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Friday, February 28, 2014

Controlling Your Wealth

Controlling Your Wealth “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24 In many of my devotionals I have discussed the importance of being able to deal with material wealth. Jesus teaches us throughout the Bible that the love of our money and material wealth, is probably one of the most destructive things that will keep us from going to heaven. So many people today spend their entire lives striving to accumulate money and wealth, and is the status symbol that defines whether we have been successful in our lives or have been a failure. The idea of keeping up with “the Jones’s” drives so many families in today’s culture, that they begin to become possessed with the accumulation of wealth. Jesus warns us about the destructive power of money, and what it can do to our lives. When we begin to covet, and worship our money, we get our eyes off God, and our wealth begins to be our main objective in life. We cannot worship our money more than we do God. God promises us that he will provide all our needs, if we follow him and obey his commandments. He will not let us live in poverty if we trust in Him but will provide for us generously, as long as we keep our eyes and hearts focused on doing His will for us. When our quest for wealth begins to take all our time and energies away from our families and worshipping God, we will be to the point of letting this take control. 1st Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Every one of us needs to put our perspective of our wealth and money into how this is controlling our lives, and if we find our values are focused on our wealth instead of God’s teaching we need to make whatever changes need to be made. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 28

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Finding Your Peace

Finding Your Peace “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 So many people today do not have peace in their lives, because of what is happening in our world. From hurricane Katrina, the War on Terror, rising gas prices, to threats of economic collapse, and crime and murder in our streets. Many times our government seems to be in disarray, and our ability to cope with all the stresses of life, takes away our peace. All of these things have an effect on our personal lives, whether we like it or not. So how do we have peace of mind in these troubled times? We need to keep our minds on the Lord during these troubled times and His peace will fill our hearts. There are several things that can bring us peace which I have listed below. 1. Nursing a grudge and not forgiving is a major factor in unhappiness. 2. Living in the past, and being preoccupied with old mistakes and failures lead to depression. 3. Wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it. 4. Stay involved with people and situations around you. Do not withdraw and become reclusive during times of emotional stress. 5. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow or misfortune. Refuse to indulge in self pity when life hands you a raw deal. 6. Retain your old fashioned family values—love, humor, compassion and loyalty. 7. Do not over-extend yourself. The Bible teaches us that we are to be content with our situation in life, and that He will provide all our needs. As Christians we need to get our minds off the problems that surround us, and turn them over to God. God promises us peace in our lives when we are trusting Him, and letting Him control our lives. When we place our burdens and worries at His feet we will have peace in our minds and our lives. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 27

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Don't Be Troubled

Don't Be Troubled “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” John 14:1 Each day I receive dozens of e-mails from people asking me how to deal with the troubles in their lives? I believe the answer to these questions is found in one word “encouragement”. When Jesus was comforting his disciples the night before his crucifixion, he was giving words of encouragement to them. As we know, all but one of the disciples eventually found courage and comfort to face life and fulfill the call of God. Facing life’s problems with courage, strength and an assurance that God is with us, is what Jesus wants all of us to do. We do not have to cower down to our trials and troubles, instead, we are to arise and shine in the midst of these dark times by the power of God. An example of how we are to deal with troubles can be seen by looking at the life of David. David returned from battle and discovered that the enemy had attacked his camp. They had taken all their goods, and kidnapped all the wives and children. His own men talked about stoning him because of what had happened. David faced his troubles by first encouraging himself in the Lord. David’s men blamed David for their problem, but David stopped feeling sorry for himself, and turned to the Lord for help and encouragement. In the same way God is also able to carry us through any problem and crisis we will face, and when we seek Him, He will be there for us to help encourage us as well. Where ever we look there is trouble and perilous days ahead, and the Bible warns us that we will have trouble, but it also tells us to not be troubled, but trust in God and also in Him. If you are dealing with problems today, God is there to give you encouragement, and help you through your trials. Always remember that nothing is impossible with God. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 26

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Something Better Is Coming

Something Better Is Coming “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 The story is told of a preacher who went to visit an elderly woman from the church just hours before she passed away. As he leaned over her bed, she whispered something in his ear. Those who attended the funeral were surprised to discover that the woman had in her casket, a spoon, grasped in her hands. When the pastor stood to preach the funeral, he explained. “Shortly before our dear sister passed, she made a special request. She asked me to place a spoon in the casket with her. Then she asked me to explain. You see, when she was growing up, at the end of each evening meal, as the dishes were being cleared away, her mother always told the children to hang on to their spoons because something better was coming. Our sister asked to be buried with this spoon because she wants you to remember, in the midst of your trials, in the midst of your struggles and pain that something better is coming.” This story illustrates just how important it is for you and I to hold on to the eternal hope of Heaven. When this life is over, we too can anticipate that “something better is coming”. We have a better place than this world to look forward to. We are simply pilgrims passing through life, and as the Bible tells us our life is truly like a vapor that appears for a moment and then vanishes away. There is something better coming for each of us, when we accept Jesus as our Savior. We need to turn our hearts toward heaven today, and let the peace that comes from God fill our hearts and minds. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 25

Monday, February 24, 2014

You Don't Have To Worry

You Don't Have To Worry “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27 Almost all of us worry too much. We worry about our finances, about our jobs, our relationships, our futures and the list can go on and on. We only see the present and think about our here and now. We also tend to keep reminding ourselves of the bad things that have occurred in our past. Most of us don’t remember the good times, and how God worked things out when we were in trouble and had difficulties. All of our times, both good and bad, were times that God knew what was going on in our lives. We forget about the good times and concentrate on the bad times. In many ways we are like the children of Israel, as all they had to do to experience their destiny (power to overcome, miracles, signs, wonders, land, prosperity, fullness, joy, peace, love, fruitfulness) was to trust their past, present and future to God’s care. This sounds easy, but as the old saying goes, “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.” Israel was eventually delivered from Egyptian bondage, and began to live out their destiny. However, all but two of the first generation perished in the wilderness because they couldn’t make the leap from their victim mentality to one of victory. They couldn’t shake the years of doubt, worry, and fear that was so ingrained in them. We need to learn to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls of doubt and worry, and experience the exciting destiny of what God can do in our lives today. Our future is before us, and God already knows what our future holds. Worry about what is to come does not change our future, and thinking about our past hurts and disappointments does not change anything. When we learn to put our trust in God, and depend on Him for our future, worry will disappear, and will be replaced with peace and contentment, as we will know that God is now in control. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 24

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Seek God First

Seek God First “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 So often we struggle daily with our troubles and trials, not knowing where to turn and what decisions to make in our lives. We face our problems with the thought that we can make the right decisions, and have the wisdom to know how to deal with them in the best way. We try to do it by ourselves, and with our own strength and knowledge. So many times however, we make the wrong decisions and struggle with the aftermaths, that often leads to bigger problems, and more troubles than we started with. This is usually the time that we seek God to help us, as it is often when we don’t know where to turn, that we turn to the only one that is able to help us. We wait until all our efforts are exhausted, until all our strength is gone, and then we finally realize that the answer to many of our problems and difficulties were right there in front of us all the time. We just did not ask. So often when things are going good in our lives we do not have the time to seek God and thank Him for the good times. God tells us throughout the Bible that we need to give thanks in the good times as well as the bad times. In the scripture above He tells us that we need to first seek His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to us as well. Our lives would be more pleasant and peaceful if we would follow this wisdom, as many of our worries and cares would disappear, as we would know how to deal with life’s struggles if we would seek His kingdom and His wisdom. Our lives would be different, and our minds would be filled with God’s knowledge and understanding, as we would be focused on doing things that would be pleasing to God. He tells us in scriptures throughout the Bible that He blesses the righteous, and that they will prosper when we make Him first in all we do. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 23

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Keep Your Peace

Keep Your Peace “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose your peace and joy? You get up every morning expecting things to be bright and rosy, and that everything is going to go your way. However when you experience your first setback, such as a spilled cup of coffee, or experience a traffic jam on your way to work, or a rude waitress, your day becomes frustrating and your peace and joy is instantly gone. When this happens you have just experienced Satan at work in your life. Satan does not want you to be happy, at peace and joyful. He wants you to experience worry and misery wherever you go. This is the atmosphere he thrives in, as if you are miserable, you will not have your mind and thoughts on God and doing good deeds during the day, but rather will be concentrating on worry and the pressures of life. It is so easy to lose our peace and joy, but this is not what God commands us to do. 1st Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We are not just to be happy when things go well, but are also to be happy when things don’t go our way. Happiness in our choice, as we can choose to be happy even when things don’t go our way. When we lose our happiness and joy we are right where Satan wants us, and certainly not obeying God’s command. Think about the things that destroy your peace on a daily basis, and be aware of these when they arise the next time. Don't let Satan ruin your day and destroy your happiness. Resist, and let God control your life. When your peace and joy is gone, your strength is completely sapped, however you can rely on God to take control and restore your happiness, “for the Joy of the Lord is your strength.” Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 22

Friday, February 21, 2014

Controlling Your Anger

Controlling Your Anger “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27 When we accept Jesus as our savior and become Christians, we do not lose our emotions at conversion; therefore there will be times when our emotions still bother us. We will experience times when someone or something will create anger in us, and ruin our peace, even though it may not last but for a moment. Some anger is sinful, some is not. God tells us that no anger should outlast the day in the scripture above. Anger that we carry around with us day after day is sinful. Satan can use our sins, especially those like anger, that is directed against others, to bring about greater evil, such as divisions among Christians. When we carry anger with us for a period of time we are committing a sin in God’s eyes, and allowing Satan a foothold in our lives. James 1:19-20 “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.” Anger is an emotion that can drive people to commit greater sins than the initial injustice that may have caused the anger in the first place. This is the reason God gives us His wisdom on controlling our anger. We must be able to not let our anger consume us, and as the scripture says to not let the sun go down while we are still angry. We must not let the injustice done to us cause us to sin because we cannot forgive. When we are not able to forgive, we are allowing Satan a foothold into our minds, thoughts and our lives. Satan wants us to carry around anger, and not be willing to forgive others. Each of us needs to be able to let go, of both the large things and the small things, that provoke anger in us. We must be willing to forgive, and get rid of all anger as God commands. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven January 21

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Don't Make God Wait

Don't Make God Wait “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 In the fast paced world we live in, we want things to happen immediately, as we get impatient when things don’t fall into place the way we want them to. We grab our sandwich and drink and hurry out the door; we pay our bills online, and send e-mails instead of letters—all because we don’t like waiting. I have seen many Christians try to speed up their spiritual life as well, as they do their Bible study by listening to preachers on the radio while going to work. They want to do their Bible reading in five-minute devotions, and expect that God will answer their prayers. The danger of this is that we should always put our time with God first in our lives. He should be number one, and not be relegated to the time we have left after all our other activities have been completed. We should not make God wait on us, as I believe that if we put God first in our lives He can help us with all the other things that confront us. When we look at the examples throughout the Bible, we see that Mary and Martha had to wait three days for their prayers to be answered, and Lazarus had to die before Jesus resurrected him. Abraham and Sarah had to wait until old age before giving birth to their son. Job had to endure painful suffering before God made him whole. While we wait on God to work in our own lives this is the time that we grow and change. God’s timing might seem painfully slow to us, but His timing is always perfect. We must always keep our faith and trust in God even when things are not going good around us. We must have faith that God will come to our rescue. When we are following God’s will for our lives, He will fulfill the plans He has in store for us at the proper time. Don't make God wait for you, make Him first in all that you do. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 16

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Making The Right Choices

Making The Right Choices “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2nd Corinthians 4:16-18 Today all of you will make many decisions, which will have lasting effects . I want to encourage you to think about the choices you make today, and the effect they will have tomorrow. Try to reprogram your thinking, as to how the decisions you make in the present will affect your future life. Jesus, at the time of His crucifixion, could have called ten thousand angels to deliver Him from the cross, but He made the decision that created an incredible future for all of us. He was willing to go through a season of pain and suffering to create an eternity of gain for us all. When you eat two slices of pecan pie every night, what is the inevitable result? It will taste good for now, but tomorrow morning you will feel it, and be unhappy with yourself for not refusing it. You will make a lot of decisions today, and some of them will bring pleasure to you today, but tomorrow these decisions will make you miserable. You need to think about the white lie you told today, and how it could affect something that occurs tomorrow. Think about your rudeness to someone today, and how it could affect them when you meet them tomorrow. Think about how your acts of kindness to someone in need today could affect them tomorrow. You need to commit yourselves to thinking for the long term, and not the short term. You should think as Jesus did, and make decisions that creates a desired future, instead of a desired present. But most of all think about your eternal future and make it secure. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 15

Friday, February 14, 2014

Multiply Your Gifts

Multiply Your Gifts “When Abram was ninety nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Genesis 17:1-2 Throughout the Bible we see examples where everything starts small and grows to be large. As with Abram, who is considered to have produced descendants that populated the entire earth, we can see that he and Sarah started small and multiplied exponentially the human race. Think for a moment, that the huge oak tree begins as a small acorn. A six foot man begins as a small, small embryo in a mother’s womb. David had a slingshot and killed goliath, and later became a king. Joseph was sold into slavery, but later became the Prime minister of Egypt. So many times in our lives we have a dream or vision which God gives us, which may seem small to us, and we do not see how it could be meaningful to anyone or anything. However, when we fulfill the dream or vision, it turns into something great and wonderful. Be willing to begin small in your life. Do not be like the man in the Bible who had one talent and refused to use it, but buried it in the sand. Use whatever you have been given; make it grow and more will come to you. God has given each of us gifts and talents. These may seem small to us, but when we begin to use our gifts and talents, these can be multiplied many times over. The man who was given ten talents multiplied his talents, and was given more. This is the way God will reward us, as He will multiply what He has given us when we use it. Our acts of kindness, our encouragement to someone, our respect for others, our stopping to help someone in need can be the beginning to much greater things. When we begin to follow God’s will for our lives He will equip us with what we need to achieve success. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 14

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Reach Out To Others

Reach Out To Others “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 I believe we will begin to succeed in our own lives when the hurt and problems of others begin to matter to us. When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he went to the people of his time, and did not wait for them to come to him. He did not hide in the palace and became a recluse. He walked where the people walked, and went to where the people were hurting. Just look at the people who surrounded Jesus. He had a tax collector, a physician, a fisherman, a woman who had been possessed with seven devils, and people from all walks of life. Some were poor and some were wealthy. We need to have this same compassion as Jesus had for others and reach out to them, no matter what their social status in life is. When we see others in trouble and difficulties in any walk of life, we need to go to them and try to assist in any way we can. It is easy to reach out to people who are in our own social structure, but as Jesus said in the scripture above, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Many times this may take us out of comfort zones. We all have gifts and talents that God has given us, and we need to use these to make a difference in the lives of others. When we give freely of our time and talents, God will give freely to us. I believe our rewards in life are largely determined by the problems we solve for someone else. It is easy to look the other way as the story of the Good Samaritan teaches us, but this is not what God wants us to do. We need to ask God to give each of us the wisdom and knowledge to recognize who we need to spend time with, and use our gifts and talents to affect their lives. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 13

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

We Can Learn From Others

We Can Learn From Others “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 When I was in high school my grandmother gave me some advice that I will never forget. She said to study hard in school, and learn as much as I could, as the more knowledge I obtained would follow me throughout my life, and help me in whatever I did. I have found that this is so true as we learn so much from others who have walked farther with the Lord than we have. Seeking Godly counsel is important to every new Christian, as each of us can learn from others, who are more experienced than we are in their walk with God. When we seek wisdom from others, we need to do so with an attitude of humility, as depicted in the scripture above. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. As Christians, no matter how long we have walked with God, we must remain open to the input of others. Peter gives us good advice in 1st Peter 5:5 “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” We should always continue to read and study God’s word to assure ourselves that we have the wisdom and knowledge that God teaches us in order to live a Godly life, however we can always learn from others who are ahead of us in their spiritual walk, as they are on the next level in acquiring the wisdom of God. We can never be too proud to heed their advice and seek their knowledge, as we can gain so much wisdom from them. We need to have our own personal relationship with God, and look to him for wisdom and guidance in making our own decisions, but we need to seek confirmation and clarity from others to confirm that the decisions we make are right.   Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 12

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

You Are Not A Judge

You Are Not A Judge “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3 It is so easy for people to find fault with others, but not to see any fault in their own lives. We are eager to give advice to tell others what they should do and not do, but when it comes to ourselves, we can see nothing wrong about our own lives. God has given us many scriptures, such as the one above, that tells us not to be judgmental about others, as we do not know what is in their hearts, as only God knows. He tells us that he is the only one that will have the ultimate right to judge them. Many times when we try to judge others, we have made our decisions on false assumptions or information we have obtained from others. Outward appearances are a poor criteria upon which to base any conclusions about anyone. A good example of judging others, which went wrong, is found by looking at the people of Israel. When they reached their Promised Land they sent spies ahead to see what awaited them. Ten of the spies came back and reported a land of giants awaited them if they entered. This report caused them to stay in the wilderness for forty years before they entered the land God had promised them. They had judged wrong and were made to be punished for this. We have to be careful as Christians to judge others, as many times what we see on the surface is not what is in their hearts and on the inside. There is not much leeway in God’s scripture, when we begin to judge others. Instead of being critical of them, we need to thank God for them, and ask God to bless them, and to reveal his will to them. We need to evaluate our own lives and determine if we are living up to God’s standards. We need to see if we are being the kind of person God wants us to be instead of judging others. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 11

Monday, February 10, 2014

Don't Worry God Provides

Don't Worry God Provides “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:29-31 So many people go through life worrying about where they are going to get their next paycheck, what they are going to eat, what clothes to buy, why their relationships are going bad and many other things that occupy their thoughts. Jesus tells us in the scripture above that we should not spend our time worrying about these things, but should spend it seeking the spiritual benefits of the kingdom, rather than the material goods of the world. Jesus warns us of the dangers of always having our thoughts on acquiring riches and material goods throughout the Bible, and tells us that when we have our minds on these things we cannot expect him to bless us fully. Worry can cause high blood pressure, mental health problems and produce stress levels that can cause many people to become dysfunctional. One of the biggest problems in our society today is created by the desire of families to want to produce wealth. When our quest for wealth begins to possess our every thoughts, this becomes our God. God warns us that we can have no God other than him, and that the pursuit of money and material possessions can destroy us. God’s plan for us is to keep our thoughts and minds centered on him, instead of the things of this world, and tells us that he will provide our needs. When we have faith and trust in God to watch over us and depend upon him to provide us with our needs, we will not have worry and stress. We may not have the biggest house or biggest car, but our lives will be worry and stress free. God will provide everything we need when we trust in him. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 10

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Be Content

Be Content “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12 Our world is full of unhappy and dissatisfied people. For this reason, people everywhere are looking for answers to the emptiness they feel inside. They are willing to try anything that might bring them some sort of relief, satisfaction or happiness. Perhaps this explains why there is so much divorce, suicide, drug dependency, alcohol abuse, criminal behavior, sexual impurity, depression, pornography, eating disorders, emotional and psychological disorders. We all want the abundant life that Jesus promised us, but so often we want in our way and not the way that Jesus intended. We all want to find happiness and satisfaction in our lives, but often try to satisfy ourselves with wealth, material possessions, power or prestige; however it is not through these means that we are going to be satisfied and fulfilled. It is not our wealth and material possessions that God will reward us for, but it is our good deeds and the way that we have obeyed his commands and followed his will for us, that we will be rewarded for. When we give our hearts to Jesus and follow him, this is the only way that we will receive the abundant life that Jesus promised. We don’t have to worry about the necessities of life as Jesus promises us that he will provide all our needs. We will be at peace, and content with what God has provided. This is the abundant life that Jesus promises us. We will not be concerned about all the materialism of this world, but will be filled with peace and joy, and a life that is happy knowing that God is in control, and is protecting and providing for us. This is Jesus’ promise to us. God wants us to have the abundant life, but we have to surrender ourselves to him and trust in him to provide it to us. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 9

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Who Do You Love

Who Do You Love "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15 Having grown up on a farm, I have always been enamored with planting a garden each year. If you have ever planted a seed and watched weeds grow around it, then you know that weeds don't suddenly lunge out of the ground and start violently shaking the plant. It is a gradual process—so gradual that you wouldn't even be able to see it if you were watching. But if you were to place a camera by the plant and set it on time lapse, you would see the weed in action, strangling the plant in slow motion. Jesus told a parable about seed that fell on different types of soil. The seed that had been scattered on ground that was imbedded with weeds was choked out as it began to grow. Jesus explained, "The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced" Matthew 13:22. There are many people who reject Christ over their career. They want a better job to earn more money. They want more possessions and spend all their time acquiring it. These things can be more important to them than God. Others will choose people over Jesus, and begin to fill their time with their friends, pleasures and hobbies. Peer pressure doesn't end with high school; we still care about what people think. We still want people to like us. We want them to approve of us. And sometimes we make the worst compromises imaginable out of fear of what others think. Peter denied Jesus for fear of what a complete stranger thought of him. My friends, your relationship with Jesus is the most important thing in your life, all the other things in life are not important. Don't let the weeds strangle your walk with God. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 8

Friday, February 7, 2014

You Can Make A Difference

You Can Make A Difference "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14 Two pleasantly plump ladies sit, watching a fitness show on television. In front of each of them is a TV tray, laden with pastries and coffee. One lady says to the other. "I don't know what the problem is, we've faithfully watched this silly fitness program every day for a year, and we haven't lost an ounce between us." So many Christians are like these two ladies and believe that they will see God change their nations, cities, neighborhoods and families by simply observing other believers as they serve the Lord. Perhaps, they might shoot an occasional prayer upward, "God, someone ought to do something about that mess that is evading our nation." However, these same Christians are quick to dismiss any notion that God would call them to be the answer to their own prayer. Are you one of those Christians that set back and look at what is happening, and expect someone else to come in and fix it? I remember another story, that a good friend of mine told me years ago. During World War II, a small village's town square was hit hard by artillery. A statue of Jesus that had stood for decades with his hands extended outward in a welcoming gesture, was severely damaged in the attack. His hands were lost, his feet were shattered, and his head was decapitated. After the war, a nameless soldier was so moved by it that he strung a cardboard placard around the statue's neck that read, "I have no hands but your hands, I have no feet but your feet..." After the war, the local town folk restored the statue and, carefully etched his poignant phrase on a bronze plaque. Each of us are called to be ambassadors of Christ, and spread His gospel and change our nation. Do your part, you can make a difference. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 7

Thursday, February 6, 2014

My Personal Peace

My Personal Peace “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 When I began to follow the plan that Jesus called me to do, the scripture above was one that I accepted as my own personal scripture. I have had this scripture placed on the cover of all of my books, and is one that I have found to be so true. Prior to God’s call in my life I depended on myself for all things, as I had the confidence in myself and in my own abilities to do what I needed to do in my business career, and did it very successfully for over 45 years. However there was something seriously missing, and that was the peace; as even though I was successful in all my endeavors, my world was filled with stress, un-fulfillment, worry about what the future held, material things and my own personal ambitions and desires. I knew all about Jesus, or so I thought, as all throughout my life I went through the motions of going to church, reading my Bible occasionally, and praying when I encountered problems in my life. However, this all changed when I heard Jesus calling me, and although I resisted for several years, when I actually committed myself to following Him and giving my life fully to Him, my stress, my un-fulfillment, my worries about the future, my need for material things and my own personal ambitions and desires all disappeared. Peace entered my life and I have never been the same. The peace and contentment that Jesus can bring into your life is indescribable, when you turn everything over to Him. There is nothing in this world that is like having Jesus in your heart. Your whole world begins to revolve around Him and wanting to do His commands. You can’t get enough of Him and you want more. You want to read more of His Holy Word, and when you study the Bible the scriptures leap off the pages at you, and they come to life, and have meanings that you never saw and comprehended before. All of the commands of God leap out at you, and your thoughts and actions want to obey and follow all of them. Things that seemed acceptable before now suddenly are not acceptable, and you turn away from these and seek to follow the things of God, things that He is placing on your heart and in your mind. Your thoughts are solely concentrating on doing things that would be pleasing to God. You want to become a servant to others, and help meet the needs of less fortunate people around you. Their welfare becomes more important than your welfare, and your thoughts are about how to make their lives better. The material possessions that you have accumulated do not seem important anymore, as these have no meaning as you realize that they are only temporary, but you now begin to thank God for these as you realize that it is not by your power that you have them, but it is by God’s power that He has allowed you to have them. The world around you is suddenly changed, as you can begin to see God in everything you do. You begin to appreciate all the beauty and majesty that God has created. During this time God began to give me words that I have been compelled to write down in my books and in my daily devotionals. These words are not my words, but God’s words as He gives me these words, as He places them on my heart, and gives me the wisdom and the ability to discern what His scriptures mean. God’s plan for my life has changed me completely, and my desire is to serve Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. The peace that I now have is my reward, and as I go through the rest of my days on this earth, I pray that God will use me in whatever capacity that He desires. I hear God each and every day as He talks to me in gentle whispers, and gives me direction in my life. My life is now at total peace, and it is all because that God is my Lord and my Savior. My future is now secure because I know that God is by my side and that I will serve Him always. Thank you Jesus for saving my soul and being in my life as you are each day. I will serve you forever. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 6

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Jesus Is Coming Again

Jesus Is Coming Again "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." Matthew 24:37 The picture of life on the earth during Noah's time is summarized in Genesis 6:12 "So God looked upon the earth and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth". Noah was a man of righteousness, and warned the people of his day about all the wickedness that had befallen the land. I believe he begged and pleaded with the large masses to listen to him regarding a coming flood because of the wickedness on the earth, yet no one listened. No one showed him any respect or any attention as they went on doing all of the wicked things that they did, living their lives according to their own wicked choices. They probably laughed at him, and declared him to be insane, when he began to build the ark on dry land. It took him several years to build the ark, and Noah was probably the laughing stock of all that saw him and his family building this huge ark. BUT THEN IT STARTED TO RAIN. Scripture tells us about Noah and his family and how they were safely in the ark. I would guess they probably could not see a lot or hear very much of what was happening around the ark. But can you imagine the transition that the people of the land went through over these 40 days of rain? It probably started out that there was a mass excitement as they all mocked, criticized and made fun of the nut Noah. There was probably no sign of any danger when the rain first started. A few days later, it is still raining. I can just imagine that the people's faces begin changing from arrogance to concern, others probably were still not afraid. However I suspect that in a few more days of constant rain that the entire mass of living, breathing people were now in panic and hysteria as they see the waters slowly begin to rise, and that they probably began to come to the realization that Noah may be telling the truth. I could imagine them frantically trying to get their families and loved ones to higher ground, but it just keeps raining and the waters just keep rising. Then when the truth finally clears through their deceived minds, that they really are doomed to die for their own sin, they probably were hysterical and wanted to turn away from their wickedness, but it was too late, as the waters just kept rising. I am sure that they did not think of Noah as they did before, but probably started believing that he was telling them the truth. They had been warned over and over and over, but they did not want to hear about it. I am sure they began to think about all the really good laughs with their friends over all that preaching that Noah had told them about the great flood that would consume them. Now they are realizing that it's to late. They are doomed, and it is too late. In the world today, we are not so far off In regards to the wickedness and evil, as we match what Noah was preaching about to the people of his day. Right now the people, the masses, with all their agendas, their perverted views on sin, are also mocking, being arrogant because they are having their fun and pleasure, and ignoring what the Bible tells us and warns us about in the end of days. However, this day may soon end, just as it did in Noah's day. The day will come when all the groups, agendas, all of the wicked will have to say just like in Noah's day "WE ARE DOOMED, WE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED". But it will also be too late for them as Jesus tells us that He is coming again. There will not be a flood this time to cleanse the earth and it's wickedness, but Jesus himself will return. What can we do now to get ready for this great day. Now is the time to be in prayer for our loved ones, for ourselves, and begin to live the kind of life that the Bible teaches us to live. We HAVE TO GET OUR FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST. We don't know the time, when Jesus will return, but we do know that He is returning. It could be tomorrow, or next week, but our life must be in order, and we must have accepted Jesus as our savior and be ready for His return. Don't delay as the people in Noah's day did, be ready. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 5

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Find Your Peace

Find Your Peace "Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert." 1st Corinthians 10:5 This scripture describes the result of the people of Israel, after they wandered for 40 years in the desert, attempting to reach their promised land. Is this where our great nation is headed, as never in the history of mankind has there been such massive and destructive armaments as there is today. There is enough nuclear power and energy, controlled by several nations, to destroy almost all of mankind that is on the earth today. Some of the most brilliant minds now spend their entire lives developing new and more sophisticated ways to destroy life. It would seem that with all this power and might, that a nation in control, could provide security and peace for all mankind. However, this is not the case as all these weapons and power has brought us even less peace, and made the world less secure. There are small wars raging all around the globe, that threatens to ignite a global war where there will not be any winners, only losers. We are constantly hearing our leaders talk about peace, but not finding ways to bring us peace or security. Even in the Old Testament, the false prophets of Jeremiah's day were talking about peace, "Peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace." Jeremiah 8:11. If you are afraid and concerned with what is going to happen, my advice is to not be afraid or concerned, as you can have all the peace and security you want. Your peace can come by putting your trust in Jesus, as He is the only one that can give you a lasting and eternal peace. This same God has been telling people since the beginning of time that peace can only be found in Him, but so many have ignored it and have been lost in the desert. You still have time to find your peace and security. Don't worry about your future, as Jesus has secured it for you. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 4

Monday, February 3, 2014

God Is Waiting

God Is Waiting "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25 This message today is for those who may have lost their enthusiasm for God, and need to restore their relationship with Him. Let me ask you this simple question. Is your relationship with God where it needs to be? Have you slowly gotten away from the time you asked Jesus into your heart, when you made Him first in your life, but now find yourself drawn to the ways of the world, and don't have the daily relationship with God that you used to have. If you find your relationship to God not where it used to be or what it needs to be, you cannot blame others. You can’t blame your preacher, your teacher, your church, your parents, your spouse, your job, bad luck, your personality or any other thing if you’re not as close to God as you used to be. The blame lies with you. The first step to dealing with the discouragement or dissatisfaction you’re experiencing is to be honest about the past and what you’ve lost. The truth is that you are not what you ought to be, where you need to be, and not doing what you need to be doing. Whether or not you can be honest with yourself and God is up to you. The reason you have distanced yourself from God is that you have allowed Satan back into your life. It is easy to let Satan and sin invade your life, as he is always there to tempt you and draw you back into his fold. However, God has not given up on you, and is patiently waiting for you to return. You are His prodigal son and He will welcome you back with open arms. But you have to make the choice, as no one can make it for you. I would encourage you today to take the time to again make God first in your life, by praying, asking for His forgiveness, and begin reading daily His Holy word, and make Him first again. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 3

Sunday, February 2, 2014

A Joy Filled Life

A Joy Filled Life "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 2nd Timothy 2:19 Let me ask you a simple question this morning. Have you ever been afraid to give yourself totally to the Lord because you think you might be deprived of some pleasure in this life? Chances are, you have, and if you have, you are living a life of sin, and enjoying what you are doing, and don't want to give up your pleasures and the joy it brings you. The reason you don't want to change is that Satan is working overtime, and convincing you that you need these pleasures to be happy. Let me be the first to tell you that you don’t need these pleasures to have a happy and joy filled life. The real truth is, yielding completely to the Lord won’t cost you anything that’s worth having. Leaving your life of sin, and following the one that God wants you to follow will only cause you to live life to its fullest. Jesus’ life on earth was a perfect example of a totally yielded life. He was a walking example of the benefits godly living brings. Everywhere He went, Jesus made the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk. He lived in perfect peace and absolute victory until He laid down His life giving you an opportunity to have an eternal life in Heaven. Do you think you would miss out on a lot if you lived that way? Of course not. You can walk in that same anointing and power and glory of God that Jesus did. Do you have to give up your whole life to do it? Yes! You have to trade your life of following Satan, for the life of God. You have to follow God's plan and His paths for your life, which will lead to a home in Heaven, instead of following the paths of Satan, which will lead to an eternity spent in Hell. You have to trade your sickness for His healing, your poverty for His prosperity, your anxiety for His peace, your sin for His salvation. So why hesitate, choose a joy filled life with Jesus. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 2

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Are You God's Witness

Are You God's Witness "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:3 An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy street. Suddenly, the light turned yellow in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger-printed, and photographed, and then placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do?' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car!" Does this story describe the kind of Christian you are, going to church on Sunday, singing, smiling and greeting other fellow worshippers, showing them what a kind and gentle caring person you are, but once you leave the church building, you resemble the woman in this story. If you can relate to this, there is much you need to do, to get your spiritual life in order, as God does not permit this kind of behavior. God expects you to be a witness for him wherever you go, and in whatever you do. You are to be a light to the world by your behavior, by your words and by your actions. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven February 1