Don't Linger In Sin

Don’t Linger In Sin “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city. But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.” Genesis 19:14 We know the story of Lot and his wife and his family, who were spared from being destroyed along with all the other inhabitants of Sodom. But even after being visited by two angels, and being told of the imminent doom that would soon come upon the city, Lot and his family lingered. The Lord had to literally have them taken by the arm and physically removed from the city. Lot and his family had grown accustomed to the lifestyle, the comforts, and yes, even the sin that surrounded them. By “lingering” he and his entire family were almost destroyed by God’s righteous punishment upon an unrighteous city. When God tells us to leave behind a certain sin, habit, or lifestyle, we must do so immediately and not linger. If we linger and stay where we are, and continue this sin, we will be putting ourselves and others whom we love, directly in the path of God’s righteous judgment. But when we turn from our sin, and become obedient to God, He is able to guide us down the path of righteousness, which will keep us in His protection, provision, mercy, grace and love. I would encourage each of you to not be like Lot and his family and linger in your sin, as God is pleading with you to separate yourself from your sin, and to follow Him. Just as He had to drag Lot and his family, He wants to remove you from the sinful lifestyle, and maybe even some comforts you may have become accustomed to, but He wants to replace these with a new lifestyle, one that will lead you to His kingdom. We do not know when God will call us home, but we need to be ready, to accept his gift of an eternal life and secure our future. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 31 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Power Of Prayer

The Power Of Prayer By My Wife Margaret Sue Brock “For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” Psalm 5:12 This is a devotional that Margaret has written based on the scripture above that she reads every day, and has done so throughout the years. Each morning I read this scripture and I mention my children’s names, and ask the Lord to surround them with his favor as with a shield. Over the years all our children have asked us to pray for them when they had any kind of problems. I remember one night our youngest son Christopher came and got in the bed with us. He was crying and said that his stomach was hurting so bad, and asked me to pray for him. I laid my hand on his stomach and prayed, and as I was praying he seemed to relax, and in just a few minutes he was sound asleep and slept all night, and was fine the next morning. When anything was wrong all through the years he would ask me to pray for him. I remember when he was in the eleventh grade, he had an accident and tore the ACL ligament in his knee, and had to have surgery. After the surgery was over, there were some problems that developed, and he became very sick. He could barely raise his hand, but he reached out and asked me to pray for him. What a blessing this was for me, as he was a grown man, but was still asking me to pray for him like when he was a little baby. He never complained or became discouraged, but rather was very uplifting to his many friends when they came to visit with him. This is what God can do when our families are centered on God, and our children know that they can turn to him in their times of trouble. God will let them be at peace and content with their lives. It is such a blessing to me to have a son like him that is letting God control his life and his family. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 30 Robert William Brock, Jr. This is a picture of Christopher when he was 4 years old. He is now 33 and is married to Heather and has two children ages 5 and 2. He lives next door to us and is still the same loving, caring and precious son that any mother would be proud of.

My Little Princess My Daughter Pamela “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.” Proverbs 14:26 I remember gazing intently through the small window at the hospital, at a small metal crib filled with a yellow, blue and white striped blanket. My eyes were fixed on this small crib, and I could not focus on anything else in the room, only on this small crib. This crib held something more precious to me than anything I had ever possessed, because nestled inside this blanket was my beautiful little newborn daughter, my little princess, Pamela. I can remember holding her for the first time, as she seemed so fragile, so small and so beautiful. I had never seen anything more beautiful and precious. God had given me an angel. I would have given my life instantly for her, and had only known her for a few minutes. How could something instantly make that much of an impact on my life? Looking back I believe this one moment was probably the happiest moment of my life. We have had two other children since my little princess, and I love all of my children as much as the other, but the moment I saw my little princess, was the first time I had ever experienced emotions like this in my life. This was different than anything else I had ever experienced, and is difficult to describe the pride, joy, happiness, gratitude, thankfulness and peace that was in my life at that moment. I wanted my little princess to be brought up in a family where God was present, and where he would be able to lead me, guide me, and give me wisdom to make her the best she could be. Together my wife and I provided a loving home for my little princess during the time we had her. She has now grown up, and is now a loving wife and mother to our two grandchildren. She will always be my little princess. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 29 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Mother's Bible

Mother's Bible By: My Wife Margaret Sue Brock “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Proverbs 17:6 This is a devotional that Margaret has written that relates the importance of having the presence of God in our family, and the influence it can have on our children. Our children have always seen me reading my Bible each morning before they went to school. The most precious memory I have of my son Rob was many years ago when Bob and I did a will, as we wanted to have our estate in order, and asked each of our children to tell us what they wanted. When we asked Rob he simply said that he would let us know that afternoon. In a little while he called me, and his answer could not have been more precious to me, as it touched my heart and I cried. All he wanted and asked for was my Bible, as he knew that I read it every day. There was nothing that has ever pleased me more, and was one of the best presents I have ever received. I can remember when I was a little girl, 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 than Gold.” Rob is our most perfect and precious son, and has always had the kindest heart and thoughtfulness. 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. When we have the presence of God in our family, and demonstrate this to our children, we can expect them to be blessed in this manner. Rob carries this blessing over to his own family. He has been such a blessing to us all 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 in my thoughts. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 28 Robert William Brock, Jr.

The Joy Of The Lord

The Joy Of The Lord “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 and joyful in your daily walk. 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, 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.” You will notice that the scripture doesn’t say “I suggest” or “maybe you should” be joyful always. It says to “Be joyful always”. When we lose our happiness and joy we are right where Satan wants us, and certainly not obeying God’s command. We can see how God expects us to act in the face of adversity by reading the Psalms, as we constantly see King David rejoicing and praising God even while circumstances were not what he wanted. Think about the things that destroy your peace, and be aware of these when they arise the next time. Don't let Satan ruin your day and destroy your happiness. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 27 Robert William Brock, Jr.

God Knows What We Need

God Knows What We Need “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 One of my friends recently sent me an e-mail that made me think about the scripture above. It said, “If our greatest need was for information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need was for technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need was for pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer. If our greatest need was for money, God would have sent an economist. But, since our greatest need is forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.” God knows what we need in our lives as he knows that so often we cannot determine what we really need. This has been so true in my own life as God knew what I needed before I even asked him. Before I knew I needed him, God knew. Before I thought about Him, God thought about me. Before I experienced His forgiveness, God had already forgiven me. While we were yet in our sins, bound in darkness, and held captive by Satan, Christ Jesus came and destroyed the works of darkness that we had committed. Before I ever knew that I needed to experience eternal life, God knew and came to give it to me. We need to seriously consider all that God has done for us and bow down and thank Him for all the blessings He bestows on us daily. Even if you’ve been a follower of Christ for years, let me encourage you to go to Him today and experience afresh, His forgiveness and cleansing in your heart. Call to Him in prayer and approach His presence with humility, confessing, seeking and worshipping Him. We need to always remember that no matter what we’ve done, or how bad we’ve blown it, His forgiveness is ours for the asking. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 26 Robert William Brock, Jr.

Feel God's Presence

Feel God's Presence “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” 2nd Timothy 4:2 As I write this devotional this morning, I look outside and see the wonderful fall morning that God has created for me. The majesty of his creations amazes me as I view the beauty that surrounds me. The beautiful trees, the birds singing, the blue sky and the puffy clouds, all make me aware of the presence of God. In this hustle and bustle world we live in, it is so often that we forget to remember God, as we go our own way and do our own things, and so many do not take the time to enjoy the beauty that God has created for us to enjoy. Each morning we need to refresh ourselves in the spirit of God, and let Him reveal himself to us, so that we can spread His word wherever we go. Our actions should reflect the power of God, and we should be a beacon for everyone we meet, and show them the love of Jesus. Our hearts and minds need to be focused on God during the hours ahead, and our actions should demonstrate the presence of God in our lives. God wants us to be a witness for Him with everyone we meet. Our acts of kindness, encouragement and patience can help others we meet see the spirit of God, and can have an impact on their lives if we take Jesus along with us. People need to see the peace and joy that God provides us, and then they should want to have what we have, God's inner peace. Look around you today and make yourself aware of the beauty of what God has created for you. Let the presence of God walk with you today and help you be a witness by your actions and behavior. Be a witness to God and encourage and show others what God can do in their lives. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 25 Robert William Brock, Jr.