Let Your Light Shine

Let Your Light Shine “We are to continually walk in love being guided by love and following love.” 2 John 1:6 When God puts love and compassion in your heart toward someone, he’s offering you an opportunity to make a difference in that person’s life. He placed in each of us the potential to have a kind, caring, gentle and loving heart. We each have the ability to feel compassion and to feel the hurt that other people are feeling, but too often because of our selfishness, we choose to close our hearts to these people and not try to help them. We need to ask ourselves if we are really concerned about other people, or are only concerned about ourselves. If we can answer this question we can quickly determine if our hearts are right. If we really want to do what is right in the sight of God, we will open our hearts, and be on the lookout for people we can bless. Matthew 5:16 tells us “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Throughout the Bible we see that Jesus always took time for people. He was never too busy or preoccupied with himself to turn anybody away. Are we too busy in our lives looking after ourselves to help the people around us who are in need? We need to examine our own hearts, and if we find we are indulged in our own self interests, we need to change our attitude and lives to devote more of our efforts to help others. In Galatians 6:9 it says “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Take time today to look around you, at your job, in your school, in your neighborhood, anywhere you are, and reach out to others. Let them see the light of Jesus through you, and let them know the love of Jesus. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 31 Robert William Brock, Jr.

When You Stand Before God

When You Stand Before God "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." John 8:31 Have you ever thought about the gift God gave you, when he sent his son Jesus Christ to earth to die on the cross for your sins? If you could repay God for this gift of salvation, by giving Him a gift, what would you give him? Imagine yourself standing in front of God and presenting him with a beautiful wrapped box filled with what he got in return for having His son die for you. Would he open it and find it empty? Would your gift be a box full of empty promises that you made, but never kept? Would it be full of sins that you committed? Better still, would you be happy with your box, and pleased with what you gave God in return for Jesus dying for you? This is exactly what you will someday face, as you will be judged by God for your life here on this earth. Let me give you some suggestions to put in the box that you present to God. Let your box be full of love for God and thankfulness to Him for sending Jesus to save you. Have it full of the times you made him first in all things, not just the crumbs from your table. Have it full of prayers to Him, and all the times you spent reading your Bible and worshipping Him. Have it full of all the things you did to help and love others. You know God's greatest command is to love Him with all your heart, and to love others as you love yourself. Have it full of all the times you followed this great command. You cannot have your box full of sins, as when Jesus died to save you, he washed you clean of all your sins, and gave you the Holy Spirit to keep you safe and free from adding any more sins. As God opens your gift box, He needs to find it full of things worthy for Him sending Jesus to die for you. Start today getting your gift box together to give to God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 30 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Be Prepared

Be Prepared "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light." John 3:21 There are not many people that are not familiar with how our justice system works. Many may have been in a court room at one time in their lives, or have seen others that have been. When we face the judge we have to be prepared and have a plan, or the results could be devastating. Anyone who has accepted Jesus into their hearts as their Lord and Savior, has a plan, as God has provided this through all His commandments. We only have to say "Yes Lord", thank you for giving me your plan for my life. Then we have to be obedient and follow God's plan. God gives us the ten commandments as our main goal, but it's not just the ten commandments, that we must follow. We must read and study the rest of God's Holy word as it contains the plan for us to follow in all aspects of our life. When we accept God's gift of salvation, we must search for the answers to all of life's other situations. Just as in our court rooms, the judge will say, "there is no such thing as ignorance to the law," and we cannot claim that we did not know about all that God requires of us. I want all of you to realize that someday you are going to stand before God and be judged on your obedience to God's laws, and you cannot say, Lord, I did not know about this." When you accepted Jesus into your heart, you agreed to make him first in all that you do, this means that you are to read your Bible, pray, and seek His wisdom. You fellowship with Him daily, and let Him speak to you through the Holy Spirit that now lives within you. You let Him lead and guide you to do all the right things. You get rid of all sin in your life. The time is coming when you will be judged, don't be found ignorant, but be prepared. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 29 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Keep Your Fire Burning

Keep Your Fire Burning "You are the light of the world. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-15 This summer, much of the southwest was plagued by wildfires that burned thousands of acres. The fire fighters reported that many times they thought the fires were contained, but fierce winds would then spread it, and then it would be out of control again. This reminds me of the life of a Christian. We should be on fire for God, and let our fire spread to the people around us, but so often we get caught up in the busyness of life that people hardly know that we are Christians. A fire that burns only in a particular area is said to be contained, but when the wind begins to blow, it can become a raging inferno. Is your fire for God contained in only a particular area, and you are keeping it to yourself, or are you letting it spread to all the ones around you? In order to spread the fire of God we have to be on fire ourselves, and then let it show and spread to the people around us. Think about yourself as a coal in the fiery presence of the Spirit of God, and if you take away this coal from the fire, it will die by itself. It needs other coals to keep it burning. But when we place it back onto the fire, it will be alive again. I would encourage each of you to keep your fire burning brightly with the people around you. Don't let your flame die. Let your friends, family, neighbors, anyone you meet know that you are on fire for God. Let them know instantly that you are a Christian. You can keep your fire burning by reading God's holy word each day, by praying daily and keeping your relationship with God first in all that you do. Fellowship with God on a daily basis will keep your flame burning brightly for all to see, and you can be a light to the world. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 28 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Wealth Doesn't Satisfy

Wealth Doesn't Satisfy "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" Matthew 5:6 We have just endured a year of campaigning for president of our United States, and heard promise after promise telling us that we deserve more and more from our government. All the talk is that our wealth will be taken away, and that our future is looking dim. Do you remember what the innkeeper said to Joseph when he sought shelter for Mary? "No room!" Can you imagine the grief in Joseph’s heart as he looked at Mary? She was going to give birth soon. There were no hospitals to go to, and no room for them in the inn. They had to look about until they found an outbuilding or a cave that housed animals. That’s where Jesus was born … in a lowly stable. It wasn’t like the beautiful nativity scenes we see displayed in store windows or on coffee tables today. Jesus couldn’t have been born in a place more crude and unlovely than where He was born. To clothe Him, there was no baby layette, just swaddling clothes, just rags. But Joseph and Mary didn’t complain about their lot. They didn’t protest. They didn’t demand something better from God. This simple scene contradicts modern standards of living and human values. We have the mistaken notion that luxury, comforts, and gadgets are essential to the development of character. If that were true, don’t you think God would have provided them for His Son? But He didn’t. For in His wisdom, He knew character is developed by concentrating on that which is spiritual and moral, wrapped up in His love. O Lord, may I make room for the Christ of Christmas in my heart this season. May I look past the tinsel and glitter and stay focused on the birth of Your dear Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 27 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Gifts From God

Gifts From God "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name." Hebrews 13:15 When we consider the sun and rain, and the many other things in connection with the earth, that our lives are dependent upon, we find many reasons for giving thanks to God. To accept all these material gifts from him without giving expressions of appreciation is the height of ingratitude. When a gift of great value is given you by another human, you are undoubtedly deeply moved with gratitude, and do not fail to express it. But are you so moved by the superior gifts that come from God, or are you callously indifferent? Once a year people may set aside a day for thanksgiving, such as the national Thanksgiving holiday observed in America. But even then how many observers of this holiday actually offer thanks to God? Are not their thoughts more on feasting and having a merry time than on the many gifts God has given? Can it be said that thanksgiving is offered to God by indulging in an extra-big meal? Thanksgiving to God does not come from the stomach but from the mind. It is verbally expressed. "I will praise the name of God with song, and I will magnify him with thanksgiving." (Ps. 69:30) "In everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God". Aside from material gifts from God for which we should express thanks, there are spiritual gifts that should call forth expressions of gratitude. God has provided us with a written expression of his thoughts, purposes, principles and laws. This book of truth, the Holy Bible, is an invaluable spiritual gift that can guide us in a way that is for our best interests. It leads to eternal life. But how many people thank God for it, let alone study it? My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Are You Thankful

Are You Thankful "Then God said, "I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it." Genesis 1:29 To some people it may seem that there is little to be thankful for, in today's world. The threat of war continues to hang over mankind like a deadly pall, as science continues to produce more and more weapons of mass destruction. The cost of living continues to increase, and so many people have little to eat, raggedy clothes to wear and many are homeless. The world presents a bleak picture to the person who wants to live in happiness, peace and security. He may well look at the world with its bad fruits and ask, Why give thanks for this? But there are other things for which a person can be deeply thankful. An eternal life, for example, is so valuable, that no price can be put on it, yet it was a free gift from God. Do you callously take it for granted as if he owed it to you? Should not thanks be given to him for it, not just one day a year, but daily? Do you take for granted the food you eat, thinking that thanks is due to no one because you earned the money that bought it? If you take that view you forget that its existence was made possible by the Creator, not by your money. He gave to man as a free gift the grain that supplies you with bread, cereals and other food products. He also created the vegetables and fruits that man uses for nourishment. He designed them all to reproduce their kind, that man might always have a supply of food. I would encourage you to not just take your food for granted, but give God thanks for it, as this is an expression not only of your appreciation but also of your recognition of him as the actual Giver. It may be a small thing to give thanks before a meal, but it is the proper thing to do. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 25 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Seek God's Wisdom

Seek God's Wisdom "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 1:7 Have you given thought as to what you can do to accelerate your spiritual growth? If you have, there is one easy thing that you can do, and that is to learn to take correction-from the Spirit of God and from His people. So few believers seem to be able to do that. When their preacher gets in the pulpit and preaches about something they already know, about some aspect of life they’ve already submitted to the Lord, they think he’s great. They like him because he makes them feel good. But the moment he stands up, and begins to preach about something they’re doing wrong, they take offense. God says that’s foolish, and reminds us in the scripture above, that we must seek wisdom and discipline. When your pastor or anyone else in the Body of Christ has a word of correction for you, receive it gratefully. Appreciate those who share the wisdom of God with you. When someone points out somewhere that you’ve missed it, instead of reacting against them, examine yourself and say “Is that right? Does that agree with the Word? Do I need to make a change there? If the answer to those questions is yes, then make the changes you need to make to get your life inline. I know that’s not easy. None of us like to be corrected. But if you’ll make up your mind you’re going to receive that correction anyway, that you’re going to remain teachable, you’ll be able to go on and grow in spiritual things much more quickly. So often we are so self centered, that we think we are correct in all things that we do, however we are never too old or too wise to not be corrected. Read your Bible and pray daily, asking God to continue to give you understanding and discipline in all that you do. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 23 Robert William Brock, Jr.

My Book Of Life

My Book Of Life "Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God." 3rd John 1:11 I have often thought about what it will be like to stand before God one day and be judged on what I have done. My book of life will be opened before Him, and He will read all the good and bad things I have done. Nothing will be concealed, as everything will there for Him to see. There will be countless pages of all my sins listed one by one, and I am sure these pages will far surpass all the pages that list the things I have done right, and things that God will be pleased with. When God gave me the gift of life, I was spotless, perfect, blameless, and precious in God's sight, but soon sin took control, and I became a sinner. Sin followed me through the majority of my life, until God gave me another gift, this time through His son Jesus, who died for me on the cross of Calvary, and took all my sins away, and washed me white as snow. I was perfect, spotless, and blameless again in the sight of God, as all my sin's were washed away by the blood of Jesus. When God looks at my book of life he will judge me as to how I have handled and managed this second chance. Have I been a good steward of it, or have I again let it be contaminated by sin? When Jesus gave me a second chance with His gift of salvation, did I follow Him, and let the Holy Spirit lead and guide me in my daily walk, or did I again revert back to following Satan, and let him control my life? This is what God will look at as I stand before Him. Once we have accepted our gift of salvation, God gives us warning that we must walk away from sin, and not let it be part of our life. I look forward to hearing God say, after He has reviewed my book of life, "Well done, good and faithful servant, come and share my happiness." My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 22 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Thank God Daily

Thank God Daily "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." 1st Chronicles 16:34 When I woke up this morning, and saw the sun peeking through my window, I thought how lucky I was that God had given me another day. I immediately thanked God for giving me this day. I have experienced so many days in my 70 years just like this day, but so many times I had taken them for granted, and never took the time to thank God. We get so busy in our daily lives that we don't take the time to thank God for all the blessings that He bestows on us. All the wonders that He surrounds us with daily, we seldom thank Him for. No matter what is happening in the world around you, you can always find something to thank God for. Gratitude is a powerful force that opens the door to God's blessing. Having constant gratitude and thankfulness reinforces your faith in God, because not only do you thank Him for what He has done in the past, but you also thank Him for what He will do in the future. It's that kind of faith that pleases God. Constant gratitude also shows humility, because when we are thankful, we magnify God instead of magnifying our problems. Going to God each day with a thankful heart puts everything in perspective, and opens the door for God's grace, His favor, and His love to work in our daily life. What are you grateful for today? Are you grateful for the sun that shines and brings a new day? Are you thankful for God's gift of an eternal life? Take time today, to look around, and see all the blessings God has given you, and thank Him for these. You'll be filled with His peace and His joy, and will pave the way for you to experience the abundant life that He has prepared for you. As you choose an attitude of constant gratitude, you'll draw into a closer relationship with God. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 21 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Give God The Credit

Give God The Credit “You may say to yourself, my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” Deuteronomy 8:18 Recently, I ran across an article about one of the wealthy Kennedy's, and how he earned his fortune, which was passed down to his children. The estate was worth millions of dollars, and his will was elaborate, describing who would receive each part of his wealth. This made me think about other wealthy people, and I looked at another wealthy man, J. P. Morgan, who was also a multimillionaire and found that in his will, listed his most important asset. He stated, "I commit my soul into the hands of my Savior, in full confidence that, having redeemed and washed it in His most precious blood. He will present it faultless before my heavenly Father; and I entreat my children to maintain and defend, at all hazard and at any cost of personal sacrifice, the blessed doctrine of the complete atonement for sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, once offered, and through that alone." I was amazed that both of these men were wealthy beyond belief, but Mr. Morgan gave God the praise and the glory for blessing him with so much. “To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” Ecclesiastes 2:26. No matter who you are, or what you have done, only Jesus can save you, and give you an eternal life. Nothing else matters on this earth, as you cannot take any wealth you store up here on earth with you. Don't let your wealth become your God, but if God gives you wealth, give Him, not yourself, the credit for allowing you to have it. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 20 Robert William Brock, Jr.

What Is Your True Wealth

What Is Your True Wealth “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” 1st Timothy 6:6-7 Having spent my career in management, I have encountered many wealthy people who were on my boards of directors, physicians, and owners of very large corporations. I have seen some of these people who were men of God, and lived their faith by their actions and behavior in their daily life. I have also witnessed others who, it was obvious did not follow God, and were of the world. All these people were very successful in their business careers, all the ones that were saved and the ones that were lost. I have always wondered why God lets the just and also the unjust prosper? Why does He let people who do not worship him be successful and seem to be happy? When we look back at Biblical history we also see this even in the days of Jesus. The rich ruler wanted to follow Jesus, but when he was told that he had to give all his wealth away, he left sad as he could not part with his money. The Bible tells us that wealth and material possessions will keep many from the Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This is so unfortunate that people cannot look beyond the present, and realize that this life is only temporary and in a fleeting moment, it will be gone. We cannot take the wealth that we accumulate today with us when we die, as it will rust and rot away and be spent by others. Our soul will last for all eternity, existing either in Heaven, with our Lord and Savior, or in the fires of Hell, with Satan. Each one makes this choice where they will spend eternity, and the wealth and material possessions they own will, in many cases, be the determining factor. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 19 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Our Leaning Side

Our Leaning Side "Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." Psalm 91:14 Each day I receive many e-mails from my readers asking me to pray for them. Several years ago I received a story from a friend, and recently ran across it in my files, since then I think of this story of the old fellow who always prayed, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side. After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently. He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this... I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years, but It's still standing. One day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop me up on my leaning side, 'cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times. Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't. So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side, so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.'' This story is so true as we all can begin to lean too much on the things of this world, and then find that we need someone to lean on. God is always there for us, and can keep us standing tall and straight during any storm and temptation. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 18 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Peace

God's Peace “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20 This is a devotional I wrote last fall and felt compelled to share it again with you this morning. As I look out my window this morning I can see the beautiful red and yellow leaves cascading down from the trees and fluttering in the wind before falling gently onto the ground below. Autumn is such a wonderful season, and I now enjoy it better than any other time of the year. The presence of God is so evident in the vivid splendor of the trees as the mountains become a portrait of beautiful colors everywhere we look. Autumn reminds me of the beauty that God surrounds us with each day, and the magnificent majesty of his creations, if we will just take the time to look around us. I remember going hunting with my grandfather when I was young, during the fall, when the leaves were turning and seeing the beauty of the mountains as we would climb them, and he would always comment that this was his favorite time of the year, as he felt this was a time of peace and a time of reflection for him. As I have gotten older I have thought about this, and realize that this is a good time also to reflect back on the good things that God provides us each day, that many times we do not give him thanks for. We often become so wrapped up in our day to day life that we don’t take the time to see the presence of God around us. Thinking back about my grandfather, he saw the beauty of God’s creation during the autumn, and it gave him peace and was a time where he was able to take time and give God thanks for all the blessings he had given him. He always seemed at peace with everything in his life, and was always content with everything. My memory of my grandfather and the beauty of autumn, also reminds me to give thanks to God for everything he has given me; my health, my family, my friends and most of all my salvation. We do not have to wait until New Years day to make our resolutions, but should do these throughout the year as the beautiful season of autumn should remind us that God is present in our lives every day. His beauty and his presence is all around us, and we should sing and give thanks to him every day for all the blessings he bestows on us and our families. When we begin to see God around us every day, we can be at peace with ourselves as my grandfather was, as I believe he knew there was nothing to be concerned about as God was watching him and was in control. When we feel the presence of God in our lives, we will be at peace as he tells us not to worry, but to be content as He is there to protect and provide our needs, as He will make our paths straight. Look for the presence of God around you today and find the peace He will give you. Don't get caught up in the busyness of the world, and forget to see the presence of God all around you. So many do not take the time, due to their busy schedules, going from one place to the other, to see God's presence around them. The presence of God is all around you, if you will just look. God's presence is there when you look at the blue sky, with the puffy clouds, it is there when you feel the warm sun on your face, it is there when you feel the wind blow gently through your hair, it is there when you see the trees, the grass, the beautiful flowers. Just look around you as you go to your job, your school, and in your own neighborhood, and see and feel the presence of God. When you look out your window each morning realize that what God has created just for you, and thank Him for all the beauty that surrounds you. This is God's creation, his wonderful world that He has created just for you. God also wants to be part of your life each day, He wants to walk with you, talk with you, guide you, encourage you, make you happy, content, and make you at peace with all things. He will provide all your needs, so you need not worry, but be at peace with your life. Just as my grandfather was at peace with the beauty of God's creations, you can be at peace and content where ever you are. Let God be first in all you do, and you can also experience this peace. My Daily Devotional Volume Seven January 7 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Hears And Answers

God Hears And Answers "He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him." Psalm 91:15 The other day, one of my missionary friends sent me a story about a poor African woman they had ministered to, who went out into the nearby jungle to try to find food for her family. Her baby was tied to her back, and her little son walked beside her. Just as they reached the top of a small hill, she heard a roar. Frightened, she turned and saw a mother lion running directly at her, with her cubs following behind her. The illiterate woman had never attended school or church, but my friends had just shared Jesus with her, and told her that He would always help you when you are in trouble. As the lion was almost ready to pounce on her, she cried out in the loudest voice she could, "O Jesus help us!" The lion instantly stopped in her tracks and turned and ran away, scared away by the frightened mother's screams. This story reminded me that when true "beasts" such as doubts, fears, worry, loneliness, depression or despair are attacking, and you don't know where to turn, you can turn to God who will also drive these beasts away. Chances are that you will never be attacked by a lion, but you will be attacked by many other trials and struggles in this life. When you find yourself down in these valleys and don't see anything but the sides of the mountains, you can always cry out to God who will hear your cries and come to your rescue. He can drive away your fears and give you peace even during the worst storms. Cry out to Jesus and He will answer you just as surely as he answered the African mother's desperate cry. He will hear your cry and will lead and guide you to victory over any situation you will face. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 16 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Marriage Covenant

The Marriage Covenant "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them." Colossians 3:18-19 Each day I receive numerous e-mails from my readers concerning relationship issues they are having with their husbands or wives, and asking me to give them some advice. This is a difficult task as there are so many things that can have an effect on the relationship between a husband and wife, and it is very hard to know what truly is going on in the family. There is much wisdom to be found in our Bible that tells us how the family should function, and the roles both the husband and the wife should play. One of the primary reasons for the breakdown in the home is that we have forgotten God's command about marriage. God gave marriage to us, and His standards have not changed. Jesus said, "A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife." Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." Matthew 19:5-6. Divorce was not part of God's original design--nor is it now. Marriage is a symbol of the unity between Christ and His church--a unity that should never be torn or broken. There is no marriage that is beyond repair with God's help, but each party must humble themselves and put aside their pride and their self will. They must learn to put the other before themselves. If divorce has happened to you, God can forgive the past, heal the present, and give you hope for the future, if you ask Jesus into your heart. If you are married, but having difficulties, turn them over to God. Make God first in your family, pray together, and study God's word together. You will find that God can heal any situation, as you turn your marriage over to Christ. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 15 Robert William Brock, Jr.

How Does God See You

How Does God See You "The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful." Proverbs 22:12 Christian's come in all sizes, shapes, and forms. They differ from each other by race, language, gifts, talents, wealth and age, and many other distinctions. Yet, it is the same Holy Spirit that lives within each of them, that empowers them to live a life for Christ. All of them have different strengths and weaknesses, but the thing they have in common is not the exterior, but rather that interior passion for God, when they have accepted Jesus as their Savior. This same Holy Spirit works in our lives when we have a problem, that in our eyes we think is unanswered or unheard, as it allows us to be at peace and content in all situations. Even during these problems, which may be a test of our patience and faith in God, the Holy Spirit gives us the assurance that God is still in control, and lets us be at peace with the situation. Christians go through battles for different reasons, and some may think that they have been dealt the small straw, when they see the wicked prospering, but the Bible tells us not to envy those who have greater things than we do, for it doesn't mean they are loved more than we are. When you feel down, and all Christians will at times have trying times, where God is testing you in your faith, look at yourself through God's eyes. There may be times when you are down, and feel all alone, but remember that God knows what you are going through, and will provide all you need. Remember He is in control. During these times, think of how you look in God's eyes. There is no judgment, only acceptance. God sees your light when all that you can see are your shadows. God loves you more than anyone could ever love you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 14 Robert William Brock, Jr.

When Your Hut's On Fire

When Your Hut's On Fire "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." John 14:1 I am sure that many of you have seen the story of the man who was shipwrecked on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed constantly for God to rescue him, but each day as he scanned the horizon, no boats were in sight. He eventually managed to build a small hut out of driftwood, to provide shelter. One day while out scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames. With smoke rolling to the sky, he felt the worse had happened, and that God had forsaken him. He cried out, "God, how could you do this to me." Early the next morning, he awoke to the sound of a ship approaching the island. When his rescuers reached him, he asked them how did you find me? "We saw your smoke signal, they replied." So often in life we are like this, as when bad times come, and they will, we cannot give up hope. God always knows what is happening in our life, and we must not give up faith and trust that he will provide for us, in all our situations. We must continue to press forward in our prayers, and our relationship to Him, and trust in His promises that He will provide all that we need. He will never forsake us or leave us. It is so easy to let the worries of the world get the best of us, and feel that we are alone, and that there is not a solution to our problems. We want the problems to go away immediately, in our time frame, and in our own design, but we often don't realize that God has His own plans for our life, and in His time and in His own way, will always provide for us, as long as we trust and have faith. So the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God, who will give you victory over your situation. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 13 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Jesus Is The Only Way

Jesus Is The Only Way "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." John 14:6 Have you ever gone on a trip and gotten lost? Most people have a good road map, or now even a GPS system that keeps them on the right path, but even the best system doesn't mean that you will not get lost sometime in your life. In your spiritual journey not all roads lead to God, as some might suggest. There are roadblocks all along the way, that keeps man from reaching God--the roadblocks of sin. However God knew that mortal man would get lost, so He provided the Bible to all of us. The Bible is the ultimate roadmap, as it tells us where all the roadblocks are, it provides all the directions we need to steer us in the right direction. It even gives us detours, when we are tempted and confronted with the sin that Satan places in front of us. But most of all God tells us what our final destination will be, which is our eternal home in Heaven. He also gives us the ultimate GPS system, the Holy Spirit, to lead and guide us to reach our final destination. Jesus did not say, "I am one of many roads to God." What He did say was "I am the only way." We cannot get to the final destination that God wants us to reach, without letting Jesus take control and guide us. Satan is too powerful, and will place too many roadblocks in your path which will lead you astray. It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to be in complete control of all that we do, that we will reach our final destination. This should be such an easy decision for all of you to make, as God will tell you where you are to go, and then guide you on all the right paths to reach your destination. You will never have to worry about getting lost again, when you accept Jesus as your savior, and He will lead you to the father. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 12 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Your Secret Garden

Your Secret Garden "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 Today, I heard a wonderful sermon preached by one of my closest friends, which caused me to think about my own life, and if I was doing enough to be the kind of person God wants me to be. His message was titled "Your Journey Into Your Secret Garden," and as he posed the question to the congregation, "Where will I go this week to share my passion for God", I thought about just how little we do to share our passion for God. The busyness of the world, meetings, hobbies, sports, and a multitude of other trivial interruptions keep us from fully sharing our passion for God with others. His advice was to stop and smell the roses in our own lives, and evaluate just how much time we spend in our own relationship with God. How much time do we spend in prayer, and reading our Bible on a daily basis? Are we only Sunday morning Christians, or do we keep our relationship with God all during the week? It is during the time we spend alone with God that He speaks to us, and provides us wisdom and understanding to meet the challenges of life. Do we walk in the spiritual garden with the Holy Spirit, and let it lead us on the path where God wants us to go? It is not about our attendance at church--or what we do at church, rather it is all about our own spiritual relationship with God. Before Jesus was arrested, the apostles were found asleep in the garden. This makes me wonder have we fallen asleep in our gardens, and are not up to the task of doing all we can to keep our passion for Jesus alive. Maybe it is time for all of us to have a wake up call, as if we are not walking with God now, will we be ready to walk with Him for our triumphal entry into heaven. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 11 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Feel God's Presence

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-------------------- Feel God's Presence "Do you still not see or understand? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? Mark 8:17-18 In the scripture above, Jesus had just broken five loaves of bread to feed five thousand people. The disciples, who had forgotten to bring any bread on the boat, were concerned about food, even after witnessing the miracle that Jesus had just performed. There are so many people in today's society who are just like the disciples, as they don't recognize and appreciate what God does for us, each and every day. God provides us food, shelter, clothing, health, sunshine, rain, the air we breathe, and all the other things that we take for granted. Our world is filled with all the miracles that God has given us, but our eyes and our ears are closed, and just like the disciples, we don't recognize and appreciate any of them. The disciples even had Jesus in the boat with them, but were concerned with something as insignificant as where their next meal was coming from. With this in mind how aware are you of the work of God, in and around your own life? It's easy to think that we see, and we hear what is going on around us, and yet so often we do not recognize the presence of God, who is everywhere we go. We should be able to see, hear and feel the presence of God, just by looking out our window, and see the trees, the birds, the grass, the clouds in the sky, and realize that all these things we see and hear were made by Him. We should be able to see and feel God's presence all around us. I would encourage you to take a moment to ask God to open your eyes and feel His presence, and He will guide and comfort you, no matter what is going on in your life. God's presence is all around you. My Daily Devotional Volume Four May 11 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Are You A Conqueror

Are You A Conqueror "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 Do you feel like a conqueror each day, or do you feel defeated by the world? This is an important question to ask yourself, as if you feel like the world has gotten the best of you, let me assure you that you are not where God wants you to be. In the scripture above God is telling you that you need to be victorious in all that you do. If you have truly asked Jesus to be your savior, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you and resist all the temptations that Satan sends your way. I love the old song "Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war", as we are in a war each day with Satan, as he is constantly mounting an attack against us. His attacks can be furious, and can leave us with a defeated attitude. We are no good as ambassadors to God, if we go out into the world each day with a feeling that the world has gotten the best of us. You need to realize that God wants you to go out each day, with a smile on your face, showing others that you meet, that you have a God that has your back, and one that will let you defeat all the fiery arrows that Satan is sending against you. God wants us to live victorious lives---lives that are constantly conquering sin. There is only one way to have victory over sin, and that is to walk so closely with Christ, that sin does not dominate your life. The reason that having God by your side, is that the closer you walk with God, the farther you are from Satan. The Bible tells us "Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:7-8. If you want to be a conqueror, pray, read your Bible and draw closer to God. Ask yourself this question, "is the devil farther away from you today than he was last week? If not, why? My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 9 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Making The Right Choices

Making The Right Choices "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life.." Deuteronomy 30:19 Each day that we live we make choices, and these choices can be either good ones, that will be pleasing to God, or ones that are pleasing to the devil. The scripture above plainly tells us that all these choices can be blessings, or they can be curses, and that they will lead to either life or death. Satan is alive in our world and is tempting us in every conceivable way to make the wrong choices. It is much easier to conform to the world, than to resist the temptation that confront us daily. It is easier to tell a white lie, because we do not want to be bothered by an unwanted phone call during a sporting event we are watching. It is easier to look the other way when we see someone hungry, than it is to give them money for food. It is easier to not share our faith, than it is to step out of our comfort zone and tell someone about Jesus. We all make countless choices each day, but do we make the right ones? God knows all the choices we make, as nothing is hidden from His sight. The good news is that we can all be rewarded by making good choices. The Bible gives us the roadmap for the kind of choices we need to make, as all of God's commandments are found there. He tells us how we are to react to all of the situations we face during our day, and gives us the right answers. It is much like studying for a test in high school, as God gives us all the answers to the questions before we even take the test. So why don't we make all the right decisions, and make a perfect score each day. The reason why we don't, is because Satan is also giving us another choice, and one that so often is easier to choose. Following Satan will lead to death, but following God will lead to life, an eternal life in Heaven. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 8 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Witnessing For God

Witnessing For God "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." Romans 12:9 In your daily walk are you a good influence on others or a bad influence? This is such an important question to ask yourself today, as I have found that most Christians have little or no influence for good upon others. In most workplaces the people that surround you do not even know that you are a Christian. Having spent 45 plus years in health care, it was rare to see someone profess their faith with their fellow employees. For most of my career, I was one of these Sunday Morning Christians, who went to church on Sunday, but the rest of the week kept my light covered, and no one knew about my God. I therefore missed countless opportunities to share my faith with my fellow employees, and be the positive influence on them that I should have been. Fortunately, God spoke to me before it was too late, and I became the influence that I should have been throughout my career. It is only by a life of obedience to the Holy Spirit that we are able to be a positive influence for others. Often times we must step out of our comfort zones, as there are many times throughout our busy days where we have opportunities to be a witness for God. This daily commitment to obey God's Great Commission requires us to be fully dedicated to Christ, and to be in constant fellowship with Him. We must constantly deny self, and always refuse to compromise in matters of honesty, integrity, and morality to be an effective witness for Christ. We can make a difference in our world when we follow this important scripture, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2. Think about this today, is the world changing you...or are you changing the world? My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 7 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Our Security Blanket

Our Security Blanket "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I serve." Psalm 91:2 The society we live in today is full of uncertainty, as things are always changing, and in most cases for the worse. We see governments collapse, stock markets plummet, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, wars, and many other calamities wreck havoc on our world. Even though we see all these things happening around us, we all seek security, as deep within each of us is a yearning for some sense of peace, contentment, and the hope that everything will be all right. So often we don't have the faith and trust to believe in God's promises that He will provide for us, and that all our needs will be met. Our needs are often not the needs that God talks about, as we want more and more of the earthly things, the pleasures of life, more money, a bigger house, a better car. The Bible tells us to be content where we are, and in whatever we do, but we spend much of our time and talents devoted to acquiring more earthly treasures. The Bible also warns us that these earthly treasure will someday rust and rot away, and not to spend our efforts trying to accumulate them. We need to realize that all we accumulate on this earth, will not help us when we stand before our God to be judged on the day of judgment. What we need to concentrate on in this life, is to build a solid foundation, one that cannot be shaken, by all the calamities around us, but one that will last for all eternity. We need to realize that God never changes. His love does not change, and neither do His promises. This is why we can look to Him for the security and stability we all seek. King David knew the secret: "He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." Psalm 91:1. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 6 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Our Peace Inside

Our Peace Inside “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Galatians 5:22-23 This is one of my most favorite scriptures, as it lets me know when I trust God for all things, I can experience all of the fruits that He promises. When we ask Jesus into our hearts, all the promises in this scripture are available to us. With Jesus in our hearts, we will feel good about ourselves on the inside, and will be at peace about everything, as we will have complete faith and trust in Jesus for all things, and know that He is in control. But in order to keep our minds and energies focused on doing what God’s will is for our lives, we must keep ourselves uplifted on the inside. We will not be able to do what God wants us to accomplish, if we do not feel good about ourselves on the inside. What we think about our own abilities, and how we govern our own personal enthusiasm, will determine how successful we will be in meeting our goals and objectives. If we feel defeated inside and helpless, we will never be the conquerors that God wants us to be. If we do not feel good about ourselves on the inside, we will never have the confidence in our own abilities to reach our visions, and feel that we have accomplished what we wanted to accomplish. Once we reach the point of feeling good about ourselves on the inside, then we are prepared to fulfill God’s plan for our lives, as we will be doing the things that he wants us to do. It is then that we will fully enjoy the fruits of the spirit listed in the scripture above. The promises he makes above, would give each of us the joy and fulfillment in our lives that we all yearn for, and the good news is that all can experience this wonderful feeling that only God can provide, by simply asking Jesus into our hearts. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 5 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Your Independence Day

Your Independence Day “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.” Exodus 13:17 In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, picnics and various other public and private events celebrating our freedom. The people of Israel also had their Independence Day when Pharaoh, after enduring the plagues that God brought against them, declared that they could leave Egypt. Their Independence Day was the day after Passover, and according to the Bible there were about six hundred thousand men on foot, beside women and children, that left that day for their promised land. As we know, God provided the way for them, by parting the waters of the Red Sea, and providing manna from heaven to feed them in the desert. God also has provided a day of Independence for each of us, in that He sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins and set us free. The greatest gift that we will ever receive, set us free. When you ask Jesus into your heart, your Independence Day will be a day of celebration like no other day in your life, as this is the day that you will be reborn in the spirit of God, and washed clean from all your sins. Ask Jesus to come into your heart today and forgive you of your sins, and tell Him you will obey His commands and live for Him forever. This can be your independence day, and you can be free. As you celebrate today, think about your gift of freedom. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 4 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Your Heavenly Home

Your Heavenly Home "In my father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you." John 14:2 Have you ever thought of the magnitude of the sacrifice that Jesus made for you? He left His Heavenly Home to come to earth to die on the cross for your sins. While on the earth, He had no permanent home, but humbled Himself in earths misery, being born in the likeness of sinful man. He once said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:20. Jesus resisted sin while on the earth, but suffered and died because He loved us so much. However, He conquered death, and He conquered sin, which you and I cannot do. The good news is that while He was here, He tells us in the scripture above that we can also have a heavenly home, the same home where He is now living, and that He is now preparing you and I a room in this Heavenly Home. Can you imagine what this dwelling place will be like, filled with all the unimaginable glory and splendor that only God can provide. This is the home that Jesus has returned to, and now He is anxiously awaiting for us to join Him. Just imagine sharing Heaven with Jesus, and walking with Him down the street paved with gold. You will leave behind all your suffering, all your pain, all your worry, and all your troubles on this earth, as the new home that Jesus is preparing for you, will be yours for all eternity, and will be a place of peace and comfort, where all your needs will be met. All that is required from you, is to accept His offer, which is to turn from your sin, and ask Jesus to come into your heart, and be your savior. Don't wait until it is too late to secure your place in this Heavenly Home. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 3 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God's Grace Is Sufficient

God's Grace Is Sufficient "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ." 2nd Corinthians 1:20 Let me ask you a question today, "Is God's grace sufficient in all your times of trouble"? Can it keep you at peace, and comfort you as you face life's storms? The answer is a resounding "Yes", but so often when troubles really hit us, it's hard to rely on God's grace, as we want to try to get through the storms of life by ourselves. We think that we have to take control of all our situations, and that we have the right solutions. We believe that we have to get out of our situations by our own hands. We believe that we can shape our own future by making the right decisions. Let me tell you that troubles will come, but if you think you can dig yourselves out of your holes by yourself, you are badly mistaken. When your troubles come, you need to rely on God's grace instead of taking on the world by yourself. Use some of the examples found in the Bible, where God delivered His chosen people. He let His humble servant, David, defeat Goliath in battle. He let His servant, Moses lead the Israelites out of bondage, to their Promised Land, and provided food and water for them in the desert. God will do the same for you, if you will ask Him to deliver you from the troubles you are facing. His grace is sufficient for you, just as it was with all the others who turned to Him in their times of distress. The Bible tells us that when Paul begged God to intervene, in his time of trouble, God replied, "My grace is sufficient for you." 2nd Corinthians 12:9. So, if you find yourself today, bogged down with troubles on every side, and you have exhausted all avenues of escape, ask God to intervene in your situation and give you victory. If God's grace was good enough for Paul, it will be good enough for you. My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 2 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Be God's Witness

Be God's Witness "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13 When we study the life of Jesus, we find that he ate with the publicans and sinners, and almost everyone He associated with was an outcast. The main thrust of His ministry however was redemptive, not social. His ministry was to be a witness to the world, and to share the plan of salvation to all that he encountered. Jesus knew where the people that needed salvation were, and He went to them. In today's society many people go out into the world with good intentions, but become polluted by the world instead of being a witness to the world. Instead of being a true witness for God, they let the world become a witness to them, as they begin to compromise God's Holy Word and His commandments. They let the media, such as television, music, dress fads, celebrity idols, and many others compromise their values. We are to retain our Biblical values, and "weep with those who weep, suffer with those who suffer, and identify ourselves with the poor, the sick, and needy in body, mind and spirit", but not waver in the way God tells us to live. We are to be a witness to the world, not let the world be a witness to us. We are to love those who are involved in the world, without becoming contaminated, influenced, or drawn to their lifestyle. You are a witness to the world in your jobs, your school, your neighborhoods, with your friends and with your families, and you must not waver, but at all times be the true witness that God requires of you. This is the life that Jesus led, as He reached out to the world, just as He expects you to do. His ministry of salvation is the same ministry that He expects from each of us. If you do not reach out and lead others to Christ, who will? My Daily Devotional Volume Six July 1 Robert William Brock, Jr.