Endor and The God of Impossibilities!

Read: Isaiah 55:8-11, Matthew 19:26

As part of a family road trip vacation we had the opportunity to drive to northern California to see some of the giant Redwood Trees in part of the Jedediah Smith Redwoods which spans many miles. It was truly incredible!

We spent several hours enjoying hiking through a very small section of the forest. Everywhere stepped we were surrounded by massive trees. When I say massive, it's very true because some have grown to 37 feet wide and hundreds of feet tall and  have been there for hundreds of years too!

Humorously and maybe a bit nerdy-like, it almost reminded me or made me "feel" like I'd traveled to the "Planet Endor" in one of the Star Wars movies of my childhood...but, of course to my disappointment I had not. LOL...Ok, just kidding I'm not out of touch with reality but maybe just a little bit of my inner kid wished it was really Endor!...But I digress...

Rightly Approach God and His Word

Read: 2 Timothy 2:15

Praying and believing Biblically in faith is very important, however, many today, whether unknowingly or knowingly, teach or believe false doctrines about God's Word. 

To some, this may sound harsh but it's unfortunately very true and we see evidence of this from others decisions and we may also recall times we fell into this wrong thinking ourselves. 

A Father's Day Reflection: Praising God for Being The Perfect and Loving Father

Read: 1 John 1:9, Colossians 1:13-14, Psalm 103:12, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Psalm 86:15, John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:18-19, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Ephesians 1:4-6, Galatians 4:4-5, Romans 8:15, John 15:15, Romans 5:1, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Romans 8:1-2, Romans 8:31-39, 2 Timothy 1:7,  John 15:16, 1 Corinthians 3:16,Ephesians 2:10, 1 John 3:1

BOOM....there it is again. The feeling of pain, grief, loss, brokenness and potentially a multitude of other feelings that may flood one's heart, mind and emotions. 
All is well for a period of time and then something such as a holiday or other memory sparks the before mentioned emotions.

No matter how it came about, this is often what it is like for those who largely grew up without a father and or mother. 

Putting Your Faith In God's Timing.

Read: Proverbs 3

Do you find yourself putting your faith in your own timing and plans or other shifting or temporal things? 

So, let me ask you, how's that working out for you? ;-)

Or, do you strive to put your faith, trust and hope in God's perfect timing, purpose, will and plans?

No matter what, as you daily abide in and walk with Him, let me encourage and challenge you to seek Him first...seek His wisdom and direction.

Seek His perfect timing, purpose, will and plan rather than your own as with His wisdom, direction, power and strength...you will find a clearer pathway as you trust in His timing.

Let's pray for each other that we will do this each day no matter what we face!

In Christ Alone,

rlk

#foodforthought #hiswillbedone #GodIsGood #faith #hope #truth #wisdom#life #timing #will #purpose #plan #encourage #encouragement #inspire#inspiration #inspirational #inspirationalquotes #quote #quotes #christian#Christianity #christfollower #bible #scripture #Godsword

 #heart #mind#soul #strength

Not My Will, But Yours Be Done!

Read: Romans 12:2, Jeremiah 29:11, Hebrews 13:20-21, James 4:17, James 1:5, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 6:5-15, Hebrews 10:36, Psalm 119:105

Do you ever find yourself speeding along with "your" plans and then you get down the road a ways and realize you haven't started right by consulting the Lord first? You're not alone! 

Then we wonder why we keep facing road block after road block?!

Do we really expect God to bless what we don't include Him in? 

Too many people want God to bless their plans without consideration of whether or not it's His will in the first place!

Let me encourage you to start first with seeking God's will and Word as you plan your plans. It will be a much better starting point if you do because guess what, God knows what He's doing and He has a purpose, will and plan for you already! 

Start with Him and make sure that you don't repeat the huge mistake of consulting Him as an afterthought. 

Remind yourself, "Not my will, but yours be done!" 

As for me, I literally have to remind myself of the very same thing often by speaking these words. 

Let's pray for one another that we will seek to do His will at all times and not our own! 

In Christ Alone,

rlk

P.S. For further edification, here's a practical article on How To Know God's Will: https://www.gotquestions.org/know-God-will.html

#foodforthought #hiswillbedone #GodIsGood #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #encourage #encouragement #inspire #inspiration #inspirational #inspirationalquotes #quote #quotes #christian #Christianity #christfollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart 

Stay Close To The Good Shepherd

Read: John 10:1-18 

Sheep are essentially helpless and as domesticated animals go, sheep are honestly pretty much the most helpless. 

For instance, sheep can spend their entire day grazing in the pasture, going from place to place, never looking up causing them to often become lost. 

In contrast, if you have a cat or dog that gets out of the house, what do they typically do? (besides run around) They typically eventually try to find their way home.

Sheep on the other hand don’t have this instinct like other animals do. They are totally incapable of finding their way to their sheep pen / fold even when it is in plain sight.

Sheep are also very susceptible to injury and cannot defend themselves against predators such as wolves. In ancient times and even today, wolves were/are the main predators of flocks of sheep. 

Another interesting fact is that if different flocks of sheep somehow get mixed together at a watering hole or somewhere, the only way to separate the flock would be for a shepherd to call out to his sheep. Then, even as helpless and inattentive they are as animals, they would hear and recognize the shepherd's voice and follow him out amongst the other flocks. 

The sheep knew the voice of the shepherd and the shepherd knew his sheep. 

The shepherd was their safety and a true shepherd would go to great lengths to protect them when faced with danger, even giving their lives for the sake of the flock. 

Shepherds were the providers, guides and protectors of the sheep and the sheep were completely dependent on the shepherd. 

The Fruit of The Spirit - Patience

Read: Galatians 5:22-24, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 1:15-17, Ecclesiastes 7:8, Romans 12:12, Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 14:29, Ephesians 4:2, Genesis 6:9-9:17, Psalm 145:8

They say patience is a virtue but if we’re honest, it’s not a virtue that many have or are working to develop. It’s definitely an area of growth!

1 Corinthians 13 says that love is patience but we have to ask ourselves… is our love patient?

We have to remember that we serve a God who is very patient with us and in turn through His example, we can learn to be more patient too as it is one of the Fruit of The Spirit that He wants to grow in and through us! 

Here are a few examples of how He’s patient with us:

2-4-6-8 Who Do We Appreciate!?

I remember the childhood appreciation shout that went...2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate!?

APPRECIATION. It seems to be a dying quality sometimes in an often negative world / environment.

The truth is that taking time to appreciate the people who God has placed in our lives is so important!

Whether it's a loved one, friend or coworker, we need to take time to simply appreciate...people.

A kind word of thanks or words of encouragement or affirmation can speak volumes to the receiver!

It doesn't Matter what personality type you think you are or whether you are a "people person" or not or even if you've never received appreciation or not, while these things may be tough and make it more challenging for us, you and I need to appreciate, value and even cherish the people around us... Especially true of the good people...because sometimes they can really be hard to to come by in this life...however you and I should be part of the "good people" category as we have the strength of, power of, wisdom of and relationship with The One who gave us life! Jesus Himself!

So, in turn...let us speak life giving words of appreciation and also do life giving actions of appreciation as well! You and I have the ability to do this... 
So.... Let's regularly do this my friend!

Get R' Done! :)

In Christ,

rlk



#appreciation #hope #faith #joy #peace #truth #wisdom #life #inspiration #inspirational #inspire #inspiration #encourage #encouragement #Godsword #scripture #Bible #heart #mind #soul #strength #christian #Christianity #christfollower #ashepherdsheart

Seeking Wisdom and Discernment.

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:7, James 1:5, Matthew 10:16

As the old saying goes: "If it looks too good to be true...it probably is!"

In a day and age where fake news, rumors, false advertising and more seem to be rampant, we need wisdom and discernment from God all the more. This applies to every area of our lives!

On the surface, sometimes things and people can look good, honest, inviting, worthwhile or worthy of our time and attention. However, after you and I move past the surface we often find the that "not everything that glitters is gold" as they say or you grab the real or proverbial sugar container only to find that it was filled with salt instead. 

Wisdom and discernment are vital as things are not always as they seem and we need God's wisdom to separate the "salt" from "sugar"... They may look the same at first glance but they definitely are NOT the same!

If you don't believe me, replace the sugar in your favorite baked dessert recipe with the same amount of salt and see what results you get. :-)

Reject Perfection...Strive for Holiness Instead!

Read:  1 Peter 1:14-16, Hebrews 12:14, 2 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 12:12, Romans 12:4

There is often a spirit of perfection that has influenced and infiltrated The Church today whether in the area of appearance, who is up front on a given Sunday (allowed to be there), in the area of worship etc.  

This may have also infiltrated our regular day-to-day existence at times as we try to achieve a standard that's not attainable.

Maybe you've experienced this too? 

Stay Out of Your Dark Room: Advice on dealing with Worry, Anxiety and Fear.

 

Read: Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:6-8

You may be old enough to remember (or if you're too young, Google it ☺), there was a time that predated all things digital. Like film vs. digital pictures and many other "analog" vs."digital" technology. 

Cameras weren't a part of phones and instead of digital, they were stand-a-lone all film devices much like the digital camera cousins today.

As a kid, I recall taking pictures via rolls of film. When I was done snapping pics, I'd take the film to the local photo developing place at a given store. I'd wait a couple days to a week for the film to be developed from the negatives and then go back, pick up the photos to enjoy the shot of the memories I captured.

Keeping & Evaluating Hope!

HOPE...its another vital part of our existence. 

God brings hope to us every day in ordinary ways (general hope) and extraordinary hope too! (through Jesus) 

We're to be agents of hope, peace and more... 

He Made You a Part of The Body of Christ & It's Not Optional!

To my fellow followers of Christ,  I wonder sometimes why some of you make it so easy for yourself to disconnect from the church/fellowship/weekly gathering or more importantly with your relationship with God? 

Some of you will go weeks or months without attending any weekly services/gatherings, serving using your gifts and talents, or connecting with other believers. Furthermore, you spend hardly any time daily, (if at all)  developing your relationship with God through reading and studying the Word, prayer and prayer/communicating with Him.

Speaking from experience,  we all can go through somewhat dry seasons in life sometimes, but, I know that the seasons are even harder on us when we withdraw from the relationships, connections, fellowship, etc that we know are good for us by putting them in the "optional" category. 

Happy New Year - 2017!

Hello Friends, 
Happy New Year!  As we close out 2016 and begin a new year, I wanted to share a few brief thoughts with you. 

1. I'm thankful that because of God's love and grace, each day is a a gift of a new beginning and an opportunity to make a fresh start. As you approach 2017 may you look at it as another gift and opportunity to begin fresh and forge the best path forward with God's help while putting the mistakes of the past behind you! Begin again my friend, begin again! 

2. As you make your goals and plans for the New Year, remember The One Who goes before you! Trust Him, communicate with Him and include Him in "your" plans. You'll be more successful in all your ways if you do so. 

3. There is a phrase in Romans 5 (5:5 NASB, but read it in context of course, read Romans 5) that says "hope does not disappoint" or in some versions it says "hope does not put us to shame". No matter what you face in the New Year don't lose hope... Keep hoping in the Lord as He's with you every step of the way! Enter the New Year with hope and prayer! God's hope does not disappoint and you will not be put you to shame! 

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement in 2016! Its been an honor to serve you and I look forward to prayerfully serving you in 2017 as we seek to live life on purpose together! 

You're prayers for wisdom, direction and God's provision for these ministry endeavors are always appreciated as I seek out what God's will is for me according to His calling on my life. 

Again, Happy New Year! Keep your hope in the Lord alive! I'm praying for God's best for you and please don't hesitate to let me know how I can serve you in the New Year! 

In Christ Alone and for His Glory, 

rlk 



#hope #future #faith #opportunities #plan #GodIsGood #encourage #encouragement #inspire #inspiration #inspirational #christian #Christianity #christfollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart #2017 #newyears #newyear

Advent Christmas Eve or Day - A Prayer of Praise and Rejoicing in Christ (His Arrival!)

Read: Luke 2:1-35

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we enter Christmas day we rejoice in the arrival and indescribable gift of Jesus! We celebrate the most important birthday of all time and the most amazing gift to mankind!

We praise You for His arrival!

We celebrate, Emmanuel...You with us! What and awesome reality!

We praise You and thank You that Jesus humbled Himself to come here so we might have life through Your love and forgiveness.

I ask for Your help through Your Holy Spirit to help us point people to Your son and that we'll proclaim Who You are, Who Jesus is, Why He came and the true meaning of Christmas!

We praise You and thank You as we have much to be thankful for and celebrate.

I pray that we keep Jesus in the center of our Christmas celebration and the center and forefront of our lives day-to-day!

I pray that You're Joy and peace would be at work in and through us!

I pray for comfort for those where Christmas is really hard for them. 

I remember and pray for those who are mourning this Christmas for a lost loved one or who are battling disease, depression, anxiet or other things. Please help them to know Your love and may Your love overshadow their grief. I pray that You would heal them in Jesus Name!

I pray that relationships, especially family relationships, would be mended and differences would be put aside for this Christmas and beyond. 

May Your peace reign in each household and each heart in Jesus name!

May we remember anew the gift of Jesus Who was wrapped in cloths as we unwrap our gifts and as we enjoy a wonderful meal and celebration.

As we open presents, may we remember His presence today and each day. 

Thank You for all that Christmas represents and I pray that we never become cynical about the Christmas celebration and each year may our awe, wonder and childlike faith be renewed!

I thank You and praise You again for the indescribable gift of Jesus!

In Jesus name I praise You and Thank You, Amen.

Because He is THE Reason for the season,
Your Brother and Servant,

rlk

P.S. : As a little Christmas gift from me to you... Here's a link to a recording of the Luke 2 account of the birth of Jesus: https://soundcloud.com/user-335546274/the-birth-of-jesus-luke-21-35 Merry Christmas!

Advent Week 4 - A Prayer of Peace

Read: Isaiah 9:6-7, Philippians 4:7, Romans 6:23

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we enter this fourth week of advent we consider peace, especially the true peace that come from You!


I thank You and praise You that Youre Word reminds us and we celebrate this time of year, that Jesus is the Prince of Peace!

I praise You that we can experience true and lasting peace through knowing Him!
Even amongts the chaos that we experience in life HIs peace is beyond our understanding. 

Advent Week 3 - A Prayer of Love

Read:  Micah 5:2, John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-17

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we enter this third week of advent we consider love...most importantly Your great love.

I thank You and praise You that we can celebrate and rejoice during this season and beyond that You sent Your love down to earth through Your Son Jesus. 

6 Practical Ways You Can Help People In Need

Read: Matthew 25:31-40

Not too long ago I went on an outing to a local wildlife refuge wetlands area to enjoy some bird watching and hiking.

It was a cold late fall day and I was outside for hours. About an hour into my time I realized I was getting cold and even though I'd worn a warm sweatshirt and warm outdoor vest, I'd forgotten a hat and gloves. Needless to say I was feeling it. I pressed on for a couple more hours but then my hands and ears started to feel numb and my hands started to turn reddish. So, I decided that I better get out of the elements and warm up a bit.

On the way back to the car I saw a path I hadn't taken...then after I started down it I stopped myself and turned back to my car because I was starting a shiver because of my poor planning. Yes...I needed to get out of the cold.

Advent Week 2 - A Prayer of Joy

Read:  Isaiah 35:10, Luke 2:7-15, Nehemiah 8:10, 1 Peter 1:7-9

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we enter this second week of advent we consider joy in You. 

I thank You and praise you for the great and true joy that comes from knowing You!

As we sing songs of this wonderful season just as "Joy to The World", we remember that Jesus is our true source of joy. 

The Prayer of Jabez: Praying In Faith and Cutting Out Superstition

Read: 1 Chronicles 4:10, 1 John 5:14-15, Mark 11:24, Matthew 21:22, Hebrews 4:16 

The prayer of Jabez is a simple but very poignant prayer full of faith, however, to be very honest, it's not one that we should be superstition about thinking that just by speaking this amazing prayer or any prayer that God will do exactly what we ask. 

It should however expand our prayer life and faith in God's provision and goodness!

What I find is that we can often over-spiritualize or become superstitious about things like prayer thinking if we say or do certain things that that's the ticket to blessing or to release God's "bank account" upon us.