Thank You God For Another Year!

Hello Friend,

Just a few days ago (The 9th) I was blessed to celebrate Birthday # 52 and I want to simply thank God for the gift of another year to serve Him and His people as I turn another year older and hopefully wiser. :-)

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Not that I'm worthy but I pray this next year will be a blessing and filled with opportunities to serve and bring Him glory. 

Opportunities to serve His people helping meet spiritual and physical needs as much as possible. Opportunities to live life on purpose together as we strive to seek, serve, and love Him with all that is within us! 

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I pray this year will be a year of further growth for me and that I'd become more deeply rooted in Him. 

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I pray that God would somehow use me to help others grow in their relationship with Him and that they'd become more deeply rooted in Christ as well!

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I pray that He would expand His kingdom and glory through me as I seek to give glory to Him and point people to Him. 

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I'm truly a nobody who is thankful and blessed to know The Somebody, Jesus Christ. 

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Many Blessings friend! Thank you for the honor of serving you!

Your brother and servant in Christ, 

Randolph Koch

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P. S. You're prayers appreciated: https://www.givesendgo.com/ashepherdsheart

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Thank You God For Another Year!

Today on my 50th birthday I simply want to give thanks to God!

I'm Thankful to God for the gift of life and another year to serve Him and His people!

I'm thankful for God's Word, my Savior Jesus, and the work of His Holy Spirit in my life!

I'm thankful for my family!
I'm thankful for friends.
I'm thankful for employment.
I'm thankful for my church family.
I'm thankful to be alive, period.

There are many things I'm thankful for and I pray this next year will be a blessing and filled with opportunities to serve and bring Him glory. Opportunities for Him to expand His territory through me somehow. Opportunities to serve His people helping meet spiritual and physical needs as much as possible. Opportunities to live life on purpose together as we strive to seek, serve, and love Him with all that is within us! 

I pray this year will be a year of further growth for me and becoming more deeply rooted in Him. 

I pray that God would use me somehow to help others grow in their relationship with Him and that they'd become more deeply rooted in Christ as well!

Many Blessings friends! Thank you for the honor of serving you!

Your brother and servant in Christ, 

Randolph Koch

P. S. You're prayers appreciated:

https://www.fundly.com/a-shepherd-s-heart-2020-fundraiser

Celebrate Christmas With All Your Heart!

Read: Luke 2, Matthew 2:1-16 and Colossians 2:16

Christmas, it's a special time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I love this time of year and whether or not people realize it, it all points to Jesus and the truth of why He came in the first place!

It's sad to me that there are some who choose to not celebrate Christmas. They state various legalistic opinions such as:

• "We're not told to celebrate Christmas in the Bible."
• "Christmas is a pagan holiday"
• "Jesus wasn't really born in December".
• "Santa is really satan in disguise."
• "Christmas is a made up commercial holiday".
• "Jesus wasn't born in December!"

This is just a few of the many supposed reasons.  Granted, it's their choice of course to not celebrate but I have to scratch my head as to why knowing The One we celebrate as well as the behavior of some of these toward those who do celebrate Christmas!

Unfortunately, some of these same people go as far as vilifying those in the body who do celebrate the birth of Christ and I've been harangued by those same sorts. Honestly, some act like certain cult groups do in their choice not to celebrate Christmas. They have their opinion and it's just that, their opinion. They choose to not celebrate the most important birth and birthday ever!?

There was one recent year where every time I posted something about Christmas here on my website or social media, I was met with criticism and name calling as if I was breaking some some teaching in the scripture and I was going to lose my salvation!? It was completely ridiculous! 

I also find it ironic that some of these same naysayers will gladly celebrate the victories of their favorite sports teams and yet they won't celebrate the birth of their Savior?! Go enjoy your large quantities of boneless chicken wings, nachos, and the brew of your choosing (not that I recommend this)...oh, wait, gluttony is something God's Word does actually teach against! Oh, never mind...there I go talking about what's actually in the scriptures instead of just an opinion. Silly me. (Read Proverbs 23:2, Proverbs 23:20-21, Proverbs 28:7 for starters.)

So, whether you choose celebrate the birth of Christ or not, I believe it has everything to do with the perspective of what you focus on. Either you focus on and celebrate His Birth or you don't. 

If you're a follower of Christ who has received his free gift of salvation, let me encourage you in that you have the freedom and permission in Christ to celebrate Christmas as its a celebration of the birth of Christ which is the most important birth and birthday ever! 

You are not breaking scripture by celebrating and rejoicing in His Birth! 
You will not lose your salvation by celebrating and rejoicing in His Birth! 

He is worthy and deserving of our praise, including celebrating His advent, (arrival aka His birth/birthday) upon this earth according to God's plan! If we celebrate His birth, it's grounded in The Word of God as we celebrate the King of Kings who came and humbled Himself entering the world as a baby. His entry ultimately led to His sacrifice on the cruel cross many years later taking on the sins of mankind so that through receiving His free gift of salvation we might have forgiveness and life! 

Now, was Jesus born in December? Most likely not, but, The Church chose a date at some point in church history to celebrate and commemorate that which we can celebrate all year long of course! There's nothing wrong with celebrating on December 25th or another date for countries that observe Christmas earlier or later. 

Just as the scripture teaches us that no one is to judge us for what we eat, drink or festivals we choose to celebrate, (Read Colossians 2:16),  if you keep your celebration focused on Christ's birth and grounded in God's Word, you can and should celebrate Christmas with your whole heart regardless of what others choose to do or say! 

We have much to rejoice in His birth and if He didn't come, we would not experience His gift of salvation or the gift He is!

Let me ask: Did they celebrate His birth in the scriptures? Most definitely they did! 

• Read Luke 2 for instance where the shepherds, and others came upon notice from the angel and worshiped Jesus and celebrated His birth. (Luke 2:8-20)

• Furthermore, some time later, the magi came to worship and celebrate Him, worship Him,  and they even brought gifts! (Matthew 2:1-16)

• You can also read where Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, and He was celebrated there too! (Luke 2:22-35)

So, join me in celebrating THE most important birth and birthday ever with all your your heart and don't let anyone steal your joy or judge you for doing so! 

We will celebrate Jesus now and we'll celebrate Him for all eternity! 

Merry Christmas! 

Because He Is the Reason For The Season,
Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

P.S. For your enjoyment: Here are soundcloud.com versions of my two Christmas devotionals that were published last month. 

• “Christmas: The Promise Fulfilled”: https://soundcloud.com/user-335546274/sets/christmas-the-promise-fulfilled-devotional

• “The Wonder of Christmas”: https://soundcloud.com/user-335546274/sets/the-wonder-of-christmas-devotional 

If you click on the daily devotional title the scripture references will be there for reading.

40!

40 - it’s a number, an interesting number, a number that has been significant at different times throughout history.

For example, Noah spent 40 days in the Ark. Moses wandered the wilderness with Israel for 40 years. Jesus fasted and was tested 40 days in the desert. Then after His resurrection He appeared 40 days before ascending to Heaven. There are many other examples throughout history but they are too numerous to mentioned here.

As for me, I can by no means compare my life to the above significant things, however, 40 is a milestone I’ve reached today - 40 years to be exact.

As they say, “life comes at you fast”! Whoever coined that phrase was dead on! I’ve been reflecting a lot about life this week and especially as today is significant for me.

I look back on the four decades that I’ve been blessed to be on this earth and through every joy, pain, hardship, and success - I’m very thankful to be blessed to wake up and just breathe, live, grow, contribute and hopefully live and leave a legacy.

I’m thankful for and blessed to have the family and friends that I do. I’m thankful and blessed to be working and have a ministry to fulfill in my local church.

I don’t understand every part of that last four decades but I know God has strengthened me through everything and He knows and holds the key to what lies ahead in the future. Again, I’m thankful for every bit of it!

My hope and prayer for this day and moving forward is that with God’s help, my family’s help, and friends’ help, is that I continue to grow in being and be faithful to be a better Husband, Father, Friend, Pastor, Employee, and Citizen.

I want to especially thank my wife of almost 16 years and for my kids – I definitely wouldn’t be who I am without you!

Thank you God, family, friends, and co-workers for being a part of my life and for being a huge part in helping me become who I am today!

So here’s to the last four decades and to however many more I’ll be blessed to have in the future!

With Sincere Love and Thanks on this special day,

Randolph Koch

"give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting." -Psalm 107:1