My Daily Devotional

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 24 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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 15

My Daily Devotional

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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 14

My Daily Devotional

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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 13

My Daily Devotional

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. Take just a few minutes this morning to ask Jesus into your heart, and let Him take away your sins, and give you a new life, a life that will lead you to an eternal life in Heaven. Then God will boast that He has a new child, one that will come to live with Him for all eternity in His home in Heaven. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 12

My Daily Devotional

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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 11

My Daily Devotional

God's Patience "What if only ten can be found there? He answered, For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." Genesis 18:32 The scripture above is God's response to Abraham, who was asking Him to spare Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction. Abraham had already asked God five times to spare them at higher numbers, but wanted to bargain with God. In other devotionals I have talked about patience, but in this one I want to discuss God's patience. In this example, God had been patient with Sodom and Gomorrah, and agreed to not destroy them even if only a few people, out of the whole city, still obeyed Him and His commandments. God is still patient with us today, as He sometimes waits a lifetime for us to repent, and ask Him into our hearts. Would we be as patient as God is? Think back about your own life, and all the things that you have done. Many of you have done terrible things in your life. Some of you have been a thief, some have been addicted to drugs or alcohol, some have cheated on your spouse, maybe even some have committed murder, but none of you are perfect as you all have sinned. God has been patient with you during this time, and has been watching you, and knows all the sinful things you have done. However, the difference between God and you, is that God is patient, and is willing to forgive all your sins, and forget about all your past. He is not like you, as you probably become impatient if you wait a few minutes to be served dinner at a restaurant, or wait in line at the grocery store. Regardless of what you have done God is patiently waiting for you to turn your life over to Him, and give you an eternal life in Heaven, as He loves you. If you have not asked Jesus into your heart, today is the day of your salvation. Take just a moment to get down on your knees right now and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, and ask Him to be your savior. He is patiently waiting on you, and will gladly accept you back into the fold. He will give you the most precious gift you will ever receive, which is the promise of an everlasting life in Heaven. Do it now, as tomorrow may be too late. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Five November 10

My Daily Devotional

The Love Of Money "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." 1st Timothy 6:10 Throughout the Bible there are scriptures similar to the one above that tells us to not to fall in love with money or material things. God does not want you to not have wealth or material possessions, but when these things become your God's and your idols, that is when they become dangerous. God gives you everything that you have, and you should hold it with an open hand, and realize that He has allowed you to receive it, and could easily take it away. If you hold it tightly to your chest and claim it as yours, that you earned it by yourself, and do not give your tithes from it willingly, you are not handling your wealth correctly. You should freely accept God's gifts, and never hold on to anything that would cause you catastrophic sorrow if it were removed. I know that this is a hard way to live in today's society, as the world teaches you how to say "that's mine" by the age of two. Most people are in a mad dash to get as much as they can, and spend their entire lives focused on accumulating wealth and material things. God knows just how powerful money can be, and warns us that it's next to impossible for a rich man to enter into Heaven. (Matthew 19:24) Everyone has wants and desires, however they must be kept in the proper perspective, and not let them become the focus of our lives. God should come first in our lives, and if our pursuit of money and wealth gets in the way, then it has crossed the line and becomes sinful. God wants us to give up our hunger to make ourselves first, but rather make Him first. When God is first, then we will prosper. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Five November 9

My Daily Devotional

Mother's Bible By: My Wife Margaret Sue Lefevers Brock “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Proverbs 17:6 Our children have always seen me reading my Bible each morning before they went to school. Many years ago, when our son Rob was a freshman at Geneva College, he left a little note in my Bible, asking me to pray for him as he knew I would see it. Another memory that I have of Rob was years ago when Bob and I did a will, in case anything happened to us. As we were deciding what to give our children, we asked each of them to tell us what they wanted. When we asked Rob, he simply said that he would let us know. He called later and said all he wanted was my Bible as he knew that I read it every day. Nothing on earth could have pleased me more than this simple request, and when I read my Bible each morning, I always think about this. I can remember when I was a little girl, probably 10 years old, our friend Marion Brock would sing a song called “Mother’s Bible”. Some of the words were “with its pages worn and torn is more precious that Gold.” I loved to hear him sing it, and I have always thought throughout the years, whether my children would ever ask for my Bible. What a glorious gift Rob gave me that day, just by asking for my Bible Rob is our most perfect and precious son, and has always had the kindest heart and respect for others. He has grown up to be a father and husband that I am so proud of, and still has this kind heart and demonstrates this to all the people he meets. Rob has been such a blessing to us throughout the years, and I am so proud to be called his mother. His gift of thoughtfulness in asking only for my Bible, will forever be with me and something that I will cherish forever. I hope that all my children will remember the legacy that I hope to leave for them, my devotion to God. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 8

My Daily Devotional

Attitude Adjustment “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:13 What kind of attitude do you have each morning when you wake up? This is an important question for you to consider, as your attitude often determines what is in your heart. By simply getting focused at the beginning of each day on the proper attitude we need to have, can have a tremendous effect on our families, our fellow employees, our schoolmates and on everyone we meet. Our attitudes affect others around us and we can either be a positive influence or a negative influence on all the people we come into contact with. God wants us to be a positive influence on all the people we meet, and not be a deterrent or negative influence on anyone. There are eight criteria listed below which I think is necessary to have the right attitude. 1. We need to wake up each day with the thought of being happy for the day. Happiness is a choice we each make in our own lives. 2. Don’t let the little things get you down. These are the killers that will rob your day of its happiness, and will keep you from reaching your potential for the day. Don’t let the traffic jam or the spilled cup of coffee ruin your day. 3. Don’t worry about things you cannot change. Let God take control of these circumstances Be content and happy and keep your attitude positive. 4. Appreciate today as it is, as you will never be able to live it again. Live it to its fullest. Make sure you have your attitude adjusted to be happy and not let anyone take away your joy for the day. 5. Learn to smile for your health. Smiling is the best way to get yourself geared up for your day. It will make you feel better and keep you in the proper frame of mind for the day. 6. Be content where you are. God has put you in your job, in your city, in your family, in your neighborhood for a reason. He knows all about you. Be content and trust him for the answers. 7. Trust God for the answers to the obstacles that you will face for the day and he will provide you with the wisdom to meet these challenges and deal with them successfully. 8. And most of all forget the past. Whatever happened yesterday or last week or last year is gone. Nothing you can do will change the hurt, disappointments and circumstances that have happened in the past. You can’t do anything about it so forget it and plan for the day ahead and the future. The future is the only thing we can influence. Our attitude is so important as people need to see God in us, by the way we speak, by our behavior and actions, and the way we treat others. Each day we have opportunities to minister to others, and having the right attitude is just one of the attributes we need to have to do this effectively. We have God's great commission to fulfill. By putting ourselves in the best frame of mind at the beginning of the day, we have equipped ourselves to put our best foot forward, and given ourselves the best opportunity possible. If you get up in the morning in a terrible mood, the best thing you can do is find a place and spend some time with the Lord. By learning to seek God quickly when we sense any attitude or behavior that is not Christ like, will help us prepare ourselves each day, and be the witness that God wants us to be. Just remember that your attitude is one of the first things people will notice about you, they will like you or not like you because of your attitude. Put on the best smile you can, and let your attitude be pleasing to God and others. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Six November 7

My Daily Devotional

Behind Closed Doors By: My Wife 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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 6

My Daily Devotional

Think About Tomorrow By: My wife 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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 5

My Daily Devotional

God Is Here "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." Isaiah 54:17 All throughout the Bible we see story after story how God did miracle acts to protect the people of Israel. Opening the Red Sea was just one of the miracles that He did to protect His chosen people. But does God still do miracles today? One of my face book friends sent me this story which he said was true as his father was a witness, and had told it to him. A missionary in the New Hebrides Islands, described his experience with God's divine angelic protection. Hostile natives surrounded his mission headquarters one night, desiring to kill him and his wife and burn all the buildings down. All through that terror filled night, they prayed that God would deliver them from this evil. When daylight came they were amazed to see the natives leave, looking frustrated. One year later, the chief of that tribe gave his life to the Lord. Remembering what had happened that terrible night, the missionary asked the chief what had kept him and his men from burning down the house that night. The chief replied in surprise, "Well, he said, all those men were there with you! "What do you mean?", asked the missionary, "There were no men there, just my wife and I." The chief argued that the tribe had seen many men standing guard - hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords in their hands. They seemed to circle the house, so they were afraid to attack". God's angels are still here to protect us today, and God can still do miracles even today, and tells us there is nothing to be afraid of, as He is there to keep us safe. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 4

My Daily Devotional

A Godly Mother By: My Wife 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 William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 3

My Daily Devotional

Be A Light On The Hill By: My Wife 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. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 2

My Daily Devotional

Are You A Peace Maker By: My Wife Margaret Sue Lefevers Brock "Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9 Over the years, my daughter Pamela and I have always enjoyed doing everything together. She is our only daughter and has always brought us such joy, as she has always lived close to us her entire life. She is so intelligent, and when you talk to her, this becomes apparent so quickly. We both love our Lord, Jesus Christ, and we often talk about different verses in the Bible, and what they mean to each of us. The majority of the time we understand and interpret the verse the same way, but occasionally we differ about the interpretation of a particular verse. I have always said to her, "that even though we may differ or see things differently, I will not argue about it". She always tells me that when you discuss things, it will help each of us understand better, but I think it sounds more like arguing. I believe that God wants each of us to be a peace maker, instead of being a peace keeper, as I do not think that arguing over God's scripture does anyone any good. So often in life, people let little things like differences of opinion, and interpretation of scripture, become barriers, which is not what God wants from us. There should not be barriers formed that divide and cause division among people, but rather an encouraging and bonding presence that brings the people of God together. There is too much division in our world today, and I feel that God wants us to be able to come together in love, rather than being a hindrance to others. We need to understand that God made each of us in his own image, and gave each of us our own individuality. There will always be differences, but our differences should never be a stumbling block for others, as God tells us to love others as we love ourselves. Robert William Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven November 1