Saturday, September 20, 2008

Balancing Life – Thoughts on the “Balancing Act” of Life

Let me ask you, is your life balanced well? If you sat down and took an inventory of the activities you’re involved with, does it seem like you’re involved in too much, not enough, or things are just great and everything is balanced with your home, work, ministry, relationships, etc? Are you feeling exhausted or invigorated by your activities? We all have multiple areas and activities in life that we all have to manage and balance and seek the Holy Spirit’s help to spotlight areas that are out of balance because each area needs to have proper priority so you can live your life to the fullest for Him as a blessing to all those He’s places in your life.

The above questions are important questions to ask yourself from time to time and seek God about.

Personally I’ve been seeking God on many things related to this as I’ve sense for some time now that, (without going into too many personal details here) my life isn’t as balanced as it should be. Some weeks I spend close to as much time serving in ministry as I do through work and then my relationships suffer because of it because I’m not home or available and physically and spiritually I’ve become exhausted at times.


I’m someone who tends to give more than 110% to almost everything God places before me and I started asking myself some tough questions as things were brought to my attention by The Lord as I was seeking Him. During this effort I was blessed to go to a weekend retreat just a few weeks ago now. Over that weekend I sought God on these things and heard from Him clearly regarding some changes I need to make in my life – changes that He wanted and wants me to change. Changes that will ultimately allow me to by His grace, de-stress, unburden, and balance my life better so I can serve Him more effectively and I can care for and build up my wife, children and other relationships more! He also showed me that I’ll also be able to focus and do even better in the ministries He has me involved with if I do things His way and He also reminded me of the equally important area of life which is investing more into the lives of my wife, kids and other relationships!

One of the tough things he showed me is that I needed to resign from one of the ministries and teams at church that I’m very passionate about. God showed me that I’ve done all He wants me to do with it and just that one ministry will free up more time as some weeks I was spending upward toward 15+ hours a week, (which included meetings and tasks that needed to be accomplished) on top of everything else. It was very tough to resign but once I did, I was at peace about it because I knew God directed my path and I wasn’t feeling regret or over analyzing things like I always do!

You see, I don’t easily stop serving as God has passionately wired me to serve and shepherd wherever He’s placed me. So, If it was up to me, I'd still be continuing to knock myself out trying to do everything and serve all but this is a season for me to take a step back and seek more direction and concentrate on all the aspects of the life He's blessed me with, again, I'm seeking His guidance to balance things out better.

I'm not sure if everyone understands but When God "hits you over the head with a hammer" to get your attention, you/I need to be obedient to listen. :-)

One side note, in the above example I was somewhat surprised that only two people even wondered or asked, “is everything alright?”, (not that I was trying to make a statement by stepping down) since I was a part of this team since the beginning. You just never know what people are thinking or what assumptions people make but the one thing I’ve learn in observation over the years is that if you’re concerned about someone, you just need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and simply ask them. :=) I digress I suppose…

I’m sure in the coming week/months; He will reveal more work He wants me to do in order to balance life out so I can more effectively live for and serve Him! I’m also sure that as I continue to seek Him He’ll give me even more clarity regarding the areas where He wants to serve where I’ll grow and serve Him more effectively!

I share all this as a practical example of something we as believer’s need to consider and seek the Lord on. We cannot keep going at 100 mph all the time because the more we do so, the more out of balance our lives become and the less we'll tend to hear and see His direction for our lives! Why? Because our vision tends to become foggy sometimes as we're too busy serving Him to step back and hear and see Him! Or another way to put it is that we become too busy in the activities of serving Him and living life that we aren't stepping back and being nourished by Him which is very important for obvious reasons.

If you’re reading this and you happen to not be a Christian, in a practical sense you should also consider balancing your life out as well. Let me also encourage you to investigate for yourself what a relationship with God is all about - What does it mean to be a Christian? For more information to help you in your investigation - you might find this entry titled “Journey of Grace” helpful. At the bottom of the article you’ll find some useful resource links as well.

As I bring this entry to a close, (I might write more on this topic at a later date) I wanted to share an article that provide additional thoughts and tips on this topic of Balancing the Christian life which has some helpful tips and will encourage you to start seeking the Lord on the state of your life, whether it’s balanced or not.

Please scroll down to read the article.

For Additional Thoughts and Reflection please also see the below resources on your way to the article:

I found a good blog entry recently that has additional thoughts on balancing life by a director at Dallas Theological Seminary the entry is title, “Balancing Life & the Christian Life.”

Also for a great book on Balancing the Christian life check out “Balancing The Christian Life” by Charles Ryrie. Some versions come with a study guide as well which will help you dig a little deeper through each chapter. This is a text that I had to read and study in Bible College.

_____________________________________________________________

Balance Your Life Well

Whitney Hopler
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Bill Butterworth's book, On the Fly Guide to Balancing Work and Life, (Waterbrook Press, 2006).

Stress, frustration, exhaustion, and guilt are the symptoms of a life out of balance. You’ll feel them if your work eclipses your relationships. You want to be successful at everything in your life, but too often, you run out of time and energy trying to do it all.

The key is realizing that life isn’t a sprint – it’s a marathon. If you balance your life at the right steady pace, you can achieve long-term fulfillment.

Here’s how you can balance your life well:

Pursue endurance. Stop rushing through life as if it were a sprint instead of a marathon. Don’t burn yourself out. Pray for the patience you need to approach situations with endurance. Ask God to give you His eternal perspective on the various aspects of your life.

Get rid of the “hazies.” Don’t let hazy thinking cause you to lose sight of your long-term goals. Think and pray about what’s most important, and establish priorities. Then make all your decisions with those priorities in mind. Remember that you only have so much time and energy; use it well. Focus just on what choices are best for you to avoid being distracted by the many other good choices you have available. Regularly remind yourself of your priorities, and build your schedule around activities that will most help you fulfill those priorities. Study how you usually spend your time, and notice how you’re currently balancing your attention between tasks and relationships. Frequently stop to consider whether or not you’re living your life in a way that would cause you no regrets if you were to die unexpectedly.

Ask yourself these questions to check your priorities: “What is my mission in life?”, “Why do I do this kind of work?”, “Where is my focus these days?”, “What are my long-term goals?”, “What are the important things in life to me?”, “Who are the three people to whom I am closest?”, “Are my relationships characterized more by giving or by getting?”, “Are my relationships characterized by love?”, “Who would I like to get to know better in the next six months?”, “To whom am I accountable?”, “Do I set aside a regular time and place for reflection?”, “What does quietness look like in my life?”, “What is the most common roadblock that keeps me from a regular time of quietness?”, “How might keeping a journal help me to achieve more balance?” and “What qualities would I most like to possess?”.

Get rid of the “lazies.” Ask God to help you develop the self-discipline you need to bring your life into the right balance. Realize that you will have to make some sacrifices to achieve a healthy balance in your life; be willing to do so. Know that you should eliminate one activity from your schedule for every new activity to which you commit. Be creative about how you can cut down on your work hours to free up more time for your relationships. Consider shifting your work hours to times that conflict less with your family’s schedule, eliminating distractions that decrease your productivity during work hours, delegating certain tasks to others, and other solutions that will free up time for you. Be patient while working to achieve your career goals; acknowledge that it will take some time to earn a promotion, start a business, etc., and don’t burn yourself out while you work toward those goals. Don’t let your job become the dominant influence in your life, crowding out everything else that’s also important. Instead, be proactive and intentional about planning your life well.

Ask yourself these questions: “Will the thing that is causing imbalance in my life really matter 10 years from now?”, “Is it possible for me to do fewer unimportant things at work and outside the office?”, “Can I accomplish my goals and be flexible at the same time?”, “Can I replace ‘either/or’ thinking with ‘both/and’ solutions?”, “Can I work smarter as opposed to harder?” , “Can I pencil in time to reflect on my life on a regular basis?” , “What issues in life and on the job should I plan for so I can stick to my priorities?”, “How can I become more flexible?”, “How can planning help me understand what is really important?”, “How can I include time-sensitive matters in my planning?”, “Do I have a strategy to deal with urgent matters without forgetting about the important things?”, “Can planning help me anticipate problems before they arise?”, “How can focusing help me cut down my time spent doing things that don’t matter?”, “Can I commit to the practice of not adding anything more to my schedule without first taking something else away?”, “Can I begin to think in terms of what must be done versus what might need doing?”, “How good am I at delegating tasks instead of postponing them?”, “How can I avoid traps like excess paperwork or the interruptions of the phone, fax, or pager?”, “Do I need to plan fun in my life, or does it just happen for me?”, “What are the methods I have used in the past for recharging my physical and emotional batteries?” and “How can I overlap the concept of fun with the concept of connecting to other people?”.

Get rid of the “crazies.” Don’t allow your life to run out of control. Learn to say “no” or “not right now” to requests for your time and energy that don’t reflect your current priorities. Think of the people (your spouse, each of your kids, each of your friends, etc.) and things (your job, your volunteer activities, your church, your gym, etc.) that demand your time in terms of laps you run around a track. Then prioritize those laps into levels of importance, and consider what changes you should make to how you spend your time. Pace yourself so you include significant time in your life for both learning and leisure, as well as labor.

As you consider learning in your life, ask yourself: “What class would be enjoyable and enriching for me to take?”, “What is the last book I read, and when did I read it?”, “What book would I enjoy reading?”, “What is the biggest hurdle to overcome regarding learning, and how can I get over it?”, “What form of learning do I only dream about, and how can I make that dream a reality?”. As you consider leisure in your life, ask yourself: “What is my favorite form of leisure?”, “How can I incorporate leisure into my routine?”, “How can my fun activities even benefit me at work?”, “Am I getting enough exercise?”, “Am I eating healthy?”, “Am I getting enough sleep?” and “How can I better mix business and pleasure?”. As you consider labor in your life, ask yourself: “How can I be more efficient at work?”, “What would make my work more significant?”, “How can I refocus my job so that it helps me achieve my life’s goals?”, “How do I prioritize?” and “How can I learn to focus on the most important clients and customers I have, while still getting all my work done?”.

Stay on track. Remember that balancing your life isn’t just a one-time event; it’s a process that needs your constant attention. Stay connected to God through prayer each day and rely on His strength to help you keep your life in the right balance as your circumstances change.

Adapted from On the Fly Guide to Balancing Work and Life, copyright 2006 by Bill Butterworth. Published by WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc., Colorado Springs, Co., www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/.

Bill Butterworth blends humor, storytelling, wisdom, and practical advice, which has made him a popular speaker throughout North America. Bill speaks frequently for corporate clients that include American Express, Ford, Disney, Bank of America, and Chrysler. A highly regarded author, Bill has written books on topics ranging from sports to psychology and self-help issues. He has been a columnist, editor, and scriptwriter. Bill lives with his wife, Kathi, in Newport Beach, California.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

FIREPROOF

Hello,

I've taken a few weeks off from writing as life has been crazy busy but I wanted to get back to it by sharing info about an important movie that is coming out this month called FIREPROOF.

It's from the creators of Facing the Giants and I've inserted a widget below so you can view the movie trailer and other information and help spread the word!

For those who are married - whether your marriage is going very well or you're going through a tough season, I want to encourage you to see this movie and encourage others to do the same.

Check out the information and you'll see what I mean and then help spread the word and get as many people, especially married couples, even those who have started the divorce process, to go see this movie!!

I'll be praying that God will use this movie as a tool to strengthen and rebuild marriages and ultimately bring Glory to Him.

If you have problems hearing the audio through the widget, you may need to pause the audio on the playlist Tunes which is on the right side of your screen toward the bottom of the side bar.

All the best!

Your Brother and Servant,

rlk


Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Unforgiveness

If you’re a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, then you’ve experienced the power of forgiveness first hand. Because of your own experience it has become typically easier for you to forgive others when they’ve done you wrong, right? :-) Ok, so maybe it’s not so easy sometimes but since God is helping us grow in the grace and knowledge of Him this is a very needful area that we need to work hard on and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our paths.

You see, unforgiveness has a lot of negative impact on people such as: it steals our joy and even more important it also is contrary to the teachings of The Word of God. It also cheapens the sacrifice He made for you and I when it comes down to it. He first loved and forgave you so in turn you and I need to really work on forgiving others. Now, this doesn’t me we need to “jump back into the snake pit” as they say because sometimes trust takes time but it does mean we are to forgive those, yes even those who “bite” us.

I wanted to share the below devotion with you that is a powerful reminder of unforgiveness and forgiveness.

But before I do, let me share some parting words: I can only imagine the hurt and pain you’ve been through at the hands of others whom you loved and trusted, let me encourage you to forgive them because even if the relationship isn’t back to 100%, you need to begin to heal from the wounds and if you can’t forgive, you won’t totally heal until you do nor can you fully honor God in your life until you do. Seek God, pray hard and give it some thought and God will help see you through!


Your Brother,
rlk


_______________________________________

Unforgiveness
By Pastor James MacDonald


"Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors . . . For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-16


We're on one topic today and we're not getting off it till I'm sure you get it.

Nothing will cut a swath of devastation across your soul like unforgiveness. It is the absolute opposite of the life God calls you to live.

I know someone has hurt you and I'm sincerely sorry for that but you don't have to prove you were right.

You don't have to demonstrate the superiority of anything.
You've got to let it go.


Matthew 6:14-15 says, "If you don't forgive, my Father
won't forgive you."


Living in unforgiveness is a barren, tortured existence. Even those of us who have experienced God's love and forgiveness need to be reminded about what we have received. It's so easy to slide into a self-centered mess of unforgiveness.

Contrary to what some might think, unforgiveness isn't private. People will seethe in silence, insisting, This is just between me and him. But that's not true. It's also destructive to innocent people around you. How many people in your life have suffered because of an unforgiveness issue in your heart that has absolutely nothing to do with them? It seeps into the tone of all your conversations. It leaks out in your impertinence and impatience, your short temper and rashness. People who you love, who have done nothing wrong, suffer because of the unforgiveness that you're holding over someone else.

Unforgiveness is sin. It will eat away at your being until you choose the crisis and commit to the process of forgiveness. But that can all change.

This could be an awesome day--you have the choice to change. You have the chance to choose. I wonder if heaven is leaning over you and wondering what choice you are going to make. Your destiny depends on it.

To clarify, you are not saved by forgiving, but forgiving is what saved people do. This is one of the litmus tests for reality. Making the choice to forgive is one of the things that prove you truly belong to God.

Father, it must grieve Your heart even more than ours to live in such a dark world where people say things and do things that wound so deeply. But by Your grace I can forgive. I can simply release the pain to You and let it go. I choose by an act of my will to trust You and Your Word. I'm not going to hold it over the person who hurt me anymore when I have to see him or talk to him. I'm not going to go over it in my mind anymore. I want to handle it as You would. I want to be a forgiving person.

Forgive me for my pride, my anger, and the pointed comments that reveal the woundedness in my heart. Cover me with Your love. Let Your grace displace all that is ugly and angry and unforgiving in me. By Your grace, I choose to forgive.
In His name. Amen.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

A Journey of Grace



A Journey of Grace
By Randolph Koch

A few years ago my family and I spent a week at Nehalem Bay National Park on the Oregon Coast. We camped in a Yurt for almost a week and participated in an Outdoor school with a great group of people/families through a home school group we belong to. 


There was a pioneer theme during the week where the kids learned great information about the pioneers as well as made pioneer crafts and played pioneer/old fashioned games. There was also a daily chapel service where we took a look into the full armor of God. It was a great time all around! There was also a reoccurring theme through the week about grace, God’s grace and during that week as well as when I drove the family home, my mind drifted back to my personal journey of grace – the testimony of how I gratefully came to know Jesus Christ as my savior just two months after I graduated from High School when I was 19 years old. 


Everyone who has come to faith has their own story and in this post I wanted to share a brief glimpse into my journey of Grace, or rather my Journey toward God’s Amazing Grace. I’m hoping that something in this post will be of encouragement to you in your own journey right now as God can heal all your wounds as well – if you’ll allow Him in to do so. I also hope that for those who know or are getting to know me that this will help you get to know me a little better as well.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” ~Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)
My journey began when I was a young child. I was first introduced to the things of God, who Jesus is, etc in the kindergarten and Sunday school at the church my family attended at the time. I remember those times very fondly as I enjoyed the lessons and music but did not truly know what I needed to do to really receive salvation and know God personally.

When I was just about six year old, my world seemingly came to a crashing halt as my siblings and I learned that my parents were getting divorced. I remember how confusing this was at that age because I had no Idea what this meant and at that time period it wasn’t very common but none-the-less it was happening and through the events of that divorce and the following years it began to shape who I am today. 


Once the divorce was in process my mom received custody of my siblings and I. Then unfortunately due to different family issues we were kicked out of the home my parents were renting from family members and at the time my mom as I recall was only working part-time and some how God saw us through.


About a year or so later, my mom remarried and life became a bit more stable for my siblings and I although relationships were strained at times as we all adjusted into a blended family. 


Visitations began with my biological dad about every-other-weekend and then after time it was once a month, and then from about 10 on it was a rare occurrence at all. A few years after he and my mom divorced he remarried and started a new family and they had 4 children of their own. Looking back now as an adult, after the visitations stopped it’s clear that not having my dad in my life took a toll on me because of his absence but also because of the emotional and physical scars that were created over the years from an early age on - which I will not go into detail here. 


I remember asking my mom many times as I grew up, “why doesn’t dad love me?” and she’d always, being a good mom that she is, say, “your dad loves you” but even though she said it, by his actions I knew it wasn’t so - even to this day. 


As a side note: I tried to have a relationship with my biological dad at various times over the years but it was clear each time that relationships cannot survive on a one-way effort and unfortunately he eventually told my siblings and I at one point to just move on with our lives. So it has seemed that we not only lost our dad but our siblings as well because we couldn’t fully have a relationship with them, (although I’ve always wanted to) because he wanted us to move on. I’m not sure what my siblings have been thinking over the years or what they’ve been told but, I can say that we, (my older brother and sister and I) never abandoned them and up to my early twenties, I made efforts to have relationships with them. I still have hope that one day, they will make efforts themselves as adults, if they want to, so we can have a relationship again. This additional loss has been hard because I’ve always wanted to have a good relationship with them, because I do love them, but life apparently doesn’t work out as we expect sometimes despite our efforts. 

Back to my journey…

When I was in Jr. High I was invited to attend church with a friend and for a while I did but even then I thought I was a Christian and that was because I thought by being “a good person” and doing “good” things that I would go to heaven because of what I had done and I’d learn later that this wasn’t the case.

I grew up with very low self esteem and I didn’t feel very worthy of love or friendship and as a matter of fact, I really didn’t know what love, true unconditional love was. I grew up feeling inferior a lot and I still struggle at times today with these same things and don’t process rejection very well either due to my life experiences although as an adult I’ve grown a lot in this area with God’s Help! I also bottled a lot of things up inside back then and didn’t share my thoughts, struggles, or feelings with anyone, which wasn’t and isn’t a wise thing to do. Why? Because it just made and makes things worse for me because of a long time battle with depression. Because of these things I probably made some mistakes in relationships, I think I had ruined some because of the “baggage” I was carrying around and still regret those things very much! 

Many that knew me back then, through Jr. High and High School never knew that I struggled with depression, low self-esteem or anything because I became very skillful at masking what was really happening inside me. I felt empty, hopeless and internally was in despair and my depression became so bad at one point during High School that I started thinking about and planning on how to end my life on many occasions. I actually went as far as starting to go forward with the plans but each time something, (I’d learn later on that it wasn’t a something but literally a Someone) stopped me from doing such a foolish thing! During this time of depression I quietly started seeing the school physiologist and it was then that my mom learned about my struggle because they called her. Everyone cared about was going on but unfortunately I didn’t fully come out of this darkness which largely I believe was influenced by my biological dads rejection of myself and my siblings. It also had to do with my own thoughts and skewed self-image and self-worth as well so I owned a lot of the darkness I went through because of my own destructive thoughts and actions. 

During the remaining years of high school things started to change for me as I began to have a longing in my life that nothing or no one could satisfy. Then towards the end of my Jr. Year in high school I began to work at a Ross Dress for Less store. It was there that God brought some new friends into my life and one in particular started sharing with me about the things of God. I began to attend church with him from time to time and he continued to share truths about the scriptures. 

Then my friend invited me out one night to grab a bite to eat and to further share with me about faith in Christ. I was nervous for some reason, maybe because I already thought I was a Christian, but it turned out to be a night that changed everything for me because I began a new life that summer night in August of 1989.

At one point that evening as we ate dinner at a Shari’s restaurant in Beaverton, Oregon, my friend shared with me simply about how God loved me and sent is son Jesus Christ to die in my place as the ultimate sacrifice for my sin and that if I repented, (repentance simply means to confess and turned away from your sin) that He would forgive me and that I would then be able to have a personal relationship with the Lord. He drew out a line diagram on a napkin that explained all of this in a few short minutes with verses. 

As he came to the end of what he shared it was like a “light bulb” went on in my head because everything just clicked and I knew at that moment what he shared was true – the answer to my hearts longing. He asked me if I would like to receive Christ myself and I said yes! Then we prayed and from that night on I began an adventure of faith which completed my initial Journey (As God had been drawing me to Himself all along) to or of faith as I received His salvation through faith and by His Grace and there was nothing I could do to earn salvation or a way to heaven myself!
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” ~Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB)
Flash forward to today, I’ve been through a lot even in my Christian walk but I’m still walking in this new adventure and journey and growing in grace, truth, and understanding and learning more and more how amazing God’s grace and love is! I’m no longer trying to perform a certain way to earn favor with God and I certainly try not to do it with people either because with God, I know He will always love me and will never forsake me unlike how people have done in the past. (See Hebrews 13:5) I already have His favor because of what Christ did, (He sacrificed Himself for all mankind) and continues to do in my life, (Helps me grow through His Holy Spirit’s Guidance and He intercedes for me to the Father) and furthermore I know He’s my heavenly Father and that ministers to me a lot because He said in His Word that I’m adopted as His son and I’ll be a part of His family forever and “you can take that to the bank!” as they say! 

I’m so thankful that through all the past circumstances, depression, suicidal tendencies, etc, that I’m here today to experience all the joys and pains of life because each day is a new opportunity to learn and grow more than the day before as I can learn from each circumstance and ultimately I can hopefully bring more Glory to God! Yes, all those things have shaped me, for better or worse, into who I am today but God has the final word on my life and is continually shaping and molding me into who He wants me to become as His child as He helps me grow still more in the grace and knowledge of Him!

Another great thing I’ve discovered about my life with God is that I can now see, rather, I’m learning to see myself through God’s eyes. I now can see my worth through who I am in Christ instead of basing all of these things on mine or the world’s skewed/imperfect point-of-view. Now, even in the craziness of life I can also experience the true peace that comes from God and I can, just as I did in August of 1989, walk in newness of life with a greater purpose and plan for everything that I’ll do going forward.
“And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” ~2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NASB)
His Grace is sufficient and His Grace is amazing! 

What about your journey? Maybe you can share your Journey of Grace by leaving a comment on this post for others to see and be encouraged by!?

If you’d like to explore faith yourself, here are some links that you should check out.


The Bridge to Life: https://www.navigators.org/resource/the-bridge-to-life/

Who do you think that I am?: https://www.gty.org/library/Articles/A335

Steps to Peace With God: http://www.billygraham.org/assets/media/specialsections/touchonelife/Printer-FriendlyStepstoPeacewithGod.pdf

Or feel free to contact me as well via the e-Mail address in my "About Page"

Thanks for stopping by!

God Bless,
Randolph Koch

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

Here's a cool video/song from Mark Schultz that will help us all the more get our minds around the 4th of July from Independence day in 1776 to today where brave men and women continue to fight for our freedom and have in many world wars and conflicts around the world.

No matter what country you live in, as a Christian you can thank God for your own Independence Day where He broke the chains of sin in your life when you came to know Him as your Savior for the first time. Since that day, your Independence day, you now celebrate your Dependence on Him as well and each day you can celebrate and thank Him for all these things as you seek Him!

Click on the following video or link to see and listen to this song:
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=665ce8623e36bd4e3c7c

Friday, June 20, 2008

ITEMinistries!

Wanted to share information with you regarding a wonderful ministry and faithful minister, (Dr. Steve Van Horn) that God is using to train pastors and church leaders in the world who don't have easy access to formal theological eduction.

This is an important ministry that is making an impact for the kingdom as eduction of pastors and church leaders is a vital part of sound Biblical Doctrine, Teaching, and Conduct in the Church and abroad.

Below is a video overview of ITEMinistries (International Training and Equipping Ministries)

Please take a few moments to view the video and then go to the ITEM web site. There is a lot of great information about what God is doing through ITEM provided on the site.

Please remember ITEM and Dr. Van Horn in prayers as well!



Thanks!

RLK

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Spiritual Vitamins


Spiritual Vitamins
By Unknown


Anxious? Take Vitamin A.
All things work together for good for those who love God, who are
called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)

Blue? Take Vitamin B.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy
name. (Ps 103:1)

Crushed? Take Vitamin C.
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. (1 Pet 5:7)

Depressed? Take Vitamin D.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

Empty? Take Vitamin E.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give
thanks to him, bless his name. (Ps 100:4)

Fearful? Take Vitamin F.
Fear not, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God.
(Isa 41:10)

Greedy? Take Vitamin G.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over, will be put unto your lap; for the
measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Lk 6:38)

Hesitant? Take Vitamin H.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who
announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who
says to Zion, "Your God reigns." (Isa 52:7)

Insecure? Take Vitamin I.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

Jittery? Take Vitamin J.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Heb 13:8)

Know nothing? Take Vitamin K.
Know this that the Lord is God, it is He that made us and not we
ourselves. (Ps 100:3)

Lonely? Take Vitamin L.
Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Mt 28:20)

Mortgaged? Take Vitamin M.
My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor 12:9)

Nervous? Take Vitamin N.
Never, no never will I leave you nor forsake you. (Heb 13:5)

Overwhelmed? Take Vitamin O.
Overcome evil with good. (Rom 12:21)

Perplexed or puzzled? Take Vitamin P.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (Jn 14:27)

Quitting? Take Vitamin Q.
Quit you like men and women, be strong. (1 Cor 16:13)

Restless? Take Vitamin R.
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Ps 37:7)

Scared? Take Vitamin S.
Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe
with me. (1 Sam 22:23)

Tired? Take Vitamin T.
Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31)

Uncertain? Take Vitamin U.
Understand that I am (the Lord). Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.
(Isa 43:10)

Vain? Take Vitamin V.
Vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. (Acts 5:16)

Wondering what to do? Take Vitamin W.
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with
your God? (Mic 6:8)

eXhausted? Take Vitamin X.
Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (1 Tim 4:7)

Yearning for hope? Take Vitamin Y.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you art with me;
your rod and your staff - they comfort me. (Ps 23:4)

Zapped? Take Vitamin Z.
Zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:14)

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Who I am Makes a Difference!

Dear Friend,

I don't know what kind of week you've had or what you've been going through or what you've gone through in your life but let me encourage you that you make a difference in this world no matter if you realize it or not!

There is no one who is insignificant or or unworthy, especially in the eyes of a Loving God - your Creator!

Don't buy into the lies people tell you because you are capable of great things with God's help and through the gifts and talents He's given you!

Please read the below and I pray that you are as inspired buy the message that is shared. I wanted to pass this on to anyone who might visit this blog and please accept this as my blue ribbon to you! (You'll understand once you read the below)

You're life does make a difference and who you are makes a difference!

In His Love,

Randolph Koch


Wednesday, May 21, 2008

7.8 Magnitude Earthquake in China.

A colleague of mine in Asia forwarded several pictures and articles to me over the last week. (Since the day of the earthquake which was a little over a week ago.)

My heart cries out for these people who have suffered under the weight of the rubble as rescuers search for them, and those who are suffering the loss of their loved ones and for those who have lost their lives.

Please pray for them!

I’ve also learned that Medical Teams International is currently working to send over a half millions pounds of supplies to help them and they’re working with Boeing to deliver the supplies via several new planes that they are already planning to delivery to China. Please pray that this effort will be successful and help support them as God leads!

I’m reminded of the following scripture and will direct my prayers that those who are directly impacted by this disaster will be comforted by Him.

“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains
quake with their surging.”
~Psalm 46:1-3



Again, I will pray that God will comfort them during this devastating time and I'll especially pray that they would come to a personal relationship with the Him. May the Body of Christ be there to minister to the hurting and share His love while meeting the physical needs!

I wanted to share a few pictures that once you see them, I believe you’ll be moved to prayer as I have been. Please note: These images may be disturbing but they are also the reality of what has happened and what is occurring due to the Earthquake. Thanks for your prayers. Please see the below.


Please join me in prayer!

Humbled in Christ,

rlk














A boy is rescued from the debris of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Dujiangyan, Sichuan province May 13, 2008. [Agencies]














Bodies of many of the victims. [Agencies]




















Several young children trapped in the rubble. Note the IV attached to one of them onthe left. Some apparently are alive while some sadly are not. [Agencies]




















Young Man trapped in the rubble. [Agencies]


Young Boy receiving medical attention. [Agencies]


The Remnants of what was once a building. [Agencies]

Please pray!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

New Features!


You may have already noticed but I wanted to let you know that I've added 4 new features to this blog which you'll see on the right navigation bar.




Here's what I've added:

Feature 1: Verse of the day
Feature 2: Weekly Bible Memory Verses
Feature 3: Read Through the Bible in a Year Plan
Feature 4: My Book Shelf - gives you the titles and information about a few of the books I'm currently reading.

You can click on each of these features to read or go to further information.

Regarding the first three features, I've wanted to add something like these for a while and just figured out the best way to do so.

Scripture is vital and having an additional tool to help you read and memorize it verse-by-verse is a practical addition. Note: these tools are linked to the ESV however, you can use it as a guide to read any version you like or simply use it as a tool to read your favorite version.

Enjoy!

rlk

Monday, May 12, 2008

Prince Caspian!

This Friday, the film Prince Caspian hits theaters which is based on C.S. Lewis' 4th book in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

For more information, be sure to see the below Prince Caspian Interactive widget! Or, You can click on the following link for the official web site! http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Laminin

Below is a video from Godtube.com that you’ll want to view.

The speaker, Louie Giglio, speaks of an amazing scientific truth regarding the cell adhesion protein molecule “laminin”. Which is the “glue” that holds our cells together. It is described as the rebar of the human body—it holds us all together. Louie uses it as an awesome illustration of a Biblical truth.




There is more I could share here after viewing this but you'll just have to watch the video as I don't want to give away the message. It is worth the watch!

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
~Colossians 1:15-17 (NASB)

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well."
~Psalm 139:14 (NASB)

Here is a diagram of Laminin:




Isn’t that amazing!

You may also want to do a Google image search using the term laminin and you'll also find some amazing pictures in outer space of pictures taken of a black hole by the Hubble Telescope.

God is Amazing and may you be encouraged today at God's mighty hand as He alone holds all things together!

God Bless,
rlk

Monday, April 14, 2008

Supporting Each Other


The Word:

Read: Exodus 17:8-16

"Supporting Each Other." By Randolph Koch

If you've ever been through a tough time in your life, you've probably come to know the importance of the support you were most likely given from a friend, a family member, your pastor, or someone from your church. The support may have been given through prayers, a supportive or loving word, a meal, or many other ways. It ministers to you in ways that words cannot describe. It's humbling to receive support from others and goes a long way to help heal the wounds of the battles of life.

We can see an example of the importance of supporting each other through the example of Moses during a battle against the Amalekite's. He went to the top of a hill, which was a vantage point overlooking the battle. As he moved up the hill, Joshua and the army were sent to war against the enemy. Moses, with staff in hand, stood and raised his hands. As he raised his hands, Israel prevailed. Then there was a point where he became weary and had to rest but while his hands were lowered the Amalekite's prevailed. Moses needed support, and who wouldn't after having their arms raised for such a long time while a battle raged on. Aaron and Hur came to help him in his time of need. They placed a stone beneath Him so we could sit instead of stand. Then they supported his arms so Moses could hold his hands up. With their help, Aaron on one side and Hur on the other side, his hands remained steady until the sun went down. Israel won the battle. Moses received the support he needed to get him through. The Lord told Moses to write down the experience of the day's war, and how the Lord led them to victory in a book so it could be relayed to others. Then Moses built and altar and named it "the Lord is my banner." What a day it was and what a support plan it was that God unfolded for us to learn from. Without the Lord, Israel and Moses would not have prevailed. Furthermore, with out the two men coming to Moses' aid, he wouldn't have made it through the whole day. Likewise, we cannot make it with out the Lord. It seems that in today’s world, we tend to believe we can do it all alone because we think ourselves to be self-sufficient and honestly we're trained to think this way. Many times our schools, businesses, the movies we see, and many other avenues train us to believe this is a totally healthy and necessary trait, (at times it's true that we have to be somewhat self-sufficient), but we desperately need each other. We can go way to far, and many do, with the self-sufficiency idea. Starting from our homes on into the rest of the world we need to be counter culture, especially in this area. We need to trust the Lord and receive the comfort He and others give us. We weren't created to be in this life alone. We in fact, were created to live and work for the Lord, to have an eternal relationship with Him, and to live and fellowship amongst other believers and of course the world. The Lord is our main source of strength - so don't be afraid to seek His support. Furthermore, it’s crucial to have support from the Lord and other believers. In other words, accept their support. Then as life unfolds and you travel from one storm to another you may begin keeping a log or a journal just to write down all of things God has done for you during your times of need (and what people have done). So you'll remember and be encouraged, especially when rough waters hit. This will be a great reference tool for you so you'll be reminded of His goodness when we tend to forget it in the middle of the trial. Memorialize all that God does and has done to bring you through. Review this list from time to time to refresh your memory and to add to it so you'll be encouraged for years to come. This is also something that you may be able to share with others or pass down to testify of the amazing love that the Lord and others have no matter the situation. Along the way, don't forget to thank the Lord and others for what they've done for you.

No matter what the time or season let us be willing and able to in turn support those in need. We need to be wise and sensitive enough to see the Holy Spirit's leading, as we are lead to help others. There are many ways we can effectively do this. There is also wisdom that we need to use as we seek to support others. The spirit will help us discern real needs or false ones. Finally, and most of all, let our prayer be that the Lord would find us whole heartily supporting each other.

Questions to Get Started With:

-Where do you look or to whom do you look for support in your time of need?
-Do you reach out to support others?
-Are you sensitive to seeing others needs?
-Do praise God for His amazing love and provision when the times are calm or when in rough waters?
-Do you keep a running log or journal of what He's provided for you physically and spiritually?
-What are some of practical things you can do to support others?


(Originally published Jan 21, 2001)