Testing Ourselves
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”
2nd Corinthians 13:5
“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”
Lamentations 3:40
As in the previous scripture, these are another two verses that reminds us to examine ourselves each day to see if we are doing what God’s will is for our lives. As we examine our attitudes and behavior at the end of each day, we need to make sure that we are in the faith, and doing what God’s will is for our lives. If we examine our behavior and find that our attitude is not right, or our actions are lacking in some respect, this is the time to make the necessary changes. Always remember that God’s plan for us is to be a positive witness for him, and if you find that you are not always being this positive witness to others, this is the time to begin making the necessary changes in your attitude and behavior. Once you are aware that your attitude needs to be changed, this is the time to start to make the changes that need to be made. You will find that as you make these changes, you will improve your self esteem as well. These changes will not be as difficult to make, as you will find out, as being aware that changes need to be made is the hardest part. You will start to become aware of your shortcomings, and will find that it will become easier and easier to identify and change a certain behavior each and every time. God wants you to be the best you can be.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 26
Robert William Brock, Jr.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
A Happy Heart
A Happy Heart
“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:13
If we start our day with a happy heart each morning, our day will be much more enjoyable. We will be better able to withstand the obstacles that Satan will use to try to destroy our happiness. 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, to influence in a positive manner, anyone we come into contact with during the day. 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. Being in his presence will transform you, and can change the course of a day that Satan had negative plans for you. 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. I want the experience, I have with the people I come into contact with, to be a positive experience instead of a negative one. We can set the tone for ourselves and others we meet by being prepared for these people and dealing with them in a positive manner. This requires us to prepare ourselves to deal with these situations when they arise, and simply taking a few moments each morning will better prepare us to deal with these in the most positive manner possible. You can make your heart happy by asking God’s guidance, and your day will be brighter and happier, and you will be better equipped to make someone else’s day happier also.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 24
Robert William Brock, Jr.
“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:13
If we start our day with a happy heart each morning, our day will be much more enjoyable. We will be better able to withstand the obstacles that Satan will use to try to destroy our happiness. 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, to influence in a positive manner, anyone we come into contact with during the day. 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. Being in his presence will transform you, and can change the course of a day that Satan had negative plans for you. 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. I want the experience, I have with the people I come into contact with, to be a positive experience instead of a negative one. We can set the tone for ourselves and others we meet by being prepared for these people and dealing with them in a positive manner. This requires us to prepare ourselves to deal with these situations when they arise, and simply taking a few moments each morning will better prepare us to deal with these in the most positive manner possible. You can make your heart happy by asking God’s guidance, and your day will be brighter and happier, and you will be better equipped to make someone else’s day happier also.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 24
Robert William Brock, Jr.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Trusting In God
Trusting In God
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1st Peter 5:2
I lived most of my life without knowing the Grace of God. I suffered with all of the obstacles throughout my life, as the above scripture describes, until I found God and brought him into my heart. After I accepted Jesus as my savior, he has now restored me and made me strong, firm and steadfast, as he promised in the above verse. He has given me a peace about my life that is indescribable. Until we realize that we cannot do it alone, we will suffer with all the problems and worries of this life, and try to make decisions on our own. Until we realize that there is someone who will lead us and guide us and comfort us in our everyday struggles, we will not have the peace and joy that God promises us. We have to put our trust in God, and lean on his arms to hold us up, and put our burdens on him. When we come to the realization that God will always be there for us, and will be there to comfort us in our time of trouble, we will then have the comfort in our lives that he wants each of us to have. We will never be able to fulfill what his plans are for our lives, until we are able to release our burdens to him, and trust that he will provide our needs. He will make us strong, firm and steadfast, and will let us grow as we learn to trust him for everything in our lives. Our worries and cares will fade away and we will learn to depend on him for all our needs, and he will answer our prayers.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 22
Robert William Brock, Jr.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1st Peter 5:2
I lived most of my life without knowing the Grace of God. I suffered with all of the obstacles throughout my life, as the above scripture describes, until I found God and brought him into my heart. After I accepted Jesus as my savior, he has now restored me and made me strong, firm and steadfast, as he promised in the above verse. He has given me a peace about my life that is indescribable. Until we realize that we cannot do it alone, we will suffer with all the problems and worries of this life, and try to make decisions on our own. Until we realize that there is someone who will lead us and guide us and comfort us in our everyday struggles, we will not have the peace and joy that God promises us. We have to put our trust in God, and lean on his arms to hold us up, and put our burdens on him. When we come to the realization that God will always be there for us, and will be there to comfort us in our time of trouble, we will then have the comfort in our lives that he wants each of us to have. We will never be able to fulfill what his plans are for our lives, until we are able to release our burdens to him, and trust that he will provide our needs. He will make us strong, firm and steadfast, and will let us grow as we learn to trust him for everything in our lives. Our worries and cares will fade away and we will learn to depend on him for all our needs, and he will answer our prayers.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 22
Robert William Brock, Jr.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Dealing With Trials
Dealing With Trials
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
God tells us many times throughout the Bible and especially in the above scripture that we will face trials in our daily lives. We will have days that everything will go wrong, and we will face adversities from many different directions. During these times we must have faith in God that these trials are the times when we are being tested, in how strong our faith is in Him. We must trust in his word during these times, and not become discouraged, but believe that we are being tested for a reason. It is how we come through and handle these trials that will demonstrate our true faith in God and his assurance that he will watch over us. The testing of our faith develops perseverance in us, and enables us to become equipped to handle adversities in our lives. By not getting ourselves upset and reacting negatively every time things do not go right, just remember that God is judging us, and is watching to see how we react to our situations. If we handle the situations the way he directs us to, we will become stronger in dealing with situations and trials in the future. As we think back at the end of the day, and see that we reacted to our problems in a positive manner, we will feel better about ourselves, and will help to instill in ourselves a positive attitude when future problems arise. So if you face problems today, deal with them in a positive manner as God directs us to, and you will be rewarded with his blessings.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 15
Robert William Brock, Jr.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
God tells us many times throughout the Bible and especially in the above scripture that we will face trials in our daily lives. We will have days that everything will go wrong, and we will face adversities from many different directions. During these times we must have faith in God that these trials are the times when we are being tested, in how strong our faith is in Him. We must trust in his word during these times, and not become discouraged, but believe that we are being tested for a reason. It is how we come through and handle these trials that will demonstrate our true faith in God and his assurance that he will watch over us. The testing of our faith develops perseverance in us, and enables us to become equipped to handle adversities in our lives. By not getting ourselves upset and reacting negatively every time things do not go right, just remember that God is judging us, and is watching to see how we react to our situations. If we handle the situations the way he directs us to, we will become stronger in dealing with situations and trials in the future. As we think back at the end of the day, and see that we reacted to our problems in a positive manner, we will feel better about ourselves, and will help to instill in ourselves a positive attitude when future problems arise. So if you face problems today, deal with them in a positive manner as God directs us to, and you will be rewarded with his blessings.
My Daily Devotional Volume I
January 15
Robert William Brock, Jr.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
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 streets 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 2
Robert William Brock, Jr.
"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 streets 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 2
Robert William Brock, Jr.
Friday, March 23, 2012
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 1
Robert William Brock, Jr.
"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 1
Robert William Brock, Jr.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Be God's Witness
Be God's Witness
"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."
Romans12:13
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
June 30
Robert William Brock, Jr.
"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."
Romans12:13
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
June 30
Robert William Brock, Jr.
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