He was very rough around the edges. He had tatoos, long hair and to some he would probably frighten on their first impression of him. I got to know him several years ago while I was still in banking. He came in one day and needed a small loan. I checked him out and found that he paid his payments on time so I made the loan. Through that year I got to know him better. He would come in sometimes to just talk. Under his rough outer crust he was a nice guy. You know, he was about like a fried pie. You sometimes don't know what kind of pie it is until you look under the crust.
One day the opportunity came up and I invited him to go to church with me that next Sunday. He said, "No, I can't go. I need to try to clean my life up a little before I can go to church and besides I don't look like a church goer. Anyway,I don't have the clothes to wear" .
This man's statement about going to church still bothers me. Have Christians left the impression to the world that you have to be dressed up, sinless and problem free to go to church? This man did not know that God loves him just as much as he loves me. Christians, somewhere down the line, we have missed the mark.
Let's read John 3:16 telling about God's love and who He excludes from that love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". (NKJV) The key word is world. That includes everyone and excludes no one.
Christians, we need to quit looking at our fellow man through our eyes and start using God's eyes. Remember whose image mankind is made in. Read Genesis 1:26. We know God hates sin but he loves the sinner. His son, Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.(Romans 5:8)
I want to give you an example using my youngest grandson, Connor, who is one year old. Let's say that his blood has something in it that cures cancer. But for the doctors to get what they need, Connor has to die.( I know this is far fetched and has been used before, but I want to make a different point.) So Connor dies and everyone that has cancer now can be cured. Now, I want to ask you a question. When I see someone with cancer am I going to tell them about the cure? But, most importantly, how much do you think that I will love them? My grandson has died for them. I am going to love them so much as if they were my grandson.
Now, when I look at anyone, I try to use God's eyes. I should love them as God does. When they see me loving them unconditionally they will see Christ living in me. Do you think that if we as Christians loved the sinner as God does, our Sunday morning worship services would have more visitors of different walks of life? They would come to seek the love of God and also, by the way we treat them they would feel comfortable around us, even though they didn't have nice clothes to wear.
I do not condone sin and I do not believe God does either. So don't go telling that Rick Hepler says that everyone will be saved. We have to be in contact with Christ's blood to wash away our sins the same way in the example I used with my grandson. The cancer patients would have to have what came from his blood to get the cure and they would have to do something to obtain that cure. We can only have our sins washed away by the blood of Christ.
There are many people in our communities that are hurting. Christians, we need to show them a love that they have never seen. We need to be Christians like we have never seen.
This has been very hard for me to write. I want to do "that main thing" that a Christian should do." That main thing, is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and next you shall love your neighbor as yourself". You notice, the heart is first and everything else will fall into place. I must remember that I need a saviour.
I want to live a life that on the day of my funeral the preacher will not have to tell anyone that Rick loved the Lord. I want those that will be in attendance to know also that I loved them. What greater purpose in this life can I have? What about you?
You and I have the rest of our life to do God's purpose for our lives. The rest of our lives may be only today. Let's do it today.
I hope you are enjoying reading this. Many are wondering why I have this blog. Well, I am in the process of writing a book and I needed to develop writing skills and the discipline to do it. The title I think will be "Christians, We need To Talk". The title could change, but the content will still have the same theme.
Please send this to others if you enjoy reading it. Send comments of encouragement or criticism, either one I will use to help me grow. Thank you so much! Send comments to rhepler@gmail.com Have a good day!
Rick Hepler
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Encouragement: Good and Bad
We all need encouragement throughout our life here on earth. Sometimes it could be the last link in the chain that pulls us over the top of the mountain of trial. I usually get the encouragement I need from my family and friends. I have had an enormous amount of encouragement from the readers of my blog and for that I am very grateful. Think back to a time that you didn't think you could keep going and someone said," You can do it. I am praying for you". Do you remember the strength those words gave you at the time?
We all like and need encouragement, but how many people in a week do we encourage? We agree that there are many people in our communities today that are suffering. Do they ever receive encouragement? Encouragement can be an act of prevention. We all know at least one person that has taken the wrong path in their life that maybe has led to drug addiction, marital problems or have just given up. What if before they chose the wrong path you were there to encourage them and (do something completely out of the box in today's culture) had prayer with them ?
I would not be afraid to say that there are some people that go week after week with no one ever encouraging them and I dare say that some may even go a lifetime without anyone ever mentioning their name in a prayer. How sad. Don't you think it would make a difference? I thought so. Who are you then encouraging today?
We must know what we are encouraging them to do. I am going to tell you a true story about one time my mistake of giving encouragement to the wrong action.
One time, when I was child, on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon, my brother Randy and I decided to go to the barn and play. We usually would build tunnels through the bales of hay. We had played for about an hour and we heard our beagle hound "Poochy" starting to bark. Looking for something else to do we got down out of the loft to see what he had. We found Poochy digging and barking. He was digging a hole and was going back and forth. So we started yelling,"Get it Poochy, Get it." That's all the encouragement Poochy needed. He began to dig as if his life depended on it.(Remember this is on a Sunday afternoon and we our going to have to get ready to go to church in a few minutes) Poochy started barking frantically. We were all excited, yelling and screaming, encouraging our little dog on, wondering what he was after. Then, all of the sudden we heard a growl and Poochy started backing out of the hole pulling something out with him.
Out of the hole he came dragging a big, mad skunk. When the skunk got his footing he let Poochy have it first and then Randy and I got a big spraying. Smelling a skunk from a distance is bad enough, but point blank range with a full dose is awful. Not only can you smell it, you can taste it. The worse part was telling mama. There is nothing worse than being naked in your own backyard on a rainy , cold Sunday afternoon, smelling like a skunk, with your mama mad at you. The moral of this story is always check out what you are giving them encouragement to do.
Our silence can sometimes be an encouragement to our children or someone else to continue in a wrong activity. Take for an example if you walk through the den and your teenager is watching a movie with their friends. Bad language comes from the TV getting your attention. You turn around and look and see a sexual scene happening in the movie. Your children know you heard the language and saw the graphic sexual material. Now there is no margin for error in this scenario. If you say nothing, I guarantee , your teenagers will think it is ok for them to continue to watch that filth. So will their friends. Their moral balance is depending on you. Be very careful of your silence. You do not want to make the wrong choice.
Look at the immorality in our country today that was encouraged by our silence. You can list them. I will name one, same sex marriage.
Give someone encouragement today. Be sure what you are encouraging them to do and let us make it a practice never again to encourage wrong doing by our silence.
Please send me your comments at rhepler52@gmail.com If you enjoy reading my blog pass it on to others.
Thanks,
Rick Hepler
We all like and need encouragement, but how many people in a week do we encourage? We agree that there are many people in our communities today that are suffering. Do they ever receive encouragement? Encouragement can be an act of prevention. We all know at least one person that has taken the wrong path in their life that maybe has led to drug addiction, marital problems or have just given up. What if before they chose the wrong path you were there to encourage them and (do something completely out of the box in today's culture) had prayer with them ?
I would not be afraid to say that there are some people that go week after week with no one ever encouraging them and I dare say that some may even go a lifetime without anyone ever mentioning their name in a prayer. How sad. Don't you think it would make a difference? I thought so. Who are you then encouraging today?
We must know what we are encouraging them to do. I am going to tell you a true story about one time my mistake of giving encouragement to the wrong action.
One time, when I was child, on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon, my brother Randy and I decided to go to the barn and play. We usually would build tunnels through the bales of hay. We had played for about an hour and we heard our beagle hound "Poochy" starting to bark. Looking for something else to do we got down out of the loft to see what he had. We found Poochy digging and barking. He was digging a hole and was going back and forth. So we started yelling,"Get it Poochy, Get it." That's all the encouragement Poochy needed. He began to dig as if his life depended on it.(Remember this is on a Sunday afternoon and we our going to have to get ready to go to church in a few minutes) Poochy started barking frantically. We were all excited, yelling and screaming, encouraging our little dog on, wondering what he was after. Then, all of the sudden we heard a growl and Poochy started backing out of the hole pulling something out with him.
Out of the hole he came dragging a big, mad skunk. When the skunk got his footing he let Poochy have it first and then Randy and I got a big spraying. Smelling a skunk from a distance is bad enough, but point blank range with a full dose is awful. Not only can you smell it, you can taste it. The worse part was telling mama. There is nothing worse than being naked in your own backyard on a rainy , cold Sunday afternoon, smelling like a skunk, with your mama mad at you. The moral of this story is always check out what you are giving them encouragement to do.
Our silence can sometimes be an encouragement to our children or someone else to continue in a wrong activity. Take for an example if you walk through the den and your teenager is watching a movie with their friends. Bad language comes from the TV getting your attention. You turn around and look and see a sexual scene happening in the movie. Your children know you heard the language and saw the graphic sexual material. Now there is no margin for error in this scenario. If you say nothing, I guarantee , your teenagers will think it is ok for them to continue to watch that filth. So will their friends. Their moral balance is depending on you. Be very careful of your silence. You do not want to make the wrong choice.
Look at the immorality in our country today that was encouraged by our silence. You can list them. I will name one, same sex marriage.
Give someone encouragement today. Be sure what you are encouraging them to do and let us make it a practice never again to encourage wrong doing by our silence.
Please send me your comments at rhepler52@gmail.com If you enjoy reading my blog pass it on to others.
Thanks,
Rick Hepler
Monday, July 11, 2011
Silver And Gold I Do Not Have
Today in our country many people are experiencing unemployment and others just hard financial times. Even the government is in serious financial shape. The financial problems that I have seen over the last 35 years have sometimes led to other problems. I have seen many marriages fail, some suicides and mental depression resulting from experiencing hard financial times. It was just announced this morning that one of our major employers, in our town, locked their doors last night.
Let's now look in the New Testament about a man who was having hard financial times. Please turn to Acts chapter 3. We see a man that was lame from birth. In his condition he could not work. He had no means at all to provide anything for himself. His only alternative was to beg for alms at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. He even had to depend on people to carry and lay him there each day. As the people would go in the gates each day, he would beg for alms.
Now let's get closer to this. How do you think this man feels? He had to depend on everyone just to survive. How many times do you think people just walked by not even looking at him? Could this man handle rejection? Did he ever have a hope that someday he could walk through the temple gates by himself? Do you think the people got so used to him sitting there each day that they began to just overlook him?
This man had no hope. He had no long term financial goals or retirement goals. His dreams were just to get through the next day. Is it possible to live like this? Some people across this world are living like this every day. I try to feel the thoughts this man was having. I cannot come close, but thanking God for my daily food has more meaning now. I am very grateful for everything large or small that I receive from Him.
The lame man sees Peter and John about to go into the temple. His head looking down with shame he asked them for alms as he had done, to the people entering, hundreds of times. This wonderful time it was different! Peter and John fixed their eyes on him and said, "Look at us". So it says he gave them his attention. This man never dreamed of what was about to take place. (Are you excited for him?)
Peter, a man of God, tells him "Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you." Now, place yourselves in this man's situation. Money was always on his mind and he depended on it for survival. These men even stopped to talk to him. Don't you know he expected that they were going to give him more money than the others, since they took the time to stop and talk to him.
The next words out of Peter's mouth would change this man's life forever. "...but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." (NKJV) In vs. 8 it says that he stood up and walked into the temple with them. Can you imagine how he felt? He never dreamed that he would ever be able to walk into the temple. I am sure his family rejoiced with him and also the people that had to carry him to the gate of the temple each day. We would be, too.
He was walking , leaping and praising God. He knew by what authority he was healed. Do you think for one minute he questioned who Jesus was? In vs.16 it tells us it was in His name and and faith in His name that made this man strong. The material blessings from God, silver and gold, did not make this man walk. The spiritual blessings in Christ did.
I and many of you today have or are now focusing on material things to give us peace. Can we hear those same words from Peter? "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk" That walk to us should not be the kind on two legs but the spiritual kind that faith lifts us up to rejoice, leaping with praise, being able to walk the christian walk. Walking in the Light from God, giving us the spiritual strength to carry on and that wonderful hope of Heaven someday, gives us the spiritual legs to walk with God through any crisis we might have in this life.
We do live in troublesome times. These are times that call for clean hearts before God to pray "two-knee" prayers. You know, the kind that involves us down on two knees before God surrendering our total self to Him and seeking His guidance and protection through fervent praying.
We will see our country walking again when we see this kind of praying by everyone that calls themselves Christians.
Debbie and I usually have our devotional and prayer every night between 9:30 and 10:00. Christians, please pray with us tonight that our country will walk again. Not by Gold and Silver but by the authority of Jesus of Nazareth.
Please encourage someone today and also if you have any comments send them to: rhepler52@gmail.com
Thank you for reading and your comments.
Rick Hepler
Let's now look in the New Testament about a man who was having hard financial times. Please turn to Acts chapter 3. We see a man that was lame from birth. In his condition he could not work. He had no means at all to provide anything for himself. His only alternative was to beg for alms at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. He even had to depend on people to carry and lay him there each day. As the people would go in the gates each day, he would beg for alms.
Now let's get closer to this. How do you think this man feels? He had to depend on everyone just to survive. How many times do you think people just walked by not even looking at him? Could this man handle rejection? Did he ever have a hope that someday he could walk through the temple gates by himself? Do you think the people got so used to him sitting there each day that they began to just overlook him?
This man had no hope. He had no long term financial goals or retirement goals. His dreams were just to get through the next day. Is it possible to live like this? Some people across this world are living like this every day. I try to feel the thoughts this man was having. I cannot come close, but thanking God for my daily food has more meaning now. I am very grateful for everything large or small that I receive from Him.
The lame man sees Peter and John about to go into the temple. His head looking down with shame he asked them for alms as he had done, to the people entering, hundreds of times. This wonderful time it was different! Peter and John fixed their eyes on him and said, "Look at us". So it says he gave them his attention. This man never dreamed of what was about to take place. (Are you excited for him?)
Peter, a man of God, tells him "Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you." Now, place yourselves in this man's situation. Money was always on his mind and he depended on it for survival. These men even stopped to talk to him. Don't you know he expected that they were going to give him more money than the others, since they took the time to stop and talk to him.
The next words out of Peter's mouth would change this man's life forever. "...but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." (NKJV) In vs. 8 it says that he stood up and walked into the temple with them. Can you imagine how he felt? He never dreamed that he would ever be able to walk into the temple. I am sure his family rejoiced with him and also the people that had to carry him to the gate of the temple each day. We would be, too.
He was walking , leaping and praising God. He knew by what authority he was healed. Do you think for one minute he questioned who Jesus was? In vs.16 it tells us it was in His name and and faith in His name that made this man strong. The material blessings from God, silver and gold, did not make this man walk. The spiritual blessings in Christ did.
I and many of you today have or are now focusing on material things to give us peace. Can we hear those same words from Peter? "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk" That walk to us should not be the kind on two legs but the spiritual kind that faith lifts us up to rejoice, leaping with praise, being able to walk the christian walk. Walking in the Light from God, giving us the spiritual strength to carry on and that wonderful hope of Heaven someday, gives us the spiritual legs to walk with God through any crisis we might have in this life.
We do live in troublesome times. These are times that call for clean hearts before God to pray "two-knee" prayers. You know, the kind that involves us down on two knees before God surrendering our total self to Him and seeking His guidance and protection through fervent praying.
We will see our country walking again when we see this kind of praying by everyone that calls themselves Christians.
Debbie and I usually have our devotional and prayer every night between 9:30 and 10:00. Christians, please pray with us tonight that our country will walk again. Not by Gold and Silver but by the authority of Jesus of Nazareth.
Please encourage someone today and also if you have any comments send them to: rhepler52@gmail.com
Thank you for reading and your comments.
Rick Hepler
Friday, July 8, 2011
Why Brokenness?
Brokenness is what you experience when you are stripped of everything, bankrupt, crushed by grief or despair, made weak, and not complete or full. I am sure you can add more, but you get the idea. I have often wondered why we have it and have looked upon it as being a very negative condition that hinders any happiness that we may seek to find. Boy was I wrong.
Follow me for just a minute. After the fall of man in Genesis chapter 3, sin entered and stained this world that God created for man. We now live in a fallen world because of it. Did God want man to live for ever in this state? No, look carefully at vs 22-24. God said , "And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever". Then God sent man out of the garden and placed a cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life. Why is this important? God did not and does not want man to live in this fallen world forever. He immediately put a plan in place to draw us back to Him so we can live with Him, where there is no sin, for all eternity. And to show us that He wants that to happen, He sent His only son Jesus to die for us. He still gives man the choice to choose to accept His love or not. Does He still love us? Yes, look at 2Pet. 3:9. ...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (NKJV) to warn us He says in 1John 2:15 to not love this world or the things in this world. Why? He does not want us to become so attached to this world that we miss the one he has prepared for us.
This answers the age old question," why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?" He allows it so we will come back to Him. The book of Job shows us that God allowed Satan to afflict Job. Satan's main purpose was to get Job to curse God. That didn't happen. We have the advantage over Job because he didn't know why God was allowing this but we do.
There is a parable in Luke that gives me great comfort. It is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
The loving father gave his younger son his inheritance and it says the son went into a far country. I want to ask you, what did the son want more, his money or his independence from his father? Notice, he went to a far country far away from his father. A father that loved him and blessed him with his inheritance. Did the younger son show any gratitude? All I see is, that he wanted his possessions and his own independent life. Is any of this starting to sound familiar?
When did the prodigal son remember his father? When he was living it up in the world having money to spend on his pleasures or when he was eating slop with the hogs? You got it. He first had to experience extreme brokenness before, as it says, came to himself.
The most beautiful part of this parable is the father never stopped loving his son. He watched for him every day hoping, yes hoping, he would come home. Also, the son knew who to come home to, but never realized there would be such a homecoming feast awaiting him.
After writing this, I welcome brokenness. My brokenness has brought me closer to God. God has used brokenness in my life to cause me to shift my life in a direction that best serves him. I still do not understand all the trials that we all experience but I do know this , God is in control and if we let Him, He will one day make it right.
Satan uses our brokenness to get us to curse God, but remember, God allows him to do it so we will be like the prodigal, come to ourself, and return back to Him.
I now can rejoice knowing that God always wants us to come home and be with Him and when I stray off that path to Him, he allows trials in this life to get me back on the path.
Read Habakkuk chapter 3:17-18. Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut of from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
We need to rejoice that we can have salvation in Jesus. This helps us overcome any degree of brokenness that we may be experiencing.
I need to finish for today. Thank you so much for reading this. Please feel free to send your comments to: rhepler52@gmail.com
I hope you have a good day and if this helps you please pass it on to someone else who might enjoy reading it.
Thanks,
Rick Hepler
Follow me for just a minute. After the fall of man in Genesis chapter 3, sin entered and stained this world that God created for man. We now live in a fallen world because of it. Did God want man to live for ever in this state? No, look carefully at vs 22-24. God said , "And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever". Then God sent man out of the garden and placed a cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life. Why is this important? God did not and does not want man to live in this fallen world forever. He immediately put a plan in place to draw us back to Him so we can live with Him, where there is no sin, for all eternity. And to show us that He wants that to happen, He sent His only son Jesus to die for us. He still gives man the choice to choose to accept His love or not. Does He still love us? Yes, look at 2Pet. 3:9. ...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (NKJV) to warn us He says in 1John 2:15 to not love this world or the things in this world. Why? He does not want us to become so attached to this world that we miss the one he has prepared for us.
This answers the age old question," why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?" He allows it so we will come back to Him. The book of Job shows us that God allowed Satan to afflict Job. Satan's main purpose was to get Job to curse God. That didn't happen. We have the advantage over Job because he didn't know why God was allowing this but we do.
There is a parable in Luke that gives me great comfort. It is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
The loving father gave his younger son his inheritance and it says the son went into a far country. I want to ask you, what did the son want more, his money or his independence from his father? Notice, he went to a far country far away from his father. A father that loved him and blessed him with his inheritance. Did the younger son show any gratitude? All I see is, that he wanted his possessions and his own independent life. Is any of this starting to sound familiar?
When did the prodigal son remember his father? When he was living it up in the world having money to spend on his pleasures or when he was eating slop with the hogs? You got it. He first had to experience extreme brokenness before, as it says, came to himself.
The most beautiful part of this parable is the father never stopped loving his son. He watched for him every day hoping, yes hoping, he would come home. Also, the son knew who to come home to, but never realized there would be such a homecoming feast awaiting him.
After writing this, I welcome brokenness. My brokenness has brought me closer to God. God has used brokenness in my life to cause me to shift my life in a direction that best serves him. I still do not understand all the trials that we all experience but I do know this , God is in control and if we let Him, He will one day make it right.
Satan uses our brokenness to get us to curse God, but remember, God allows him to do it so we will be like the prodigal, come to ourself, and return back to Him.
I now can rejoice knowing that God always wants us to come home and be with Him and when I stray off that path to Him, he allows trials in this life to get me back on the path.
Read Habakkuk chapter 3:17-18. Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut of from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
We need to rejoice that we can have salvation in Jesus. This helps us overcome any degree of brokenness that we may be experiencing.
I need to finish for today. Thank you so much for reading this. Please feel free to send your comments to: rhepler52@gmail.com
I hope you have a good day and if this helps you please pass it on to someone else who might enjoy reading it.
Thanks,
Rick Hepler
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Enemies of Persistence (conclusion)
I am going to try to finish this topic today. There are several "enemies " of persistence that we could probably talk about. You can look back over your life and remember the goals that you failed to keep by not having the persistence needed to follow through. We each can, if we look back, usually identify why we gave up. Maybe our goal changed or our desire to meet that goal changed, which is not a bad thing. After thinking about it, what was the real reason that you could not persist in what you wanted to do? Only you can answer this and work on not letting the same thing ever destroy your persistence again.
Now, I would like to share an enemy of my own persistence and this may be one of yours, too. The name of this enemy is "Baggage From The Past". When I really want to accomplish a goal, I usually start that self talk of "you gave up before and this time is no different". Our failures from the past seem to always come up and, at least for me, have a tremendous power to weaken us.
Here is how I am working on dealing with this. When Debbie and I carried the kids to Disney World, about three years ago, we packed several bags with our clothes, shoes and everything we thought we would need while staying there. Upon arrival in our hotel room we unpacked our bags and put them away, which seems like a logical thing to do. We would looked silly carrying our bags with us each time we left the room. Can you imagine how tired you would be lugging those bags all day. We were exhausted not carrying anything .
When we carry our emotional baggage from the past day in and day out it will absolutely wear us out mentally. We do not even think about goals, persistence or anything else. All we want sometimes is just a few minutes of peace.( I would like to know. Is this only unique to me?)
Some times little things happen that can have a major impact on our thinking. Let me tell you one that has really helped me. A few days ago, as I walked through the office to the back room, at one of our computers sat Debbie with our 4 year old granddaughter, Anna Jewell, in her lap. They were doing something on the computer. As I was in the back I heard, in a loud voice, "MAMMAW!, MAMMAW!, MAMMAW! make it white!, make it white!" (You know, grand kids can be pretty loud and persistent when they want something) I walked back through and asked Debbie," what in the world is she wanting you to do?" She said, "she is typing on the computer and wants me to clear the typing off so she will have a white page to start fresh typing again". It hit me. I slowly walked back to my desk and sat down. My eyes teared up and I prayed "Heavenly Father!, Heavenly Father!, Heavenly Father!, please, make my page white." You all know what I was thinking. I cannot change mistakes and failures of the past but God can make the page white again to begin a new chapter in my life. That's it. A new chapter that can be filled with serving God and my fellow man. That alone gives me the courage to go on with all the persistence I need to accomplish whatever good works I want to seek. Maybe, just maybe, you want your page white too.
Living in a fallen world with bad news broadcast 24/7, the problems may seem like giants. But I want you to read I Sam. chapter 17. David was not afraid and knew that God would deliver him because He had done so on previous occasions. But the verse, using the NKJV, that really has an impact for me is in vs. 29. And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"
Friend, is there not a cause? We need to persistently seek to do good. Get our page white. Let's all remember the song we used to sing, in VBS, "This Little Christian Light of Mine I Am Going to Let It Shine".
If we all shine together, the darkness we fear will be overcome.
I hope this encourages you and gets you to thinking. Please send this to a friend . Help someone today to "make their page white".
Please if you have any comments you can email me at rhepler@gmail.com
Thanks so much for your time. Have a good day.
Rick
Now, I would like to share an enemy of my own persistence and this may be one of yours, too. The name of this enemy is "Baggage From The Past". When I really want to accomplish a goal, I usually start that self talk of "you gave up before and this time is no different". Our failures from the past seem to always come up and, at least for me, have a tremendous power to weaken us.
Here is how I am working on dealing with this. When Debbie and I carried the kids to Disney World, about three years ago, we packed several bags with our clothes, shoes and everything we thought we would need while staying there. Upon arrival in our hotel room we unpacked our bags and put them away, which seems like a logical thing to do. We would looked silly carrying our bags with us each time we left the room. Can you imagine how tired you would be lugging those bags all day. We were exhausted not carrying anything .
When we carry our emotional baggage from the past day in and day out it will absolutely wear us out mentally. We do not even think about goals, persistence or anything else. All we want sometimes is just a few minutes of peace.( I would like to know. Is this only unique to me?)
Some times little things happen that can have a major impact on our thinking. Let me tell you one that has really helped me. A few days ago, as I walked through the office to the back room, at one of our computers sat Debbie with our 4 year old granddaughter, Anna Jewell, in her lap. They were doing something on the computer. As I was in the back I heard, in a loud voice, "MAMMAW!, MAMMAW!, MAMMAW! make it white!, make it white!" (You know, grand kids can be pretty loud and persistent when they want something) I walked back through and asked Debbie," what in the world is she wanting you to do?" She said, "she is typing on the computer and wants me to clear the typing off so she will have a white page to start fresh typing again". It hit me. I slowly walked back to my desk and sat down. My eyes teared up and I prayed "Heavenly Father!, Heavenly Father!, Heavenly Father!, please, make my page white." You all know what I was thinking. I cannot change mistakes and failures of the past but God can make the page white again to begin a new chapter in my life. That's it. A new chapter that can be filled with serving God and my fellow man. That alone gives me the courage to go on with all the persistence I need to accomplish whatever good works I want to seek. Maybe, just maybe, you want your page white too.
Living in a fallen world with bad news broadcast 24/7, the problems may seem like giants. But I want you to read I Sam. chapter 17. David was not afraid and knew that God would deliver him because He had done so on previous occasions. But the verse, using the NKJV, that really has an impact for me is in vs. 29. And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"
Friend, is there not a cause? We need to persistently seek to do good. Get our page white. Let's all remember the song we used to sing, in VBS, "This Little Christian Light of Mine I Am Going to Let It Shine".
If we all shine together, the darkness we fear will be overcome.
I hope this encourages you and gets you to thinking. Please send this to a friend . Help someone today to "make their page white".
Please if you have any comments you can email me at rhepler@gmail.com
Thanks so much for your time. Have a good day.
Rick
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Enemies of Persistence (continued)
As stated in the previous blog, persistence is a key ingredient in making your dreams come true. Maintaining it can sometimes become difficult. I would say discouragement is a big time enemy of persistence. Let's discuss this and see if you also agree.
When I was a senior in high school my vocational agriculture teacher carried my dad and me to meet the dean of agriculture at a small Kentucky college. From the time I was able to walk I always had an animal of some kind around me. I had up to that point in my life as pets a cow, hog, billy goat, raccoons, skunks, a rooster, several dogs and horses. I enjoyed animals and taking care of them. When the local veterinarian would come and work on our livestock I would watch his every move. That's what I wanted to be when I grew up, a veterinarian. That's all I talked about.
I was really excited that day when we walked in to the dean's office. This was the man that was going to help me be something that I had always dreamed about. My future was going to be good. After the introductions, I sat patiently ready to hear encouraging words and my future plans of becoming a veterinarian.
That "DID NOT HAPPEN". The first sentence out of his mouth was, "young man you need to find something else. Auburn University only takes 2 graduates a year from the state of Kentucky. It is very hard to meet their qualifications to be chosen". There you have it. Two sentences from a man I did not know killed all the passion and persistence I had acquired the past 18 years. As I walked out of this man's office and the door shut, my dream of being a veterinarian would be shut up in than room for ever. Do you think I was discouraged? You can bet the farm on it. I was ignorant of what discouragement can do to you. I did not know that it could rob you of your persistence in pursuing your passion.
You must know your enemies in this life and know what they are trying to accomplish. Discouragement has won many battles of destroying dreams. How can I defeat discouragement. When I am experiencing brokenness, what are the weapons that I can use to defeat this powerful foe? Read, slowly, these next few sentences. You search and search for your purpose in this life. How you can fulfill your talent that God has given you to make a difference in some one's life? My grandson, Connor, got in bed with me this morning and I looked at him, he is one year old, all of my discouragement vanished. Persistence for my passion of encouraging people by writing and speaking gained many points against the discouragement that I was feeling.
That's it! You cannot develop persistence to accomplish a wish. A wish is like a vapour, it vanishes quickly and there is no emotional power to pursue it. Writing down your goals is also a good thing but, If you do not have passionate unshakable emotions attached with them discouragement can easily overtake your persistence and you are back where you started. Using only your mind will not give you a constant level of persistence. Take a look at this. Christ told a lawyer in Matthew 22:37 what the greatest command was "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind". (NKJV)
Develop a dream that will involve all of your heart, soul and mind and you will defeat , discouragement, enemy number 1.
I have to go for now. I will continue tomorrow. Please comment or email me at rhepler52@gmail.com
When I was a senior in high school my vocational agriculture teacher carried my dad and me to meet the dean of agriculture at a small Kentucky college. From the time I was able to walk I always had an animal of some kind around me. I had up to that point in my life as pets a cow, hog, billy goat, raccoons, skunks, a rooster, several dogs and horses. I enjoyed animals and taking care of them. When the local veterinarian would come and work on our livestock I would watch his every move. That's what I wanted to be when I grew up, a veterinarian. That's all I talked about.
I was really excited that day when we walked in to the dean's office. This was the man that was going to help me be something that I had always dreamed about. My future was going to be good. After the introductions, I sat patiently ready to hear encouraging words and my future plans of becoming a veterinarian.
That "DID NOT HAPPEN". The first sentence out of his mouth was, "young man you need to find something else. Auburn University only takes 2 graduates a year from the state of Kentucky. It is very hard to meet their qualifications to be chosen". There you have it. Two sentences from a man I did not know killed all the passion and persistence I had acquired the past 18 years. As I walked out of this man's office and the door shut, my dream of being a veterinarian would be shut up in than room for ever. Do you think I was discouraged? You can bet the farm on it. I was ignorant of what discouragement can do to you. I did not know that it could rob you of your persistence in pursuing your passion.
You must know your enemies in this life and know what they are trying to accomplish. Discouragement has won many battles of destroying dreams. How can I defeat discouragement. When I am experiencing brokenness, what are the weapons that I can use to defeat this powerful foe? Read, slowly, these next few sentences. You search and search for your purpose in this life. How you can fulfill your talent that God has given you to make a difference in some one's life? My grandson, Connor, got in bed with me this morning and I looked at him, he is one year old, all of my discouragement vanished. Persistence for my passion of encouraging people by writing and speaking gained many points against the discouragement that I was feeling.
That's it! You cannot develop persistence to accomplish a wish. A wish is like a vapour, it vanishes quickly and there is no emotional power to pursue it. Writing down your goals is also a good thing but, If you do not have passionate unshakable emotions attached with them discouragement can easily overtake your persistence and you are back where you started. Using only your mind will not give you a constant level of persistence. Take a look at this. Christ told a lawyer in Matthew 22:37 what the greatest command was "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind". (NKJV)
Develop a dream that will involve all of your heart, soul and mind and you will defeat , discouragement, enemy number 1.
I have to go for now. I will continue tomorrow. Please comment or email me at rhepler52@gmail.com
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Enemies of Persistence
Persistence, the main ingredient for life. We see it all around us. Our children and grandchildren continually apply it to get want they want from us. The other morning as I was getting ready to shave I noticed the reflection of the five light bulbs above our sink in the water. As I was troubled about starting a new day, I was reminded by the persistence of Thomas A. Edison in his invention of the light bulb. Something I had taken for granted every day never realizing the strong persistent attitude he had in which we and the world reap the benefits of this very day.
I have a garden and the plants in that garden must have water. The water helps them to stand up firm and develop and produce the fruit they were created to produce. Take the water away and no matter how much fertilizer and sunshine they received they will still wilt and die producing nothing more than a place in the compost pile. The same thing happens to us when we lack persistence. It is like taking water away from plants, we allow obstacles to gradually remove our persistence and our goals die quickly and so do our dreams.
Right now, you and I need to imagine a dream that we have or whatever we have always wanted to do then envision having an unwavering persistence that allows nothing to stop us. I can see my goal being accomplished. Do you also see it? What about your enthusiasm? Did it just kick up a notch? Mine did!
I believe in God and I believe in His word. I believe God's word is to help us in this life and also prepare us for eternal life with Him if we will allow it. We are shown in His word that we do have an enemy. An enemy that not only wants us to fail but along with the failure wants us to curse the very God that created us and die.
Is this enemy, Satan, powerful? You better believe he is. But most of his power comes in our minds, our thoughts, and we, with God's help, can keep him out. Always, Always, Alwaaays remember, "if God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31, NKJV)
We as Americans and Christians need to develop a persistence like our generation has never seen. That persistence needs to be fueled with desire, enthusiasm and purpose. God has given each of us a talent. Let's blend our talents and use persistence to make our country once again a nation with faithful persevering Christians.
Each week I will add enemies of persistence that we can discuss. I promise I will, "persistently", work on improving my writing skills. I need you to have a dream so we can together develop the persistence that we need together to see our dreams fulfilled.
Please send this blog address to all of your contacts.
Next time, I will discuss discouragement. I believe this is one of the major enemies of persistence.
Until next time, "think about it"
Rick
Please make comments or e-mail me at rhepler52@gmail.com
I have a garden and the plants in that garden must have water. The water helps them to stand up firm and develop and produce the fruit they were created to produce. Take the water away and no matter how much fertilizer and sunshine they received they will still wilt and die producing nothing more than a place in the compost pile. The same thing happens to us when we lack persistence. It is like taking water away from plants, we allow obstacles to gradually remove our persistence and our goals die quickly and so do our dreams.
Right now, you and I need to imagine a dream that we have or whatever we have always wanted to do then envision having an unwavering persistence that allows nothing to stop us. I can see my goal being accomplished. Do you also see it? What about your enthusiasm? Did it just kick up a notch? Mine did!
I believe in God and I believe in His word. I believe God's word is to help us in this life and also prepare us for eternal life with Him if we will allow it. We are shown in His word that we do have an enemy. An enemy that not only wants us to fail but along with the failure wants us to curse the very God that created us and die.
Is this enemy, Satan, powerful? You better believe he is. But most of his power comes in our minds, our thoughts, and we, with God's help, can keep him out. Always, Always, Alwaaays remember, "if God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31, NKJV)
We as Americans and Christians need to develop a persistence like our generation has never seen. That persistence needs to be fueled with desire, enthusiasm and purpose. God has given each of us a talent. Let's blend our talents and use persistence to make our country once again a nation with faithful persevering Christians.
Each week I will add enemies of persistence that we can discuss. I promise I will, "persistently", work on improving my writing skills. I need you to have a dream so we can together develop the persistence that we need together to see our dreams fulfilled.
Please send this blog address to all of your contacts.
Next time, I will discuss discouragement. I believe this is one of the major enemies of persistence.
Until next time, "think about it"
Rick
Please make comments or e-mail me at rhepler52@gmail.com
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