FIRST GENERATION RESPONSIBILTY!!!

Today's post may sound a little harsh. But truth sometimes does hurt me.  The truth always proclaims to me what I need to do, whether I do it or not is always my choice.


I am a third generation Hepler from my grandparents, Jim and Cora Hepler.  My grandchildren are third generation from Debbie and me.  But at some point I needed to take on first generation responsibility instead of third generation responsibility. Confused?  Let me explain.


Get out your Bible and read Joshua 24:15.  Joshua proclaims, But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  Joshua is not a "third generation" any more.  He has confidently moved to a first generation with all of its responsibilities. What prepared him for this?


What internally made Joshua want to move up and make the commitment he made?  Maybe these earlier verses will help.  Turn in your Bibles to Exodus 24:13-18.  Joshua is mentioned here as Moses's assistant and he was with Moses on the mountain.  Then Exodus 33:11 says, So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.  And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.  Reading these verses reveal to us the interest and respect Joshua is developing for God.


Joshua is appointed to be Moses's successor in leading the people to the promised land. (Deuteronomy 31:6-8) In Joshua 1:1-9, God commissions Joshua for the job.  Read the instructions God gives him in verses 8-9. This Book of law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do all that is written it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (NKJV) Joshua took God at His word.  The way he desired God and lived for Him was an example to his family and those he was called to lead.  They prospered under Joshua's leadership.  What happened to the second generation?


The second generation followed Joshua, but they did not seem to take on the first generation responsibilities after Joshua died.  In Judges 2:7-10 we read of Joshua's death and then the next generation died, and the third generation that arose after them knew not the Lord nor the work which he had done for Israel.  This is frightening and following this same pattern can cause the third generation of our times to not know the Lord or His works just as it happened back then.


How does this happen today with God's people?


Joshua loved God, led other people to love and obey God, and led his family by his commitment to God saying, " But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua wanted his family and everyone else to know his stand with God.  Joshua reminded God's people by example and reminded them of what God had done for them, and also His commandments for them. Read Joshua chapters 23 and 24.


The next generation, the elders, after Joshua had reminded them in chapter 24 of what God commanded, said they would serve God and obey His voice.  "Now therefore," he said, "put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel."  And the people said to Joshua, "The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!" (Joshua 24:23-24, NKJV) We see in Judges chapter 1:21-34 some did not obey but compromised with the people they were to drive out. Read Judges 2:1-2 The Angel of the Lord tells Israel of their disobedience to God.


The generation of elders did not have the same love and passion for God as Joshua. Their actions did not reflect what they told God they would do. They taught the other generation by their actions toward God that they were not sincere.  Here is the consequence of their attitude and lack of passion for God.  When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.  Joshua had died, the generation after him was now dead.  The second generation knew God  and had seen His great works( Judges 2:7-8), but they failed to help the generation after them to develop a faith in the God of Israel.  This generation did not know God, and we can read what happened to them.


The same happens today in the church when the second generation doesn't grow their faith in God to become as a first generation to their children and grandchildren.  Many times the second generation will ride on the faith of their parents. They will go to worship every Sunday, but they tend to compromise with the world.  The first generation reads and meditates on God's word every day.  They pray everyday and believe God. Their faith is pleasing to God.  Doubt of who God is and what He can do never enters their minds.  They trust in God to bring them through their trials.  They believe and focus on the place God has prepared for them after this life.


The second generation, unless they do the same to build their active faith, will end up coming to worship, sitting in a pew, thinking they are faithful.  God is not first in their lives, and it is shows by the priorities they have.  Many will put their careers or recreation before God. They are like the Israelites we have just read about.  This generation wants to love God and the world.  This is not possible. Read 1John 2:15-16.  This causes the next generation to see through their parent's faith in God by their godless, unchristian living the other six days of the week.


The third generation then does not know God nor have a desire to know Him. They have not been taught how to develop a faith as the first generation or a faith like Joshua.  They quit thinking about God and do everything that is right in their own eyes. (Deuteronomy 12:8, Judges 17:6)  This is a generation that wants abortion, same sex marriages, the Bible removed from schools, and you can look at the news to fill in the rest. ( News bulletin just in: Supreme court ends same sex marriage ban.)  They know not God!


I read the Barna Groups' poll yesterday and they said that 45% of the people in the U.S. today are unchurched.  No wonder they just lifted the ban on same sex marriages.  The second generation has compromised God's word with allowing the world to come into their hearts.  We haven't begun to see what is going to come out of the third generation that knows not God.


This is going to happen when you do not have any first generations like Joshua to build the faith of the people.  Second generations, you have just been playing "church" and the third generation knows it, and they don't care anymore.


The big question is this, and please be honest with yourself?  Which generation are you? Do you enjoy going to worship the God who created you and sent His son to die for you, each Sunday? Where you there last Sunday? Do you pray to God each day?  Do you enjoy reading and meditating on His word each day?  When was the last time you did this? Have your children or grandchildren ever seen you pray or reading God's word? Had you rather listen to the ideas of men on how to live your Christian life or, do you dig into God's word and find out for yourself? Do you really know God, or are you of the generation that does not know God?


Tough questions?  You bet! They are meant to be! I have already been through them myself.  We need more men like Joshua.  Joshua wanted his people to know where he stood. I had to make that same gut wrenching decision myself.  I asked myself a few years ago, do I want to play church and have my children do the same?  I don't say this boasting, but I made the choice for me and my house to follow the Lord and serve Him.  I want the world to know where I stand on this.  I am not self- righteous because I am not nor never will be good enough. Only Christ's dying and shedding of His blood makes me righteous before God. If I love Him, I will keep his commandments.


In past blog post I have shown God's solutions to the problems we are having today in our country. Solutions, no matter who they come from, will never work unless they are used and acted upon.  I want to see my third generation in heaven someday.  I want them to know God. I want and pray my children will move from second generation to first generation in their devotion to God. They are following God's pattern to do it. What about you? Your children? Your grandchildren?  When was the last time you taught them about God?  Is their faith like yours?


The shepherd boy David developed a faith strong enough to slay a giant.  We can do the same. We have many giants to slay. If we do not do anything to teach our children and grandchildren what God views as sin, they will think same sex marriages, fornication and living anyway you feel like it is ok and not a sin.  God is not going to change his mind.  The supreme court does not have any weight with Him.


I love God, my wife, my family, and you.  We live in a fallen world. We are not going to make it pain free and without troubles, but Jesus is preparing us a place that is.  We just need to believe Him, obey Him, and love Him.


Any comments? You can go to www.rhepler52@gmail.com to comment or you can share on facebook below.  You can also go to www.amazon.com to preview and purchase my books.


I would not be writing blog post or books if I did not care about your soul's destiny, and the direction our country is going.  Don't think you are too bad to change. You can change or repent today if the direction you are headed is not the one you want your children and grandchildren to follow. Go to God's word.  See what was told to the early Christians on what they had to do to be saved.  Remember, with God all things are possible. (Matt.19:26; Mark 9:23)


Have a good weekend.


Rick






 

"Mr. Bill". Yep! He's My Dad

This Sunday is Father's Day. We have an opportunity on this day to honor our fathers and to remember those fathers who have passed away.  I am fortunate.  My dad is still living.


My dad is not world famous.  He was not a professional ball player, movie star, politician, doctor or lawyer, etc... . He has worked in factories and on the farm.  He is still working at age 83.  But I am so proud of the job he has had for the last several years.


My dad is the Peyton Manning and LeBron James of the Walmart greeters.  In at least 2 counties he is widely known as "Mr. Bill".  Dad loves his co-workers and everyone entering the door of Walmart.  It does not matter to him what ethnic group, color or age you are, he wants to be your friend.


He is also not ashamed to share his faith.  If he sees a co-worker troubled, he always tries to encourage them with God's word. He is always eager to tell them about Jesus.  When dad dies, the preacher will not have to tell the friends and family that dad loved the Lord.  They already know it. He leaves no doubt in his life about who his God is.


Dad is not going to leave his sons millions to inherit, but here are 3 major things he has already done for us.  He confidently many years ago made the same statement Joshua made in Joshua 24:15, But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. This has been his and mom's blueprint on raising 3 boys.  Next, He did what Paul recommended in Ephesians 6:4, And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.  This started me down the path of desiring God more and more each day.  Lastly, dad obeyed this scripture in its entirety.  It is found in Ephesians 5:25.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her.  He has loved mom and been married to her since November 1950.  I do believe he would die for her as Christ died for the church.  He loves her that much.


I have greatly benefited in this life by my dad believing in, and living the above 3 scriptures.  I honestly believe if everyone had a father like mine, many families in our country today would be stronger and there would be less immorality and crime because of it. 


Are you a young father?  Think about using the same 3 scriptures my dad used to guide your family. I do and it is working for me just like it did for dad.


Dad, if your reading this, Happy Father's Day.  Love you and mom.  Thanks for all you have done for us.




Rickey

Whose Words are You Living By?

Have you ever given any thought about words?  From the beginning of time until now, words have been a part of it all.  Without words nothing was made. ( Please read 1 John 1:1-3 and Hebrews 11:3.) Words are used to instruct us, encourage us, destroy us, condemn us, describe us, and motivate us, among a few.

Technology has changed the way words are exchanged.  Trillions of words are exchanged every second by every medium you can think of. It doesn't matter what medium words are exchanged in, their definitions remain the same.
We are a conduit for words exposing truths or words  propagating falsehoods. James, in James 3:1 warns those who teach the word to be cautious, because they will receive a stricter judgment on how they choose and handle the words they proclaim.


The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:160, The entirety of your word is truth... .  Psalm 119 is meditations on the excellencies of the word of God.  Before we believe the words we read or hear, we need to know the credibility or authority of the one proclaiming them.  The most credible author is God. Please go to John 12:47-50 and read what Jesus says about rejecting words from God.



Now I want to present to you some words, credibility has already been verified, which stir me to thinking about what is important in this life. I can focus on obtaining everything this world has to offer (1 John 2:15-17) or I can focus on having a pleasing faith before God. (Hebrews 11:6)



Read these next verses of Matthew 16:26. Read this when you are alone and I pray you will have the courage to answer this one important question.  Are you exchanging anything for your soul? What is it? Do you really understand the consequences?  Whose words have you chosen to live by?  What are those words carrying? Truth or fallacy?  Whichever ones you choose, your last breath will assign them to you forever.



Here are the words I want you to read.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  This is it. What are you gaining and losing in your life? Are you gaining eternal life and losing the world or gaining the world and losing your soul?  Jesus was tempted to gain the whole world.  He turned it down. (Matthew 4:8-11) When the Devil tempts you with this world's glory, are you going to turn it down like Jesus did? Are you sowing to the flesh or the Spirit? (Galatians 6:8)

Thanks for reading.


Rick

When Humility is Like Rain Water to a Garden

I enjoy having a nice garden.  I do not have one this year, because of the rain and other things going on.  I have had beautiful and productive gardens in the past.  The best year was the year I had a soil sample done to see if anything was lacking in the soil for growing vegetables.  After getting the test results, I applied the recommended fertilizer and lime to the soil.  I prepared the seed bed, purchased the desired plants and seeds, and spent my Saturday  planting.


Have you ever planted a garden in the spring?  The smell of the turned over soil is so refreshing.  The feeling of accomplishment you get when you have spent a day of hard labor and stand back visualizing the anticipated results.  I don't know about you, but I would be like a kid at Christmas each day, checking to see if anything I had planted was coming up.  When everything is about 2 or 3 inches tall and the tomato plants are staked, the once bare spot of ground comes alive.  Each morning I would drink my coffee out by the garden to admire its progress and its beauty.


Having a beautiful garden is like being a shepherd over a flock of sheep.  You have to watch over it each day.  You have to be very vigilant and persistent in keeping the weeds and pest from taking over. I would walk over the garden once a day, chopping out the weeds as they first sprouted.  Letting them grow to maturity would be disastrous in 2 ways.  Weeds rob your plants of moisture, and if left to mature they insure an abundance of weeds for your next season.


One year I did all of the above.  The garden looked great.  It began producing vegetables then something happened that I could not control.  The weather turned very hot and the rains stopped.  I started trying to water everything, but I just couldn't keep up with the heat.  The garden needed a slow, steady rain to replenish the moisture in the ground and to cool everything down.  We didn't get it.


My beautiful plants started wilting and then dying. My enthusiasm was overtaken by the heat and drought and I gave up on the garden for that year, hoping for a better one the next year.  I had done everything I could do to have a good garden.  The one thing I couldn't do to help each plant produce to its fullest potential was give it the needed rain each week.  Without the rain the garden dried up and died.


Now, to the point I am trying to make.  I want you to think of our country as the above garden. We work hard each day to have a good country.  Some depend on the government (fertilizer), no pun intended, to make it grow.  We think our politicians can accomplish this for us.  Many think of the need for more jobs (seeds) so our citizens can prosper by earning a living to provide for our families, (bear fruit).  I and others are concerned with our country not believing in God and obeying His commandments (drought). This has led to sins in our society that are an abomination to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  The consequence is a country (garden) that will not  produce good morals (fruit) this year, nor next year as well, and many years after that.  Our grandchildren will inherit a godless and secular country(barren garden spot with only weeds) without the knowledge of God (rain) to bring them out of it.  What do we do?


Has this happened to a nation before? I ask you at this time to pick up your Bible and read Deuteronomy 8:11-20.  Notice the last verse of this chapter.  As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you will not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.   Is this happening to us? Has our country left God and is she not obedient to His word anymore? Do we have a solution? Are the solutions electing the right people, appointing conservative judges for the supreme court, putting prayer back in school, teaching God's word in public schools, or making more laws to control the hate, greed, and pride? An Absolute No!!!


Here is what we need to do.  Just like I couldn't make it rain on my garden, protecting it from drought, I cannot make our country better.  I can't make the sensual sins, greed, hatred or godlessness go away.  But I know who can.


A few years ago there was a Pew poll publish showing that 78 percent of the citizens in our country were Christians.  That being the case, 78 percent of this country are called by God's name.  Why is that important?  This means that approximately 78 percent of this country have been given the solution (they each have a Bible or can get one) to bring this country back to be blessed by God again. Each of us can do one simple thing, if we want a great country for our grandchildren to inherit.  The simple thing that everyone called by God's name can do is:  If My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 0(2 Chronicles 7:14, NKJV)


If I will humble myself; that is surrender; be brought low; allow to be brought into subjection; show a consciousness of my defects or short comings; and be not proud; the first step God ask me to do has been taken.  What does all this mean?  I will give up my ideology, selfishness, pride, self righteousness, sins, shortcomings, defects, anything else that rules me, and allow God to have the keys to my life.


Why should I humble myself before God.  Can you think of any greater being, power, or creator to be humbled by?  Are you thinking of being humbled by mankind and his wisdom?  You can forget that.  That's why we are in this mess to start with.


Next, He says to pray.  We need to make sure we do not regard iniquity in our hearts when we pray, because He will not hear us. (Psalm 66:18) He then says seek my face.  If you or I are harboring sin in our life we will not seek His face. We will be like Adam and Eve trying to hide from Him when they sinned.  We need to be able to confidently and boldly come before His throne as His children, so we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)


As God's children we need to turn (Repent) from the wicked ways  of the world we are hanging on to.  (1 John 2:15-16)  We cannot be a friend of the world and change anything.  We need God's help, and we will not get it by wanting to be a friend of the world. (James 4:4)


When we do these things, what comes next may be something we have never seen in our lifetime. God says, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  When we, as God's people, do this, God will work a work in our days we have never seen. Look at the response Habakkuk received when he cried out to God. God answers  Habakkuk's cry in Habakkuk 1:5,  Look among the nations and watch- Be utterly astounded!  For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you. (NKJV) We have to have the faith He can do it again.


What would God heal our land from?  What do we need to be healed from?  What about killing over a million babies a year?  What about families that have been divided by adultery and fornication? What about teaching our children that God didn't really create the world as God said He did? What about all of the works of the Devil that have created strongholds in this country?


Doing what we are doing now is not working.  We need to do it God's way.  What God tells us to do will only work if we follow that first step of humbling ourselves before the Lord.  We are told this also in 1 Peter 5:6 and James 4:10.  When I started studying humility and then being humble, a peace came over me.  Not seeing myself better than anyone else has paved the way to humbling myself before God.  I don't care who you are, what color you are, what sins you are doing, God loves you and me equally.  We are both so special to Him that His only Son, God the Son, humbled himself, came from heaven, lived a sinless life in the flesh, and died for us, so we might be saved.  All we have to do is to humble ourselves before God, believe and do what He commands us to do.


Do you see how our humility before God can be compared to a rain on my garden?  It lets God work with  and through His people to show there is a God in heaven.  We also are then able to fulfill for Him all He has created us to be as His children. Just like good rains on a garden can produce a bumper crop.


I have used God's word the last few post to  give us some solutions to get our country back to where she needs to be.  We can either keep grumbling about it and wait for the government to do something about it or use His solutions to change our hearts first.  Ok,  I want to practice what I preach.  I have humbled myself before God. I am praying fervently for our land and seeking His face.  I have let go of my pride and self righteous arrogance, and I have started loving as God loves.  I delight in His words and want to show God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit that I love them by keeping their commands.


Do you trust God at His word?  Are you concerned about the state we are going to leave this country in for our grandchildren?  Will they grow up, die, and miss heaven because no one was around to teach them the gospel of Christ? Will they have a faith like David to slay their giants?  They won't if the people called by God's name do nothing.  Come on friends. We can do it.  God has always been there for us. He is with us, for us, and has power we don't have. Let's humble ourselves before Him and ask Him every day to help us do it.


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Thanks for reading and all the comments.


Rick

"Sic 'em Poochy" Was All I Had to Say

One of the many blessings I have had in life was growing up on the farm. Another blessing was having a dog named "Poochy"  He was a beagle hound. Beagle hounds are known for chasing rabbits, but Poochy would chase any kind of animal.  All I had to do was to say, Sic 'em Poochy , and it would stir his little heart up to ferocious chasing activities.


At my command he attacked our 2000 pound Charolais bull, dug into a skunk's den and brought him out (we all got in trouble for that one), chased rabbits, ground hogs, raccoons, and maybe a few people. He was a very loyal dog and was activated with the simple command of "sic 'em".


This started me to thinking about what stirs me up to do the things I was created by God to do.  Poochy was doing exactly what he was created to do and then some. What about me?  What words stir me up to take action?  Poochy knew how to chase because I pointed out to him what to chase. What do I get stirred up about and chase?  What God given talent do I have that needs to be stirred up to serve God to my fullest?  What about you? What gets you stirred up for your creator, God? What talent has God created you with?


What stirred the shepherd boy, David, up when he went to visit his brothers fighting the Philistines? His love for God and his faith were developed while he was shepherding his father's sheep in the wilderness.  He learned to trust and believe in God when he admired God's creation every day and night.  He depended on and trusted in God's deliverance.  When he saw and heard Goliath defying the armies of the living God, David said, "Is there not a cause?"  The cause was a Philistine giant had defied the army's of the living God, and David wanted them to know there was a God in Israel. David was stirred from that point on to serve and bring glory and honor to God.


The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy to stir up the gift of God that was in him by the laying on of his hands. ( 2 Timothy 1:6) Paul knew what Timothy was capable of doing, and he encouraged him. Peter, in 2 Peter 1:13 said,  Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,... ( Please read 2 Peter 1:1-15 to see what he was stirring them up to remember)  Also, in 2 Peter 3:1-9, Peter says, he writes to them again in this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder). Please read also the rest of the chapter to find out what he wants us to remember. The Hebrew writer in Hebrews 10:24 said, And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,... Paul's spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city of Athens given over to idols.  (Acts 17:16)


Back to what stirs me up. There are many things in this life that stir me up.  If you read my books or my blog you already know a few of them.  If I wasn't stirred up I never would have written a word in the first place.  The number one thing that stirs me up is when Satan tries his best to get me not to obey the greatest command.  He will use deception, trials, other people, fear,  a weakened  faith, doubt, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and finally the pride of life to get me not to obey this command. He hates us, as well as God, and does everything to get us away from God.  Why?  He knows we are so precious to God, and he can hurt God by us dying lost and not taking advantage of  the salvation that Jesus provides us in His death.  If he can get me not to obey this greatest command, then he can lure me away from God and accomplish his goal.
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The greatest command as Jesus calls it is, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:36, NKJV) Again we are warned there can be nothing else to share the number one commandment with. 1 John 2: 15-17 says we cannot share this love with the world, and John describes what this is in verse 16.  These are the tools of deception the Devil has been using since the beginning of time.
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This is what stirs me up, as saying sic'em stirred my dog Poochy up. I do not want to be deceived in not obeying God, who loves me so much, by a created being that is preying on my destruction. (1 Peter 5:8) I especially do not want any of my family, friends, or brothers and sisters of humanity to fall for the same deception.  When I learn to obey this commandment, my life will be transformed in such a way I have never seen.  When all of God's people are stirred to obey God in this way, our children and grandchildren will have a better tomorrow as God's people.  When we do not obey God in this way, what will the tomorrow of our children and grandchildren look like?  All I can say is to Satan and his deception is, sic 'em and use Ephesians 6:10-20 to sic 'em with.  Amen???


When I told Poochy to sic'em, he just did it. I think he wasn't afraid because he knew I had his back. How did he know this?  Most of the time I had my shotgun with me.  Was he smart enough to know this?  He was a small dog and never backed down. You decide.
Can you and I live the way God wants u to live and use His methods to attack the sins of the world without fear? Yes.  Does God have our back? Read Romans 8:31-39. I think He does.


This is a quote I received in an e-mail this week. There was not an author named. Thieves only steal what is valuable.  The enemy is only attacking you because you're valuable to God.  Thieves don't break into an empty house.  You are important.



Do you want to build a strong faith like David?  He was faced with many trials early in life, yet he killed the giant, Goliath, with everyone thinking it could not be done.  We have some immoral giants in our world today. They are defying the children of the living God as Goliath did.  They are named Abortion, Evolution, and Sexual Immorality.  Look at the damage they have done in our country since 1970.  Can God's people defeat these giants?  Read my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, to read how David developed a giant slaying faith.  You can go to www.amazon.com to preview and purchase the book.


Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com.


Thanks for reading.                    "Sic 'em Poochy"
Rick