November 2021 Memory Verses.

My Friend,

It is fitting that we give thanks and give gratitude daily to The Lord for Who He is, all He's done, and all He continues to do.

So, for the month of November I've suggested 4 brief verses, of the many, that are in God's Word for your memorization.

Here are the memory verses for November: Psalm 100:4, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 9:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

May your heart, soul, mind, and life be filled with thanksgiving and gratitude to The Lord no matter the circumstances you face!

As always, I've suggested the ESV version which is the version I use most often, however, if you have another good word for word translation you enjoy, feel free to memorize it in that version. It's completely up to you.

You'll notice that following the verses 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!

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, and Telegram)

_

#scripture #memorization #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #Jesus #Bible #GodsWord #heart #mind #soul #strength #HolySpirit #encourage #encouragement #Christian #Christianity #Christfollower #livelifeonpurpose #reshare #faithblogger #love #ashepherdsheart

9 Things You Should Remember & Be Encouraged By About God Day-by-Day.

Hello Friend!  

Here are 9 of the many things you should remember and be encouraged by about God day-by-day.
 

Check out this video here: https://youtu.be/nPxR_DlgRfQ

He is The Only Way!

John 14:6

He Loves you!

Ephesians 3:18-19, Psalm 5:11-12, John 3:16

He is Faithful! 

Hebrews 10:23 and Deuteronomy 31:6

He is for you!

Romans 8:31

He is Good!

Psalm 119:68

He is your deliverer!

Psalm 34:4

He is your sustainer!

Psalm 54:4

He always hears you! 

1 John 5:14-15

He is with you always!

Matthew 28:20 and Joshua 1:9

May you be lifted up!

Please pass this encouragement on to others.

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, and Telegram)

Seasons Of Change.

I was walking this morning and enjoying the beautiful fall leaves when I started to hear God speaking to me through them. 

He showed me that the most beautiful leaves are the ones that are changing and blemished. How cool is that?

I started to think about all of us and how God changes us as we grow in Him and work toward the day of perfection and I guess I’ve always thought about the beginning and the ending but not the middle. The part that is CHANGING. 

Changing is hard. It’s work. It’s leaving old things and clinging to the new. It’s dark and ugly sometimes but as I looked at the leaves I began to see that the dark spots just made them more beautiful. It wasn’t the perfectly changed leaves that I felt God pointing out to me – it was the ones with blemishes that were the most colorful and beautiful. 

We don’t have to be beautiful or perfect to be seen and loved by God. He sees perfection in us because He sees us through Christ. 

I think my walk away today was simply to revel in the beauty of the change and not let myself be discouraged by the blemishes life and choices may have left in me – that’s beauty to God because it means I’m growing and changing and that’s beauty to others because it means I’m human and relatable. 

We all have things we go through that are hard. Some things happen TO us and some things happen BECAUSE of us – our choices. But what if we’re willing to share those things with others and let them see the beauty they are becoming in us as we change and grow? 

What if instead of dwelling on them and staying where we are, we decided to use them as a catalyst for even more growth? Just something to think about. Romans 12:2 ESV

In Christ,

Angela Koch

Picture of fall leaves by Angela Koch

We're blessed to have Angela Koch as a guest contributor to A Shepherd's Heart. Angela is the wife of Randolph Koch, Founder and Servant-Shepherd of A Shepherd's Heart. She hails from the Pacific Northwest in the USA where she actively and passionately lives life on purpose for The Lord as she uses her many gifts, talents, and skills to bless others. We prayerfully look forward to further guest posts from Angela in the future.

Connect with A Shepherd's Heart: https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Website, YouVersion, Telegram, Whatsapp, and More).

August 2021 - October 2021 Memory Verses.

Hello Friend,

Here are the August through October memory verses. 

This is a bit of a catch-up as with summer and other activities I realized I posted on other locations but didn't post here to share directly with you!?!

As always, I've suggested the ESV version which is the version I use most often, however, if you have another good word for word translation you enjoy, feel free to memorize it in that version. It's completely up to you.

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!

You're in my prayers and please reach out if you need any tips.
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch

#memorization #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #Jesus #Bible #GodsWord #heart #mind #soul #strength #HolySpirit #encourage #encouragement #Christian #Christianity #Christfollower #ashepherdsheart #livelifeonpurpose #reshare #faithblogger #love #ashepherdsheart

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

Fundraiser:

If you'd are able to help in a friend helping a friend endeavor, 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

Or, if you'd rather not help through gofundme, you can share directly via

Venmo: ashepherdsheart or Cash App: ashepherdsheart

PayPal: giving@ashepherdsheart.org

_

or you can use your favorite app to send to giving@ashepherdsheart.org.

_

Thanks and many blessings!

The A Shepherd's Heart Team

P.S. If you have any questions, please see the FAQ Here.

Starting Each Day With Fresh Faith.

My Friend,

Just as God's mercies are new every morning, we need to rise up each day to greet those new mercies with fresh faith in The Lord fueled by the power of The Holy Spirit.

It's through faith that we're justified and it's through faith that we have access to His grace and its faith in Jesus that we can have and know true hope. (See Romans 5:1-5)

It's also by faith that we have assurance in and through Him and helps us fully live life as we put our faith into action just like many who have gone before us. (See Hebrews 11)

We need to have constant faith and the faith you had yesterday was for that day really and each day we need to have faith for each new day He provides us as we walk with Jesus.

To walk by faith requires you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and not the crashing waves that seem to be appearing around you.

Let me encourage you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus my friend and keep walking by faith and living with fresh faith relying on Him day-by-day.

Take time to read, study, and take to heart Romans 5:1-5 and Hebrews 11 for starters and seek to start each day with fresh faith.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

_

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

Fundraiser:

If you'd are able to help in a friend helping a friend endeavor, 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

Or, if you'd rather not help through gofundme, you can share directly via Venmo: ashepherdsheart or Cash App: ashepherdsheart

or you can use your favorite app to send to giving@ashepherdsheart.org.

Thanks and many blessings!

The A Shepherd's Heart Team

P.S. A Shepherd's Heart is not a 501c(3) organization so again, this is a friends helping a friend endeavor such as helping an individual missionary.

5 Affirmations From God's Word.

My Friend,

Everyday, and especially in these uncertain and tumultuous times, may you seek The Lord all the more for truth, wisdom, affirmation, encouragement, identity, and more!

Here are 5 Affirmations from God's Word for you and coinciding scriptures for you to read, study, and take to heart.

Let's pray for one another in Jesus name.

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

Here are some recent post via my YouTube Channel:

• https://youtu.be/8QZFXpqHUJE
• https://youtu.be/wgI23bF4r0Y
• https://youtu.be/35UoOxSZxxo
• https://youtu.be/nB0lfX7AN1k
• https://youtu.be/4ThGJAELw_4

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

_

Fundraiser:

If you'd are able to help in a friend helping a friend endeavor, 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

Or, if you'd rather not help through gofundme, you can share directly via Venmo: ashepherdsheart or Cash App: ashepherdsheart

or you can use your favorite app to send to giving@ashepherdsheart.org.

Thanks and many blessings!

The A Shepherd's Heart Team

No, You Can't Have Your Own Truth.

My friend,

We live in a time where The Truth is under attack. A time where the world thinks the truth is for sale, that the truth is "relative" (no absolute truths), where people are really big on proclaiming that they live by "their truth" and that you should live by "your truth". From a secular perspective, it may seem appealing but is it really truth and where does it end?

The truth always leads us somewhere and it should bring about lasting change and boundaries to live by but I'm not convinced that the world's "truth" is really the truth.

The truth today it's less about truth and more about people thinking their opinion is the truth no matter how untrue and baseless what they are saying is.

In "living their truth" it often seems like they are trying to somehow justify a ton of sinful behaviors, push baseless claims, and again to push an opinion which doesn't really equate to "truth". Basically, it's a "leave me alone with "my truth (opinions)" and "however I want to live my life no matter what" viewpoint.

To be 100% clear, while we all have opinions, there is no your truth, my truth, or their truth. There are only opinions and The Truth and The Truth will set you free, not keep you in bondage.

Furthermore, you can try to live "your truth" and they can try to live "their truth" but in the end, it will lead to destruction because it's not The Truth.

Let me remind and encourage you that as followers of Christ, we are to live by God's Truth which is The Truth and as we do, we are also to speak The Truth in love.

As we pursue The Truth, let me also encourage you to make sure that in sharing your opinions and taking in other opinions, to pray and then check it against the lens of Truth which is God's Word, before you communicate it or take in the opinions of others.

May we make it our prayer that we would be led by and live by God's Truth through The Holy Spirit always in Jesus’ name and may we never be swayed by or buy into "truth" of this world.

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) 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

#faith #hope #truth #love #wisdom #life #Jesus #jesusistheway #Bible #GodsWord

#heart #mind #soul #ashepherdsheart

There's A Difference Between Information And Transformation.

My Friend,

You can be saved, know a lot about the Bible, you can talk the talk, you can attend church regularly, know a bunch of information, and do a lot of other great things and yet, you can still choose to live a life that is not in transformation.

If your life consists of just checking off the boxes regarding all these things and not allowing God to change you from the inside out, you may know a bunch of information but you know nothing about transformation and you're stunting your own growth in the process.

You just can't fake it until you make it when it comes to the things of The Lord.

You see, God has begun the transformation in you through saving you...bringing you from spiritual death to spiritual life through His son Jesus but after this, you have to be willing to receive God's help in transforming you day-by-day as you put on the new self and life He's given you.

You have to walk the walk my friend...and that is an act not of legalism but of faith, obedience, will, desire, and a matter of the heart.

You have to want Him to change you and seek after the transformation that only He can truly provide.

To be transformed is a command (I.E. Romans 12:2) and in part it's a process, and it's also a gift from God but again, it's a gift you have to be willing to receive because He will not force transformation upon you but if being transformed isn't the objective for you then you are truly missing out on the complete life He wants you to live for Him if you don't allow Him to transform you day-by-day.

There's A Difference Between Information And Transformation.

Don't seek just after information and head knowledge but seek transformation by seeking The One Who has begun and will finish the transforming work in you.

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) 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

_

#faith #hope #truth #love #wisdom #life #Jesus #transformation #Bible #GodsWord

#heart #mind #soul #strength

#bibletime #biblestudy #dailybible #HolySpirit #christianblogger

#faithblogger

#bibleinspiration #oldtestament #newtestament #encouragement #Christian #Christianity #Christfollower #ashepherdsheart #livelifeonpurpose #reshare

July 2021 Memory Verse.

My Friend,

Here's July's memory verse: Galatians 2:20

I've suggested the ESV version which is the version I use most often, however, if you have another good word for word translation you enjoy, feel free to memorize it in that version. It's completely up to you.

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!

You're in my prayers and please reach out if you need any tips.
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch

#memorization #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #Jesus #Bible #GodsWord #heart #mind #soul #strength #HolySpirit #encourage #encouragement #Christian #Christianity #Christfollower #ashepherdsheart #livelifeonpurpose #reshare #faithblogger #love #ashepherdsheart
 

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