Witnessing For God

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

Our Security Blanket

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

Our Peace Inside

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

Your Independence Day

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

Your Heavenly Home

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

God's Grace Is Sufficient

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

Be God's Witness

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