Stay In Control

Stay In Control “I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.” Romans 16:17 How do you react when someone around you, a fellow employee, a school mate or a neighbor, causes division and is constantly creating strife and being disrespectful to others. Having been in business for my entire career, rebellion is contagious in any organization, and also in your own personal life. One rebel can destroy any organization and lead people astray. Jesus did not tolerate disrespect and divisions with the people who followed Him. He confronted those who caused divisions, and rebuked them, as evidenced by the words He said to Peter: Matthew 16:23 “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” When we permit disrespect, and condone any kind of behavior that causes problems, and divides people, we are promoting a behavior that God does not approve of. I remember the staff manager for President Ronald Reagan, once saying that he managed by the acorn management philosophy. “I look for problems when they are the size of an acorn. I refuse to watch them grow into oak trees.” You must constantly be aware of signs of discontent with the people around you, and deal with any issues, before they spread like a virus in your life. We must have the discernment and courage, to keep those around us from becoming disrespectful and causing divisions. We must respond to them in a manner that will defuse the wrong attitudes, and guide them towards the higher standards of God. There will be many that will look at your walk with God as an example of how God controls your life. Be the example for others that God desires. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 30

Strive For Excellence

Strive For Excellence “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Colossians 3:23-25 Having spent my 45 year career in Health Care Administration, I was always careful to make sure that I gave all I had to my job, and strive for excellence. God wants us to be people of integrity and excellence. We need to be honorable and trustworthy in all our dealings. A person of integrity is honest and open to all the people he meets. He does not have any ulterior motives or hidden agendas and treats everyone with respect. He keeps his word in all things he does, and is the same in public as he is in private. Each one of us is constantly put in situations where our integrity is tested. How do we react when a clerk mistakenly gives us too much change for something we purchased? Do we keep the money or immediately tell the clerk that she made a mistake, and give it back? No matter what we do we must always be fair. The way we conduct ourselves with friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others we come into contact with reflects upon our character and our integrity. Most people are content to being average, but we need to be better than average and go the extra mile to help someone. I believe that God does not want us to just be average, and settle for mediocrity. He wants us to strive for excellence in all that we do. He does not want us to do just enough to barely get by, or to do what everybody else is doing. I believe God wants each of us to be the example and the frontrunner in whatever we do. He wants us to stand out in the crowd, by showing people that we are a cut above, in our integrity, character, attitude, and the way we conduct our lives. God blesses excellence, character and integrity in your life, but he doesn’t bless mediocrity, He wants you to be special. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 29

Thank You God

Thank You God ”Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15 Today is my birthday and is a day I want to give thanks to God. God has blessed me with a long life and so far pretty good health. From the time I can remember, I was raised in a wonderful Christian family by a mother, and grandparents who loved me very much. They were the kind of parents that watched over me with great care, protected me, provided for me, and most of all gave me love. I could not have asked for a more wonderful family than I was raised up in. Then one day I met the most wonderful person in the world, my wife Margaret. She is the most beautiful and precious person that God could ever have sent to me. I have had over forty nine years to spend with her, and these have been the happiest days of my life. We have three wonderful children and six precious grandchildren. God has blessed me tremendously during our life together. He has allowed me to earn a good living in health care administration, which I have enjoyed, and has allowed me to be able to serve others while raising my own family. But most of all I want to thank God for saving my soul, and giving me peace, joy and contentment in my life. He has been patient with me at times, and has been there in my times of trouble. He has been there to pick me up when I was down, and was there also during my times of joy. He has been with my family and protected them over the years, providing all that we needed. I thank God for my children who have all accepted Jesus as their savior. and now they are all born again Christians. I thank God for blessing me and my family throughout the years, and give him praise for his kindness, patience, love and goodness that He has shown me over these seventy two years. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 28

Forgiving Others

Forgiving Others “Make sure that no root of bitterness shoots forth and causes trouble and many become contaminated by it.” Hebrews 12:15 Forgiveness is a choice, but it is not an option if we want to live a happy life. We need to be careful that our bitterness and lack of forgiveness does not contaminate others around us, as they are influenced by the way we handle a bad situation in our lives. Our children can be influenced so easily by the parent’s lack of forgiveness and this can affect our children in a way that will not be pleasing to God. Forgiveness is in many cases a necessary ingredient in letting go of the past, and in so many families it is one of the most difficulties obstacles for people to overcome, but it is necessary to forgive if you are to have a happy and joy filled life that is blessed by God. If we are a Christian many of our friends and neighbors look to us to be an example for them in times of trial and trouble, and our children surely look to see how we are reacting. Our actions during these times can be an influence as to how they may handle a similar situation. If we have bitterness inside it is going to contaminate everything that comes out of us. It will affect our personalities and our attitudes, as well as how we even treat our children and other people. We must strive to be a positive influence to our children and others, as they will watch to see how we react to times of stress in our lives, and will have less respect for us if we react badly during these times. We need to examine our hearts to make sure we haven’t buried anger and unforgiveness on the inside. Matthew 6:15 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” I know it may be hard to forgive someone who has done an injustice to you in the past, however when we don’t forgive, we’re not hurting the other person, and we’re not hurting God. We’re only hurting ourselves. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 27

Communicate In Love

Communicate In Love “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:1-2 I believe our family has had very good communications over the years, and our disagreements have been few and far between. Our relationship has always been good and everyone has had an open door to communicate with each other and with us. Conflict is a normal part of any home. What will set your family apart is how you respond to each other when circumstances collide. It is important to make our homes a haven of peace for our families and our children. We must speak the truth at all times in our dealings with our families and with our friends and neighbors. To speak the truth means to be honest, even when that involves taking a risk. To speak in love is to communicate the truth in kind and gentle terms. Often it has less to do with what you say, than with how you say it. I have seen many good communicators over the years and have also seen some very bad ones. Even though they might be saying the same thing, the way they expressed themselves can many times mean the difference between the person listening and becoming defensive and irritated, or whether they buy into what the person is saying. Consider your communication style and change it if you feel you are not lovingly expressing yourself to others. We need to communicate intentionally, what we want to say, and not communicate in anger. Anger is a God given emotion, but things said in anger will usually result in an outcome that will not benefit anyone. Our words should always be uplifting to others, and not to make anyone feel bad or hurt them in any way. We should be building others up instead of tearing them down. Always speak in love. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 26

Softly And Tenderly

Softly And Tenderly " For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." Luke 15:24 As I was growing up one of my favorite old hymns was "Softly and Tenderly", which was usually sung at the end of the church service, when the altar call was given. The words now mean much more to me than they did then, as they applied to me personally all throughout my life. Even though I always went to church when I was young, and after Margaret and I were married, she always insisted that we attend church. I went through the motions of being a Christian during these years, but my heart was never in it. The words of the song are "softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, he's calling for you and for me". These words were so true as Jesus was softly and tenderly calling for me to come home. It took over 40 years of my life before I accepted this call and gave my life to Christ and came home, but I am so glad that I did, as my life has never been the same since. Look at the words of this beautiful song below, and let its words minister to your heart, as these precious words will tell you that Jesus is also waiting for you to come home. Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; see, on the portals he's waiting and watching, watching for you and for me. Come home, come home; ye who are weary come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home! I pray that God will speak to your heart today just as he did to me about coming home, as He is also waiting to rejoice in your homecoming and is speaking "Softly And Tenderly" to you. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 25

Let Us Give Thanks

Let Us Give Thanks “Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95:2 The last Thursday of November, Thanksgiving Day, along with many of our holidays, is observed by most Americans as a day of feasting. It is sandwiched between Halloween, a day that has become a day relegated to ghosts, witches, demons and other wicked creatures, and Christmas, which signifies the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Today, millions of Americans regard Thanksgiving Day only as the day before they head off to the malls to begin their shopping for Christmas. Somehow our perception of Thanksgiving Day has gone askew, as we’ve forgotten the reason for celebration of that first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day historically was a time of feasting for the pilgrims and Indians. In the early 1600’s the pilgrims had only been in the United States several years, when they hosted the first feast to celebrate life with their Indian friends, and give thanks to God for His provision in their difficult circumstances. Thanksgiving Day should be a time that each of us should give thanks to God for what He has given and blessed us with. We as Americans are extremely blessed, and Thanksgiving should be a time when we show our gratitude to others by sharing some of our blessings with them. It should be a time when we share our love with a special friend, and show the people around us that we care about them. We should make it a time when we focus on God, and thank Him for our material wealth, our health, our country, our church and our families. God loves when we give thanks to Him, when we read our Bibles and pray to Him. Each day should be our Thanksgiving day as we should make it a habit to pray and make it a time of thanking God for everything He has provided to us, especially thanking Him for our salvation. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 24

Are You Running On Empty

Are You Running On Empty "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." Philippians 4:4-5 As I write my Daily Devotionals, I have only so much room on each page to deliver my message, as each page in my books has a margin. My devotionals would not be very readable if the print ran to the edges of the paper. Our lives also need a margin, as there are always boundaries we must never cross. There is good and evil and we must never cross the line where evil is in control of all we do, and all the choices we make. We must always have our life in balance, and decide what the margin is between rest and exhaustion, and what our limitations are, and always have "Something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations." Often people get themselves in situations where they are running thin on margin, my guess is that if you find yourself in this situation you are on overload in at least some of the following areas: You may have too many commitments, too much debt, too many expectations, too many hobbies, or too many selfish desires which take up all your time. God does not want you to go through life always running on empty, not having time to do the important things you need to do, such as reading your Bibles, praying and having time to develop a relationship with Him. There are several things you can do to insure that the proper margin is built into your life. Learn to expect the unexpected, because most everything takes longer than anticipated, learn to build margin into your planning. Learn to say no. Contrary to your perception, you are not indispensable. Cut down on your activities as they have a way of multiplying. Practice simplicity and contentment. Choose to live with less. Get less done but do the right things. Assess all your activities as to their spiritual authenticity. Decide to live the life that Jesus wants you to live, whatever the cost. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 23

Speak The Truth

Speak The Truth "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:16 Let me ask you a serious question, "Are you more worried about what someone will say about you, or pleasing God"? Many Christians have become afraid to tell others about their faith, because they don't want to offend others. In many of our workplaces there are people who profess to be Christians, but their fellow employees don't know they are. They go to church on Sunday morning, but the rest of the week, you could not tell they are Christians. This is why those who God raises up in leadership positions have got to be true spiritual leaders, boldly and visibly leading people to Christ wherever God has placed them. The few who have ventured into the marketplace have done so with a watered-down, politically correct, "positive" message that insures nobody is offended. The problem with that is the Bible states that the Truth is offensive to those who reject it. The goal is not to offend, but to tell the Truth, however, the result of telling the Truth is that people will be offended. Look at what happened to those who heard Stephen simply state the Truth. They got so "offended," they literally took him to the edge of the city and stoned him to death. Don't wait for someone to lead you. You already have your marching orders from God Himself. We have been ordered to go out into the highways and byways and bring in the lost. God ordered us to go into the world and preach the Gospel. Don't wait for someone to lead you, as the Nike commercial says, "just do it." Go forth knowing that the arm of the Lord is with you. Know that you will be attacked as you enter the battle field. However, God told us that our battle is not with flesh and blood, that it is a spiritual battle. He also has equipped us with all we need to fight and win. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 22

What Is Success

What Is Success "The Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered; and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master." Genesis 39:2 Many people struggle with the term success, and value it greatly in life. To be successful in our life is something that we all pursue and desire, in one form or another. The funny thing is that each us has a slightly different definition of what success is. Success for some might be to have enormous wealth and material possessions. For another success might be a grand title after their name. Others may want to be famous and be recognized for their achievements. For another success may be to be president or CEO of your own business or company. One thing I can guarantee you is that not a single one of us would include being a slave in that definition. But take a look at the verse above, as we see Joseph being a slave for much of his life. Notice that Joseph was a successful man in our Bible, all while being in the house of his master. Joseph was sold into slavery. He was forced to be a servant... first for Potiphar and then directly under Pharaoh. Never in his days in Egypt did Joseph live independently of his Egyptian masters. And yet the Bible says repeatedly that Joseph found favor with God and that everything he put his hand to prospered. You see, God can still show us His favor, even if we're not in what we feel like are the best circumstances. We just need to let Him be in control of our life, and He will use us in the way He chooses and fulfill the plan He has for us. We need to shake off the world's definitions of success and take on God's definitions for success. But most importantly, we need to learn to be content where God has placed us in life. Only when we learn to be content and thankful for where we are, and what we have, will God see fit to prosper us. This is not sometimes an easy thing for us to do and accept, but it's what God desires for us. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 21

Make God Your Obsession

Make God Your Obsession “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” Colossians 3:23 In the hustle and bustle of today’s modern world people are hurrying and rushing from place to place, involved in all kinds of activities, but hardly taking the time to devote themselves to any one thing. We have too many things going all at once, and do not take the time to devote ourselves to doing any of them completely and as capable as we could. I believe that we will never have significant success with anything until it becomes an obsession with us. An obsession is when something consumes your thoughts and time Jesus also had a passion for his mission and goal in life. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Jesus focused on doing the exact instructions of His Heavenly Father. He healed the sick, He listened to all the people who sought His advice, He helped the needy, He came to make people successful, to restore and repair their life to the full fellowship with His Father. Jesus was so obsessed with the salvation of all mankind, that He gave His life on the cross for us. We all need to become obsessed with and have a passion for the things we do. We can start small, and start with little thoughts, little projects, and small dreams, but when we put our thoughts and devote all our efforts to these little things, we can see them grow into bigger and better things. We all need to find something to do that we will be passionate about and will become an obsession with us. We need to find something that is worthy of building our life around that God would want us to do, and then become obsessed and passionate about it. When we devote our time and our talents to these things God will let them grow abundantly, and we will be doing His will.

Making The Right Choices

Making The Right Choices "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10 All of you parents reading this devotional today will make many choices during the rest of the day. You will make choices concerning your family, about your children, choices about your finances, maybe a choice in a relationship, choices in your job and many other choices. Many of these choices will be based on your selfishness and your own desires, as you will not consider others around you. Many of these choices will have been taught to you by the way your parents handled their choices. In most cases we learn how to be husbands or wives, based on what we saw others do. If we saw happiness, we may have happiness, if we saw abuse, either verbal or physical, arguing and threats, then we will be prone to carry this out in our own life, and we will have the same or worse results that we saw growing up. We are products of the decisions others have made around us, for us and on our behalf. The same is true in our spiritual life as we carry the things we have learned from out parents over to our relationship with God. We carry laziness, back biting, gossip, malice and viciousness all into our Christian faith as so often we think this is the way we are to behave. This is why it is so important for each of you to have a daily relationship with God. You may have grown up in a family where your parents did not make God first in their life, but you can be the one to change this, as you can bring God into your family for your children to see. A family that makes God first in all that they do will prosper, have more peace and be content with what God gives them. They will be able to make the right choices in all the situations that confront a family, as our God is a loving and caring God, and will bless a family that follows His commandments and makes Him first in all that they do. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 19

A Lukewarm Christian

A Lukewarm Christian "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 This was a message from Jesus to the church as Laodicea telling them that their church was lukewarm. They had turned their faith in what Jesus did and said, into selfish ambitions and toward worldly things. It is so easy with the daily temptations of Satan, to turn a life that was once on fire for God, into one that begins to compromise and follow the ways of the world. It is easy to let the busyness of life, keep us from the daily reading of God's Holy Word, sometimes only reading a single scripture, instead of really seeking the wisdom of what our Bible has to offer. It is easy to diminish our prayer time to just a few short minutes each morning, not truly taking the time to talk to God about our problems, and thanking Him for the many blessings He bestows on us each day. It is so easy to let Satan begin to tempt us with the things of this world, and the busyness of this life that can get our minds off God, rather than the things that God wants us to pursue. Satan can get us so caught up with our hobbies, our jobs, and even our families that we no longer have time for God, and we become a lukewarm Christian. We may still go to church on Sunday morning, but the rest of our week is devoted to our own selfish desires, and the fulfillment of our own pleasures. This is the message that Jesus was warning the people of Laodicea about, which can certainly apply to our world today. It is easy to be a lukewarm Christian and follow the ways of the world, instead of building a daily relationship with God, so that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us in the way that God wants us to go. The book of Revelations, is about the end times, and the second coming of Christ, and what we can expect. We do not want to be caught short and not be ready for God's judgment day. Don't be lukewarm in your devotion to God.

A Time To Turn To God

A Time To Turn To God "In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free." Psalm 118:5 Many times during our lives we get up each morning expecting things to go as we have planned, but so often find that things immediately begin to go wrong. We do not expect to hear the news about a loved one passing away, from a heart attack. We do not expect to hear a report from our physician, about a test we had telling us that we have cancer. We do not expect to hear from our place of employment, that our job has been eliminated. Many of our plans can fall apart in just a few short hours, and our lives can be drastically altered forever. So what do we do when these things happen to us? We can do as David did many times, and cry to the Lord for His intervention. All of the incidents that happen to us are not unknown to God, as He knew before we did, that these things would happen to us. In these times of stress and despair, we have no one but God to reach out to, and no one but God who can help us deal with these situations. God may not immediately rescue us from these situations, but He can help us deal with them. He can give us peace, and help calm the storms that we are suddenly facing. God also has the power to heal and restore, and in His time may elect to do so, but even if He does not answer us immediately, He can give us peace and let us deal with the situations we face. I would encourage each of you, if you are suddenly faced with storm clouds and mountains in your life, to turn them over to God, and let Him walk with you during these times. He can lighten your load and help you. These troubling times may be times that God has given you, testing you, to see if you will respond to Him. So often we try to fix things on our own, by our own abilities, but only God can use these situations to lead and guide us to fulfill the plans for us, and lead us to the only place that matters, our eternal home in heaven. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 17

Strings That Bind

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---------------- Strings That Bind "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 Several years ago, a young man in India read some of my devotionals, and accepted Jesus as His savior, and is now a minister, leading many people to Christ through his ministry. During one of our recent conversations, he was telling me how they train young elephants in India. The trainer ties one of their hind legs to a tree with a thick rope. The young elephant naturally tries to break free at first, but after awhile gradually gives up. As the elephant ages, he has become so accustomed to being chained, that he no longer tries to break free. Even a simple string is enough to keep him captive. This reminds me that so often our mistakes, failures, our sins and other issues can hold us captive to the past, much like these simple elephant strings. Scriptures, like the one above, however, tells us that we can break free from our past, as we have the power through Christ to break the chains that binds us. If you find yourself living with past sin, and you feel that you are hopelessly bound, I want you to know that you can break free from this string of habitual sin. "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" Hebrews 12:1. Unless you break free, that string of guilt will hold you back from a deeper relationship with God. Each of you has made mistakes in your past, and you need to learn from them, but don't allow these past sins to hold you back, because if you don't break free, you will become so accustomed to them, that you will forever be held captive. Today, is the time to break these strings that bind you, as God tells you that He will give you all the strength you need, to free yourself, and accept His free gift of an eternal life in Heaven. October 30 Robert William Brock, Jr. My Daily Devotional Volume Six

God Can Shut And Open Doors

God Can Shut And Open Doors "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Romans 26:3 What do you do when God allows doors to shut in your life. With the economic problems over the past 6 years, since the housing bubble burst, I am dealing daily with more and more people who have lost their job, and those who are dealing with great financial hardships. I receive messages for prayer every day from people who need employment, people who need financial needs met. However, what I am dealing with in increasing numbers are people who have lost their job after 5, 10, 20, even 30 years of employment. Today, I have a very practical word for you, especially those who are out of work, those who are struggling financially, those who are business owners and have either had to shut down or are just barely hanging on. First of all, never forget that the Lord loves you and He knows your pain and He knows your needs. He is with you each step of the way, even though you may feel like He has abandoned you in your darkest hour. Jesus promised to never leave you nor forsake you. He will see you through these difficult days. Life is made up of seasons. The older you get, the easier it is to look back on your life and see those clearly defined seasons. You can see them begin and end. Nothing happens in our life that God doesn't allow to happen. That is often hard to swallow, especially when we are facing hard times. It is interesting that very few people question why God allows the good things to happen to us along our journey through life, but will always question God when we are faced with difficult circumstances. However, let me give you some counsel today that may help you. We get comfortable with our life. We get comfortable with our job. We get comfortable in making the money we need to live on. We get comfortable with how our life operates. We get used to the way we live. When something changes, we lose that comfort level. Most people don't like change. So when we lose our job, or when we can't pay our bills, or when our business is failing, it turns our life upside down. People instinctively seek the Lord in prayer for their job, for their finances, for their business. That is natural. They pray for God to basically put things back the way they were. I want you to know today that often things happen in our life because God is allowing one season to end and a new season to begin. Never forget, He loves you and cares about you. He loves to bless His children, and only wants the best for you. He often is allowing one season to end and a new season to begin so He can bless you more than you have ever known. Sadly, most people would rather keep things the way they are since that is what they are comfortable with, when God is trying to change things so He can bless you in a greater way! When we lose our job, when we are having financial difficulties, when we have a failing business, most people need outside counsel. It is their life and because they are so invested in things the way they are, they can't see anything else. Often it takes an outside pair of eyes from someone who knows the Lord to give you wise counsel and to help you see other paths that you may not be even thinking about. We are so focused on how we want things done and how we want God to move, we often don't even see or consider other paths. Having wise counsel from the outside can often help us see that there are options we never even considered, ways to get things done we simply haven't thought of. In many cases, it is as simple as God closing the door on a season in your life in order to move you into a new and better season. He may allow you to lose your job so He can give you a better job. He may allow you to suffer financial hardships to help you reorganize the financial side of your life so that you can move forward and as He blesses you, make you a better and wiser steward of what He entrusts into your care. So my word for you is to fear not, and while change is never comfortable, embrace it. Be excited by it. Life is exciting. Know that as you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will insure that your day to day needs are met. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 15

God Is In Control

God Is In Control “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 Just this morning I turned on the television and saw the gloom and doom that is facing our nation. There is very little we can find comfort in, as our world seems to be upside down and seems doomed to be crashing before our very eyes. The changing economy appears to be spiraling downward with no end in sight. Unemployment is rising each day, and many are left without any income to take care of their families. There is an increased number of home foreclosures, leaving people without shelter. There are wars, and threats of war all around the globe. Terrorism is abounding, as hatred against others and their beliefs is taking the life of many. Heinous crimes of murder, robbery, rape and abuse of others fills our newscasts.. The ups and downs of the stock market, is causing financial distress and making the future insecure for many who have worked hard and are seeing their future as bleak. Political elections and promises made by our governing officials, indicate that our nation and our government is turning against God in all areas of our life. What are we Christians to do? Do we join in the pity party and begin to worry about our future? As believers, we have the awesome privilege to have a personal relationship with the One true living God. He is the Creator of all things and knows all things. He sees beyond the outward appearance into the heart of man. Nothing takes Him by surprise. His Word tells us to: Stop worrying, be content in all things. Pray about everything. Share our specific requests with Him. Whenever my mind starts to wander into worry, I stop and bow my head asking God for help. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 14

Make God A Habit

Make God A Habit "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:3 Many of the business experts say that if you do something for thirty continuous days, it will become a habit. I know that for the past 15 years I have religiously started my day off with reading God's word and writing my daily devotionals. I can't imagine starting my day any other way now, as it has become a habit, a discipline. There have been days where I have said to myself; I'll just roll over and sleep for another hour or so, however, that inner voice reminds me it is time to get up, and spend time with God. I can relate to the scripture above, as I can see the comparison of being like the tree planted by the streams of water. My roots started out shallow, but each day they have grown deeper. I've weathered the storms, and I've learned to trust in God instead of myself. I grew up in the South and during the winter homeowners with lots of pine trees on their property dread a heavy snow or ice storm. These tall, thin trees are top heavy and have shallow root systems. When snow and ice build up on the upper branches, they can fall over easily. Oak trees on the other hand, have root systems that anchor them firmly against weather, weight, and wind. The author of the scripture above used a firmly established tree to represent a person who "meditates day and night" on God's Word. Because that tree has sunk its roots deeply to gain nourishment from the river, it "yields its fruit in season." When we sink our spiritual roots deep into God's Word, we will be blessed because our life is based on truth, which affects not only our actions, but our reactions to whatever life brings. Meditating "day and night" is a discipline, a habit. Start your day with God, let it become a habit. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 13

Plant Your Seed

Plant Your Seed "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6 One of my favorite hobbies is working in my garden during the summer, and I spend much of my time outside. My love of nature and watching things grow, has given me much pleasure over the years. Having grown up on a farm, I enjoy sowing a seed and then watching it grow. Most Christians, I am sure, have watched seeds that they have sown, such as helping someone in need, and then possibly teaching them about Jesus, and finally leading them to Christ. God expects each of us to sow these kinds of seeds every day. But, what do we do when God asks us to sow those big seeds; ones that gets us out of our comfort zones? When I think about these times, I think about the story of Abraham, when God asked him to take his son Isaac up on the mountain, to be sacrificed. This was a really big request, and one that would test the faith of anyone. This kind of request would get almost anyone out of their comfort zone, but I believe that God asks many people to step outside their comfort zones, and plant those big seeds. This past week, I heard the testimony of Joni Erickson, the champion diver that is now paralyzed, talking about what God has done in her life, and the ministry that God has given her, which has resulted in many souls being won for Christ. These kind of stories happen only when we step out of our comfort zones, and obey the call of God. Perhaps you are being called today by God to plant a seed, that is outside your comfort zone, and are holding back because of fear of the unknown. You can rest assured that if God is asking you to sow this seed, you will be rewarded many times over, and your harvest will be overflowing when you obey. Don't hesitate, answer God's call, and you will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 12

God Is With You

God Is With You "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16 Several months ago I got an e-mail from a friend, telling me that she had just lost her 34 year old son, and had set by his bedside for 6 weeks, before he went to be with God. Just 4 years earlier she had lost her husband of 40 years. It is difficult to deal with these kind of losses, but so many people that I deal with in my ministry, go through these kinds of difficulties every day. Many times these times can cause anyone to ask the question, "why are these things happening to me"? I know in my own experience, it was difficult for me to understand why God allowed my father to be killed in World War II, when I was only 2 years old. No one knows what God's plan is for our lives, but He tells us in the scripture above, that He knew us while we were still in our mother's womb, and knew all the days ordained for us before any of them came to be. We can never understand why tragedy's such as these happen, that can affect our lives so dramatically, but we must believe that this was all in God's great plan for us. We must have enough courage and faith to say "God, I don't understand it, but I trust you." We need to put our complete trust in God and give our hurts and pains over to Him. He tells us, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3. I encourage each of you to continue to trust in God during your difficult times as He is always with you. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me." If you are dealing with a difficult situation in your life today, I want you to know that God is with you, He knows what you are going through, as this is all part of His plan for your life, but He will give you victory. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 11

God Hears Our Prayers

God Hears Our Prayers "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." John 14:13 If you are like most people there are times when it feels like you just cannot go another day, as the stresses of daily living are getting you down. There are troubles that are threatening your peace and joy in life, and you are waiting on God to answer your prayers. The waiting seems to go on forever, and it seems like God is not listening and just refuses to answer your prayers. God wants His best for you and He is not ignoring you, as He has heard your prayers, and knows what you need. We want our prayers answered in our time frames and know what we want the answer to be. Our time frame is not always God's time frame, and His answer is not always what we want to hear. It is important to know how to wait on God for your answers to prayer. The bible tells us to believe that we have what we ask when we pray, and we shall have it. Then we are to believe without doubting. We are to know in our heart that God will do what He says. Then we wait knowing that He will carry out and keep His promises to us. The minute we start trying to figure out how or when He will do it we have just stepped into doubt, and thus we have just delayed our answer. He wants us to let our petitions be made known to Him, but He does not want us to worry about them, or when they will be taken care of. He wants us to trust Him to do as He says, and get our minds off our selves and turn it to the needs and petitions of others. When we do this we are saying Father, I have brought you my needs and I trust you to handle it for me. While you wait for God to answer your own prayers, spend your time thinking about the needs of others. You are expecting God to bless you by answering your prayers, so think about who you can bless today as you wait on God for your own blessings. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 10

Teach Your Children

Teach Your Children "Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" Matthew 19:14 When we study our Bibles we see where the disciples wanted to stop the children from getting to Jesus because they thought that they would distract Him from teaching to the adults. In our world today we too, as parents, can keep our children from entering God's presence by how we live our lives. How? Some parents may keep them so busy and on a schedule that there is no time for stories about the Bible. Sports, hobbies, and the pursuit of our own personal pleasures, can keep parents from spending the time with our children, telling them about God, taking them to church, getting them involved in Sunday School, where they will be taught about the Bible and what God wants them to hear. We can become so busy that we don't pray in front of them, or at the family meals. We can become so busy that we don't have a devotion time together or pray together. Jesus shows us in the scripture above just how important children are to Him, He took the time for them that was needed. Our children need their parents to teach them how important it is to have God in their lives. Teaching them about God is the most important things that we as parents can give them. He said, "(Proverbs 22:6 NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it". This is not the responsibility of a minister or a Sunday school teacher, it is our responsibility as parents to bring our children close to God. It is by our walk and our actions each and every day of our life to show them that we make God first in all that we do, and that we trust Him for everything that we do. Our children need to see God in our daily lives, and through this we can bring God into our homes and let Him touch them. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 9

What Do You Boast About

What Do You Boast About "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Galatians 6:14 There are not many families in our country which do not have pictures of their children, grandchildren, parents, and other relatives hung on their walls, on their tables and usually scattered all throughout their house. Most people have their wallets full of pictures of their children and grandchildren. We all think that our children are the prettiest and the best compared to others. It also goes beyond just our families, as we proudly display any trophies, service awards, college and high school diplomas, and any other award or tokens that demonstrate our importance. Boasting is nothing new, as even in Biblical times, we see all the rituals that accompanied the mark of being a Jew and obeying the Jewish laws and customs. The Jewish requirements even went further and demanded the rite of circumcision to prove the Jewish faith. The apostle Paul, tells us that we don't need to boast about our faith, except to tell others about the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross to save us from our sins. We don't have to prove, or show anyone a certificate, or an award, or be the best, the prettiest, or smartest to be recognized and known. The only thing we need to boast about is that we have been saved, our sins have been forgiven, and we now have the promise of an eternal home in heaven, to be with our Lord and Savior for all eternity. This is the only thing that Paul tells us that we should boast about, as all the other things in life does not matter, and will be meaningless in the end. Just boasting that we belong to God is all that matters. If you find yourself today feeling that you are not where God wants you to be, this could be the day where you ask God to help you become the person you need to be, and then you can boast to the world that God is your Savior. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 8

Communicating Effectively

Communicating Effectively “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:19-20 It is sometimes hard for people to really share their feelings and thoughts, but it is only when we are able to break down the barriers to get past the idle conversations that we can really begin to communicate with someone. This has been difficult for me throughout the years as my wife has mastered the art of communication, and I am still working on it. She can open up and let others know exactly her thoughts, feelings and emotions, but I have not been able to do this in the fashion she is able to. I have improved over the years but am not there yet. The more we can open up in expressing our thoughts and feelings the more intimate the relationship can become between a husband and wife. A good marriage is one in which both the husband and wife are able to throw open the doors and express themselves openly. How many times have you and your spouse had an argument, only to discover that the argument could have been avoided if you had truly taken the time to understand one another? I know that there have been times in our marriage where we thought we both disagreed about something, but really discovered that we really didn’t disagree at all—we only thought we disagreed because we were too impatient to fully understand one another. So many disagreements are escalated because we don’t make the effort to clarify what the other person is trying to communicate. We often say “well, I thought you said this or that”—but it wasn’t that at all, as to what they were trying to say. Restating what you said is another way to ensure that you have communicated what you wanted to say, and also is a way to make sure the listener has heard properly what you are trying to say. Perceived communication without clarification usually leads to frustration, and a situation where nobody wins. Men and women are different—and that’s okay. I know that I have different opinions about certain things, and my wife has other opinions. I have had different opinions from the people I worked with throughout the years, and that is also okay, as not everyone has the same opinions about certain things. It doesn’t mean however that any one of us is wrong. Remember, it’s okay to have different opinions. Each of us however needs to drop the need to win the disagreements that we have, as well as the need to blame the other person. Putting the blame on the other person is so easy, and so often keeps us from admitting that we may be part of the problem. I believe our family has had very good communications over the years, and our disagreements have been few and far between. Our relationship has always been good and everyone has had an open door to communicate with each other and with us. Conflict is a normal part of any home. What will set your family apart is how you respond to each other when circumstances collide. It is important to make our homes a haven of peace for our families and our children. Consider your communication style and change it if you feel you are not lovingly expressing yourself to others. To speak in love is to communicate the truth in kind and gentle terms. Often it has less to do with what you say than with how you say it. We should consider how we confront others and the tone of our communication. You may need to examine your motives and attitudes, as you plan to communicate the way you speak the truth. We also need to communicate intentionally, what we want to say, and not communicate in anger. Anger is a God given emotion, but things said in anger will usually result in an outcome that will not benefit anyone. Our words should always be uplifting to others, and not to make anyone feel bad or hurt them in any way. We should be building others up instead of tearing them down. 1st Timothy 2:8 “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 7

Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors By: Margaret Sue Lefevers Brock "It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2:12 So many times our life behind closed doors does not match what we project in public. Our family sees us as we really are, while the outside world sees another side. God also sees us as we really are, as He knows what is in our hearts. It is important that both our family and others see us as one that is following God at all times, not being one thing in public and something else at home. When we compromise, and let the world influence us, many put on a different face to the public, and another face at home. There are several things we can do to be the kind of witness we need to be for our families and others. We need to always build ourselves up each day, by reading our Bibles, praying and seeking to become closer to God. We need to seek His presence, and in so doing, our family will see God through us. How we handle day to day problems, by praying and seeking God's wisdom, is another way to demonstrate to our family, the presence of God in our lives. The way we communicate to our spouse and children in our homes, should always show love and respect for them. The language we use behind closed doors, should always be uplifting, encouraging and spoken with a soft voice and kind words. So often families begin compromising their values, based on worldly ideals, and allow these to invade their homes. We must never compromise God's values, and allow worldly trends to become part of our family life. If we do, these will, little by little, become part of the family life, which must not be allowed. We must be aware at all times of our conduct behind closed doors, as our families need to see us as Godly examples. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 6

Think About Tomorrow

Think About Tomorrow By: Margaret Sue Lefevers Brock "Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." Jude 1:21 As we live in our troubled world, most people do not think about, and forget the most important thing in life, and that is that someday we are going to die. Most people put this out of their minds, and live only for today. We only have to pick up a newspaper, or turn on our televisions, to see the reality of what can happen, as there are examples each day, where life has suddenly ended for people who did not expect to die. The thing that most people forget, is to live for God, and make Him number one in their lives, but so often we look only at the day ahead, and then only for ourselves. Most people are prone to seek the things of the world, instead of seeking the thing that means the most to them, which is God, and what the future may hold. Life here on earth is likened to a fleeting shadow, and will be for only a season, and our thoughts should be more on where we will spend our eternity, than on the here and now. There is nothing that is more important than for you to make sure that your future is secure, and that you will have a place in Heaven. If you have any doubts about what tomorrow may hold for you, now is the time to do something about it. You don't have to be concerned about your future, as Jesus promises you that you can be at peace and content, about what your future holds. Death is going to come to each of us, but it does not have to be a consuming part of your thoughts and life, as God can give you peace and comfort by providing you with His plan of salvation. Today is your day of salvation, as you can ask Jesus to come into your heart right now to be your Lord and your Savior. Your eternal life is at stake, and His plan of salvation is your only answer to spend your eternity in Heaven. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 5

A Godly Mother

A Godly Mother By: Margaret Sue Lefevers Brock "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." John 14:1 This message is for all mothers, and as you read it I want you to think and apply it to your own life. Are you doing all the right things to be the wife and mother that God wants you to be? But the real question to ask yourself is, "Is God really the Lord of my life"? In order to be the person God expects you to be, there are other questions you need to ask yourself: Do you go to church? Do you say all the right things to your family and friends to let them know God is walking with you? Do you let worldly things, slowly come into your life, and begin to compromise your Godly values, and let them affect your husband and children? It is so easy in the hectic day to day struggles of life, to compromise your values, and slowly, little by little, let worldly things into your daily routine. However, if God is first in your life there will not be room for compromise. Your family needs to see God in you at all times, even when things go wrong. You are the best influence on your husband and children, they will ever see, and how you react when things go wrong, can show them that God is really in your heart, and helping you deal with daily problems and issues that arise. Your daily walk with God, in both the good times, and also the bad times, needs to be the example of the person God wants you to be. You may ask how do I become the wife and mother God wants me to be, and the answer is found in God's word. Make God first in all that you do, follow His commandments, so that you will be an example for your family. Study your Bible daily, read God's Holy word, and you will be given wisdom and understanding to know God's will for your life. When you are following the will of God in your daily life, you will be the wife and mother God wants you to be. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 3

Be A Light On The Hill

Be A Light On The Hill By: Margaret Sue Lefevers Brock "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14 In today's world, everyone wants to be politically correct, and not offend, or say things that are not offensive to others. Even when we go to church on Sunday, many of the sermons we hear from our pastors are messages that are designed to make us feel good about our lives, and these are good, as people need to be uplifted and encouraged. But there needs to be messages also where we hear about Jesus, and how he wants us to live our lives; how we are to treat other people, not just our family and friends, but strangers. Messages that tell us what the penalty of our sins will be, if we do not repent and accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. The message of Jesus is that we are to love others as we love ourselves. We have to deny self, and get our mind on others. There are so many people that are in need in our society, especially now, with the loss of jobs. Christians must be the light of the world to these people. All we have to do is look around, and we see people who are in need, dealing with sickness, relationship issues, addictions, finances and so many other issues. Many have no place to turn to, as they are lonely, afraid and frightened by what the future holds for them. As Christians we need to be their light, their beacon of hope in their time of trouble. Our churches should be places of refuge for them, and a place where they can find hope and comfort. As Christians, we do not need to set back and watch, and be complacent. We need to act, no matter how small, we need to do something to comfort them and share with them that there is something better that awaits, an eternal life in Heaven.. We as believers, need to be the shining light on the hill for them, so that they will see Jesus in us.