Showing posts with label Balancing Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Balancing Life. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

It's Not "Hammer Time": Being mindful of your words and actions.

Read: Proverbs 10:11, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 15:4. Proverbs  16:24, Proverbs 18:21, 1 Corinthians 13.


God has given us many tools and also wants to produce the fruit of The Spirit in and through us. Sometimes people forget that things like harshness, anger, etc are not part of the fruit of The Spirit. 

Furthermore, the scripture reminds us that Love is patient, love is kind...(See 1 Corinthians 13) but sometimes others in our lives or even ourselves lack these very things in relation to others. I'm also reminded of Proverbs 16:24 "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." 

As always, our words can bring life or death to the hearer. Our words are more powerful than we realize because those words whether good or bad, stay with the hearer and sometimes much longer than they should when we speak unkind words. This is why I've shared in the past that the old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me," while a nice sentiment, it's not really true because words do hurt and it takes more time mentally and emotionally to heal from words spoken to us. 

While there are times where we need to be more firm in our communication, we need to remember that even in being firm with others who have wronged us, or who need correction, or that we disagree with, we need to season that with grace so we can represent The Lord more effectively. 

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Finding His Peace In Every Moment

Read: Philippians 4:7

Sometimes we buy into the idea that peace is only found in the absence of conflict but that isn't necessarily the case!

It may not make sense to us sometimes but if you're in Christ...As you abide in Christ you will be able to experience His peace all the more...even in the midst of troubling or tumultuous times!


His peace is supernatural and can be found and experienced in any moment including the storms of life.


You and I need to seek Him in those good or hard moments because no doubt...He will give you His steadfast peace, love and strength that will help sustain you through that time. 


The peace of God is truly beyond understanding...but it is available to us through His Holy Spirit.


May we seek and find His peace in every moment! 

I pray that we experience His peace through every season in Jesus name I pray, Amen. 

In Christ Alone,


rlk





#peace #rest #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #encourage #encouragement #inspire #inspiration  #Jesus #HolySpirit #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind  #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

Do you want lasting change? Then check out the Put Off and Put On Principle!


So often in life we need to make changes or adjust the way we are doing things. 

Some things are serious and or drastic changes while others are smaller changes that need to be made.

Maybe you have a bad habit you need to quit? Maybe you are trying to reach a goal and in order to reach that goal you have to stop doing something in order to do something better?


So, how does someone do this?

Monday, September 15, 2014

Be Still...and Know!

(Sunset over Tillamook Bay (Photo By Randolph Koch 2014)


 ...“Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.
 
                             -Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Be…Still…

I’ve been thinking a lot about this passage and I’ve come to realize these are two simple but very profound words that communicate volumes!

With the activities of life and hurried fast paced lives we often live, we don’t do the “Be Still” principle very well.

Think about it, when was the last time you and I just allowed ourselves to even physically…BE STILL?

I bet if you’re ever able to get yourself to a place in your schedule where you could be still, it felt very foreign to you for a bit or you felt like you should be doing something because by all means it’s all about “our strength” or “pulling ourselves up by the boot straps”?! We we’re supposed to be self-reliant and not need anyone’s help, right? 

Well, that may be what the world around us tells us but that way of operating doesn’t hold water to what God tells us we need to do. 

Being still requires faith. Being still requires trust. Being still requires hope. 

…A Faith that… God has you covered no matter what. 

…A Trust that… He is God and He already has a plan in the works to meet you where you are according to His perfect will. 

…A Hope that… His plan will be fulfilled in His perfect timing. 

Ultimately being still is more than just being physically still as it involved our mind, soul, spirit and body. 

When we take time to be still, we allow ourselves a few moment of time to collect ourselves and realign our focus back on God who will be exalted – especially when we operate how He instructs us to because His ways are higher than our ways and life typically works out better for us (not necessarily easier) in the long run if we do things His way. 

Other translations use the words “Cease Striving” and it is the same idea that we need to stop and be still. Cease trying to work to make things happen on our own strength. Cease trying to figure everything out on our own. Cease trying to be master and commander or our lives when we can’t do it all alone. No, we need to Be Still and know that He is God and…well…we are not!

The “Knowing” is the second and more important part because, if we can first off get ourselves to regularly “Be Still”, then we can rest in the “and know” part knowing wholeheartedly that He is God…He has everything under control. We need to again, know He is God and we are not.

It’s not that we are to shirk our responsibilities and be completely idle siting somewhere singing the proverbial “Kumbaya”  or think we should “let go and let God" (because this statement tends to not take into account some of our personal responsibility but we are to cast/give all of our anxieties to Him and leave them there. See 1 Peter 5:7)  because there are real things we need to do and own but it’s the reality that we need to completely rest in, be still in... Him. At the same time, we think sometimes that we’ve got it together and in the waiting we try to force God’s hand with pushing our agenda with the absence of His blessing…and in the process we will not get anywhere.

Being still is also a time seeking Him so in this sense, that is an action we can and should take in the process as we can pray, study and seek Him with everything that is within us.

We cannot clearly hear from Him amidst the chaos that sometimes surrounds us (or that we allow to surround us)…we need to sometimes physically escape just to be still before Him.

Once you and I get into the regular habit of being still, it will become more like breathing…it will become more natural and a part of our day-to-day walk and journey. 

So…
Are you going through a hard time… Be Still…and know…

Are you facing a financial crisis… Be Still…and know…

Are you going through a health crisis…Be Still…and know…

Are you having an identity or self-worth crisis… Be Still…and know…

Are you unclear on what direction you’re to head… Be Still…and know…

No matter what you’re facing today, be still, cease striving to do it on your own and seek Him because you know He is God. He will be exalted through your life as you are a part of the nations and He will be exalted throughout the earth.  

A prayer for you and I:

Heavenly Father, Help us to be still…and know. Help us to hold every anxious thought captive. Help us to be better at building “be still” time with you so that we may hear your voice through our times with you through prayer and your Word and through the proclamation of the Word through our local church gatherings. Help us to fight back the chaos in our life that comes our way or that we allow to be a part of it. Help us to live wholeheartedly for you walking in the truth that You alone are our strength and have it all together! Let us be your ambassadors and may we help exalt and make your name great among the nations. In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.  

Be blessed friends…by being still...and knowing He is God...

In His Love and for His Glory,
rlk

Friday, September 13, 2013

Be Filled



Hello,

Here’s a thought to meditate on today:

“Nobody buys a car and expects to fuel it up just once. Likewise, every time you gas up your car, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you again.” -Mark Driscoll

At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit – the Helper Who Jesus said He would send, takes up residency within us to guide, convict, direct and empower us.

Each day following that moment we need ask The Holy Spirit to fill us anew!

Are you feeling like your tank is empty? Trying Asking the Holy Spirit to fill you and He will!!!

Next, quit trying to operate in your “own power” and operate in His as The Spirit will empower you!

Blessings,
Bro rlk