Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Make Appointments with God

One of the most fundamental things we should devote ourselves to each day is spending time with God through prayer and time in His Word.

With all the appointments we schedule and keep throughout “your” day, when was the last time you set and kept an appointment with God? 


Ouch, kind of convicting huh? None-the-less this is an important, a vital question to ask yourself.

Take a minute to read the below article then consider putting, not “penciling in”, an appointment with God on your daily calendar. Doesn’t He deserve your time?

Keep Walking In His Steps,

rlk

_____________________________________________________
Make Appointments with God
Whitney Hopler, Contributing Writer

Imagine that you've been invited to meet with the President of the United States in the Oval Office. You'd likely look forward to your appointment with great excitement. 


Now imagine that someone much more exciting - the God of the universe - wants to meet with you personally. This scenario is true; God really does want to meet with you, and He wants to do so every single day through a private quiet time together. 

Those appointments with God should be a source of great joy for you. But unfortunately, quiet times can sometimes seem too intimidating to schedule or maintain regularly. Here are some ways you can enjoy your appointments with God: 

•    Think about how much God loves you, and expect to be blessed as a result of spending time with Him. View your quiet times as cherished meetings with someone you love.
•    Realize that the more time you spend with God, the greater the intimacy you'll develop with Him. Although the idea of a daily quiet time might seem awkward at first because you might not know what to say or how to recognize God's voice, after a while, you'll look forward to the appointment because it will be like meeting with your best friend.
•    Set aside a consistent time every day to meet with God. Choose a time at which you're most alert and can block out distractions. Although many people choose first thing in the morning after waking up, the afternoon or evening can also work. Try starting out with a half-hour quiet time, and after you've developed greater intimacy with God, increase that time to an hour. It usually takes about five to ten minutes during the start of your quiet time to clear your mind enough to focus fully on God, so don't rush your quiet time. But don't schedule so much time that you become overwhelmed and lose your motivation to continue.
•    Designate a special place in which you can meet privately with God. The place can be either indoors or outdoors, such as a home office or a garden.
•    Relax! Don't feel pressured to perform certain rituals during your quiet time; there is no one "right" way to conduct a quiet time. Think about what activities best draw you into God's presence, then go with those.
•    Seek God Himself rather than anything He might give you. Know that God will meet you where you are and reveal much about Himself to you if you're sincerely seeking Him.
•    Consider following a Bible reading plan during your quiet times. Then ask God to help you apply the verses you read to your everyday life. Meditate on Scripture and memorize it so it will renew your mind.
•    Worship God in some way during your quiet times. Thank Him for His work in your life and praise Him for who He is. If you like, sing a worship chorus or hymn as part of your devotions.
•    Ask God to reveal hidden areas of sin in your life, and make a habit of confessing your sins to God during your quiet time. Then receive His forgiveness and grace to do better. Invite God to use your quiet times to powerfully transform you.
•    Pray for your own needs and desires, and intercede for others. Don't give up; God will answer you in the best way at the best time.
•    Pray against evil in your life and the lives of other people.
•    Ask for the Holy Spirit to fill you during your quiet time to give you fresh strength and grace each day.
•    Consider fasting occasionally to help you focus more on God.
•    Consider writing down your thoughts, feelings, and prayers in a journal during your quiet time to more clearly express them. Read through our ongoing journal to see how God has been working in your life. 

Do you schedule a daily quiet time with God? If so, how does it help you draw closer to Him? If not, what challenges do you face that discourage you from scheduling or consistently maintaining a daily quiet time?

Adapted from An Appointment with the King: Ideas for Jump-Starting Your Devotional Life, copyright 2002 by Joel Comiskey. Published by Chosen Books, a division of Baker Book House Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., www.bakerbooks.com, 1-800-877-2665.
Joel Comiskey, Ph.D., has served as a full-time missionary to Ecuador. He and his wife, Celyce, have three daughters. 

Monday, May 23, 2011

The End Is Near?

I posted this last Friday on the Eve of the day where some were promoting the idea that the rapture was coming and the end of the world. Meant to post it here in addition to the other place I posted it and know this is a bit after the fact but none-the-less it serves as a reminder of the sufficiency of Scripture - we need to take God at His Word and stop making stuff up or in this case making the Bible say something it does not say!

Here's what was posted for your edification:

There are people stating that the end of the world begins tomorrow and they base this on some mathematical calculation using the Bible.

Here's what the same Bible has to say about date setting, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." ~ Matthew 24:36

In sum, no man will know when the end will come or when The Lord will return - God only knows that!

I'm choosing to follow what the Bible really says and not what some person or group of people are stating.

Furthermore, What is more important is that we are ready for the real return and end times - are you ready for that?

-rlk

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Failures

I've been thinking today about failures and wanted to share a brief thought on failures as so many believe that failure define who they are and I'd like to submit to you that they do not! I may add some scriptures to this post later but consider the following:

You still have to own up to your own failures as they usually come with consequences of one form or another but as Zig Ziglar said one time "Failure is an event, it is not a person." Your failures in word, action, etc. don't define you as a person so pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and press forward learning everything you can from your failures and don't let it define who you are!

Also, it took Thomas Edison 1,000 attempts before he created the first working light bulb. So is he remembered for the 1,000 "failures" or the end result which your home is full of today?

I think you see my point now and I hope you do because you're failures are temporal and they do not and should not define who you are to others or ultimately to yourself.

Lastly, God does not see you as a failure, rather, you are diamond in the rough, clay in the Potters Hands, a work in progress so, allow yourself some grace and seek out who you really are according to God's Holy Word.

God Bless You and may He help you keep your eyes fixed on Him!

In His Strong Love,

RLK

A New Approach

It's been a while since I've written on my blog partially because when I started this blog a few years ago I like to post more insightful or what I believe complete content like devotionals I've written or essays, sermon info, or sometimes what others have written. I also admittedly tend to lean toward "perfectionism" at times but this tends to limited me from sharing everything that is on my heart and mind. :-)

Today I've resolved to try and write more regularly whether simple thoughts, devotionals, essays, and more. Whatever I am processing, thinking on, or that I think will be of edification to whomever stops by for a visit - I will post going forward. This is a blog for me to share my thoughts anyway and to encourage you, right!? :-) 

So, going forward you'll see a variety of things come your way and I hope all will be encouraging, challenging, and thought provoking ranging from simple to complex. 

Thanks for visiting or following this blog and for praying for me as I step out to try to share more regularly from the heart of a shepherd.

God Bless,

RLK

Friday, April 15, 2011

Updates Synopsis of Experience

Hello,

I've recently updated my marketplace and ministry synopsis of experience and wanted to post links here for your reference. 



I will be updating the template soon for my ministry synopsis but the content is still there.

Looking forward to post some new thought, devotions, etc soon. It's been a while but hope to have something up again soon. 


God Bless,

rlk

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day


Here's a great Article that separates fact from myth regarding who Patrick really was!

Apostle to the Irish

Have a great day!

rlk

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Lord's Prayer: Learning to Pray as Jesus Taught us How to Pray - Part 2

Here's part two of a 2 week mini sermon series I preached on The Lord's Prayer.

In order to properly hear the audio of this you'll want to put the music audio player on the right side of this blog (Scroll down and you'll see it where it say "Tunes" above it) on pause so it doesn't interfere with the audio of this message.

I pray that this message will encourage and challenge you to focus on your prayer life and recalibrate where you need to in order to rightly devote yourself to prayer.

In Christ,

rlk

“The Lord’s Prayer: Learning to Pray as Jesus Taught us to Pray” - Part 2 from Randolph Koch on Vimeo.

Monday, February 14, 2011

God Loves You!


Happy Valentine's Day!

May you never forget how much He loves you!

Besides 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4:7-21 has a lot to say about God's Love for you and how you and I should love one another.

Read the below scripture and may you have a blessed Valentine's taking time to lift up prayers of Love and Thanksgiving to the ONE who loved you first and gave the ultimate gift for you as well as those here on earth who love you!

In Christ,


rlk

1 John 4:7-21

7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

13By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

16We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

17By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

19We love, because He first loved us.

20If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

The Lord's Prayer: Learning to Pray as Jesus Taught us How to Pray - Part 1

Here's part one of a 2 week mini sermon series I started last Sunday on The Lord's Prayer. In order to properly hear the audio of this you'll want to put the music audio player on the right side of this blog (Scroll down and you'll see it where it say "Tunes" above it) on pause so it doesn't interfere with the audio of this message.

I pray that this message will encourage and challenge you to focus on your prayer life and recalibrate where you need to in order to rightly devote yourself to prayer.

In Christ,

rlk

"The Lord's Prayer: Learning to Pray as Jesus Taught us to Pray" - Part 1 from Randolph Koch on Vimeo.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Year-End Support! It's not too late!


Hello!

It's almost the end of 2010 and if you would like to help our ministry and take advantage of a tax deduction on your 2010 taxes - It's not too late! Please see the following. Thanks for your consideration and Happy New Year!


You Can Mail Donations to:


Northwest Independent Church Extension (NICE)

P.O. BOX 64750

University Place, WA 98464-0750*


* Please indicate that your check is for The Koch Family


Donate Online: http://nicechurchplanters.org/site/donate.asp?sec_id=180001283


See the donation slot toward the bottom titled Missionary Support and then click “Pay Online” - Please indicate The Koch Family on the blank line on the PayPal form.

Monday, November 08, 2010

“Planet Me”


The Word:

Read: (and memorize) Philippians 2:3-4

Additional Reading: Philippians 2:1-13, Romans 12:5, Ephesians 2:10

“Planet Me” by Randolph Koch

Sometimes we get caught up living our lives in an unpleasing manner. Or we’ve possibly fallen into patterns or times of selfishness. We even come across as selfish without even knowing it sometimes. Everywhere we look, the news, TV, the newspaper, etc. we see evidence of lives motivated by selfish desires and actions.

True selfishness can turn into sin. Unless it’s dealt with quickly, it can be very destructive to those who choose to live this way. In past generations and in our current world cultures, people have chosen to live their lives completely for their own needs, wants, desires, and ambitions. This is such a shallow existence and sadly you may stop for a moment to realize that someone you know may come to mind. It’s as if they think they’re “a planet” and everything and everyone on the face of the earth revolves around them. Pray for them or if
it’s you, pray that the Lord will help you break free from these chains. As we look back in history we’ll find that many dictators and other figures were motivated by things like hatred, greed, envy, jealousy, etc., all of which seem to have selfishness at there root. Saul in his jealousy toward and at times rage against David, the nation of Israel as they chose to worship the Golden calf instead of the One true God they knew delivered them from Egypt, as well as Jacob as he stole his brother's birth right, all were driven by selfishness. Just to name a few. Don’t be like them! Learn from their mistakes and help others live right before the Lord our God. No matter what society, the world, or the evil one tries to dictate about
how we should live and operate in this life- let us never forget to place our lives and actions in His hands so we might live our lives pleasing to Him. We have to live our lives with others, including God in mind. The same applies, at work, home, church, or even while driving when someone cuts you off in traffic. Even when your co-worker or a leader at church treats you with disrespect. Choose to please God and “take the high road” if at all possible in every situation. This is tough at times but we need to be found trying to live a God pleasing life.

In addition to this, we need to remember that there’s absolutely nothing in scripture that says we’re in this life alone. There’s also nothing in the scriptures that says we’re supposed to be alone! We need each other! We need other people around us to help us along our path that God through our journey called life takes us on. We need to be actively thinking about the needs of others and seek opportunities to serve and bless others. With this have you ever noticed that there’s no “I” or “me, me, me” in the term family. Whether we like it or not we are a part of a family and this is true whether it’s your biological family, or church family, etc. (see Romans 12:5) We may not agree with each other at times but we sure do need each other.

We have to continually remind ourselves that we need God and others in our lives. We may not get our way all of the time and that’s just life. If we get ourselves into the habit of living our lives unselfishly and focus on serving God and others, our many and seemingly minuscule needs will all but fade away. The fact is, you become more satisfied in life when you seek to live your life this way. Wouldn’t it be great and pleasing to God if we were to be described as someone who lives their life to make a difference in other people’s lives - and doing so without any selfish ambition or motive. Just like Jesus Himself. This is possible if we’re serious and will seek the Holy Spirit’s help to live a God directed life instead of a self-directed life. We need to continually examine ourselves as the scripture states to see if there is anything unpleasing to Him. Let our motives be to completely live to glorify God. We’ve got to stop living our lives out of selfish ambition. We’ve got to get off of “planet me” and back to planet earth living with everyone else around us seeking serve them and the Lord
unselfishly.

Questions to Get Started With:

-Do you seek to live your life to please only you?
-Are up currently caught up in selfish desires and actions?
-Do you seek to live your life for God?
-Are there people you know who are living selfishly that you can actively pray for?
-What have you learned in the selected passages that you can apply in your life now and or help others do the same?
-Have you consulted God lately about your current goals, dreams, and aspirations? Or do you want to continue to be selfishly trying to direct your own life?

Idea:
Take the main selected passage and write it or type it up and print it out on several cards. Then place it in several locations where you’ll be reminded how your life should be directed. (I.E. Your car, refrigerator, bathroom mirror, etc.)

Wednesday, September 15, 2010