Monday, November 14, 2011

Thanksgiving: Day 14

Day 14: I'm thankful for the people in my life who care enough to see past "1st impressions" or "perceptions" to discover who I really am!

What are you thankful for? Share a comment on this blog to encourage others!

Thanksgiving: Day 13

Day 13: Thankful for God's provision. Very blessed today in more ways than one!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Thanksgiving: Day 12

Day 12: I'm thankful for the encouragement and faithful prayers of my friends and extended family who continually bless my family and I!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Thanksgiving Challenge: DAY 11

Day 11: I’m thankful for the tremendous sacrifice, integrity, and service of the men and women of the armed forces! Thank you for protecting our freedom!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Thanksgiving: Day 10

Day 10: I’m thankful that each day, (whether bad or good) is truly a gift from God – a gift that I'm striving to use wisely!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Thanksgiving: Day 8

 
DAY 8: I am thankful that when I am broke - I'm still richer than most of the world's population!


Monday, November 07, 2011

Thanksgiving: Day 7

DAY 7: I am thankful that when I sometimes (or is it often?) feel like a loser, an idiot, unworthy, unloved, unimportant and more that I know those feelings are all a pack of lies because I know who I really am to my family, my friends, and most of all who I am from God’s perspective!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Thanksgiving: DAY 6

DAY 6: I am thankful for our church home and church family. It's a blessing to be somewhere we can worship, serve, grow, be encouraged, challenged and build new friendships!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Thanksgiving: DAY 5

DAY 5: I'm thankful for the love of God and the Love of my family!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Friday, November 04, 2011

Thanksgiving: DAY 4

DAY 4: I'm thankful to still have a job in an economy where many unfortunately do not!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Reference Books for Sale: Hillsboro/Portland Metro Area


Hate to part with these but really need sell these great references as I look to better support my family budget. 
Please let me know if you're interested in purchasing any of these resources. 
I will add more to this listing as I purge my current resources.

John MacArthur Study Bible (NASB) - SOLD!

C.H. Spurgeon's Complete Sermon - 10 Volume Set - Mint Condition: $100 (Retails for $190-$200)

 Matthew Henry Commentary - 7 Volume Set - Mint Condition: $75 (Retails for over $100)

Exhaustive Concordance for the New American Standard Bible - Mint Condition: $50 (Retails for $80+)

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Thanksgiving: DAY 3


DAY 3: I am thankful for my wife who does so many things for our family and I including but not limited to getting up earlier to drive me no matter the weather to the MAX Station so I can get to work each day!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Thanksgiving: DAY 2

DAY 2: I am thankful to have a roof over my head and a furnace to keep us warm!
What are you thankful for? Leave a comment to share and encourage others!

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

A Thanksgiving Challenge: DAY 1

It’s November 1st and there are 23 days until Thanksgiving and I wanted to put out a challenge to you.

I’d like to challenge you from today until at least Thanksgiving to think about, write down, and share with others what you’re thankful for! 


These could be things about God, your family and other relationships, or whatever you’re thankful for!

We all need to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving and this challenge isn’t just an exercise but it’s truly an opportunity to get your minds on things above and around you.

It’s an opportunity to be encouraged and encourage others as you share what you’re thankful for and hear what they’re thankful for! It's an opportunity to focus on the positive and get away from dwelling on the negative!


Just think about how many things you'll have listed and be able to look back on as you've written down what you're thankful for!

Are you up for the challenge?

I sure hope so and hope to hear some great things from you if you share them with me!

To kick it off - Here’s what I’m thankful for:

Day One: I’m thankful for my family and friends whom I’m blessed to know!

Check back here in the days ahead as I’m going to start posting what I’m thankful for here and hope to hear from you here as well regarding what you're thankful for!


Blessings,

rlk

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Clergy Appreciation Month: Pastor, God has chosen you!

It's Clergy Appreciation Month and Here's a little something I put together for all my pastor friends as a thank you for all you do!
Let's not wait to thank our pastors one month out of the year! Let's thank them and show our appreciation all year long!
You'll want to turn off the music that plays on this site by scrolling down to the right and pausing the player under the Tunes section so you can hear the audio that goes with this simple video.  
Blessings in Christ,
rlk


(Duration: Less than 3 Minutes long.)

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Well


Scripture:
Read: John 4:7-14


The Well  
by Randolph Koch
 

Each day we draw from one well or another and just like the woman at the well we seek to quench our physical, intellectual, and spiritual thirst from one source or another - whether the right or wrong wells.
 
Jesus reminds us through His conversation with the Samaritan woman that our thirst cannot ultimately be quenched or satisfied apart from Him. 


The world would have us believe otherwise like the commercials that say "stay thirsty my friend" as they use that to try to get you to purchase more of their beverage - a beverage that wouldn't even quench ones physical thirst really! :-)  All other sources or a cheap substitute to the real "Source" The Well that truly satisfies.

We all need reminders of where we draw our strength from and we need to assess each day - "what well or wells am I drawing from today? 

 
I heard this great song appropriately named "The Well" by Casting Crowns and you can hear it via this Spotify link or another online source. I encourage you listen to this song, read John 4:7-14 and then assess where you are. 

 
Song Link: http://open.spotify.com/track/17vJ8PfHJ0hcqqO4nJ9ES3 

 
You're either going to stay "thirsty" or you're going to find the right well and have your thirst quenched and we need to daily draw from the right well, the well that Jesus offers you and I!

 
Questions to Get Started with:

1. Are you thirsty? Is your day-to-day life seemingly dry?
2. Whose well are you drawing from each day? 
3. Who or Whose well should you be drawing from each day?
4. Do you think you can do life on your own without help from God and others?
5. What changes do you need to make today to drink from the right well? 

 
Blessings,
rlk

Monday, October 17, 2011

I'm Still Here...

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

I can't believe it's been over two months since I last posted! 

So, don't know who regularly follows-my little blog but I wanted to make a brief entry to let you know that #1 I'm still here and #2 I'm making some efforts behind the scenes to begin regularly posting again.

I'll be posting some devotions, some articles by myself and others, possibly a quick update from a short vacation my family and I took last month, and sharing videos of music that has been really inspiring me lately. 

Hope all is well for you and that you're resting in God's grace and love for you. 

Keep your eyes peeled, hope to post something new very soon. 

Blessings,

rlk


Saturday, July 16, 2011

Today I Will Make a Difference


So often we can get our minds “stuck in a rut” by unhealthy thought patterns that lead us down “Self-Doubt BLVD. or Depression Lane”.  This in turn give the evil one opportunity to attack us right where we’re feeling the weakest. We need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, put His armor on and set our minds on eternity.

Be encouraged knowing that you are making a difference for Him and that you are so important to your loved ones, friends, and Christian Family as well! We’re in this together! Let’s lift each other up!

I wanted to share a brief bit o’ inspiration from Max Lucado that I think really simply speaks about changing our perspective and purposing to make a difference each day!  
 
I hope you find some encouragement from this brief article. Check it out below!

Be encouraged in Him today!
In Him,

rlk


Today I Will Make a Difference
By Max Lucado

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. 

Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening.

Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.

From Shaped by God (original title: On the Anvil)
Copyright (Tyndale House, 1985, 2002) Max Lucado

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Keep Asking, Seeking, and Knocking!

Here's a new creation I made to encourage you with this important scripture:

What are you doing daily to continue to seek Him? Are you continually knocking on His door through studying His Word and through prayer?

Leave a comment here to encourage others.

All the best,

rlk

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Choosing to Change

In a day where there are so many people with a lack of taking ownership for their own actions and a lot of "blame storming" going on - the Bible provides lasting solutions for standing on your own two feet, owning up to your actions, then avoiding the same mistakes and sins in the future. 

Sin no longer needs to rule your life!

Check out this entry from Pastor MacDonald.
 

In His Steps,

Randy

Choosing to Change
via Vertical Church by James MacDonald on 7/12/11

Look at Romans 6:10, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all. But the life that He lives, He lives to God.” Some Bible teachers argue that change is all about God and not about us at all. All we really need to do in order to experience the transforming power of the Gospel, they say, is lean back in our recliners, put our feet up, and let God do it all. Now hear this: That is not what the Bible teaches! Of course we need God’s help, but we cannot be changed without making the choice to change ourselves. Notice Paul’s command in Romans 6:12: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” What’s that if it’s not a choice?! Do not let sin reign in you! Make a choice.

“Well, sin has been ruling my life,” you say. Listen; it doesn’t have to. Don’t let it; make a choice. The power of sin is unplugged—don’t plug it in. Don’t let it rule you.

The next time temptation steps up to you and says, “Do it! Go ahead, do it! Go ahead,” just answer: “Get off me! You are not in charge! Shut up! Stop bossing me around. Don’t tell me what to do! I’m not that person anymore! I’m a new creation in Christ!” That’s what Paul meant when he said, “Don’t let sin reign.”

Get involved! Choose to change! With your commitment and God’s help, you can.

Maybe you’re saying “Well, how do I choose? Teach me how to choose. I want to choose.” Here’s a neat little story my mom gave to me, called “Choosing to Change in Five Days.” I don’t know the source, but it’s helped me out of a few “holes” in my life.

Day 1: I went for a walk down a street. I fell into a hole. I didn’t see it. It took me a long time to get out. It’s not my fault.
Day 2: I went for a walk down the same street. I fell in the same hole. It took me a long time to get out. Why did I do that?
Day 3: I went for a walk down the same street. I fell in the same hole. I got out quickly. It is my fault.
Day 4: I went for a walk down the same street. I saw the hole. I walked around it.
Day 5: I went for a walk down a different street. I can’t handle it when I go down that street. Every time I go down that street, I feel something sucking me down that hole! I’m not going down that street anymore! I don’t like what happens on that street. And when I get there, I can’t handle it. I don’t want sin to reign in my body so I’m not going down that street anymore.

Living for God is day by day. Choose it.