2 Questions For Introspection Especially For Men

Hello Men (and everyone as you can glean from this too),

Here are Two Questions for your Introspection:

1. What are you doing for yourself (and your wife) to grow in your relationship with the Lord?

2. What are you doing to grow in your relationship with your wife?

I asked these questions to a young married guy recently, (and I'm asking myself) for their own benefit and thought I'd pass them along as it is something we can glean from whether married or not.

These are two of the areas The Lord impressed upon me and they require intentional regular recalibration or pause to take inventory of our lives needed especially in these areas.

I encourage you to ask yourself these questions at least periodically and in prayer to The Lord. Then, make an action plan to improve and also give thanks for the progress you are making in your life around these areas!

Now, if you're a wife and reading this, first off, don't "elbow your husband", lol but do pray for him, possibly share this post, and then insert "wife" in each place "husband" is mentioned.

For everyone, if you're not married you might ask yourself:

1. What are you doing for yourself to grow in your relationship with the Lord?

2. What are you doing to grow in your relationship with others?

We all have to own our own growth and our part of relationships, especially in marriage.

You are in my prayers.

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

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Go Where The True Gospel Is Preached!

My Friend,

So many today in the church forget that gathering together is not about the building, or the entertainment, pro music, and feel good messages that may tickle the ears.

These may seem nice for a short while but you won't be challenged to grow in your walk with Christ and long term, places like this just churn out baby Christians who stay baby Christians.

Let me encourage and challenge you to make it a priority to be a part of a local church that preaches the true Gospel and the whole counsel of God's Word.

Be a part of a local church that keeps Jesus and God's Word in the center of all they do.

Don't settle for anything else!

You're in my prayers.

Your brother and servant in Christ, 

Randolph Koch

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June 2021 Memory Verse.

My Friend,

Scripture Memorization is vital and as promised, here's the first of prayerfully many more, monthly memory verse suggestions.

June's Verse suggestion is 2 Corinthians 5:17. I've suggested the ESV version but if you have another good word for word translation you enjoy, feel free to memorize it in that version. I may share verses twice a month sometimes but for now, once a month is a good starting point.

Sharing here in case you don't follow A Shepherd's Heart on Facebook or Instagram where this was previously shared.

You'll notice that following the verse is a list of some basic themes/topics. I've included those suggestions as I learned many years ago that having at least one theme or topic in mind when you memorize scripture helps you store them in memory and as you have conversations with others in the future, I can guarantee that as those themes/topics come up, the scripture you've memorized will also come to mind and you may share encouragement from God's Word or re-encourage yourself!

We're reminded of the importance of God's Word by a question from Psalm 119:9, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word" and then in Psalm 119:11 that, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

So how do you "guard your ways according to God's Word" and how do you "store up His Word in your heart?" One way is summed up in these three words: Memorize God's Word!

It doesn't matter what age you are, we're all capable of memorizing scripture and need to incorporate it into our lives for our benefit and the benefit of others!

Abiding in The Word through reading, studying, memorization and living it out are vital keys to our growth.

Have fun with it! Don't stress about it! And, as always, be in The Word and stay in The Word!

Also, here's a useful post about scripture memorization tips:

https://www.ashepherdsheart.org/2018/02/the-bible-is-essential-part-3-scripture.html

You're in my prayers and please reach out if you need any tips.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

Connect with A Shepherd's Heart: https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart (Instagram, Facebook, Web, YouVersion) Please help A Shepherd's Heart if you are able. Any amount $1 on up is a big help! https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-ashepherdsheart

Who Is This King Of Glory?

My Friend,

No matter what you're facing today, no matter if you're having a bad or good day, take a moment to pause.

Pause to remember that no matter what you're facing today, The Lord Your God is THE King of glory and He is Strong and Mighty.

He is mighty in battle and goes before you and is with you no matter how big or small your battles are!

May this Biblical truth from Psalm 24:8 refresh your soul, calm your mind and emotions, encourage you, and recalibrate your thinking.

You're in my prayers.

Your brother and servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch

Connect with A Shepherd's Heart: https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart (Instagram, Facebook, Web, YouVersion)

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Created For His Glory

My Friend,

Did you know that you were created for God's glory and you can bring Him glory?
 
Everything that God created is from Him and for Him, His glory, purpose, will, and plan.
 
The whole earth is full of His Glory! (See Isaiah 6:3)
 
I've heard it well said that, “God’s glory is the perfect harmony of all his attributes.”-John Piper

So, His glory is a reflection of His attributes which we cannot fully comprehend in your finite minds. 

As we live this life that He's given us, may we always remember that we should strive to live for His glory in what we do and seek to bring Him glory with the help of The Holy Spirit.

 
Let me encourage you to do a word study through The Scriptures on Glory / His Glory to see what He says about this.
 
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch

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Beware Of Pride.

My Friend,

This world is so full of pride and arrogance sometimes. So much so that it's sickening. We see it all over the TV, social media, pretty much everywhere you turn.

Sadly, some in the church are very prideful to the point they no longer represent Jesus, rather, they only seek their own gain and fame.

I'm reminded of Proverbs 16:18 where we're instructed that pride comes before destruction or in some versions it says it comes before the fall.

In other words, if your life is full of pride and you head down that path, you are heading toward destruction and you are not representing Jesus well as His ambassador.

None of us are immune to pride. We are prideful intentionally or unintentionally. We need to not be like the world. I'm not talking about a general "taking pride in what you do" rather, I'm talking about true pride and arrogance. I think we all know the difference between pride and humility.

Be careful how you communicate. Be careful how you respond to others. Be careful how you post and what you post on. Even in the name of "truth" we can be arrogant.

As they say, "check yourself before you wreck yourself." Pause before you respond to someone or post something and ask The Holy Spirit if your heart has any pride or arrogance in it through what you're about to say or do?

Always remember Who you represent and strive daily to do it well and by doing so, you will honor Him and continue down the right path.

Seek humility instead of pride even in speaking the truth.

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

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Stay Close To The Good Shepherd.

My Friend,

You will encounter many wolves in this life.

The wolves today come in many shapes and sizes but no matter what shape or size,

their ultimate goal is to misguide, harm you, and lead you away from The True Shepherd and path that is only found in and through Jesus.

The enemy of your soul, the evil one wants nothing other than to see your life and eternity destroyed. Don't allow him to do so! And don't allow people who mean you harm to misguide you.

No matter what, let me encourage you to stay close to The Shepherd as the closer you are to The Shepherd, the safer you are from the wolves...and there are many wolves in the world we live in today.

Jesus, your Good Shepherd, loves you unconditionally and wants to lead you through this journey called life!

The closer we are to The Shepherd, Jesus, the safer we are from the wolves. Stay close to The Good Shepherd!

Read, Study, Take to heart, and live out John 10:1–18.

You're in my prayers.

Your Brother and Servant,

Randolph Koch

Please help A Shepherd's Heart if you are able. Any amount $1 on up is a big help! https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-ashepherdsheart Here's one place that lists where you can connect with A Shepherd's Heart: https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart

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Are You In A Season Of Waiting?

My Friend,

Sometimes waiting isn't our strong suit. OK, so maybe that's an understatement. :-)

Waiting seems even harder sometimes when we're waiting on an answer from God but we forget that sometimes "wait" is the answer He's give us at that time.

It doesn't mean we'll have to wait forever, but, we may have to wait for a while until His perfect timing arrives according to His perfect plan and will for you and I.

Let me simply encourage you that while you wait, may you wait on Him, seek to grow deeper in Him, and learn to trust Him more.

Many mighty men of God had to learn about waiting and it's a lesson, this side of heaven, that we'll continually be learning too. I pray for each of us that The Holy Spirit helps us learn to trust God even more...while we wait.

Let me encourage you to be in constant prayer my friend and then Read, Study and Take to heart Psalm 27:14, 2 Peter 3:9, Exodus 14:14, Isaiah 30:18, and 2 Peter 3:8 for starters.

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

P.S. Here's a recent encouragement video message:

• Who Are You Putting Your Trust In? https://youtu.be/B-X2XiAGvfU
  

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Good Friday 2021.

Dear Friend,

It was the darkest day of all time. The day Jesus Christ the Savior was crucified.

On this Good Friday may we reflect on all He did so that we might have life in and through Him.

To help us in our reflection, here are the 7 Sayings of Jesus on the cross as recorded in The Gospels.

May we never take for granted His sacrifice and may we live a life that seeks to honor His Holy Name.

 

In Christ Alone,

Randolph Koch

P.S. Please check out the following Good Friday Resources.

A Devotional - 'The 7 Sayings of Jesus on The Cross':

https://www.bible.com/.../18966-the-7-sayings-of-jesus-on...

A Good Friday Article / Devotional:

https://www.ashepherdsheart.org/.../we-call-it-good...

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https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart

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