If Only They Knew They Did Have a Father. We Must Show Them They Do.

They need us desperately this year.  They need to see us chasing and slaying our giants, then they will have the courage to do the same. Who are they? The children of our communities.  If they do not see us conquering the evil in our own lives, who will teach them?  Left alone, the children of our communities will be taught by the world.  We have more fatherless children in our country than I can ever remember.

How does God feel about the fatherless? God is a helper of the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14) David calls Him a father of the fatherless. (Psalm 68:5) In James 1:27, pure religion before God, is to care for the needs of orphans and widows in their trouble… (The Everlasting Gospel Translation)

Have you visited an elementary school lately?  It will break your heart as you learn some of the conditions, physical and emotional, these young children deal with.  I was a mentor a few years ago of 4^th and 5^th -grade boys. Most had one parent in prison or the county jail.  Some did not know where their fathers were even living.

When these children see the parents of some of their classmates coming to school and participating in their children’s activities, their little hearts are wounded.  This wound can be carried for the rest of their lives, and possibly have outward manifestations.  What about at Christmas? A time of the year when families get to gather sharing love and making memories, what childhood memories are they making?

Baby Jesus in a manger does not mean much to them.  Singing joy to the world in their present environment is not real to them.  They are just trying to make it through the day and especially night.  After school, some do not have anything to eat until the next day at school.  I know this because my daughter used to be a teacher.

What is it in this high tech world giving them hope? As these children move into adolescence and young adulthood, the only hope many have is to get the next fix or high.  They succumb to a few minutes of lustful pleasures, hoping to erase their deep feelings of failure and desperation.  You know and I know, when one of these do try to climb that mountain of hopelessness, their peers will make fun of them and try to defeat their efforts. Why would they do this?  Because they are afraid to attempt the same thing, fearing defeat would only make it worse.  So, any hope is extinguished by fear and ignorance.  Ignorance of having a life plan that gives hope and ignorance of finding the right people willing to help them.

I am not a psychologist, but I believe the saggy pants, body piercing, tattoos, weird hair, profanity- laced language, etc. are outside the cup dressings mimicking some popular singer, athlete, movie star or someone else they view as popular and successful.  What does this do for them? They identify with the success of others, hoping they can identify with their peers.  Bottom line. They, like you and I, want to be accepted.  Do we not wear designer clothes, drive nice cars and live in large houses wanting the same?

They like we, have been lured into identifying with some form of societal identification.  Have you ever heard the phrase, “Dress for success”?  We have let the world describe for them and us what success and failure look like.  We have forgotten and some have never heard these words that give hope to everyone, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees, for the man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”. (1 Samuel 16:7, NKJV) Christ warned the Pharisees about looking acceptable on the outside with these words, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence”.  “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” (Matthew 23:25-26. NKJV)

 

All of us need to know and remember our hearts were created in the image of God.  I want to emphasize “all of us” because no matter what I think of your appearance, God knows the thinking of your heart and this is how you and I will be judged. (Matthew 15:8, 19)

The first step in getting our country back is carrying the gospel to the young people of our communities.  They need to know God’s awesome love for them and the place Christ has prepared for those who love and obey Him.  I have always heard we are one generation from apostasy.  Looking at the way God, His Son, and His word are viewed in this country today, I would say we are experiencing that generation today. Should that concern you if you want your grandchildren and great-grandchildren to be Christians?

We must not take the apathetic attitude of Hezekiah, the king of Judah.  We read in 2 King’s 20:16-19 that Isaiah, the prophet, went to Hezekiah and told him the days were coming when all that was in his house would be carried to Babylon.  He said nothing would be left and they would take some of his sons, who would descend from him, and make eunuchs of them in the palace of the king of Babylon.  Here is Hezekiah’s response.  “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?”  Did he say what I think he said? “At least, it won’t happen in my day.” He didn’t seem to be concerned about the welfare of his grandsons.

We must not only be concerned for the lives of our grandchildren’s souls, but also for the souls of others their age. Why? I want my grandchildren to have an unwavering faith and I also want their peers to have the same.  I want to live a life pleasing to God, so those around me will also want to prepare their hearts to seek God and His ways.  Our hearts must be prepared to seek God. When our hearts are not prepared to seek God, we will do evil.  In 2 Chronicles 12:14, God’s word says of Rehoboam the king, ”And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek God.”

If we do not show the children of our land how to seek God in their hearts, they will seek evil.  Those who do seek God can only do so privately or in a church building.  It is forbidden in public places and belittled in our higher institutions of learning.  From the world, without God, we can only receive the works of the flesh and from God, we can receive the fruit of the Spirit.  Please go and read Galatians 5:16-25.  The children of our communities are being influenced by the works of the flesh.  As Christians, we must introduce them to the fruit of the Spirit.  First, they must see this fruit in us and secondly, we must teach them how to obtain it.  Are the works of the flesh evident in our land today?

One of the giants I mention in my book, “The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart”, has challenged us for too long.  Christians have done as David’s three brothers and the armies of Israel when Goliath challenged them. They ran trembling, hiding behind rocks. With their fear, they were destined to be defeated and serve the Philistines as Goliath suggested.  When Madelyn Ohara challenged God’s people, they ran and hid in their living rooms and church buildings. They turned the fight amongst each other over their differences and did not realize how powerful they could all be by, together, obeying the simple truth God had presented them in His word.  The theory of evolution was gradually introduced to the classroom and the Bible was gradually removed.  Teaching evolutionary thought to our children over the years, in our public school systems, has grown to become a giant. If that giant was given strength by one woman, could not one person, as David, take that giant down? Or do we care enough to get involved? (To be continued)

Please send me your comments on this to rhepler52@gmail.com . Please share on Facebook with your friends.

You can preview and purchase my books: The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, and 123 Tips: For My Grandchildren and Yours, by going to www.amazon.com .

 

What goal did Christ have for His disciples, that is the same goal for Christians today? (Matthew 28:18-20)  What prayer did He pray for us, when He was on this earth? (John 17:20-23)  What would our country look like in 50 years, if these were our goals for 2016?

Thanks for reading.

 

Rick

 

His Birth Set the Stage for Our Going Home. How Awesome!

I can still remember my first nights away from home as a child.  I was fine until bedtime.  It didn't matter if I was with family, grandparents or cousins, come bedtime I wanted to go home to mother and dad.  The toys and candy would keep my mind occupied until bedtime, but at bedtime all the loving words of comfort and promises of doing fun things the next day could not compare to being home at night with mom and dad.

I remember the awesome feeling I had when I heard the closing of the door on their old car.  They had come to take me home.  The sudden sense of love and security quickly erased my homesick feeling.  I was not then nor am I now embarrassed of this story.  I had already developed, in my heart, where my home was and I wanted to be there. The end of the day's attractions and promises of fun tomorrow could not give me the love and security to sleep in peace. Sleeping in my own bed at home with mom and dad was the good life.

Man had to leave his original home in the beginning.  It was a wonderful garden paradise.  He had abundant life in this place, provided by the Tree of Life.  However, this man and his wife chose knowledge instead of life.  They were deceived into partaking fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Ironic isn't it.  Choosing more knowledge, thinking it would give them abundant life. They disobeyed God to obtain that knowledge.  Life can never come to man by disobeying God, no matter how much knowledge he obtains.

Satan knows we were created in God's image.  He knows what is truly in our hearts.  He has deceivingly buried our desire to go home to our Father in heaven.  He has used the things of this world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life, to provide layer upon layer of distractions to hide the image we were created in.  We are homesick and have been deceived into not realizing it.

We have just witnessed the celebration of Christmas. The manifestation of the plan for God's Son, Jesus, to be born of a virgin, with His Spirit clothed in the flesh of man. This was in God's plan to bring us back home to Him.  Jesus was born to die in our place for our sins.  What Satan had stolen away from us, He came to lovingly give it back.  Only we had to choose Him over the world. 

We have to know and feel secure with Him to want to go home to Him.  We have to be as a child when bedtime comes.  We can only rest if we are at home with our mother and father.  No toys or candy can give us this secured, loving, and peaceful rest.  Satan with all of his worldly luring and promises can never give this kind of peace.  The only life he can give is one of lies and deception. Look at the nightly news!

Jesus plainly tells us in John 10:10, The thief (Satan) only comes to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life more abundantly. (The Everlasting Gospel Version, Hugo McCord)  Following the life of Christ on this earth and living the way He has shown us to live, can bring us abundant life here and for all eternity.

Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection, shows to man how awesome God is.  This is a good place to get the awe of God back in your heart.  Be honest. You know if you have it or not.  Here is a quick check to see. Do you look forward to praying daily?  Do you worship God, with his people, weekly? Do you enjoy reading and meditating on His word daily? Do you love Him by following His commandments?  Do the things of this world give you a restful sleep and peace at night or does the peace from God, which surpasses all understanding give you that sleep of confidence?

We have begun 2016.  This is a very important year for our country. This is an important year for each of us.  If the awe of God is not in your heart, Satan has buried it.  Search for it each day. He came and suffered for all of us, so we could go home to be with Him someday.  Is this not awesome? To be at home someday with the God who created the whole universe and everything that is in it. Also, do not be deceived.  He created you in His image and He loves you very much.  He sent His only Son to die for you and me while we were sinners.

Getting back our awe for God will change us.  The change this can make in our lives, will also change the people around us. What kind of influence would this have on our children and grandchildren? Could this be your goal for 2016?  I hope so!

Young married couples, the movie War Room is out on dvd.  If you have not seen it, you can rent it from Red Box. This is a good movie to start your new year with.

Please share on Facebook and send any comments to:rhepler52@gmail.com .

Thank for reading and hope you have a Happy New Year.

Rick





 

Getting the Awe Back Can be Awesome!

It was a day waking up with the sheep like all the others. The sunrise was beautiful over the horizon, peaking through the tree branches.  The morning star and moon could still be seen in the eastern sky.  The birds sang before they left their roost.  This young man would go through the same daily routine he had learned from the beginning of keeping his father's sheep. He never, in a 1000 years, would believe what was about to happen in a few hours.  His life was about to change from being a leader and shepherd of sheep, to a leader and king of God's people.

How could this happen?  Why would he be chosen?  What about his resume would draw attention from the God of heaven?  Why was his heart different than that of his brothers'?  Why was it said by God, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all my will.?

A few hours past from the dawn.  He was leading the sheep to water and then to shade.  In the distance he heard someone calling his name. When the messenger spotted David, he quickly ran to greet him.  Out of breath, he probably quickly said , Your father needs you to come home. There is a priest called Samuel at your father's house. He wants to see you.  I  do not know if it happened this way, but you have to think David was wondering what was going on.

The next thing you know, this young shepherd boy was anointed as the next king of Israel.  Later, he serves king Saul by playing his harp to overcome Saul's distressing spirit and he was also, Saul's armorbearer.  Why was this young, poor shepherd boy chosen over his brothers?  Even Samuel, the priest, chose David's older brother, Eliab, to be the next king. What God tells Samuel, we must always remember. The Lord said to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.  We can be a failure in the eyes of the world, but we can have our heart right and be a success in the eyes of God.  That to me is pretty awesome.

David's brothers, Saul, and the army of Israel had lost their awe of God. The sun rising and setting, and all of God's creation was just ordinary to them. They, like us, were too much involved with every day life to notice.  Evidently, David noticed God's creation everyday, because he wrote so much about it in the Psalms.

Now let's see what can happen when a man identifies the awe of God in his life.  That man is prepared to bring glory and honor to his God and to serve Him with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength.  "The glory of God is shown by that man being fully alive as he was created to be." (Saint Irenaeus)

Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back the news of them."(1 Samuel 17:18,NKJV) David's three oldest brothers were with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.  It says that David rose early in the morning, got a keeper for the sheep, and took the things his father had commanded. At this point, David doesn't look very important. He is just his father's errand boy.  His father is probably proud of his three oldest sons being in the army of Israel, fighting against their dreadful enemy the Philistines.  We do not read of David sulking, questioning,or delaying in the mission his father was sending him on.

All of you have read the rest of the story.  Let's get to the awesome part. When challenged by a giant of the enemy, David's brothers, Saul and the armies of God, ran, hid and trembled.  Did they really believe they served an awesome God?  Had they forgotten the mighty acts their God performed in the presence of their ancestors? They did not have the heart to face the giant.  What about you? What would you have done?

Next, David's brothers, Saul, and all the men of Israel are about to see the awe of God performing before their very eyes.  The results are awesome.  Knowing how awesome his God is, David tells Saul that God delivered him from the lion and the bear, and he would also deliver him from this giant. David did not have to prepare for this battle.  All of his preparation was done in the wilderness, with those few sheep, learning how great his God was.  He did not let anything block his view of seeing his God in all of creation.

David approaches the giant in the name of the God of the armies of Israel. He in plain language told Goliath what he was going to do, so that all the earth would know there was a God in Israel.  David did what he said he was going to do.  This awesome act of a young shepherd boy, who gave God all the glory, put the awe of God back into the fainted hearts of the men of Israel. The result?  They came out of hiding, faced their fears, and chased the enemy away.  When they saw God working in the heart of that young shepherd boy, their hearts of fear were changed to hearts of courage.  Their awe of God was restored again.  Eyes that were once blind could now see God in all of His splendor.

What would getting the awe of God back into your heart do for you, your loved ones and the people around you? Would you and they develop a giant slaying heart as David?  Could those giants that challenge you every day, sucking the life out of you, be defeated, giving you a life to glorify God as David did?  

Here is one awesome act of God that can give us all comfort. God's son, Jesus, tells us that, He has come to give us life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)  Seeing the awe of God in that statement can have awesome consequences in your life.

Let's begin the new year of 2016 getting the awe of God back into our hearts.  It will be an awesome year when we do.

Please share on Facebook or send comments to me at rhepler52@gmail.com.  Also, you can purchase my books, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart and 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours, by going to www.amazon.com

Let's begin a new year together by being a people after God's own heart, developing giant slaying hearts.

Thanks for reading and thank you for buying my books.

Rick Hepler

 

Have We Lost Our Awe For God?

Awe n., a mixed feeling of reverence, fear, and wonder caused by something sublime.  Sublime, adj. 1. Noble; exalted; majestic.  2. Inspiring awe or admiration through grandeur, beauty, etc. (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1968 edition)

 

Many times in my life I have used the word awesome, to describe how I felt about something. The word is an adjective describing a feeling of awe.  However, that awesome feeling waned away with time. I remember one of those times I called my new, M-50 Harley Davidson motorcycle as being awesome.  With time, that too went away.  It became old, outdated, and broken down.  Not a very good thing for something that was at one time so awesome.
 

Looking back, I realize my use of the word awesome was not the proper word to use.  The many things, events, and places I have called awesome, have lost my attention, thus removing the sense of awe I had first experienced.

Some things I should never allow to lose their awesomeness.  The love for my wife Debbie, my children, my grandchildren and my parents, to name a few, should grow instead of diminish.  Many have allowed self or selfish desires and ambitions to tarnish this awe.  We can see the product of this from the many broken families we have in our nation today.

Can you agree with me, that morally we as a nation are experiencing giant like declines in our moral thoughts?  Acts once deemed unacceptable are now protected and called good. Calling these same acts sins can have you quickly labelled a bigoted, evil and uncaring person.  Your “good” is now called “evil”. How did we lose our way? This didn’t happen overnight.  Losing our sense of awe toward God, our creator, was displaced gradually by other things in this world.  The Father of Deception, Satan, is behind it all.

In my first book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, the armies of God and three of David’s brothers, had forgotten God’s awesome power and strength. They ran and hid when the Philistine giant, Goliath, challenged them by his gods.  However, their youngest brother, David, driven by his awe of God, accepted the challenge of Goliath, defeated him, and encouraged the army of Israel to run after and defeat the Philistine army.

David trusted in God because he recognized the awe of God.  How did he learn this?  Could he had defeated the giant, the bear, and the lion without the acknowledgement of his awesome God?  Read the Psalms David wrote.  You can feel his awe for God in many of the verses.

I wrote of the three giants in my book, that I feel have broken our country down morally and have contributed to the losing of our awe for God.  We, including me, have allowed the things of this world and even the cares of this world to slowly diminish our eyes from seeing God as reverend and awesome.  How can we learn to see God again and be children after His own heart as David?  We can do as David did.

In the next series of post, leading up to Christmas, I would like to attempt to show what our country could be like, by believing and living the belief that our God is an awesome God.  I am going to point out the steps you and I can take to manifest the awesome power and love of God in our lives.

Please look for upcoming posts and share with your friends, family, and especially your children.  What will the next generation be like if we do not obey and live the commands God has given us?  Our children need to be reminded, Our God is an Awesome God.

 

Please share on Facebook and send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .

 

Thanks for reading.

Rick   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Blocks Our View?

New Kids on The Block was a popular boy’s band in the late 80's and early 90's.  We had New Kids on The Block dolls, stages, clothes, caps, cassette tapes, cards, pictures and anything else their promoters chose to put their name on.  My two daughters were consumed with them, as well as every young girl their ages.  All this stuff is now in our junk room, waiting to be serious collectors' items for Ebay.  It has been in there a long time and is quickly approaching yard sale inventory.

One day the girls heard that their favorite band would be performing outside of Nashville, Tennessee at the Starwood Amphitheater. They just had to go, so we managed to get tickets. The day finally arrived and we made our way to Nashville.  When we got to the exit ramp to Starwood, we had to wait in line for about an hour to exit off. We finally made it to the amphitheater and found a place to park. We made it in and staked out a place on the grassy hillside with a perfect view of the stage.  As usual, a startup band performed. We were enjoying the music and relaxing on our little grassy spot.

I was feeling pretty good as a dad.  I was relaxed, my daughters were thrilled and Debbie was happy. I did not know my leaning back in the grass, on my elbows, would quickly end, after the first note was sung by "The New Kid's on The Block.  Then it happened. They came out and on their first song thousands of little girls jumped to their feet, shouting, squealing as only little girls can. I couldn't see. I knew they would all sit down in a minute.  "Nope", wasn't going to happen. Then I heard a little voice in desperation say, "Daddy, I can't see."  I only had one choice.  We were packed in.  We couldn't move.  The crowd was standing for the duration.  No possible sitting down was imminent.

At that moment, I was going to make a lifetime memory for my baby girl.  "Betsi, get on Daddy's shoulders." I managed to stand up with her on my shoulders, with her clinging to my hair and ears.  "Can you see now?" “Yes", she said, as she joined in with the other squealing little girls. (I just called her to verify if it was still a lifetime memory.  She still accurately remembers the occasion.)

This was a special occasion for our daughters. We all had fun. My neck and back muscles were only sore for a week.  Betsi had eyes, but she could not see. The people standing were blocking her view.  If she was going to see her favorite singing group, she was going to have to be lifted above the crowd.

Have you ever had anything you really wanted to see, but could not because something was blocking your view?  How many times over the years have you made a point to be earlier than anyone else to an event your child or grandchild was involved in? We make a point to not have anyone blocking our view of those things we highly value seeing.

You and I live in the world with many attractions, luring our eyes to want to see them. So much to see, both good and bad. I have noticed the attractions and places I wanted to see, certain preparations had to be  made to see them.  Deb and I wanted to carry our family to Disney World a few years back.  We planned for a year;  we picked a date we all could get off work;  we purchased airline tickets, a Disney meal plan, made reservations at the Disney resort we had chosen and decided on what clothes to take.  I had to make sure my work was caught up and clients could contact me.  I put carrying my family to Disney World on my "bucket list" on January the 1st of the previous year.  Deb and I gave this to our daughters and their family for Christmas.  With all this planning and a strong anticipation of seeing Disney World with our family, we did see it, had a great time, and made many memories.

Whether it takes a month or a lifetime, if our goal is to see a certain vacation spot, ball game, famous person,  historical place, etc...,  and we make a determined effort and follow our plans, we will see our goal. 

In my lifetime, I have seen many of the places and things I have wanted to see.  If my life is to be whole, my greatest goal and impact on my life and the lives of those who surround me, would be to desire, with all my heart, to see God.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:8, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  I have to understand what this verse means to me. I know this verse does not contradict what God tells Moses in Exodus 33:20, But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man can see Me and live".  In John 1:18 Christ says, "No one has seen God at any time" and in John 14:9 He says, "...He who has seen me has seen the Father."

Go to Exodus 33:14-23. God tells Moses that His Presence would go before them. Moses asked God, "Please show me your face". Then God said, "I will make my goodness pass before you, but my face you cannot see and live." Flesh and blood cannot handle the glory of God's face. God takes Moses and puts him in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand. As God passes by, He lets Moses see a portion of His back, but did not let him see His face.

Because Moses had seen a part of God and talked with God, he did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with God. So when he talked to Aaron and the people, the skin of his face shone.  Aaron and the people were afraid to come near Moses. (Exodus34:29-35)  We can understand by this, mortal man cannot handle seeing the full glory of God.   Read my thoughts on this carefully.  God with His great love for us, sent His only begotten Son, to be born of a virgin, putting on the flesh of humanity so we could see Him by seeing His Son, our savior, Jesus the Christ, Immanuel(God with us).  How beautiful is this?

Let's now read 1 John 4:9. "No one has seen God at any time." Then read 3 John 11. "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.  He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God."  What keeps one from seeing God? Doing evil will keep one from seeing God. Where does this evil come from? For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man. (Mark 7:21-23, NKJV)

We can see why David, the man after God's own heart,  in Psalm 51:10-11 asked God to create in him a clean heart and a steadfast spirit. This was when he was repenting of his sin against God with Bathsheba. He knew what was in his heart and he wanted it out and he requested a steadfast spirit to keep it out. Also in verse 11 he pleads with God to not cast him away from His presence and to not take His Holy Spirit from him.  David, a man after God's own heart,  had thoughts in his heart that produced his sinning against the God he loved so dearly.  He did not want his seeing God blocked by the sins of the flesh anymore.

David, in both his triumphs and trials, valued being in the presence of God by having his thoughts centered on God and the will of God in his life. Has our view been blocked from seeing God today in our country? Those things in the heart we just read about in Mark 7:21-23, keep us from seeing God.  David had killed the giant Goliath, slain his ten thousand,  was captain over about four hundred men, had won many major battles,  escaped from Saul's spear and sword, but when his eyes caught Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop, the thought of being with her brought him down quicker than any giant could. This crushed him. Go to Psalm 51 and read how he felt about having this evil in his heart.  David wanted to see God and be in His presence, but the thoughts of his heart blocked his view.  He knew a clean heart and a steadfast spirit would put his eyes focused on God again.

I wonder if the majority of people in our country are even concerned about God much less wanting to see Him. What stands in the way of people desiring to see Him?  What blocks the view of those that want to see God?  How can we have a pure heart?  We have to be like my daughter, Betsi when her view was blocked from seeing the "New Kids on The Block". She sat on my shoulders and I stood up above the crowd so she could see.  If we want to see God, we will have to do the same thing, except the only shoulders tall enough for us to see over the world, are the shoulders of our savior,  Jesus.

 

Do you want to see God? It will take a pure heart.  At a time of year when many hearts are opened for loving others, my next posts will be written to stir our hearts to be pure.  Please share on Facebook and comment by going to rhepler52@gmail.com

 

Thanks,

Rickey 

 

His Life Influenced Them to Kill Giants. What Do Our Lives Influence Them to Do?

Can you name who or what influenced you the most growing up?  I can remember when I was very young, awaking early on Saturday mornings, waiting for the Saturday morning shows for kids to come on TV. The most influential show, on me at the time I can remember, was " The Roy Rogers and Dale Evan's " show.  From the influence of "Roy Rogers" I obtained a cap pistol, cowboy boots and hat, and a BB gun.  I was one tough little dude, the "Roy Rogers" of State Line Road, fighting the bad guys on Saturday mornings.  I also had a pony named Trigger.  Fifty plus years later, my three year old grandson, Grady, is "Hiccup" and his sidekick is "Toothless". He watches them on TV. You will just have to google them.  I am not in the know on who they are. He has a Hiccup costume he wears and has a sidekick dragon named toothless.  Grady tells me they go after the mean guys.  Times have not changed with the years.  Good or bad, children are still vulnerable to influence, whatever that influence may be.

I would like to tell you of another hero from many years ago, and he wasn't a fictional character. He was real and had great influence.  His name was David,  the son of Jesse, the man after God's own heart.  He was an ordinary and lowly shepherd boy, who was greatly influenced by God.  This young David developed such a faith and trust in God that allowed him to be the fullest God had created him to be.

Who else influenced David?  Was it the stories about Joshua and Caleb? Were these stories told to him by his mother? Was she a servant of God? (Psalms 86:17 and 116:11) Did his father Jesse have much influence on him?  (1 Samuel 16:11, 17:12,15,17,18,20 and 58) David obeyed his father.  His father maybe taught him how to be responsible, because he trusted him with his livelihood, the sheep. (This is just my assumption.)

Who else had the opportunity to influence him?  David's "cause" dictated who he allowed to be an influence on him.  The men of Israel and his brothers fled into hiding when the giant, Goliath, challenged them.  His older brother, Eliab, was not an influence, but a discourager to him. (1 Samuel 17:28) King Saul was surely not an influence. He had the best of weapons and armor of the times and he offered it to David to fight the giant.  He should have been the one leading the battle, but was going to sit back and let a young inexperienced shepherd boy go to battle in his stead. (1 Samuel 17:33,38)

Now let's read  who had the greatest influence on David.  David had a "cause". (1 Samuel 17:29)   The "cause" was, he wanted the God of heaven to be known to all and he did not like anyone defying the one true God. (1 Samuel 17:45-47)  The main influence for him to honor and bring glory to God was God Himself.  David enjoyed  God's beautiful creation day and night while tending his father's sheep. He experienced first hand what God could do with a simple shepherd boy. ( He can do the same with us.) 

Did David have any influence?  Let's look at some he influenced.  Please read 1 Samuel 17:51-52.  When David, an ordinary young man, believed, trusted, and loved God, he did what was thought impossible.  He killed Goliath, the giant, and cut his head off.  When the Philistines saw Goliath's severed head, their courage withered, and they fled.  When the men of Israel saw it, they came from hiding and trembling to gaining new courage. With this new courage, they pursued the Philistines and defeated them. The influence of the servant of God, David, with a "cause" of wanting his God to be glorified, caused both of the actions I just mentioned.

David killed his giant and God's people benefited. But, did you know this encouraged four of his servants to do the same? Please read 2 Samuel 21:15-22.  Here we read of God's people at war with the Philistines again. David in his fighting grows faint.  Then one of the giants thought he could kill David, but one of David's servants came to his aid and killed the giant.  Then David's servants told him he should not go to battle with them anymore.  They did not want the lamp of Israel (David) to be quenched. After this there was another battle. Again, another giant was killed by one of David's servants. Then, in another battle another giant, a brother of Goliath, was killed by one of David's servants. And finally, Jonathan the son of David's brother Shammah,(1 Samuel 17:13) killed the giant who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot..  In 2 Samuel 21:22 it reads, These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

Did you notice one of the servants was David's nephew?  He was the son of one of David's brothers who was present when David killed Goliath.  He also went and hid from Goliath with the rest of the men of Israel when Goliath challenged them. How ironical.  I am glad he was influenced by David instead of his father.

These young men had been told the story.  They protected their aged and valiant leader.  He had taught them by his actions, not to fear when fighting for the Lord. A good example of a second generation facing the giants of the day by the leadership of the first generation.  Also, notice the writer included David as a slayer of these giants along with his servants.  I believe the writer is showing the courage of David influenced his servants to imitate that same courage. In doing so, he was responsible for the outcome.

Everyday I influence someone.  I may be old like David before I see the fruit of this influence.  This fruit may exhibit courage to fight the giants in this life that go against everything God stands for, or this fruit may wither and rot, never to nourish any righteous deed.

Our country today is reaping the influence of the 60's generation.  Out of this generation three ugly giants appeared.  I write in detail about these giants of immorality in my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart.  These giants of that day came out and challenged the people of God  just like Goliath challenged the armies of Israel.  We did not produce a champion like David. Our voices were only among ourselves like the men of Israel's.  Their voices were only heard  among the rocks where they were hiding.  The voices of Christians were only heard inside the four walls of their church buildings.

Like the challenge of Goliath, (1 Samuel 17:9-10) the forces of the unseen challenged us to send a champion, a man of God that had been made righteous by the blood of Christ to fight them.  Whoever lost would serve the other.   We had the power of our savior Jesus, but we didn't trust in it.  We instead turned the battle inward among ourselves, dividing and splitting, weakening any unity we may have had. Many of our young people were attracted to the world.(James 4:4 and 1 John 2:15-16)  They made friends with the world. Fornication was called free love. Abortion was called the woman's choice.  Evolution was brought into our schools, and God was moved out.

The apostle Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 16:13 to, Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  You and I are not going to watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave and be strong unless we have a "cause".  My "cause" is to bring glory and honor back to God in this nation.  If we lived in the way God has laid out for us in His word, can you imagine what our country would be like today?

We need men to be God's men.  Men after God's own heart. Men with the knowledge to put on the whole armor of God. (Ephesians 6:10-18)  The way I choose to live my life is going to bring my children and grandchildren either closer to God or closer to the world.  I choose to influence them to be closer to God and not friends with a world that disregards God.  Which way will your influence turn them?  Where are they now?  Will this country be a better or worse country because of our influence?

Whether you and I follow Jesus or not, one day our choices turn into just one last act.  We will not have a choice in this one.  On judgment day, the last act of humankind on this earth will be to bow the knee before the Lord.  This is mandatory.  When I bow my knee before Him,  I want to bow it in joy, knowing I have kept His commandments out of love for Him.  I want to bow before Him with gratitude for the plan of salvation that was simple for me to follow and obey.  I want to bow with reverence, thanking Him for dying for me, so I could be righteous before God.  I want to bow with joy knowing my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc. are bowing their knee before Him with those same thoughts.  Finally, I want to bow my knee before Him knowing I will be changed from this body of flesh to a spiritual body like Christ to live forever in the place He has prepared for me. (John 14:1-3)

What about you?  When your knee bows before the Lord ,what will your thoughts be?  What will be the thoughts of the people you loved and influenced?

Please send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com and go to www.amazon.com to preview and purchase my books, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart and 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours.

Let me help you slay your giants. Send me an email or pm on Facebook. I will be glad to help you and you can also help me slay the giants I face.

Thank you very much for reading.

Rickey






rhepler52@gmail.com

My Take on the Most Quoted Chapter in the Bible

I learned to quote it at an early age. It has been quoted in times of tragedy, sorrow, and death. Most people my age can quote it.  Has this popular chapter in the Bible been forgotten by our young people?  What was in the mind of its author? What experiences did he have that inspired him to write this?  What did he want each generation to glean from this? Can we apply this to our lives today? When was the last time you read it?  What emotion compelled you to search for comfort in reading it? After reading it, did you understand what he is trying to tell you? Let me tell you what it has done for me.

The 23rd Psalm has been one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  It could be because the author has been one of my favorite Biblical characters since I was a small child.  In writing my first book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart, I renewed my acquaintance with the early life of David, the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite.  I learned how David became the man after God's own heart. In the wilderness while shepherding his father's sheep, he developed the love, trust, and faith in his creator, God, at a young age. David was preparing himself to face any trial, large or small, to encourage God's people, and to glorify the God he loved.

Out of  David's life came the 23rd Psalm.  Was this a Psalm for his children and grandchildren?  Did David want them to have words to comfort them when they experienced living life through, seemingly, impossible circumstances? Was he wanting them to examine who they were following, and the path he was leading them?  Did David want them to have a faith in God as he did?  Would these verses motivate them to follow, love, and trust the Lord's path leading to righteousness?  I do not know David's purpose for writing this.  I have read many comments on David's age when he wrote this and many opinions on its meaning.  Below is my take on it, and what I want to convey to you, my children, and my grandchildren.


                                                      The 23rd Psalm


The Lord is my shepherd;  I think David is relating to the reader that he had a choice in whom he would follow.  At this point in his life he had been influenced by many, but the Lord was the one who showed him the the most love and promise.   David knew the Lord fearfully and wonderfully created him. (Psalm 139)  Who better to  be shepherded by than the one who created you.  I shall not want (lack).  With the Lord as my shepherd, I will not lack anything that makes for a righteous life.  The most important statement I see in this verse is, in order to have a shepherd, you must be willing to submit your whole heart, mind, soul and body to the shepherd.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;  Trials in my life have pushed me in another direction.  This direction has led me to feast upon God's instructing word for comfort just as green grass is to fulfill the appetites of hungry sheep for new grass.  He leads me besides the still waters;  Sometimes I need to be in a peaceful place.  A place I can get my emotional breath, even if it is only for 15 minutes. Unlike the raging white waters of swollen mountain streams, the beauty of still waters at dusk or dawn can give me this needed tranquility.

He restores my soul;  The Lord is the only one who can return the soul as it was in the beginning, before the fall of man. All, including myself, have sinned. By sinning we have a soul that is broken down and is separated from God. The Lord, who like a shepherd, wants the best He can provide for His people.  Exactly like David did in providing for his father's sheep. David wanted the best water, grass, and protection for the flock.  God has set up a plan in his Son, Jesus Christ, that will restore our soul back to the original relationship it had with Him.  This plan is only offered if the Lord is our Shepherd.  David, although a man after God's own heart, knew what it was to be broken by sin and restored. Read Psalm 51.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.  When I willingly choose these paths of righteousness presented to us in His word, I will have a good family, be a good citizen in my community, will be known for good works, and by Christian living bring others to obey the gospel. I will let my light shine before men that they may see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,  I will fear no evil;  David had experienced walking with death on either side of him.  Goliath, desperately wanted to kill him, out of jealously, king Saul wanted him dead, and also the enemies of God's people wanted him dead.  This was the physical death on either side of him. Satan also wanted him spiritually dead to God.  Through temptation and  deception, the man after God's own heart sinned against God by committing adultery and murder.  God walked him through all of this.

For You are with me; God delivered David from the lion, bear, Goliath and his confessed sins. He knew he could go through that valley, because God was with him.  God does not change. God will deliver us from our trials as he delivered David. Need comfort? Do you have fear?  Remember, God loves you and is more powerful than the one who is in this world. Please read Romans 8:31-39 and   1 John 4:4.  If you and I are sheep in the fold of God, we should not fear any evil that Satan sends our way. Read Psalm 56:4; Psalm 118:6; and Hebrews 13:6.  This is a truth from God's word, and He does not lie. Are you in His fold? If you are, then be bold, depending on the Lord as your Shepherd to protect you.

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  The shepherd's rod was used to protect the sheep from predators and to keep the sheep from straying. If studied and meditated upon, God's word can be used to protect us from the deceptions and temptations of the Devil that will bring us physical and spiritual harm.  His word can also discipline us and convict us of any sin in our lives.  The staff was used to hook the lambs, bringing them back when they wandered away from the flock, and to pull them out of harm's way.  To me the staff represents God's love for us. When we are tempted to wander away, a reminder of the great love God has for us and the price His Son paid for us, should bring us gently back.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Even though Christians live in a fallen world, the providence of God has blessed each with many opportunities.  We can succeed with the gifts God has given us to fulfill His purpose. All of this is done in the presence of the world. We are in this world to do the good works taken from the table God has prepared for us. We are to influence the world for good and not let the world influence us. We are in the world but not of the world. (John17:15-16)

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over;  If I use this in a way where my head (mind) is to store knowledge and the oil represents knowledge, then God supplies His word in such an abundance, supplying all we need pertaining to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) The more I read in God's word, the more  I stand in awe of Him and His love for me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.  This is my goal and should be the goal of every Christian. Wanting to be known as a man that has goodness and mercy following him in every life situation, can only be made possible by having the Lord as my Shepherd.  Living this way would hopefully encourage my children, grandchildren, friends and family to do the same.  Could David be saying it was worth it, by having the Lord as his shepherd? David's affirmation was to dwell in the house of the Lord who he had loved and trusted.

David confirms to his readers that the Lord is his shepherd.  He then tells us what his shepherd has done for him.  Finally, he relates to his readers the results of following his shepherd. David's life is a good example of what God can do with a person who believes, loves and trust in Him.

We all have many choices of who or what we will let lead us. There is only one good shepherd who wants to lead you in becoming the person He created you to be for His glory.  He believes in you. Who is your shepherd? Are you willing to love, obey and trust Him?  The choice has always been left up to us. The good shepherd will never force you to follow Him,  but His will is you that will choose Him instead of the world.

Are you searching for a shepherd? Are you following the ways of the world? Does the world really care about you?  What price is the world willing to pay for you?  The Lord wants to be your shepherd and to prove it,  He let His Son die for you. Is your life all messed up because of sin?  Remember what David is trying to tell you.  The Lord will Restore your soul.

How do you relate the 23rd Psalm to you? Please read it with the understanding that the Lord wants to help you through whatever trial you are in.  Is it time to let Him be your shepherd?

Thanks for reading. You may contact me on Facebook or at www.rhepler52@gmail.com.


Rick Hepler