Have you ever been put in this situation? It is a Sunday afternoon, you are getting ready to take a nap and the phone rings. Someone you haven't seen in years is just passing through town and would like to come by for a visit. You have been busy all weekend with the kids, dishes from lunch are in the sink, kid's clothes and toys are scattered from one end of the house to the other and they say, " We will be there in about 20 minutes" .
You hang up the phone, and immediately your body goes into emergency house cleaning mode. You are praying that they don't ask for a tour of the house. You only have time for cleaning what is visible and you ask, "why of all days, did they choose today to visit?" .
I remember when I was a child, mother was in the hospital for about a week. You can imagine what our house looked like, with Dad and the three of us boys there a week at home without Mom's supervision. It was a "Jesse Moment". Jesse lived down the road and if there was an Olympic game for the quickest house cleaning, I believe Jesse would win the gold metal. She would come in the door cleaning and we sure didn't need mother coming home to a dirty house. Dad would always go get her when we needed major house cleaning.
We all like to have a clean house when company comes. We don't want people to say that our house was a mess. Oh, the stress of what we think people may say about us when they leave. We always say this will never happen again then gradually we let this lay around or do not pick up that and the house needs a thorough cleaning again.
Most of the time we stress the importance of the externals, a clean house, car, shoes, windows, etc., but forget about the internal matters of the heart. In Matthew 23:24-26, Jesus reminded the Pharisees of this very thing. They had a heart, inside, problem and He stressed to them to first cleanse the inside, that the outside would be clean also.
In Psalms 51:10, David prayed for God to create a clean heart in him and renew a steadfast spirit within him. Why did David want God to create in him a clean heart? David had a weakness, the lust of the flesh, that led him to adultery with Bathsheba. (Read 2 Samuel 11:1-4) The 51st Psalm is a prayer of repentance from David to God. David knew his weakness and the thought in his heart that led him to sin against God. He wanted a clean heart, so those thoughts, which he still had in his mind, would never surface again to tempt him. Also, he wanted a steadfast spirit to help him control those thoughts.
The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Also, in Matthew 15:19, Christ says, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness and blasphemies." I now know why David wanted God to create in him a clean heart. He knew the internal battle he would have each day. He needed a clean heart and steadfast spirit to keep those past thoughts from tempting him again. Also, David valued his relationship with God. A relationship developed when he was young. When he strayed from God, he knew God well enough to confess to Him and go back to Him.
When we have a clean house, it makes us feel good. We are prepared for visitors. We have to do certain task each day to keep it that way. As mother would meet us at the door, "take those muddy shoes off before you come in the house", we must be gatekeepers of our own hearts, keeping out thoughts of the past, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
What if we, as a country, prayed to God , "Create a clean heart in us O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us" ? What would begin to happen? What if you prayed this prayer? Would your life be different?
After writing this, I realized the thoughts generated by every day life can clutter up a clean heart. The TV and Internet are two main sources of making a clean heart dirty. As mother would not let us boys come into the house with muddy shoes, we should not let this filth come into our hearts.
Please pray that we all will desire clean hearts and steadfast spirits.
Please share this with others and send your comments to: rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com .
We can't make a difference alone, but we can with God. He needs to know we want to make a difference. Pray! Pray! Pray!
Thanks for reading!
Rick Hepler
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Do We Have Weeds In The Garden?
Weed: a plant considered, unattractive, or troublesome, especially one growing where it is not wanted, as in a garden. (American Heritage Dictionary)
I have written about my enjoyment of gardening in past post. I think in order to to have a productive, beautiful garden, the most important task is to keep the weeds out. Weeds, if allowed to grow in the garden, can take needed moisture and nutrients from your desired plants, and if left to mature, they can produce numerous seeds that will present a problem for years to come.
When my children were young and wanted to help me in the garden , I would ask them to chop or pull the weeds out. It didn't take me long to realize, they did not know a tomato plant from a weed. I just assumed they knew. I was wrong. I had to teach them the difference between an vegetable plant and weeds. Also, I had to explain why we chopped the weeds out.
I explained to them that a good gardener can identify the different weeds and chop them out, because if you allow them to remain, they will produce hundreds of seeds that will sprout every year. Eventually, the once beautiful and productive garden is lost to the weeds.
All gardens have weeds, but only productive ones are weed free from daily weeding by the gardener.
The christian life is like a garden. When a person becomes a christian they are babes in Christ, just like a newly planted garden. To grow and be fruitful in the Kingdom , they must know how to identify sin (weeds) and each day work not allowing sin to get rooted in their life. Like in the garden, they can't allow any sin (weed) to stand. Sin left in your heart will only spread and choke out your christian life. A christian must be vigilant every day, the same as a good gardener weeding his garden each day.
What would happen if I didn't train my children to properly identify weeds and to chop them out? Or what if they left some weeds to grow because they looked pretty to them? What if they mistakenly left the weeds they called good and chopped out the good garden plants which produce good fruit because these plants did not look as good as the weeds? How long would it take for that once beautiful, productive garden to get choked out by the weeds my children let stand because they liked the way weeds looked in the garden.
Weeds in the garden, if left to stand and grow, choke out the plants that provide food and nourishment to us, and they eventually are left dead or unproductive.
Sin in the heart does the same thing to a Christian's life. Sin if allowed to be full grown, brings spiritual death. (James 1:14-15) (NKJV)
I learned to identify weeds from my parents, but specifically from a weed science class I took in college. I also learned from my parents what was sin. Then as I read God's word, I learned the different types of sin, their causes, and the results of practicing them. To be a faithful Christian, I cannot call any sin good, let it grow, and manifest in my life. It would be as unproductive, as a garden overcome with weeds, and my christian life would be choked out to die.
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20) (NKJV) When I leave a sin in my life that I like participating in, am I calling evil good? When the leaders of this great country support what God calls an abomination as good, and protects it with laws, and those who call this evil are called several names and may even be arrested, is this what Isaiah 5:20 is referring to ?
When I enjoy a beautiful garden, my desire is to keep it beautiful and to keep the weeds out. All of them! No weed should be desirable to me because of its harm to the garden. To enjoy a beautiful Christian life I must have the desire to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. The actions that God calls sin, I must also call sin and not let it have a place in my heart.
Can I change from a sinful life? (Read in 1Cor. 6:9-11) If I call myself a Christian can I continue allowing the sins of the past in my life that the goodness of God's grace will over look? (Read Romans 6:1-6)
What happens when I am tempted and sin on occasion? Continue to walk in the light confessing the sin and the blood of Christ washes the sin away. (Read 1John 1:1-5)
By the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we now have weeds in our gardens, and sin in this world, because of their disobedience to God's command. But God loves us so much, that He already had a plan if place that would wash that sin away and make us righteous before Him.
In our country today we have a sin problem. It seems that we are at the place of no return, but with God all things are possible. (Read Matthew 19:25-26)
Allowing weeds to remain and grow in the garden never has and never will be productive. Common sense tells us this and also we can see it with our own eyes. Allowing sin to flourish in the churches and this country does the same thing. Do we not have eyes to see this?
Can you imagine what the world and our country would be like if every one who claims to be a christian, spoke the same thing, identified sin as God does, called evil for what it is, and embraced the goodness of God?
The cost of doing this will not run our country's deficit up. The price has already been paid. God's Son, Jesus, died on the cross and paid it in full. Some do not believe in God nor His Son, or they believe in Him, but do not follow Him in the way He has instructed. We can perfectly see the results of this today. Our garden is overtaken by weeds and is now non productive and almost choked out.
What if we all pitched in and chopped the garden out? How would we do it?
For a start, we all need to read, 2Ch 7:14 and James 4:10 and believe it. Do you believe God's ways or man's ways can get us out of this mess? I think I will go with God's. You do remember He created us and the whole universe? He sure did not create this mess we are in today. ( I believe man did.) I think I am going to go with God's way.
This does not begin with someone else. It starts with me. I need to identify any weeds in my garden and then eagerly and lovingly help my brothers and sisters in humanity to do the same.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". (Philippians 3:13) (NKJV)
Can I do this? Can you? Can we do it together? If we do not desire to take any action, what will our grand children's garden look like? Will it be our fault if they lose their garden to weeds?
Please send this to all of your friends and family to read and pass on. Let us have courage to follow God and His ways instead of man's. Do you think we can do this with God's help? Let me know if there is a better solution out there, because if we continue on the path we are on, it is leading us to definitely a huge weed patch.
Please have the courage to comment at rhepler52@gmail.com or rhepler52@yahoo.com . All comments are confidential.
Thank you so much for reading this and the encouragement you always give.
Rick
I have written about my enjoyment of gardening in past post. I think in order to to have a productive, beautiful garden, the most important task is to keep the weeds out. Weeds, if allowed to grow in the garden, can take needed moisture and nutrients from your desired plants, and if left to mature, they can produce numerous seeds that will present a problem for years to come.
When my children were young and wanted to help me in the garden , I would ask them to chop or pull the weeds out. It didn't take me long to realize, they did not know a tomato plant from a weed. I just assumed they knew. I was wrong. I had to teach them the difference between an vegetable plant and weeds. Also, I had to explain why we chopped the weeds out.
I explained to them that a good gardener can identify the different weeds and chop them out, because if you allow them to remain, they will produce hundreds of seeds that will sprout every year. Eventually, the once beautiful and productive garden is lost to the weeds.
All gardens have weeds, but only productive ones are weed free from daily weeding by the gardener.
The christian life is like a garden. When a person becomes a christian they are babes in Christ, just like a newly planted garden. To grow and be fruitful in the Kingdom , they must know how to identify sin (weeds) and each day work not allowing sin to get rooted in their life. Like in the garden, they can't allow any sin (weed) to stand. Sin left in your heart will only spread and choke out your christian life. A christian must be vigilant every day, the same as a good gardener weeding his garden each day.
What would happen if I didn't train my children to properly identify weeds and to chop them out? Or what if they left some weeds to grow because they looked pretty to them? What if they mistakenly left the weeds they called good and chopped out the good garden plants which produce good fruit because these plants did not look as good as the weeds? How long would it take for that once beautiful, productive garden to get choked out by the weeds my children let stand because they liked the way weeds looked in the garden.
Weeds in the garden, if left to stand and grow, choke out the plants that provide food and nourishment to us, and they eventually are left dead or unproductive.
Sin in the heart does the same thing to a Christian's life. Sin if allowed to be full grown, brings spiritual death. (James 1:14-15) (NKJV)
I learned to identify weeds from my parents, but specifically from a weed science class I took in college. I also learned from my parents what was sin. Then as I read God's word, I learned the different types of sin, their causes, and the results of practicing them. To be a faithful Christian, I cannot call any sin good, let it grow, and manifest in my life. It would be as unproductive, as a garden overcome with weeds, and my christian life would be choked out to die.
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20) (NKJV) When I leave a sin in my life that I like participating in, am I calling evil good? When the leaders of this great country support what God calls an abomination as good, and protects it with laws, and those who call this evil are called several names and may even be arrested, is this what Isaiah 5:20 is referring to ?
When I enjoy a beautiful garden, my desire is to keep it beautiful and to keep the weeds out. All of them! No weed should be desirable to me because of its harm to the garden. To enjoy a beautiful Christian life I must have the desire to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. The actions that God calls sin, I must also call sin and not let it have a place in my heart.
Can I change from a sinful life? (Read in 1Cor. 6:9-11) If I call myself a Christian can I continue allowing the sins of the past in my life that the goodness of God's grace will over look? (Read Romans 6:1-6)
What happens when I am tempted and sin on occasion? Continue to walk in the light confessing the sin and the blood of Christ washes the sin away. (Read 1John 1:1-5)
By the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we now have weeds in our gardens, and sin in this world, because of their disobedience to God's command. But God loves us so much, that He already had a plan if place that would wash that sin away and make us righteous before Him.
In our country today we have a sin problem. It seems that we are at the place of no return, but with God all things are possible. (Read Matthew 19:25-26)
Allowing weeds to remain and grow in the garden never has and never will be productive. Common sense tells us this and also we can see it with our own eyes. Allowing sin to flourish in the churches and this country does the same thing. Do we not have eyes to see this?
Can you imagine what the world and our country would be like if every one who claims to be a christian, spoke the same thing, identified sin as God does, called evil for what it is, and embraced the goodness of God?
The cost of doing this will not run our country's deficit up. The price has already been paid. God's Son, Jesus, died on the cross and paid it in full. Some do not believe in God nor His Son, or they believe in Him, but do not follow Him in the way He has instructed. We can perfectly see the results of this today. Our garden is overtaken by weeds and is now non productive and almost choked out.
What if we all pitched in and chopped the garden out? How would we do it?
For a start, we all need to read, 2Ch 7:14 and James 4:10 and believe it. Do you believe God's ways or man's ways can get us out of this mess? I think I will go with God's. You do remember He created us and the whole universe? He sure did not create this mess we are in today. ( I believe man did.) I think I am going to go with God's way.
This does not begin with someone else. It starts with me. I need to identify any weeds in my garden and then eagerly and lovingly help my brothers and sisters in humanity to do the same.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". (Philippians 3:13) (NKJV)
Can I do this? Can you? Can we do it together? If we do not desire to take any action, what will our grand children's garden look like? Will it be our fault if they lose their garden to weeds?
Please send this to all of your friends and family to read and pass on. Let us have courage to follow God and His ways instead of man's. Do you think we can do this with God's help? Let me know if there is a better solution out there, because if we continue on the path we are on, it is leading us to definitely a huge weed patch.
Please have the courage to comment at rhepler52@gmail.com or rhepler52@yahoo.com . All comments are confidential.
Thank you so much for reading this and the encouragement you always give.
Rick
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
"Working In The Garden"
Yesterday we had a much needed rain. Our garden looks much better today. What a difference rain makes. It will be a couple of days before I can get back to my daily routine of chopping out the weeds. I try to chop out the morning glories, grass and other weeds when they first appear. I just came back from the garden and the morning glories are everywhere. You can't turn your back on them for a moment.
Working in the garden each day is a great stress reliever for me. After I am finished, I have a chair in the backyard that I sit in, admiring my work. My son-in-law and father-in-law also help. We can chop out the weeds, fertilize, tie up tomato plants, plant other seeds, but we can't make it grow. Creation is God's part. He created each vegetable from which we get the seeds to plant, provides the earth to plant them in and the sunshine for them to make food and the rain for their watering.
When we do our part, each plant that God has created stands out and makes the whole garden beautiful for everyone to see. God then gets the glory for creating such wonderful vegetables, because people know that nothing in the garden was created by us. Through our daily efforts, the vegetable plants stand out and no weeds are present to drain them of their beauty.
We are the same way. When we believe Jesus is the Son of God, obey His Gospel, and show our love for Him by keeping His commandments, His blood continually cleanses us from our sins. Each day, we can weed out of our minds negative and sinful thoughts. We do this by reading and meditating on God's word. (Read I John 1:5-10.) When we repent and confess our sins, it is kinda like keeping weeds out of the garden.
You know what weeds do to a garden. They choke out the good plants and cause them to produce little or no fruit. People will pass by and say, " that garden is a sore sight." God gets no glory from what he has created .
We are the same way as the garden. Remember, God also created us. When we let our light shine before men that they may see our good works, our Father in heaven will be glorified. People will see God's goodness, mercy and grace through us. (Matthew 5:14-16)
The world is like weeds in a garden ready to sprout in our hearts at any unguarded moment. We must be vigilant about what enters our minds. The fruit of the Spirit should be in all of our actions. (Gal. 5:22) If one falls, those who are spiritual need to come to help restore him in gentleness. (Gal. 6:1)
Remember, we bring glory to our Father in heaven when He reigns in our hearts. The world notices our good works and it is refreshing for them to see God's love through us. But, if sin controls our life we no longer show light but darkness and we distance ourselves from God, influencing others to do the same.
What does your garden look like? Are there any weeds in it? What does the garden of your soul look like? In times past I have lost my garden to weeds and gave up. The garden of our soul can be overtaken by sin. But our heavenly Father will never give up on us. His Son's blood is always ready to cleanse us from our sins if we believe in Him and obey His commandments.
God uses us as his hands and feet to produce beautiful gardens from what He has created. He can also use us to produce beautiful people. (Matt. 28:18-20)
Please send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com or rhepler52@yahoo.com
Thanks for reading. Your comments are always encouraging. Also, progress is being made on my book " Failure: Master or Teacher? "
Thanks again,
Rick Hepler
Working in the garden each day is a great stress reliever for me. After I am finished, I have a chair in the backyard that I sit in, admiring my work. My son-in-law and father-in-law also help. We can chop out the weeds, fertilize, tie up tomato plants, plant other seeds, but we can't make it grow. Creation is God's part. He created each vegetable from which we get the seeds to plant, provides the earth to plant them in and the sunshine for them to make food and the rain for their watering.
When we do our part, each plant that God has created stands out and makes the whole garden beautiful for everyone to see. God then gets the glory for creating such wonderful vegetables, because people know that nothing in the garden was created by us. Through our daily efforts, the vegetable plants stand out and no weeds are present to drain them of their beauty.
We are the same way. When we believe Jesus is the Son of God, obey His Gospel, and show our love for Him by keeping His commandments, His blood continually cleanses us from our sins. Each day, we can weed out of our minds negative and sinful thoughts. We do this by reading and meditating on God's word. (Read I John 1:5-10.) When we repent and confess our sins, it is kinda like keeping weeds out of the garden.
You know what weeds do to a garden. They choke out the good plants and cause them to produce little or no fruit. People will pass by and say, " that garden is a sore sight." God gets no glory from what he has created .
We are the same way as the garden. Remember, God also created us. When we let our light shine before men that they may see our good works, our Father in heaven will be glorified. People will see God's goodness, mercy and grace through us. (Matthew 5:14-16)
The world is like weeds in a garden ready to sprout in our hearts at any unguarded moment. We must be vigilant about what enters our minds. The fruit of the Spirit should be in all of our actions. (Gal. 5:22) If one falls, those who are spiritual need to come to help restore him in gentleness. (Gal. 6:1)
Remember, we bring glory to our Father in heaven when He reigns in our hearts. The world notices our good works and it is refreshing for them to see God's love through us. But, if sin controls our life we no longer show light but darkness and we distance ourselves from God, influencing others to do the same.
What does your garden look like? Are there any weeds in it? What does the garden of your soul look like? In times past I have lost my garden to weeds and gave up. The garden of our soul can be overtaken by sin. But our heavenly Father will never give up on us. His Son's blood is always ready to cleanse us from our sins if we believe in Him and obey His commandments.
God uses us as his hands and feet to produce beautiful gardens from what He has created. He can also use us to produce beautiful people. (Matt. 28:18-20)
Please send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com or rhepler52@yahoo.com
Thanks for reading. Your comments are always encouraging. Also, progress is being made on my book " Failure: Master or Teacher? "
Thanks again,
Rick Hepler
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Ivory Soap Words
As I was watching TV last night something happened in the show that prompted urgency, and the detective said,"Oh s _ _ _!". This was around 8:30 PM on a regular cable channel. This brought back a memory of this word from 56 years ago when I was 4 years old.
I can't remember what I did last week, but I can remember that night very vividly. It had to have been a Saturday night because we were having hamburgers. Mother would go to the grocery on Saturday and she would always fix hamburgers on Saturday night. Also, mother and dad would give me a bath in the kitchen sink every Saturday night, getting me clean for church on Sunday.
Well, they told me to get my clothes off. I ran under the kitchen table and I let it out. Not once, but three times. "s _ _ _, s _ _ _, s _ _ _!". I do not know where I had heard that word or why I even wanted to say it, but mother looked like she had six arms trying to get me out from under the table.
The next thing I knew was a big bar of Ivory soap being wallered around in my mouth.They said, "don't you ever say that word again" and they tried to wash my transgression out of my mouth with that white bar of Ivory soap.
That night, not only was I clean from my bath, my language was cleaned up for the first time. No, I don't cuss today, but it is not because of my Ivory cleansing, but from another cleansing that has had more of an affect.
Have you noticed the foul language used in our country today? You can't watch TV without hearing it. I like to watch the "Swamp People" on the History Channel, but they have to bleep almost every other word. The worst foul language, in our country today, is using God's name in vain. Movie after movie usually has some form of using God's name in vain. If someone uses the N word or a word describing some people, they either will be ridiculed in the press or forced to resign from their job. I do not think we should use those words either, but what do we do to people who use God's name in vain? Nothing is ever said about it and the usage is increasing. The media is silent. What are we becoming, when God's name means so little to us? Do you think God will bless this country, when we don't even reverence His name?
"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7) "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."(Matt. 12:37) (NKJV) This should be more powerful than a bar of Ivory soap.
Think about this. A good way to start getting this country back on track is to reverence the name of the One who created and blessed her. We cannot be successful until this happens.
I need your comments on this. Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com.
Thank you so much for reading my blog. It is good to be back!
Enjoy,
Rick Hepler
I can't remember what I did last week, but I can remember that night very vividly. It had to have been a Saturday night because we were having hamburgers. Mother would go to the grocery on Saturday and she would always fix hamburgers on Saturday night. Also, mother and dad would give me a bath in the kitchen sink every Saturday night, getting me clean for church on Sunday.
Well, they told me to get my clothes off. I ran under the kitchen table and I let it out. Not once, but three times. "s _ _ _, s _ _ _, s _ _ _!". I do not know where I had heard that word or why I even wanted to say it, but mother looked like she had six arms trying to get me out from under the table.
The next thing I knew was a big bar of Ivory soap being wallered around in my mouth.They said, "don't you ever say that word again" and they tried to wash my transgression out of my mouth with that white bar of Ivory soap.
That night, not only was I clean from my bath, my language was cleaned up for the first time. No, I don't cuss today, but it is not because of my Ivory cleansing, but from another cleansing that has had more of an affect.
Have you noticed the foul language used in our country today? You can't watch TV without hearing it. I like to watch the "Swamp People" on the History Channel, but they have to bleep almost every other word. The worst foul language, in our country today, is using God's name in vain. Movie after movie usually has some form of using God's name in vain. If someone uses the N word or a word describing some people, they either will be ridiculed in the press or forced to resign from their job. I do not think we should use those words either, but what do we do to people who use God's name in vain? Nothing is ever said about it and the usage is increasing. The media is silent. What are we becoming, when God's name means so little to us? Do you think God will bless this country, when we don't even reverence His name?
"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7) "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."(Matt. 12:37) (NKJV) This should be more powerful than a bar of Ivory soap.
Think about this. A good way to start getting this country back on track is to reverence the name of the One who created and blessed her. We cannot be successful until this happens.
I need your comments on this. Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com.
Thank you so much for reading my blog. It is good to be back!
Enjoy,
Rick Hepler
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Have We Lost Our Imagination?
im-ag-i-na-tion: 1. a) the act or power of forming mental images of what is not actually present.
b) the act or power of creating mental images of what has never been actually experienced, or creating new images or ideas by combing previous experiences. 2. anything imagined; creation of mind ( Webster's New World Dictionary Of The American Language)
The other day I was talking to someone about the state of our economy and the mess that we have in our government. I realized, that I had fallen into the trap of 24/7 news media. I even thought, there is no way we can get ourselves out of this mess. I had let the negative news media and government rob me of something I used to have, imagination.
I remember when I was a freshman in high school attending my first athletic banquet. Football was the only sport that I participated in, if you want to call wearing a uniform and sitting on the bench participating. This one player received trophy after trophy. I began to see myself getting a trophy next year. I also imagined what it would feel like receiving a trophy in front of all my peers and their parents. That image and feeling stuck. Even though at the time I was one of the smallest players on the team, I kept my imagination going until the next season, which in turn produced belief, that produced action, subconsciously.
The next year I received most improved; then my senior year, the hustle award. All of this was due to my imagination of getting a trophy playing football. I imagined: the outcome, the emotions, sound of the coach's words making the presentation, and the applause of my friends. I imagined this so much, that I subconsciously believed it was happening. This produced the action and persistence needed to reach the end result.
We, as citizens, need to imagine we can make this country better instead of seeing what we have now, moral and financial bankruptcy. I need to imagine the good that I can do, and ideas to improve myself and my attitude. Impossible, should not be envisioned.
We as citizens can come up with products in our country that the whole world needs. We can think of ways to bring our jobs back home. What we cannot imagine, is depending on our government getting us out of this. We need to teach our children how to have healthy imaginations that will propel them on to creating better lives and develop courage that will carry them through life.
There was a time in this world when man used his imagination, but is was for evil. In Genesis 6:5 "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (KJV Bible) Do you remember what God did?
Would that verse describe the imaginations in man's heart today in our country? Have you looked at television lately? Gone to the movies? Watched the news? What do you see? Sex, hate, murder,profanity, using God's name in vain, lying, greed and doing everything else that God disapproves of. What are the imaginations of our culture? Where is it leading us? Will God bless or discipline us?
Would Judges 17:6 apply today? "In those days there was no king in Israel,but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (KJV Bible) What about Isaiah 5:20? "Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. "(KJV Bible) Have you said anything about homosexuality lately? What about mentioning Jesus at school? Do you think many Americans have the same imaginations in their hearts as the men in Genesis 6:5?
When we imagine ourselves doing God's will on earth, we will begin to see our country change. I mentor fourth and fifth grade boys at the local elementary school. I tell them they can read books and use their imaginations to go or do anything in the world. God has given mankind the capability to imagine. None of His other created beings on this earth have this capability.
We are so blessed. Let's begin to use our imagination to create solutions to the problems we have today and read Philippians 4:8-9 each day to get ourselves in better spirits.
Until next time, I hope you have a good day!
Thanks,
Rick
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .
b) the act or power of creating mental images of what has never been actually experienced, or creating new images or ideas by combing previous experiences. 2. anything imagined; creation of mind ( Webster's New World Dictionary Of The American Language)
The other day I was talking to someone about the state of our economy and the mess that we have in our government. I realized, that I had fallen into the trap of 24/7 news media. I even thought, there is no way we can get ourselves out of this mess. I had let the negative news media and government rob me of something I used to have, imagination.
I remember when I was a freshman in high school attending my first athletic banquet. Football was the only sport that I participated in, if you want to call wearing a uniform and sitting on the bench participating. This one player received trophy after trophy. I began to see myself getting a trophy next year. I also imagined what it would feel like receiving a trophy in front of all my peers and their parents. That image and feeling stuck. Even though at the time I was one of the smallest players on the team, I kept my imagination going until the next season, which in turn produced belief, that produced action, subconsciously.
The next year I received most improved; then my senior year, the hustle award. All of this was due to my imagination of getting a trophy playing football. I imagined: the outcome, the emotions, sound of the coach's words making the presentation, and the applause of my friends. I imagined this so much, that I subconsciously believed it was happening. This produced the action and persistence needed to reach the end result.
We, as citizens, need to imagine we can make this country better instead of seeing what we have now, moral and financial bankruptcy. I need to imagine the good that I can do, and ideas to improve myself and my attitude. Impossible, should not be envisioned.
We as citizens can come up with products in our country that the whole world needs. We can think of ways to bring our jobs back home. What we cannot imagine, is depending on our government getting us out of this. We need to teach our children how to have healthy imaginations that will propel them on to creating better lives and develop courage that will carry them through life.
There was a time in this world when man used his imagination, but is was for evil. In Genesis 6:5 "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (KJV Bible) Do you remember what God did?
Would that verse describe the imaginations in man's heart today in our country? Have you looked at television lately? Gone to the movies? Watched the news? What do you see? Sex, hate, murder,profanity, using God's name in vain, lying, greed and doing everything else that God disapproves of. What are the imaginations of our culture? Where is it leading us? Will God bless or discipline us?
Would Judges 17:6 apply today? "In those days there was no king in Israel,but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (KJV Bible) What about Isaiah 5:20? "Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. "(KJV Bible) Have you said anything about homosexuality lately? What about mentioning Jesus at school? Do you think many Americans have the same imaginations in their hearts as the men in Genesis 6:5?
When we imagine ourselves doing God's will on earth, we will begin to see our country change. I mentor fourth and fifth grade boys at the local elementary school. I tell them they can read books and use their imaginations to go or do anything in the world. God has given mankind the capability to imagine. None of His other created beings on this earth have this capability.
We are so blessed. Let's begin to use our imagination to create solutions to the problems we have today and read Philippians 4:8-9 each day to get ourselves in better spirits.
Until next time, I hope you have a good day!
Thanks,
Rick
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .
Friday, September 16, 2011
With All Your Heart, part 1
If you have been reading my blog, you probably remember me writing about the dog I had growing up named "Poochy". He was a beagle hound and the best rabbit dog in the country.
If there is such a thing as a dog loving his master, with all his heart, Poochy did. Looking back, he put me above anything he wanted to do. He could be in a warm bed in the winter time and I could come out of the house with my shotgun and immediately he was on my heels ready to go rabbit hunting. I have seen him stop eating to go with me.
For a little dog , he had the courage to go after anything I sicked him on. We had a big Charolais bull and one day I was trying to drive him to the barn and I told Poochy to "sick-em" and he did, grabbing the bull's tail. That was funny, a little beagle hound making a big bull run.
Many times I would have to make Poochy stay home, especially when I was running my trap line. I didn't want him to get caught in a trap. He did not like staying behind. Most of the time, when I was walking back home, I would meet him. He couldn't stand it. He had to be with me.
Evidently, if a dog can be thankful for you feeding him and providing him a warm place to sleep, he shows gratitude the best way he knows how, by serving his master with all his heart.
Poochy died wanting to be with me. He had gotten old and could not see or hear very well. One day, I walked across the road to the barn, Poochy saw me and came running, not seeing or hearing the car coming.
That was a hard death to take. I had lost a friend that always put me first. No matter if it was the heat of summer, the cold of winter or the dark of night, Poochy always wanted to be with me. I miss him. If dogs can love something or somebody with all their hearts, Poochy loved me with all of his.
Do any of you reading this, believe that a boy and his faithful dog came into existence from nothing by an evolutionary process? If you do, Poochy was alot smarter than you are.
I have tried to show what loving with all of your heart may look like. I have used one of God's creatures, Poochy, as an example. Now let's look at the subject a little deeper.
I was reading, Joel 2:12-13, the other day and he talked about the Lord telling Judah, "Now, therefore," says the Lord, "turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.", then I turned to Matt. 22:37 and I read Christ giving an answer to a lawyer asking Him which is the greatest commandment. In the answer was included, "love the Lord your God with all your heart." Christ said this was the first and great commandment.
I thought I was understanding, "with all your heart", until Debbie and I were studying Luke chapter 14 the other night. Here is when I started questioning the place God has in my heart. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.(Luke 14:26)
"All of my heart," is what Christ said. We will look at many passages that say the same thing. All, does not leave room for anything else or anyone else. How can that be?
I love my wife Debbie, my children and grandchildren, parents and all my relatives so much. I also, love God and want to make a difference in this world by sharing God's love and His Gospel. How can this be to love them less and love God with all my heart? All of my heart means, all of my heart, not part of it.
Then, as I sat outside last night, around eleven o'clock, I realized what he was saying. I understand now, and what a difference it has made.
In the next few days, I want to share with you the scriptures I read helping me to understand, "all of my heart." Understanding this has begun to make a world of difference in my life. I have read many self help books, but this, God's word, has given me great comfort and courage more than anything else ever has.
Until next time, what place does God have in your heart?
I am sending this out today without Debbie editing it. I will try to correct any errors of grammar or punctuation. Also, I have been busy on other things and have not been posting as often as I would like. I will try in the coming days to write more consistently.
Many of you have commented and that is a great encouragement to me. I am trying to increase the number of readers. If you enjoy reading, please pass on to family and friends.
Have a good weekend and send any comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .
Thanks!
Rick Hepler
If there is such a thing as a dog loving his master, with all his heart, Poochy did. Looking back, he put me above anything he wanted to do. He could be in a warm bed in the winter time and I could come out of the house with my shotgun and immediately he was on my heels ready to go rabbit hunting. I have seen him stop eating to go with me.
For a little dog , he had the courage to go after anything I sicked him on. We had a big Charolais bull and one day I was trying to drive him to the barn and I told Poochy to "sick-em" and he did, grabbing the bull's tail. That was funny, a little beagle hound making a big bull run.
Many times I would have to make Poochy stay home, especially when I was running my trap line. I didn't want him to get caught in a trap. He did not like staying behind. Most of the time, when I was walking back home, I would meet him. He couldn't stand it. He had to be with me.
Evidently, if a dog can be thankful for you feeding him and providing him a warm place to sleep, he shows gratitude the best way he knows how, by serving his master with all his heart.
Poochy died wanting to be with me. He had gotten old and could not see or hear very well. One day, I walked across the road to the barn, Poochy saw me and came running, not seeing or hearing the car coming.
That was a hard death to take. I had lost a friend that always put me first. No matter if it was the heat of summer, the cold of winter or the dark of night, Poochy always wanted to be with me. I miss him. If dogs can love something or somebody with all their hearts, Poochy loved me with all of his.
Do any of you reading this, believe that a boy and his faithful dog came into existence from nothing by an evolutionary process? If you do, Poochy was alot smarter than you are.
I have tried to show what loving with all of your heart may look like. I have used one of God's creatures, Poochy, as an example. Now let's look at the subject a little deeper.
I was reading, Joel 2:12-13, the other day and he talked about the Lord telling Judah, "Now, therefore," says the Lord, "turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.", then I turned to Matt. 22:37 and I read Christ giving an answer to a lawyer asking Him which is the greatest commandment. In the answer was included, "love the Lord your God with all your heart." Christ said this was the first and great commandment.
I thought I was understanding, "with all your heart", until Debbie and I were studying Luke chapter 14 the other night. Here is when I started questioning the place God has in my heart. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.(Luke 14:26)
"All of my heart," is what Christ said. We will look at many passages that say the same thing. All, does not leave room for anything else or anyone else. How can that be?
I love my wife Debbie, my children and grandchildren, parents and all my relatives so much. I also, love God and want to make a difference in this world by sharing God's love and His Gospel. How can this be to love them less and love God with all my heart? All of my heart means, all of my heart, not part of it.
Then, as I sat outside last night, around eleven o'clock, I realized what he was saying. I understand now, and what a difference it has made.
In the next few days, I want to share with you the scriptures I read helping me to understand, "all of my heart." Understanding this has begun to make a world of difference in my life. I have read many self help books, but this, God's word, has given me great comfort and courage more than anything else ever has.
Until next time, what place does God have in your heart?
I am sending this out today without Debbie editing it. I will try to correct any errors of grammar or punctuation. Also, I have been busy on other things and have not been posting as often as I would like. I will try in the coming days to write more consistently.
Many of you have commented and that is a great encouragement to me. I am trying to increase the number of readers. If you enjoy reading, please pass on to family and friends.
Have a good weekend and send any comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .
Thanks!
Rick Hepler
Friday, September 9, 2011
The Wild Hogs Story
I heard this story about 30 years ago. I do not know who originated it. If I knew, I sure would like to give him the credit. This is one of those stories that is trying to convey a message. I am adding to it, for today's application. I think I know what the original author was trying to convey. I am just going to tell the story and then you send me your emails or post on facebook your thoughts.
A long time ago a farmer lived on a small farm next to a large forest. Through the forest, about a mile, there was a lake. This farmer lived off the land. The land and the lake provided plenty of fish and wild game for him to eat. He had fruit trees and a vegetable garden to supply him with fruits and vegetables. Also, there were many pecan trees in the forest to keep him supplied in pecans all winter. He also worked for some of the other farmers to provide him income to live.
One day the farmer was walking to the lake to go fishing. On his way he noticed the ground around a large oak tree rooted up. As he walked past a corn field, he noticed some of the corn knocked down and several tracks around the edge of the field. They looked like hog tracts. He knew no one had raised hogs in that community for several years. This must be wild hogs. He followed the tracks but he could never see the hogs. He found their watering hole were they had been wallowing in the mud, but no hogs. He could remember when he used to eat barbecue pork at the old diner in town and how good it tasted. The diner was long since gone. So, he tries to think of a way to catch the hogs.
The next day he came back to the same spot with some apples and scatters them on the ground. When he returns the next day with corn, he does the same thing, Each time he drops the food closer to home. His idea was to get them depending on the food he brought them and eventually follow him to his barn lot where he could lure them in the pen and close the gate. Then he could eat pork any time he wanted it. He could grow corn to feed them, so all he had to do was to lure them in by providing food every day. Also, each day, little by little, their fear of him would go away.
He did this routine for several days, and the only sign of the hogs was their tracks around where he had placed the food. One day he was late putting the food out, and he saw the hogs at a distance. They were waiting for the food, but still would not come close, until he had left. He continued this for several days, but he left a trail of food so they would get closer to the pen each day. Finally, the pen was in sight. He then piled some corn around the open gate. He could see in a distance the hogs slowly and cautiously walking toward the gate. If he came out to get a look, they would run away.
Finally, a day came when he was feeding them inside the pen. He would go and try to shut the gate, but they would take off running. So he just decided, everyday he would put the feed out at the other end of the pen and leave the gate open. He was hoping eventually they would get use to him and not run off. Everyday they would come in to eat, and he would step out and let them see him. They ran at first, now they just stood there eating watching, and they would go back out the pen into the forest each day. He kept fresh water for them and fixed some straw bedding in the barn for them.
Then it happened. He went out to feed them one morning to find they had never left from the night before. As he fed them that morning, he walked among them,as they pushed up against him begging for the food. After feeding, they would lay down in the barn, and go to sleep, never once attempting to go out of the pen. So the old farmer went and locked the gate. By this time, all that feeding had put some weight on them. They were looking pretty good. The next day, he had one on the barbecue pit cooking away.
A few years past, the sows had pigs, the farmer ate some, and sold some. Only one of the original herd was remaining, along with 10 others that had been born and raised under the farmer's care. One day the farmer died. He had no family, only friends. After his funeral, no one wanted the hogs. They decided to let them go back into the forest to take care of themselves. One man went and unlocked the gate, swung it open, and fed them the small amount of feed remaining. The man then went back to town.
The wind was blowing that day, and it blew the gate shut, but not locking it. The hogs could still get out, they would only have to push the gate open. After eating, the hogs went to sleep in the barn. The next day, they were expecting to be fed, but no one came. Finally, the old hog of the original herd remembered that he came from forest into the pen through that gate, and it had been locked all these years. He was so hungry. He remembered the roots, acorns and other food he used to hunt for everyday. He also remembered his freedom he had lost by depending on the farmer.
By now, all of the hogs were squealing wanting something to eat and drink. Finally the old hog ran to the gate, pushed on it, and got out. The other hogs were left behind squealing. They never had been taught to find food nor had they ever experienced freedom. Once the old hog was deep in the forest, it all came back to him. He was free and independent again.
The hogs left behind ,starved to death. They were afraid to go past the gate and stayed close to the trough were the farmer used to feed them, hoping each day someone would put the food in.
What is the point of this story? Be careful in what you choose in exchange for your freedom. Learn how to provide for yourself. When you do need help, try to get back providing for yourself, if at all possible. Getting something for nothing always comes with a price to someone. Never forget the feel of freedom in your heart. Courage can always help break the barriers to the right solutions. Do not fail to teach this to your children.
If you do nothing for your daily bread and teach your children the same, one day you may both starve. Remember why the other hogs starved? They didn't know what was on the other side of the gate. They had never been taught, and they were afraid to leave with the older hog. They remained with the only food source they knew, never knowing many different food sources were beyond the gate.
We never need to be totally dependent on one source. That source may be removed or die like the farmer. We need to be able to think outside the box when our freedom is challenged and have the courage to find solutions when it is jeopardized. Sometimes our health or other circumstances force us to depend on someone else, and there is nothing wrong with this. Remember the hogs were healthy, free, and had the knowledge to provide for themselves. They chose to abandon that way of life and let someone else do it for them. The danger was when pigs came along and thought this was the natural way to live and believed the farmer owed them the food, shelter and water each day. HE DIED! Then they had a big mess!
God is the only one we can depend on, not ever leaving us. We depend on Him because He says in Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave or forsake you."
I am looking forward to hearing your comments on this one. I know it is a little different than the others, but I think it raises a good point. Send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com . I am trying to increase the number of people reading this blog. Could you please help me by passing on to friends and family?
Thank you so much and have a good day!
Rick Hepler
A long time ago a farmer lived on a small farm next to a large forest. Through the forest, about a mile, there was a lake. This farmer lived off the land. The land and the lake provided plenty of fish and wild game for him to eat. He had fruit trees and a vegetable garden to supply him with fruits and vegetables. Also, there were many pecan trees in the forest to keep him supplied in pecans all winter. He also worked for some of the other farmers to provide him income to live.
One day the farmer was walking to the lake to go fishing. On his way he noticed the ground around a large oak tree rooted up. As he walked past a corn field, he noticed some of the corn knocked down and several tracks around the edge of the field. They looked like hog tracts. He knew no one had raised hogs in that community for several years. This must be wild hogs. He followed the tracks but he could never see the hogs. He found their watering hole were they had been wallowing in the mud, but no hogs. He could remember when he used to eat barbecue pork at the old diner in town and how good it tasted. The diner was long since gone. So, he tries to think of a way to catch the hogs.
The next day he came back to the same spot with some apples and scatters them on the ground. When he returns the next day with corn, he does the same thing, Each time he drops the food closer to home. His idea was to get them depending on the food he brought them and eventually follow him to his barn lot where he could lure them in the pen and close the gate. Then he could eat pork any time he wanted it. He could grow corn to feed them, so all he had to do was to lure them in by providing food every day. Also, each day, little by little, their fear of him would go away.
He did this routine for several days, and the only sign of the hogs was their tracks around where he had placed the food. One day he was late putting the food out, and he saw the hogs at a distance. They were waiting for the food, but still would not come close, until he had left. He continued this for several days, but he left a trail of food so they would get closer to the pen each day. Finally, the pen was in sight. He then piled some corn around the open gate. He could see in a distance the hogs slowly and cautiously walking toward the gate. If he came out to get a look, they would run away.
Finally, a day came when he was feeding them inside the pen. He would go and try to shut the gate, but they would take off running. So he just decided, everyday he would put the feed out at the other end of the pen and leave the gate open. He was hoping eventually they would get use to him and not run off. Everyday they would come in to eat, and he would step out and let them see him. They ran at first, now they just stood there eating watching, and they would go back out the pen into the forest each day. He kept fresh water for them and fixed some straw bedding in the barn for them.
Then it happened. He went out to feed them one morning to find they had never left from the night before. As he fed them that morning, he walked among them,as they pushed up against him begging for the food. After feeding, they would lay down in the barn, and go to sleep, never once attempting to go out of the pen. So the old farmer went and locked the gate. By this time, all that feeding had put some weight on them. They were looking pretty good. The next day, he had one on the barbecue pit cooking away.
A few years past, the sows had pigs, the farmer ate some, and sold some. Only one of the original herd was remaining, along with 10 others that had been born and raised under the farmer's care. One day the farmer died. He had no family, only friends. After his funeral, no one wanted the hogs. They decided to let them go back into the forest to take care of themselves. One man went and unlocked the gate, swung it open, and fed them the small amount of feed remaining. The man then went back to town.
The wind was blowing that day, and it blew the gate shut, but not locking it. The hogs could still get out, they would only have to push the gate open. After eating, the hogs went to sleep in the barn. The next day, they were expecting to be fed, but no one came. Finally, the old hog of the original herd remembered that he came from forest into the pen through that gate, and it had been locked all these years. He was so hungry. He remembered the roots, acorns and other food he used to hunt for everyday. He also remembered his freedom he had lost by depending on the farmer.
By now, all of the hogs were squealing wanting something to eat and drink. Finally the old hog ran to the gate, pushed on it, and got out. The other hogs were left behind squealing. They never had been taught to find food nor had they ever experienced freedom. Once the old hog was deep in the forest, it all came back to him. He was free and independent again.
The hogs left behind ,starved to death. They were afraid to go past the gate and stayed close to the trough were the farmer used to feed them, hoping each day someone would put the food in.
What is the point of this story? Be careful in what you choose in exchange for your freedom. Learn how to provide for yourself. When you do need help, try to get back providing for yourself, if at all possible. Getting something for nothing always comes with a price to someone. Never forget the feel of freedom in your heart. Courage can always help break the barriers to the right solutions. Do not fail to teach this to your children.
If you do nothing for your daily bread and teach your children the same, one day you may both starve. Remember why the other hogs starved? They didn't know what was on the other side of the gate. They had never been taught, and they were afraid to leave with the older hog. They remained with the only food source they knew, never knowing many different food sources were beyond the gate.
We never need to be totally dependent on one source. That source may be removed or die like the farmer. We need to be able to think outside the box when our freedom is challenged and have the courage to find solutions when it is jeopardized. Sometimes our health or other circumstances force us to depend on someone else, and there is nothing wrong with this. Remember the hogs were healthy, free, and had the knowledge to provide for themselves. They chose to abandon that way of life and let someone else do it for them. The danger was when pigs came along and thought this was the natural way to live and believed the farmer owed them the food, shelter and water each day. HE DIED! Then they had a big mess!
God is the only one we can depend on, not ever leaving us. We depend on Him because He says in Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave or forsake you."
I am looking forward to hearing your comments on this one. I know it is a little different than the others, but I think it raises a good point. Send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com . I am trying to increase the number of people reading this blog. Could you please help me by passing on to friends and family?
Thank you so much and have a good day!
Rick Hepler
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