My Friend,
No matter what you face each day, let me encourage you to make prayer a priority. Make it your first response and not an afterthought.Friday, September 15, 2023
Pray At All Times!
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
God Will Use You Despite Your Brokenness!
My Friend,
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Allow God To Work All Things Together For Good.
My Friend,
I don’t know anyone who really enjoys going through trials or hard times. We know that life is full of twists and turns, ups and downs, heart ache as well as joy. And things often don't go according to our plans, desires, or even dreams. It also may be a struggle sometimes to not understand why we go or are going through things sometimes, especially in the midst of the trial.
Maybe for you it's a job loss, a health crisis, an economic loss, a broken relationship or one in conflict, or something else? No matter what, whether it's the good times or times of uncertainty and trial, we must remember that His ways are higher than our ways.
We need to trust and live in faith resting in the truth that God only has good in store for us even through the times of growth when it certainly doesn't feel "good". Even when things aren’t going how we planned or expected them to go we need to trust Him and have faith in His purpose, will, and plan knowing His plans are better than our own every single time!
Our trials may never be “easy”, but, as we mature in faith, we may handle them better as we begin to recognize that these times are opportunities for good for ourselves and others.
As we walk through these seasons we will grow and whether we realize it or not, others will also benefit as we go through the trials, (and come out on the other side) as they will be watching us and may learn from what God is doing in and through us which will in turn help them as they face their seasons of trials.
Take time to read, study, and take to heart Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5-8, and Isaiah 55:8-9 for starters.
In closing, let me encourage you to not get ahead of God by trying to force or try to somehow speed through a season He has for you, instead, allow God to work all things together for good…for your good and for His Glory.
Randolph Koch
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Monday, June 28, 2021
2 Questions For Introspection Especially For Men
Hello Men (and everyone as you can glean from this too),
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Grow!
My Friend,
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
So, What Is 'Rooted' All About?
I wanted to share a glimpse from each of the 7 days of my latest YouVersion Devotional, 'Rooted'. Just want to give you flavor for what it's about.
The following images contain a quote or thought from each day of the 7-Day devotional starting with a description / overview of what 'Rooted' is all about.
If you'd like to check out the devotional for yourself via the YouVersion Bible App, Here's the link: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/17786-rooted
Please check it out and share it with your family and friends. I pray it's a blessing in your and their walks with The Lord.
Many blessings!
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
Remaining Sharp In A World That Aims To Keep You Dull.
Knives need to remain sharp:
Many times we may have gone to use a knife to cut something. It may have been a pocketknife to carve something; or maybe a kitchen knife to carve your Thanksgiving turkey or some other food item.
There have been times when you went to use the knife of your choosing and you may have found that the knife was so dull that a butter knife would have probably been more effective.
You then either had to sharpen the knife, maybe taken it somewhere to get it sharpened, or see if you had another knife you can use instead.
Even after we have sharpened the knife, it will likely becomes dull again because most knives need constant maintenance to stay useful for their given purpose.
Believers need each other to stay sharp:
Like these knives, we need constant sharpening in order to stay useful and to actively grow as we strive to become complete in Christ.
As believer's we seem to have a built-in God given ability to sharpen each other as we utilize the tools and relationships that God has given us such as:
-A growing relationship with The Lord.
-Abiding in, reading, studying and living out God's Word.
-Being active in prayer.
-Allowing The Holy Spirit to work in your life.
-Growing with The Body of Christ doing life together as each of us play our individual parts as part of The Body serving God and each other.
God has given us all the tools and resources we need and as we actively utilize these tools and people God has placed in our lives no matter through times of trial or times of peace, we will continued to be sharpened.
As we do life together, God allows friction to take place and with this friction we should become sharpened as the dull edges we have in our lives are smoothed away.
Being used in each other's lives is a privilege:
What a joy and privilege it is to be used in helping sharpen others and to be sharpened by others. It is sad though, that many choose to remain dull just because they don't want to put out any effort and would rather remain isolated from others and thereby miss-out on the growth they can experience or help others experience!
One of the many blessings about our walk with the Lord is that He uses people around us, right where you and I are, to sharpen us.
Are you a sharp or dull knife?
We can think of a "sharp" Christian as a believer that isn't perfect but is actively growing in their relationship with the Lord, helping others grow...being a disciple who makes disciples. Someone who is on the alert against satan's attacks. Their faith and walk doesn't begin and end on Sundays, rather, they actively live out their faith in Jesus and strive to help others do the same day-to-day.
On the flip side, we can think of a "dull" Christian as a believer that has become ineffective or stagnant in their relationship with the Lord and others and may have become satan's prey as they have given in to this world and his influence. They may be a "Sunday only Christian" that does their "Sunday thing" but leaves church like a "check of the box" of weekly activities and they rarely live out their faith in Jesus.
The choice is yours:
The truth is that we either do things God's Way or we don't. Furthermore, the world and the enemy of your soul is more than happy to distract you from staying sharp.
I pray you strive to remain sharp in a world that aims to keep you dull.
The choice is up to you and I pray that you will allow Him to sharpen you for His Kingdom, Glory, and the good of The Body of Christ!
Strive to be sharpened and to help sharpen others in Jesus name.
Questions To Get Started With:
-Are you a sharp or dull Christian?
-Which would you rather be?
-How do you become sharpened?
-What will you do to stay sharp?
-Do you help sharpen others?
-Do you allow God and others to help sharpen you?
-Do you need sharpening?
-Is all of the above important to you?
-As a Christian why should this matter and why should these passages matter?
In Christ Alone,
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch
Friday, November 02, 2018
Growth In Unexpected Places.
I recently went on a great and challenging 12 mile hike through the Tillamook Trail Head.
The forest was beautiful. Got to love the beauty of nature/creation!
It started out as a cloudless morning, followed by fog one way, and on the way back, heavy clouds rolled in, followed by heavy rain and wind which made for a challenging hike back to the beginning. One cool feature on this hike is there is a viewpoint that is the closest you can get from the Oregon Coast to the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.
I captured this tree on the pathway as I found it interesting...an elbow or crooked shaped tree next to a crooked and very uneven pathway with some fog rolling in.
It made me think of the reality of how sometimes our personal growth comes on the paths we're on that we think start off straight but one circumstance to another it becomes crooked, challenging, or less clear.
The physical path I was on that day was full of rocks, roots, divots, muddy patches, and more and then the skies opened up with very heavy rain and a little river ran through it due to heavy rain and wind! lol.
It's kind of like life as it wasn't a smooth pathway but growth often comes from some of the crooked or uneven pathways we travel on as life isn't always clean cut or smooth and as we persevere we grow in many ways through the process.
Whether it's a crooked path, or it feels like you've come to the end of the path and you're at the edge of a cliff, trust that God is on your side and will lead you to safety, because, with God, the path ends up being straight in the end even though while we travel it, it sure doesn't feel like it! :-)
So, here's to growth and here's to more adventures in this thing called life! Now on to the next adventure and time of growth!
Your Brother and Servant In Christ,
Randolph Koch
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
9 Keys to Walking In Christ
It's a choice to daily do the right things in pursuing God, His Word, and living out your faith through a Word and Spirit filled and led life!
So, how do you walk in Christ exactly? Good question!
God's Word outlines many things that we should and need to be doing to successfully walk in Christ and the following is a list of 9 of the Keys to Walking in Christ.
Each key includes scripture and practical insight for your further personal study.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
The Bible is Essential Part 3 - Scripture Memorization and Tips.
In the last communication we took a look at studying God's Word, specifically Bible Study methods as an important part of making God's Word a priority.
In this communication we're shifting our focus to the importance of scripture memorization in the life of a follower of Christ.
Memorization is vital:
Tuesday, October 04, 2016
Prayer...It's not just a lifeline!
Can you imagine if you never spoke to people, especially important people in your life? Or, if you never shared your joys, struggles, trials and pains? It would be a lonely and depressing existence!
"God does things in and through our lives by prayer that He does in no other way." -Henry BlackabyGod is at work in you when you pray my friend!
Friday, September 30, 2016
Relationships: Learning What You're 100% Responsible For!
On the other hand, it can also be fantastic when thing are working the way they should be!
This is true in any relationship in general whether a personal relationship with family or friends, in a business setting or in a mentoring, discipleship or counseling relationship.
Speaking from experience in all of these before mentioned relationships, it can be great or it can be very very draining if you are the only one doing all of the work.
We invest in people and people are worth pouring into as long as they actually do their part too!
Sometimes it does take more time but there's always a need to keep a healthy balance.
It can also be confusing sometimes because on one hand we shouldn't easily give up on people but in wisdom, we cannot have a "Jesus Complex" thinking we can "save" everyone because that's His job not ours.
Our job is to be willing vessels and He'll give you the means and wisdom to do your part as long as it makes sense and to the point where it's not detrimental to you.
So, you may be asking, what is my part then?
I'm so glad you asked! Please allow me to help briefly answer this and fill in the gaps for us as follows! :-)
Saturday, May 28, 2016
It's The Here We GROW Again Times!
Life as we know it comes with no shortage of trials, tests and hard times doesn't it?!
I don't know about you but it's as real struggle sometimes to have a clear perspective when we're going through the thick of things!
We can choose to see them as times of opportunity instead of agony...
We can choose to see them as times of hope instead of hopelessness...
We can choose to see them negatively or positively...
Monday, February 01, 2016
The Potter and The Clay
Please take a few minutes and read this great post I ran across recently regarding the Potter and the Clay:
Disclaimer: Please note, although this post is wonderful and very appreciated, A Shepherd's Heart or Randolph Koch are not responsible for the views or conduct of the author as I do not personally know the author and therefore don't have firsthand knowledge of their conduct. This by no means is meant to imply they are not a fine follower of Christ but since they are not connected with this site or it's curators, it's important to state the before mentioned.