Grow!

My Friend,

What are you doing to grow in the grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Jesus day-by-day?

What are you doing to grow in your relationship with Him on a consistent basis?

No one else can grow for you. There is no autopilot or "magic pill" you can take to grow.

You have to put in the daily work to build your relationship with the Lord and grow still more in Him.

Part of the goal in our life in Christ is to become mature in Him. (See for example Colossians 1:28-29, 1 Peter 2:1-3, Colossians 1:9-13)

Whatever you do, don't stop growing in Him. Don't stop growing to know Him. Don't stop growing to make Him known. Don't stop allowing Him to do a work in and through you for His kingdom and glory.

Let me encourage you to...

-Regularly read/study/abide in God's Word and live it out.

-Regularly talk to God through prayer.

-Regularly serve The Lord and others.

-Regularly grow in relationships within The Body of Christ as Iron Sharpens Iron. (Proverbs 27:17)

-Regularly stay vigilant and active in your relationship with Him.

In Sum, Grow and never stop growing.

You're in my prayers. Philippians 1:6

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

Here's one place that lists where you can connect with A Shepherd's Heart:

https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart

Please pray for and help A Shepherd's Heart here. Thank you!

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He Is Emmanuel - God Is With You!

Hello Friend,

This time of year can solicit a multitude of thoughts, emotions, and the feeling of being alone. While this may be true, we need to remember that no matter what you and I are facing each day, remember that Jesus is Emmanuel. God is with you/us!

He is Emmanuel my friend and will never leave or forsake you!He will always be with you!

Let me ask you: Are you feeling feeling alone or low? If so, don't be afraid to reach out to Him in prayer and through His Word if you're feeling alone or low and He will lift you up.

And, don't be afraid to reach out to other's after you've met with Him because we're supposed to be in this life together as the body of Christ. 

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23

May this truth that He is always with you be an encouragement to you and allow you to celebrate Christmas in an even more special and meaningful way.

Merry Christmas!

Your Brother and Servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

P.S. You're in my prayers! Please reach out if you'd like me to pray for something specific! 

So, You Think Church Is Optional?

Read:  Hebrews 10:19-25, Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Colossians 3:16,   Colossians 4:15,  1 Corinthians 16:19,  Romans 16:5; Acts 20:20; James 2:2, Acts 2:42,  1 Cor. 12:12–27,  Matthew 18:20. 

For those who might not know and for those who do, as followers of Christ, when we talk about "Going to Church", we're talking about the times on the weekends or any time when we gather together for instruction in The Word, Worship in Song, Prayer, Communion Fellowship and more. It's what God wants us to do. 

To be clear, we are The Church and not the building we gather in and God does want us to regularly gather together as The Church which typically happens at a specific place that we refer to as the Church Building. 

Sadly, there is a certain mindset were some state that "Church is optional" and they try to justify it from their own human based opinion and perspective. Now, when I hear people who are supposed to be follower's of Christ claim that "Church is optional", I have to question when was the last time they actually read God's Word? Passages like Hebrews 10:19-25 and others are very clear on God's instruction that we need to come together regularly as it's not really optional if you're a born again follower of Christ. 

Friends, we need to be regularly reminded that coming together via our local church meeting places is NOT optional.

Do Not Forsake Assembling Together: We're Better Together!

Read: Hebrews 10:23-25, Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Acts 2:44-47, Acts 4:33-35, and Proverbs 27:17. 

God's Word teaches us that from the very beginning it is by His design that He never intended mankind to be or do life alone. 

You can check out the first several chapters of Genesis for instance where He didn't want Adam to be alone so He created Eve. Furthermore, Adam and Eve had a direct relationship with God as well because they, like all of us where create for relationship with Him and others.

Woven through out the Old and New Testament we see God placing an emphasis on relationships and specifically in the New Testament He exhorts us that we are a part of the body of Christ and we play a specific part in relationship with others.

While it may not always feel like it, we are truly better doing life together.  And together, we are a part of something greater than ourselves.