucky we can hook someone. Once we catch them, and tell them about Jesus, the rest is up to God. The Bible tells us one more thing that we are to do after we catch them, and that is to make them disciples. Making them disciples is taking them with us as we walk together with Christ, and growing together in fellowship, relationship, love, hope, faith and trust with the Holy Spirit leading us. Being fishers of men is something we are all called to do, and we can do it in all walks of our lives, in our jobs, in our schools, in our neighborhoods, everywhere we go we have an opportunity to lead someone to Christ. This is why it is so important for people to know that you are different, than the world, as your light needs to shine brightly for others to see. God's great commission is for you to go and tell others the Gospel, to share the good news. Fishing can be fun and oh so rewarding, when you lead someone to know Jesus. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 14 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Death The Great Equalizer

Death The Great Equalizer "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14 During the past two years, I have been praying for a young boy named Ethan that was 7 years old when he was diagnosed with a rare type of incurable cancer. This week I received an e-mail from his mother stating that he had died. It does not seem right in my eyes that such a young boy, should have been deprived of not being able to experience all the happiness and joys of life, however in these situations I have to depend on my trust and faith in knowing that this was God's plan for this precious boy. The same day I saw on television that one of the wealthiest men in our country had also died. Death is the great equalizer, as it does not take into account whether you are worth millions of dollars, or whether you died with nothing. The reality is that regardless of your status in life all of you will someday die. At that moment when you take your last breath, the only thing that will matter is your relationship with Jesus Christ, nothing else. This is why the Bible warns us of the foolishness of storing up treasures on earth into the few years we have, as we can't take them with us and they will soon rot and rust away. As the scripture above states we are only a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. What is the main focus of your life today? Is it solely focused on material wealth or are you preparing for your eternal home. Are you using each day to lay up treasure on earth, or to lay up treasure in Glory? Are you working to build a legacy in this temporal world, or are you working to build a legacy that will stand for all eternity? These are serious questions that you need to think about and answer, as death is the great equalizer, as you too will appear for a little time and vanish. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 13 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Greatest Gift

The Greatest Gift "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8 We kept our 3 year old granddaughter Emma this week, as she is expecting a new brother to be born any time now. While she was here, there were some presents we had wrapped for the new arrival, and she immediately wanted to open them. When we told her she couldn't open them, she began to cry as she loves to open gifts. This should be the perfect example of how we should approach the greatest gift that anyone could give us, and that is the gift Jesus gave us by dying on the cross for our sins. We should be crying for this greatest of all gifts, stomping our feet and fighting for this gift, but the sad fact is that so many won't accept it. This gift of our salvation is one that will fit everyone's budget, it will fit everyone's size, it cannot be taken back and exchanged for something else. It is the perfect gift for any occasion, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Christmas, graduations, and so many other occasions. It is a gift that will never wear out, has a guarantee that will last for all eternity. It will never rust, never rot, never tarnish, will never have to be repaired, and it doesn't even need batteries,. We don't even have to spend our money, or use a credit card to get it, as it is given to us free with no strings attached. There is not much in life that is free for the asking, but this gift is one that God will even deliver to your door, as all you have to do is call on Him and He will bring it to you. He will even give you a companion as security, as He will give you the Holy Ghost to watch over you and protect you at all times. Would you like this gift? It is yours, just by asking Jesus to come into your heart. I pray you will accept it. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 12 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Are You A Complainer

Are You A Complainer "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation." Philippians 2:14 Are you thankful for all the things that you have today? If you are, you may be a minority, as almost anywhere you go there are people who are complaining about their health, their finances, their jobs, their spouses and many other issues that are troubling them. People don't seem to be satisfied with very much of anything and are constantly complaining. Today, I want you to concentrate on, not what you want or don't have, but I want you to think about what you do have. If you are alive and reading this devotional, you should be extremely thankful. If you have food on your table, you should be thankful. If you have shelter over your head, you should be thankful. If you can see the flowers around you, you should be thankful. If you can hear the birds chirping, you should be thankful. If you can breathe on your own, you should be thankful. I could go on with more examples of what you should be thankful for, but I want you to realize that there is someone in your own town or neighborhood who doesn't have these things to be thankful for. So often in life we keep wanting more things, and want everything to be better than it is, however things could also be much worse than it is. If you are constantly complaining about what you don't have and your circumstances, try a new approach today and begin thanking God for the things you do have. Break the habit of complaining about everything, and get in the habit of thanking God for everything. Think about the old saying, "Is my cup half full or is it half empty". Be positive and thankful to God for all you have. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 11 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Waiting On God

Waiting On God "Wait for the Lord and keep his ways. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it." Psalm 37:34 For the past 30 years, I have spent countless hours researching the ancestry of my grandmother, who was born in 1893. She was adopted at birth, but I haven't been able to find her real parents, or the reason she was adopted. I have information that leads me to believe both her father and mother were killed in some kind of accident, but have not been able to find conclusive information to back this up. The waiting all these years has been hard, as it is with most people, when they have to wait on something. The Bible tells us in many scriptures that we need to be patient, thus the old saying "have the patience of Job." But it is hard to wait, and the Bible gives us a clue on how we should wait in the scripture above, as it tells us to keep His ways while we wait. Psalm 37:7 also tells us, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." When we're waiting on God we need to realize that His time is not our time. Most people, when they pray, want immediate results, however we need to realize that often what we pray for is not what we really need. Only God knows what His plan is for each of us, and through our eyes we see only a tiny piece of God's plan. All the pieces of this giant puzzle need to come together to fulfill God's plan for us, and many times these pieces are not ready to fall into place. This is where our waiting comes in, as we must depend on God's perfect timing to make all things come together at the right time. If you are praying for some situation, don't become discouraged, pray that much harder, and in God's perfect time His plan for your life will become a reality, as all the pieces will fall into place. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 10 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Get The Pigs Out

Get The Pigs Out "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130 Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the pressure and stress that you face each day? In our society, just the busyness of life drains the energy out of most people, and they find it difficult to deal with even simple trials and difficulties they face in their daily lives. One of Satan's greatest weapons is to keep people so busy doing so many little things, that the most important things never get done. My grandfather had an old saying "you can't get the water to clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek". This simple statement is so true as until we get all the little things, and the busyness out of our lives we will never be able to concentrate on the things that are most important. The most important thing in your life is to make room for God, and if the pigs are in the creek muddying the water, you have to get them out before you can see clearly that God is the most important. You have to get your house in order, to free yourself of the unimportant things, that take time away from God. If you find yourself starting each day with a mountain of tasks facing you, ask God to give you His wisdom and understanding to manage your time. Get the pigs out of your life so that you can see clearly what things are important to do. God loves you, and loves you even more when you call on His name each day, and ask for His wisdom and guidance. He will freely give this to you if you will ask. Just remember that God longs to be good to those that are looking for His goodness. Ask Him to simplify your life, to remove the busyness, so that you can devote time for Him each day. Put Him first in all that you do, and He will get the pigs out of your life, and you will see be able to see clearly what is important. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 9 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Your New Day

Your New Day "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips." Psalm 34:1 Do you wake up each morning praising God, and expecting His goodness in your life? You know that you can set the tone for your day, by waking up each morning and thanking God for all His blessings, and praising Him. The pressures, problems, trials and struggles you faced yesterday are gone forever, as today is a new day, and a day that you can make a change in your life. There may be trials and troubles that you will face in the hours ahead, but if you ask God to be with you, these will not defeat you, as you will face them with the certainty that God is with you, and with Him by your side, you will be comforted and given the wisdom and knowledge to deal with them. There will be people you will face today that will be negative, complaining, and discouraging, but don't let their spirit rub off on you. You can choose to bless the Lord at all times, let His praise continually be in your mind. Just remember that in this new day, the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn shining brighter and brighter until the day is done. Start this new day by speaking words of faith and expecting God's favor to be on you. When you get in the presence of God each morning you are opening the door for Him to do amazing things in your life. When you are faithful to God in all things, you set the tone to receive His favor, grace and mercy all during your day. Make this the day that you make a change in your life, and let God enter into each decision, help you face your struggles, lead and guide you in the right paths, and make your future secure. You can change your life today, and become the person that God wants you to be. Sing His praises, let Him be in your thoughts at all times and your life will be changed. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 8 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Open Your Heart

Open Your Heart "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27 There was a young man who I promoted to department head of the laboratory, who was such a promising and talented young man, and could have gone far in his profession. However, another department head, wrongfully accused him of falsifying a medical record. This was proven to not be true, and he was exonerated of any wrong doing. The other department head realized that he had wrongfully accused him, and apologized over and over, but his apology was never accepted. However, this one act created so much tension between the two departments, that he was never able to overcome and forgive, and ultimately transferred to a lower job in the hospital. Forgiveness is such a powerful gift from God, that can literally change lives. When we choose to forgive, it opens a door to our heart so that we can receive God's blessings which will begin to flow in our own lives. But, when we hold onto unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment, it closes this door and keeps us from receiving God's blessings. The Bible tells us that if we don't forgive others that God cannot forgive us. That's because the door to our heart is closed. If forgiveness doesn't go out, forgiveness can't come in. But, when we choose to forgive, we open our heart so that we can receive His forgiveness and allow His love to flow freely through us. Today, I want you to remember that people will let you down, they will hurt you and disappoint you. Don't let the actions of others block your relationship with God, by holding onto unforgiveness. Instead, choose to forgive, so that you can increase your capacity to receive everything God has in store for you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 6 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Anxious Thoughts

Anxious Thoughts "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." Psalm 139:23 I often get messages from my readers telling me that they have difficulty dealing with various issues because they can't get them off their mind, and worry so much that they literally become depressed. God wants us not to worry, but trust in him for all things, but often that's easier said than done, as all too often distracting and anxious thoughts creep in and destroy whatever peace we may have. The entire Psalm 139 is a beautiful prayer telling us to trust in God for everything, and that God knows all things about us, even all the details of our life. There is nothing that is hidden from Him or that He does not know. This should be enough encouragement for us to trust Him in all things, and should let us know that He is in control. But even as beautiful as this Psalm is and encouraging, David's mind wandered as in verse 19 he says, "If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!" David's tone goes from encouraging words to anxious ones, as he suddenly is worried. Being worried and anxious is something even David had trouble with, as he was either praising God, and on the mountain top, or was feeling dejected, and asking for prayer, and down in the valley. I want to encourage you today, that if you are struggling with worry and being anxious in any situation in your life, that God knows about this situation, and is well aware of your struggles with worry and being anxious. The answer to your worry is to pray just like David did, and ask God to search your heart, and cleanse it from worry and your anxious thoughts. Ask Him to take away anything that is coming between your peaceful relationship with God and your trust in Him for all things. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 5 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Do You Have Faith

Do You Have Faith "Jesus turned and saw her. Take heart, daughter, he said, your faith has healed you. And the woman was healed from that moment." Matthew 9:22 Today, I want you to think about what faith means to you. In your Bible you find many examples of what faith means. Peter walked on the water, because of his faith. David fought with Goliath and achieved victory, because of his faith. Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho, because of his faith. Many were healed just by touching the hem of the garments of Jesus, because of their faith. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1. You can't see faith with your natural eyes, but you have to have faith that it exists. To have faith means that you act and live like it is true. Having faith goes beyond logical proof. Faith goes beyond what you can see, and even beyond what you can think. Faith requires you to walk with God, as faith keeps your dreams alive, gives you hope for your future, and faith keeps your expectations achievable. When we look at the life of Enoch we can see that he was taken from this life and did not experience death, because He walked with God, and had faith in Him. Enoch pleased God, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists." Hebrews 11:6. My friends, you cannot see God, but you need to have faith that He exists, just like the scripture above says. You must have faith that there is a God, that sent His son Jesus to die for your sins, because one day you are going to die, and if you don't have faith you will be put into the grave with no hope for a future. But, if you have faith in God, the grave will not hold you, as your eternity will be guaranteed, by the grace of God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 3 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Our Time Is Short

Our Time Is Short "But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable." Jeremiah 2:7 During the past year the news out of Washington has been all about the debt ceiling, and the mountain of debt the United States owes, because as a nation we are spending more money than we are taking in. I am not a politician, but I feel that the battles we are facing as a nation, is due to getting away from Biblical principles and values. We have abandoned God, taking Him out of our schools, our government, endorsed abortion, and approving same sex marriages. I have felt for some time now that God is turning His back on our nation, and allowing these things to happen, as a form of His judgment, because we have turned our back on Him. I feel that our nation is suffering a spiritual crisis, much more than a financial crisis. Our nation has prospered in the past by keeping God present in our government, as regardless of what political party was in power, they still kept Godly values in focus, and governed by Biblical principles. God gave our leaders wisdom and understanding from the time our great nation was founded, because they kept their eyes on Him. But now they have turned away from these values, and no longer have their eyes on God. The wisdom they need to govern our nation, according to Biblical standards has dried up, and is not there, as God is turning His back on us. The financial issues, the defense issues, the social issues, the civil rights issues that are facing us today is just a glimpse of what will come, if we continue in this path. We will soon become the modern Sodom and Gomorrah, and God will bring down His wrath and punishment against us, unless we repent and turn back to God. Our time is short. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 2 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Voice Of God

The Voice Of God "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out." John 5:28 Both my wife and I were born in Kentucky, and both still have our Kentucky accents. We have lived up north for almost 30 years, and are asked almost daily where we are from, as we both have retained our accents. Did you know that every voice is unique, and that you are the only person that will ever have a voice just like yours. I can recall the voices of my grandparents and many others I have known and loved, and the distinctive voices they had, which is so precious to me. But the voice I am longing to hear is the voice of God, when He calls me from the grave, and tells me to come be with Him. "Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God , and those who hear will live." John 5:25. Did you know that you can hear the voice of God each day, if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit, which lives within you will talk to you through gentle whispers, and direct your paths as you follow Him and obey His commands. It is good to have the Holy Spirit speak to us while we are still living, but someday we will all die, and then whose voice do you want to hear when you are raised from the grave. The message I want you to consider today is whose voice do you want to hear if your life suddenly ended? Do you look forward to hearing God speak to you when your life on this earth ends? I would encourage each of you to think about this, and make sure that your life is one that God will say, "Welcome home, good and faithful servant, with you I am well pleased." When you hear God speak to you in this way, this will be the happiest moment in your life. My Daily Devotional Volume Six May 1 Robert William Brock, Jr.