Enemy: a person who hates another and wishes to injure him; also, one hostile to an idea, cause, etc.; foe. (Webster's New World Dictionary 1968 Edition )
I don't think I had any enemies growing up. I may have had some people that just didn't like me, but none wanted any harm to come to me. Looking at cable news, you would think a large percentage in this country hate each other. By definition, if you hate someone and you want harm to come to him/her, then you are his/her enemy.
I do have one powerful enemy today. I can't see him. I can only see where he has been. He and his angels represent all that is evil. He and his angels were cast out of Heaven. He hates us and accuses us before God day and night. (Revelations 12:10-12)
Why is the Devil (Satan) my enemy?
1. He wants to injure me spiritually. In the beginning God created Adam and Eve, placing them in a paradise called the Garden of Eden. They could eat of every tree in the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they must not eat. If they did eat of it, God said they would surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)
One day Satan was alone with Eve at the tree and posed this question. Has God said, you cannot eat of every tree in the garden? Eve responded saying, they could eat of every tree, but the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. God said, you shall not eat it, lest you die. Satan immediately responded with, You shall not surely die, which is the first and the most damaging lie he has ever deceived man into believing. (Genesis 3:1-7)
Eve dropped her guard of keeping God's only command. She let doubt creep in, slightly opening the door of her heart. With the door barely open, Satan was going to appeal to Eve's pride. He already knew God's thoughts on pride. Pride was the reason God cast him and his angels out of Heaven. (Isaiah 14:12-14) Pride is one of the 7 abominations the Lord hates, listed in Proverbs 6:17.
Notice it is number 1. A proud look. (Some translation have, "a haughty look")
He said in Genesis 3:5, For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. I will be like God. (Pride)
Then Satan used his tools of temptation as he did with Christ in the wilderness. These tools are the same used on us today. They are defined in 1 John 2:15-17 as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Eve saw the fruit was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of the fruit and ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Eve's first mistake was to believe another over God's word. She wanted what Satan said to her to be true, because it fit what she was thinking and wanted. Satan used a serpent to deceive and lie to her. He uses man to do the same today, twisting God's word to say what he wants it to say.
We also read this was the first opinion drawing man from God's truth. In her opinion, it was a good looking fruit, very tasty and would make you wise. Evidently she expressed her opinion to Adam. He ate the fruit. A magnitude of consequences immediately followed.
If I know what God's word says, I can defeat Satan with them. Christ resisted his temptations in the wilderness with God's word.
To be continued...
Everything evil comes from Satan and every good and perfect gift comes from God.
This is the first in a series of identifying our enemy, showing how he deceives and tempts us, messing up our lives in this life and possibly eternity.
Please send your comments to rhepler52@gmail.com . Go to www.amazon.com to purchase my books: The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart and 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours .
Thank you.
Rick
Monday, March 23, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
Can we pass this test?
I have very fond memories of attending elementary school in Hickman, Kentucky. In the late 1950s Hickman seemed to me like the town of Mayberry on the Andy Griffith Show. We had barbershops, a Ten Cent store, as we called it, clothing stores, drug stores, hardware stores, jewelry stores, and many other stores. We also had a bank downtown. With mom and dad, my brothers and I would go to Hickman on Saturday night. Mom and dad knew almost everyone. The best part was most of the businesses, if not all, were locally owned. It was such a peaceful place to go. Sad to say, our children and grandchildren will never have memories like this.
Springtime at Hickman Elementary would usually signal achievement test coming soon. Unannounced to us, I think it was Mr. McClellan who came to deliver the test to be given. (That was a long time ago and my memory may be a little foggy on this.) The only thing I liked about the test, was no homework. The test always had a time limit for finishing each section. I never liked any kind of test, especially those in college.
So, at a young age we were all exposed to some form of testing. I did not mind taking a test, when I was fully prepared (very low percentage of the time). But the tests I most feared were those I knew going in the percentage of failing was much greater than my grade could possibly be. Those are the ones that embedded into my subconscious mind a fear of testing. Even to this day at age 62, I still get butterflies when I have to take a test. The major testing I have undergone lately has not been taken with pen and paper. I bet it is the same with some of you also.
When tested in this way, I go to an example in Genesis to give me hope and comfort. Please get your Bible out and turn to Genesis 22. I am going to pick out several verses for you to mark and meditate on after you read this post. Verse 1 begins with the test of tests, which should make us all tremble. It begins, Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he said, 'Her I am.' Then He said, Take your son, your only son Issac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. The only way Abraham could have had a son with Sara, at such and old age, was from God.
What a wonderful gift. I am reminded of Romans 8:28 and James 1:17.
Next, let's observe a pleasing faith in God by Abraham. Abraham gives us a pattern to follow when the sacrifice seems too great to give. Abraham rose early the next morning to obey God. He didn't procrastinate nor reason with himself about what he should do. (Genesis 22:3)
Abraham had faith God would handle it. He told the men with them to, stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go and we will come back to you. (Genesis 22:5) He didn't know how, but he had the promises of God and knew somehow, they both would return.
Abraham and his son go up the mountain and when they came to the place, Abraham built an altar, bound his son, and was getting ready to sacrifice his only son whom he loved, and the Angel of the Lord stopped him. Abraham looked up and tangled in the bushes was a ram provided by God for the sacrifice. (Genesis 22:6-14) The result from the test of God was; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me. (Genesis 22:12) Abraham then named the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide. (Genesis 22:14)
Abraham, a man of great faith, shows us what steps to take when God test us. Hear and obey His command; do not procrastinate; get up early and go to your mountain; put God first and then receive His blessings.
Who was first in Abraham's life? God knows all and He knew Abraham loved Him more than he did his only son. This proved to Abraham, you can put God first above all that you love and He will greatly bless you. What about Issac? He knew his father loved him very much, but to see his father's love for God surely must have impacted his life from that moment forward.
Abraham is mentioned among the faithful in Hebrews chapter 11. Abraham was not selfish in his love for God. If I am selfish, God will never be first in my life. I will end up giving my time to my career, recreation, family, friends, and material blessings before I do to God.
Abraham, because he did not withhold his only son, received great blessings from God. Did Abraham know God was going to bless him for obeying Him? No. God told him after he had obeyed. (Genesis 22:16-18)
I believe Satan has deceived us into believing this could only happen to those mentioned in the Bible of long ago. In Malachi 6 it reads, for I am the Lord, I do not change, and in Hebrews 13:8 the writer says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. So if God showered great blessings on those in the past who placed him first in their everyday life, will He not do the same for us?
Above everything in our lives today, putting God first must be preceded by a great faith and trust in Him. In the community where you live, can you imagine if everyone put God first in their lives. If everyone was willing to sacrifice self and put God first, how would your community look? Maybe we never have seen this, because we have never before seen God being put first in the lives of such a group of people.
Think on this today. Now it came to pass that God tested ( your name). I am glad blood sacrifices, as they were in the Old Testament, were nailed to the cross. We will not be tested to sacrifice our children in this way. But have I been tested to identify if God is first in my life? Did I pass? What about you? If we failed the test, a most beautiful trait shown by God is He lets us take it over. Let us all read these scriptures daily, applying them to our Christian walk and we, like Abraham, can pass the test. ( Proverbs 5:3-4 and Matthew 22:37)
Thank you for reading my blog. Please email me with comments. I would like to get to know you. You can go to rhepler52@gmail.com.
Please go to www.amazon.com to preview and purchase my new book: 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours. These are tips I have used and are still using. This book is for all ages.
Living the life of a faithful Christian will make us peculiar people. (Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9, KJV)
Thanks, Rick
Thursday, February 26, 2015
#123 of 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours
In a few of my blog post, I have shared some of the tips from my new book. Today I want to share the last tip. I believe it is the goal or the summation of all the tips.
#123 Finally, when you lay your head down at night, do not go to sleep until you can confidently and truthfully say, "it is well with your soul". If you die in your sleep you can then claim the crown of life promised to you by your Heavenly Father. If you live to see the dawn, your day will be brighter for your fellowman.
Don't let me or anyone else tell you, it is well with your soul, because we may, in error, tell you it is. Go to God's word and let Him tell you. Read Romans 6 and 1John 1-2, to see if you are living in a way that God would say, "It is well with your soul"
What keeps you up at night? If you have a chronic illness, the pain may keep you awake most of the night. I know several people with this problem. When dad was farming, if he still had corn or beans in the field that needed harvesting, hearing hard rain coming down all night would keep me awake.
I had a job one time that I didn't like, and on Sunday night I could not sleep knowing I had a meeting early the next morning. Have you ever tossed and turned worrying about your financial situation? Many I know have worried because they did not have enough money, and others worried because they were afraid of losing their money due to an unsettled stock market.
If you look at the nightly news programs, seeing all the evil and hatred in this world, you wonder if our country is going to survive. Politicians and the President seem to be making everything worse instead of better. We also hear reports of ISIS terrorist kidnapping and raping little girls, burning Christians alive, and wanting to destroy the United States is in their every thought. All of this stuff used to keep me awake, too.
Only until about two years ago, I had the problem of worrying about the next day or some other problem I might have. When I realized that in 40 years, what ever problem I had, everyone would have forgotten the problem, or it didn't matter anyway. There are 2 scriptures that have helped me more than anything. Proverbs 3:5-Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding and Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
We all have been trained in our society to work things out for ourselves and to be independent. I could not see God working in my life, because I would not let Him. Trying to do things alone I made many mistakes and with it was useless worry.
It is very obvious the leaders of this great Nation have not read the above verses. If you try to live like Christ, you are called evil and a right wing radical. If you live as the world wants you to and accept any sin, you are called good. This is my number one concern for your children, grandchildren and mine. Yes, this concerns me. As I think on these things when I go to bed at night, it stirs me to action to do my part in fighting against evil, and I know it does you, also.
You and I want the best for our children and grandchildren. We want them to have the best jobs, the best education, beautiful homes, plenty of money to enjoy this life. These things are good and can be achieved, but not at the expense of having a soul that is not pleasing to God. What if they are very successful and attain everything the world has to offer, yet they lose their soul? (Please read Matthew 16: 24-26)
More than likely, we will influence them by what we value the most. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, what did the rich man value the most? What was the rich man's most chilling thought, that he had in the torments of Hades? Here it is. Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have 5 brother's, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Matthew 27-28 NKJV.
The most dreaded tragedy that I can imagine is to die as the rich man, be in the torments of Hades, and then looking up and seeing friends and family members coming to join me, because of the life I lived here on earth. Realizing that I was responsible for them living a life of disobeying God.
I do not want to even imagine this, and I hope you don't either. I want to tell my grandchildren how to live a life pleasing to God, and also, I want to show them! I am thankful that their parents and their other grandparents feel the same way. What about you?
If you can go to bed tonight being truthful and confident that it is well with your soul, more than likely your children and grandchildren will be able to do the same, by your example. If someone were to cheat your precious children or grandchildren out of money, you would be angry. How angry are you with Satan? He wants to cheat them out of an eternal life in Heaven.
What are your thoughts? I would like to get to know some of my readers in other countries. Please email me with your comments. Please send comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com
Thanks for reading.
Rick
#123 Finally, when you lay your head down at night, do not go to sleep until you can confidently and truthfully say, "it is well with your soul". If you die in your sleep you can then claim the crown of life promised to you by your Heavenly Father. If you live to see the dawn, your day will be brighter for your fellowman.
Don't let me or anyone else tell you, it is well with your soul, because we may, in error, tell you it is. Go to God's word and let Him tell you. Read Romans 6 and 1John 1-2, to see if you are living in a way that God would say, "It is well with your soul"
What keeps you up at night? If you have a chronic illness, the pain may keep you awake most of the night. I know several people with this problem. When dad was farming, if he still had corn or beans in the field that needed harvesting, hearing hard rain coming down all night would keep me awake.
I had a job one time that I didn't like, and on Sunday night I could not sleep knowing I had a meeting early the next morning. Have you ever tossed and turned worrying about your financial situation? Many I know have worried because they did not have enough money, and others worried because they were afraid of losing their money due to an unsettled stock market.
If you look at the nightly news programs, seeing all the evil and hatred in this world, you wonder if our country is going to survive. Politicians and the President seem to be making everything worse instead of better. We also hear reports of ISIS terrorist kidnapping and raping little girls, burning Christians alive, and wanting to destroy the United States is in their every thought. All of this stuff used to keep me awake, too.
Only until about two years ago, I had the problem of worrying about the next day or some other problem I might have. When I realized that in 40 years, what ever problem I had, everyone would have forgotten the problem, or it didn't matter anyway. There are 2 scriptures that have helped me more than anything. Proverbs 3:5-Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding and Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
We all have been trained in our society to work things out for ourselves and to be independent. I could not see God working in my life, because I would not let Him. Trying to do things alone I made many mistakes and with it was useless worry.
It is very obvious the leaders of this great Nation have not read the above verses. If you try to live like Christ, you are called evil and a right wing radical. If you live as the world wants you to and accept any sin, you are called good. This is my number one concern for your children, grandchildren and mine. Yes, this concerns me. As I think on these things when I go to bed at night, it stirs me to action to do my part in fighting against evil, and I know it does you, also.
You and I want the best for our children and grandchildren. We want them to have the best jobs, the best education, beautiful homes, plenty of money to enjoy this life. These things are good and can be achieved, but not at the expense of having a soul that is not pleasing to God. What if they are very successful and attain everything the world has to offer, yet they lose their soul? (Please read Matthew 16: 24-26)
More than likely, we will influence them by what we value the most. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, what did the rich man value the most? What was the rich man's most chilling thought, that he had in the torments of Hades? Here it is. Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have 5 brother's, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Matthew 27-28 NKJV.
The most dreaded tragedy that I can imagine is to die as the rich man, be in the torments of Hades, and then looking up and seeing friends and family members coming to join me, because of the life I lived here on earth. Realizing that I was responsible for them living a life of disobeying God.
I do not want to even imagine this, and I hope you don't either. I want to tell my grandchildren how to live a life pleasing to God, and also, I want to show them! I am thankful that their parents and their other grandparents feel the same way. What about you?
If you can go to bed tonight being truthful and confident that it is well with your soul, more than likely your children and grandchildren will be able to do the same, by your example. If someone were to cheat your precious children or grandchildren out of money, you would be angry. How angry are you with Satan? He wants to cheat them out of an eternal life in Heaven.
What are your thoughts? I would like to get to know some of my readers in other countries. Please email me with your comments. Please send comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com
Thanks for reading.
Rick
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
What Would We Have Done? What is Our Choice?
Many times in my life I have heard the phrase,"Well I would have done it this way." I have even had people tell this to me. Until I have experienced what some have experienced, I probably don't have the right to supplement to their stress with my lack of experienced opinion. But when I have something that is challenging me or leading me down the wrong path, I welcome the help of those who have already experienced the same thing and are still standing. We all are relieved when someone has taken a new path for the good and made it. This gives us the courage and faith that it can be done.
All of us have giants we are facing. Collectively as a nation we have several giants.These giants may even bring this country to her knees. (I hope not!) Let's look at 2 men in God's word who where faced with a choice that we also have today. What choice did they choose and what choice would you have chosen?
David was a lowly shepherd boy. David could have not chosen to learn about God while He was in the wilderness with those few sheep, but he did choose to learn about God. The more he observed God's beautiful creation the closer he became to God. He prepared his heart to draw closer to God and had an increasingly desire to please God and glorify Him. His lowly position in life and inexperience in the ways of the world did not keep him from stepping out of his comfort zone from protecting his father's sheep to leading God's people. He was prepared to lead in any situation to bring glory to God and to honor Him.
The day came to make a choice, just like the day comes for us to make a choice. He saw God's army run from a giant and hide behind rocks. His oldest brother tried to discourage him, Saul told him he was inexperienced in war. Goliath said he was going to cut him up and feed him to the buzzards. If anyone could come up with an excuse not to face Goliath, it was David. He could have taken the easy way out and said, You are all right. I should come back when I am older and more experienced. What would have happened if David had made this choice. Who would have killed the giant? I am afraid the excuse, I am not prepared to serve God in this way at this time, is one I have been guilty of in my lifetime.
But, David was prepared with a faith that harbored no excuses. His intentions were to remove anything that would defy the armies of the living God and bring dishonor to his God, that he had learned to love so dearly.(You can read some of the Psalms that he wrote and can see he loved and trusted in God.) David took on this giant without any reservations or lack of faith. He killed Goliath with one small, smooth stone guided by the faith in a God whom he loved.
The results, of his choice, were: God was glorified and the armies of the living God were so encouraged by this that they chased their enemy away.
The next man is the Apostle Peter. In reading about Peter while Christ was still on earth, you would think that he was the most responsible Apostle. Peter identified Christ in Matthew 16:16 as the Christ, the Son of the living God. In Matthew 26:33, Peter said to Christ, Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble. Also, in verse 35 he said, Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You. In John 18:10 when they came to take Jesus, Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. In Luke 22:31-34, Christ tells Peter that Satan has asked for him, that he may sift him like wheat. Christ tells Peter when he returns, to strengthen the brethren. Peter tells Christ he is ready to go to prison and even to death with Him. Christ knows Peter and tells him that he would deny Him 3 times before the rooster crows.
Peter was strong on the outside, but I think on the inside he hadn't found the faith he needed to face what was coming. Peter was with Christ over 3 years and you would think his faith and trust in God would have been stronger than ever. Christ knew Peter would deny Him 3 times. He also knew Peter loved Him and would be back stronger than before, after he had been sifted by Satan.
Peter's moment came and he did exactly what Christ said he would do. He denied Christ 3 times, with the denial being a little more forceful each time. When the rooster crowed, Christ turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered what Christ said and he went out and wept bitterly. Peter did love Christ, but when he was warming by the fires of the world, he started to think about his own safety and doubt and fear set in. He didn't have the faith to confess Christ before men, and so he denied Him the 3 times.
I think back over the years, that I too denied Christ. Not like Peter, verbally, but denied Him by going against what He taught and commanded, just to be poplar with my peers. I used to never talk about God and Jesus to anyone, because I didn't want to make them feel uncomfortable. I am thankful those days are over.
The next point is the most powerful one. When Peter realized what he had done, look what he did not do. He didn't make excuses nor give up. He didn't leave Christ all together and go back into the world living without God and Christ, thinking he could never be good enough to follow Christ again.
No. He went out and wept bitterly. Peter made a choice after this. He wanted to continue to follow Christ. His broken and contrite heart showed how much he loved Jesus. The other disciples had fled also. What would you have done? Would you have chosen not to follow Jesus anymore and returned to the world, forgetting the commands of God,or would you have decided like Peter, that you needed help from Christ to defeat Satan. Peter knew he could never be righteous before God without Jesus. He also was shown that he could not fight Satan alone. He did go back and strengthen the brethren. He also preached the first Gospel sermon.
What would the outcome have been if these men had chosen not to follow God and glorify Him? How many men would have been killed by Goliath? What would the Philistines then think of the God of the Hebrews? Would there have been anyone to preach the Gospel on Pentecost? Would there have been 3000 souls obey the Gospel on Pentecost? Would the church have been established on that day?
My choice on following God, the way He wants me to, has great consequences. If I choose to have a faith pleasing to Him, love Him, and obey Him, He will be glorified and my family may follow Him for generations. If my choice is not to follow and to obey Him, generations of my children will do the same. Instead of being saved on judgement day, we will be lost.
Are you going to influence your family by following God or by following the world? That is the most important choice, with the greatest consequence, you will ever make. I care about all of you and my earnest desire is that you will make the right choice. You know if you are living and serving God like He wants you to. Also you know right now, if you are living like the world. The future of your family's eternal destiny and the future of our country depends on the choice you make today. Another day may be too late.
Do you want to build a faith like David? See what I have to say in my book: The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart on www.amazon.com Read it to your children and grandchildren along with your Bible reading.
My desire for my life is to please God and strengthen the brethren. This is important. You can do it. Do not let the Devil decieve you and your family any longer.
Please send me your comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com.
Have you looked at the news lately. Are we living the life God wants us to live in this country so He will hear our prayers? Do we have a faith strong enough to overcome the world and ISIS? Do some soul searching with your family tonight to see where you stand. I hope I have lived a life in the last few years for you to know where I stand. Does your family know where you stand? With the world or with God? I really want you to stand with God with the talent He has given you. Yes. He has given you a talent and He loves you very much.
Thank you so much. I hope my writing encourages you. I don't care what you have done or how deep in sin or lukewarm you may be, you are special because you were created in the image of God.
Thank you so much for reading.
Rick Hepler
All of us have giants we are facing. Collectively as a nation we have several giants.These giants may even bring this country to her knees. (I hope not!) Let's look at 2 men in God's word who where faced with a choice that we also have today. What choice did they choose and what choice would you have chosen?
David was a lowly shepherd boy. David could have not chosen to learn about God while He was in the wilderness with those few sheep, but he did choose to learn about God. The more he observed God's beautiful creation the closer he became to God. He prepared his heart to draw closer to God and had an increasingly desire to please God and glorify Him. His lowly position in life and inexperience in the ways of the world did not keep him from stepping out of his comfort zone from protecting his father's sheep to leading God's people. He was prepared to lead in any situation to bring glory to God and to honor Him.
The day came to make a choice, just like the day comes for us to make a choice. He saw God's army run from a giant and hide behind rocks. His oldest brother tried to discourage him, Saul told him he was inexperienced in war. Goliath said he was going to cut him up and feed him to the buzzards. If anyone could come up with an excuse not to face Goliath, it was David. He could have taken the easy way out and said, You are all right. I should come back when I am older and more experienced. What would have happened if David had made this choice. Who would have killed the giant? I am afraid the excuse, I am not prepared to serve God in this way at this time, is one I have been guilty of in my lifetime.
But, David was prepared with a faith that harbored no excuses. His intentions were to remove anything that would defy the armies of the living God and bring dishonor to his God, that he had learned to love so dearly.(You can read some of the Psalms that he wrote and can see he loved and trusted in God.) David took on this giant without any reservations or lack of faith. He killed Goliath with one small, smooth stone guided by the faith in a God whom he loved.
The results, of his choice, were: God was glorified and the armies of the living God were so encouraged by this that they chased their enemy away.
The next man is the Apostle Peter. In reading about Peter while Christ was still on earth, you would think that he was the most responsible Apostle. Peter identified Christ in Matthew 16:16 as the Christ, the Son of the living God. In Matthew 26:33, Peter said to Christ, Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble. Also, in verse 35 he said, Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You. In John 18:10 when they came to take Jesus, Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. In Luke 22:31-34, Christ tells Peter that Satan has asked for him, that he may sift him like wheat. Christ tells Peter when he returns, to strengthen the brethren. Peter tells Christ he is ready to go to prison and even to death with Him. Christ knows Peter and tells him that he would deny Him 3 times before the rooster crows.
Peter was strong on the outside, but I think on the inside he hadn't found the faith he needed to face what was coming. Peter was with Christ over 3 years and you would think his faith and trust in God would have been stronger than ever. Christ knew Peter would deny Him 3 times. He also knew Peter loved Him and would be back stronger than before, after he had been sifted by Satan.
Peter's moment came and he did exactly what Christ said he would do. He denied Christ 3 times, with the denial being a little more forceful each time. When the rooster crowed, Christ turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered what Christ said and he went out and wept bitterly. Peter did love Christ, but when he was warming by the fires of the world, he started to think about his own safety and doubt and fear set in. He didn't have the faith to confess Christ before men, and so he denied Him the 3 times.
I think back over the years, that I too denied Christ. Not like Peter, verbally, but denied Him by going against what He taught and commanded, just to be poplar with my peers. I used to never talk about God and Jesus to anyone, because I didn't want to make them feel uncomfortable. I am thankful those days are over.
The next point is the most powerful one. When Peter realized what he had done, look what he did not do. He didn't make excuses nor give up. He didn't leave Christ all together and go back into the world living without God and Christ, thinking he could never be good enough to follow Christ again.
No. He went out and wept bitterly. Peter made a choice after this. He wanted to continue to follow Christ. His broken and contrite heart showed how much he loved Jesus. The other disciples had fled also. What would you have done? Would you have chosen not to follow Jesus anymore and returned to the world, forgetting the commands of God,or would you have decided like Peter, that you needed help from Christ to defeat Satan. Peter knew he could never be righteous before God without Jesus. He also was shown that he could not fight Satan alone. He did go back and strengthen the brethren. He also preached the first Gospel sermon.
What would the outcome have been if these men had chosen not to follow God and glorify Him? How many men would have been killed by Goliath? What would the Philistines then think of the God of the Hebrews? Would there have been anyone to preach the Gospel on Pentecost? Would there have been 3000 souls obey the Gospel on Pentecost? Would the church have been established on that day?
My choice on following God, the way He wants me to, has great consequences. If I choose to have a faith pleasing to Him, love Him, and obey Him, He will be glorified and my family may follow Him for generations. If my choice is not to follow and to obey Him, generations of my children will do the same. Instead of being saved on judgement day, we will be lost.
Are you going to influence your family by following God or by following the world? That is the most important choice, with the greatest consequence, you will ever make. I care about all of you and my earnest desire is that you will make the right choice. You know if you are living and serving God like He wants you to. Also you know right now, if you are living like the world. The future of your family's eternal destiny and the future of our country depends on the choice you make today. Another day may be too late.
Do you want to build a faith like David? See what I have to say in my book: The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart on www.amazon.com Read it to your children and grandchildren along with your Bible reading.
My desire for my life is to please God and strengthen the brethren. This is important. You can do it. Do not let the Devil decieve you and your family any longer.
Please send me your comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com.
Have you looked at the news lately. Are we living the life God wants us to live in this country so He will hear our prayers? Do we have a faith strong enough to overcome the world and ISIS? Do some soul searching with your family tonight to see where you stand. I hope I have lived a life in the last few years for you to know where I stand. Does your family know where you stand? With the world or with God? I really want you to stand with God with the talent He has given you. Yes. He has given you a talent and He loves you very much.
Thank you so much. I hope my writing encourages you. I don't care what you have done or how deep in sin or lukewarm you may be, you are special because you were created in the image of God.
Thank you so much for reading.
Rick Hepler
Monday, February 16, 2015
#113 of 123 Tips for My Grandchildren and Yours
When love hurts, love more. I promise you, loving someone will sometimes break your heart. Love them anyway. True love can bring pain to you, but the goodness from the pain can have a great influence on others. Christ's love for the Father and for mankind brought Him the pain of the cross, but glory in the resurrection. Eternal good was made possible through His pain. Love will always remain when all other works fail. Love is a fruit from the Spirit. When observing love, even your physical body will respond. Seeing great acts of love can put a lump in the throat and tears in the eyes of the strongest warrior. Receive the love of others and the love of God with great gratitude. With great courage, wisdom, and patience fill your heart with love for God and others. The Greatest gift that we can use in this life, to help the ones we love and our fellow man, is Love.
(1 Corinthians 13) Take the chance on love, even though you may get hurt, it is worth it a hundredfold.
Xander, Anna Jewell, Connor and Grady always remember God is love, so study everything you can in the bible about love and you will have a life you've never dreamed of.
Love comes from God, because God is love. (1John 4:) We are created in the Image of God, so we have the capability to love as God loves. (Genesis 1:27) Love did not evolve by evolutionary processes. Many say, life evolved from nothing over billions of years, so love disproves evolution.
How does love cause pain? In the summer of 1974, I met my wife, Debbie, on a blind date. To my surprise this blind date was 180 degrees from my first blind date. She was beautiful and still is. The seed of love was planted in my heart. The more I was with her, the more the seed sprouted and grew, and is still growing. She is a great wife, mother and grandmother. Her greatest virtue then and now was that she loves God. The love she has for God has influenced me throughout the years. She was so healthy, active, beautiful and could do anything.
But, here comes the pain. Many I know have experienced this pain. It is heart breaking and sometimes hard to handle to see Deb suffer from Parkinson's disease. Out of such a strong love I have for Debbie, a passionate hate has begun to grow toward the Parkinson's disease she has. More importantly, I hate the deception and sin that Satan brought into our world. A world that was created as a paradise for man, by a loving God, and now is full of sin, pain and suffering. This is not God's fault. I love God more each day, as I realize what He has done for us and our pain and suffering.
The day Eve disobeyed God, by being deceived by the serpent's lie, is when sin entered into the world God had created as a paradise for mankind. God then put man out of the garden, because He didn't want him to live forever in a sin filled and fallen world. The disease Debbie is dealing with now is one of the results of our fallen world. Satan is the one responsible for the temptation, pain and suffering of this present world. (Read the book of Job) He wants us to blame God and to lose our trust and faith in Him.
My wonderful wife suffers, because mankind chose to disobey God. Your loved ones do too.
As a matter of fact, God doesn't like our suffering. He has prepared a place of eternal torment for the Devil and his angels. That is the only place in the universe where love is not present, because God is not there. Many have chosen to love the world instead of the Heavenly Father. The love of the Father is not in them. They are destined to perish in this place, unless they repent and love the Father more than the world. (1John 2:15-17) But God loves us so much, that He gave us His only begotten Son, that we should not perish. (John 3:16-18) He is longsuffering toward us, hoping we will repent and follow His Son. (2 Peter 3:9)
God has shown us how much He loves us by letting His Son die that cruel death on the cross, in our stead, to pay the price for our sins. How can we not love and want to obey Him? He has a place prepared for us, if we love and obey Him. But more importantly to me, He has prepared a place for those dearest to me on this earth. My wife Debbie, my children, my grandchildren, my family, and the friends I have made along the way have the opportunity to be with Him for all eternity. I do not want anyone that I love to be deceived by the Devil, as Eve was, and to lose this great and precious inheritance.
We are only living on earth from our date of birth until our date of death. The life in between those dates can be one of joy or heartache, pain, suffering, and many times very unfair. If we are treated unfairly, God says vengeance is His. He will repay those who have been unfair and hurtful to us. (Romans 12:19) He also loves us so much and hates to see our pain, that He has promised us a place to make up for all the pain. This place is for eternity. (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:9)
One day Deb will be cured from Parkinson's disease, either in this life or the next. We are looking forward to it. I am going to love my heavenly Father with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind, and do my best to let His love manifest through me towards those who need love. I am going to do all I possibly can do, to not love the world as John mentions in 1 John 2:15-17. The devil has incited many people in our country to live as the world and not do the will of God. I want to be Satan's enemy not his friend. I want the evidence of my love to remain as an example when I have gone to the next life
.
Remember the love you share from God is powerful and has heavenly rewards. You can't share love from the world, because it has none to share. Are you going to be God's son or daughter to share His love or are you going to be a friend of the world? Like with Eve, He still gives you a choice . I hope you make the right choice. Remember, He loves you and so do I.
Please send me your comments. At times as we are having in our country today, there seems to be more hate expressed than love. We need to love and encourage each other, even if we take the chance of getting hurt. Please contact me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com . You can purchase my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart on www.amazon.com.
Thanks for reading!
Rick
Happy Valentine's Day Debbie! Remember how much I love you? 2
(1 Corinthians 13) Take the chance on love, even though you may get hurt, it is worth it a hundredfold.
Xander, Anna Jewell, Connor and Grady always remember God is love, so study everything you can in the bible about love and you will have a life you've never dreamed of.
Love comes from God, because God is love. (1John 4:) We are created in the Image of God, so we have the capability to love as God loves. (Genesis 1:27) Love did not evolve by evolutionary processes. Many say, life evolved from nothing over billions of years, so love disproves evolution.
How does love cause pain? In the summer of 1974, I met my wife, Debbie, on a blind date. To my surprise this blind date was 180 degrees from my first blind date. She was beautiful and still is. The seed of love was planted in my heart. The more I was with her, the more the seed sprouted and grew, and is still growing. She is a great wife, mother and grandmother. Her greatest virtue then and now was that she loves God. The love she has for God has influenced me throughout the years. She was so healthy, active, beautiful and could do anything.
But, here comes the pain. Many I know have experienced this pain. It is heart breaking and sometimes hard to handle to see Deb suffer from Parkinson's disease. Out of such a strong love I have for Debbie, a passionate hate has begun to grow toward the Parkinson's disease she has. More importantly, I hate the deception and sin that Satan brought into our world. A world that was created as a paradise for man, by a loving God, and now is full of sin, pain and suffering. This is not God's fault. I love God more each day, as I realize what He has done for us and our pain and suffering.
The day Eve disobeyed God, by being deceived by the serpent's lie, is when sin entered into the world God had created as a paradise for mankind. God then put man out of the garden, because He didn't want him to live forever in a sin filled and fallen world. The disease Debbie is dealing with now is one of the results of our fallen world. Satan is the one responsible for the temptation, pain and suffering of this present world. (Read the book of Job) He wants us to blame God and to lose our trust and faith in Him.
My wonderful wife suffers, because mankind chose to disobey God. Your loved ones do too.
As a matter of fact, God doesn't like our suffering. He has prepared a place of eternal torment for the Devil and his angels. That is the only place in the universe where love is not present, because God is not there. Many have chosen to love the world instead of the Heavenly Father. The love of the Father is not in them. They are destined to perish in this place, unless they repent and love the Father more than the world. (1John 2:15-17) But God loves us so much, that He gave us His only begotten Son, that we should not perish. (John 3:16-18) He is longsuffering toward us, hoping we will repent and follow His Son. (2 Peter 3:9)
God has shown us how much He loves us by letting His Son die that cruel death on the cross, in our stead, to pay the price for our sins. How can we not love and want to obey Him? He has a place prepared for us, if we love and obey Him. But more importantly to me, He has prepared a place for those dearest to me on this earth. My wife Debbie, my children, my grandchildren, my family, and the friends I have made along the way have the opportunity to be with Him for all eternity. I do not want anyone that I love to be deceived by the Devil, as Eve was, and to lose this great and precious inheritance.
We are only living on earth from our date of birth until our date of death. The life in between those dates can be one of joy or heartache, pain, suffering, and many times very unfair. If we are treated unfairly, God says vengeance is His. He will repay those who have been unfair and hurtful to us. (Romans 12:19) He also loves us so much and hates to see our pain, that He has promised us a place to make up for all the pain. This place is for eternity. (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:9)
One day Deb will be cured from Parkinson's disease, either in this life or the next. We are looking forward to it. I am going to love my heavenly Father with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind, and do my best to let His love manifest through me towards those who need love. I am going to do all I possibly can do, to not love the world as John mentions in 1 John 2:15-17. The devil has incited many people in our country to live as the world and not do the will of God. I want to be Satan's enemy not his friend. I want the evidence of my love to remain as an example when I have gone to the next life
.
Remember the love you share from God is powerful and has heavenly rewards. You can't share love from the world, because it has none to share. Are you going to be God's son or daughter to share His love or are you going to be a friend of the world? Like with Eve, He still gives you a choice . I hope you make the right choice. Remember, He loves you and so do I.
Please send me your comments. At times as we are having in our country today, there seems to be more hate expressed than love. We need to love and encourage each other, even if we take the chance of getting hurt. Please contact me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com . You can purchase my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart on www.amazon.com.
Thanks for reading!
Rick
Happy Valentine's Day Debbie! Remember how much I love you? 2
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
#25 of 123 Tips to My Grandchildren and Yours
This is an excerpt from my new book, 123 Tips to My Grandchildren and Yours, to be published in March.
You love your grandchildren as much as I love mine. We want our children and grandchildren to go to heaven when they die of an old age on this earth. In today's world it seems more and more like there are large magnets drawing them from the path God has planned for them. Some of those magnets are: doing anything to get the world to notice them, uncontrolled pleasures, unedited entertainment, idolizing: athletes, singers, and actors to name a few.
We all are subjected to these, but why? Because we can see and feel them. We can see the happiness offered by the world, but fail to see it's short existence. We can feel being selfish when we do not want our peers to accomplish more than we do. With the internet we can experience 15 minutes of fame, even if it goes against everything we have been taught. Sexual pleasures can be seen and felt, even though the consequences are never comprehended. The world is teaching to be an intellectual you must believe in evolutionary thought, which leads mankind to thinking he can control his own destiny. These same scientists are heard in the classrooms each day teaching and proudly proclaiming this falsehood as fact and insinuating any other thought is ignorant and unbelievable. There are many other distractions the world (Satan) uses to distract mankind from God. Our grandchildren are subject to these distractions that they can see and feel every waking moment of their day.
How can we compete with the world? They can see and feel the pleasures of carnal living. You and I need to have a faith pleasing to God. (Hebrews 11) With this faith we cannot see the things we hope for, nor how the things we see were not made of things which are visible. Our children, grandchildren and the world must see in us a faith so powerful that the thoughts of the world cannot cause this faith to diminish or weaken at all. How is this done. By hearing, believing, living and feeling the word of God, with all our strength ,in our heart, soul and mind. Counterfeit beliefs will not be allowed. They will then be able to see and feel the fruit of a God loving and obeying people..
Tip # 25 Read Psalm 100 everyday upon arising and retiring. What good will this do? I do not know if David wrote this Psalm or someone else, but it doesn't matter. The author of this Psalm had the faith I just talked about. Let's look at this Psalm verse by verse and see what clues we can find to help our grandchildren. ( I just list the tips in the book. A devotional guide may follow)
Psalm 100
Verse 1) Make a joyful shout to the Lord, the word shout is used as noise in some translations. The word is taken from the Hebrew word ruwa' meaning to shout with religious impulse, shout with triumph, to shout in applause etc. In other words the noise or shout was made with a deep appreciation and excitement. If you are a Patriot's fan, the noise you made after their game winning interception from the Seahawks could describe this excited shout. Why did you shout? You shouted with emotion because the team you followed just won the Super Bowl, so you are the fan of a Super Bowl winner.
All you lands! is the end of this verse. What should that mean to us? That we, not only Israel, can make this joyful shout.
Verse 2) Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. In order to serve anyone you have to be willing to submit to them. That submission can either be from fear or love. If it is from fear, there will be emotional pain in the service and dreading each day of it. When the submission is out of love, the service will be to the servants fullest ability each day, and also an eagerness for the beginning of each new day. Serving with love will also present a heart full of joy and sound, and the Master will be approached with confidence instead of fear.
Verse 3) Know that the Lord, He is God, it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Look up at the stars; look at the beautiful sunsets; feel the warmth of the sun each day; smell the spring rains approaching; feel love in your heart for someone; and then can you honestly say we evolved and created ourselves? We know nothing about the magnitude and vastness of the universe. The psalmist knew without a doubt that God created us. Do not live your life as if mankind created himself , because you will live to survive, overlooking love and the needs of others. You will become prideful and selfish and not useful to anyone.
The psalmist also knew God wanted us to be His people. He wants to care for us and protect us like a shepherd cares for and protects his sheep. When we go away as sheep going astray, He desires our return.
Verse 4) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Read the parable of the lost son. Luke 15:11-24) Sin made mankind dead spiritually before God. God has a loving plan to get us back, sacrificing His only Son in our stead. God is portrayed as the father in the parable of the lost son. His son rebelled, as we did and do, and let the world waste his life. The son came to himself and went back to the father, ashamed of sinning against him. But the father was waiting for his repentance and watching for his return. He showed his love by his actions of love and forgiveness and prepared a feast and royal raiment for his son.
The psalmist knew God wanted mankind back into a relationship with Him. By this we know when we are in Christ (Galatians 3:27), we will be thankful to Him and bless His name for this forgiveness and the eternal promises that come with it. We then can enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Verse 5) For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. We can live without fear, because the Lord is good. We can also be assured that His word, the truth, endures all generations. We have the same words of God that were delivered to men of the Old and New Testaments. (Matthew 24:35; 1John 4:18-19; James 1:16-17; 1Chronicles 16:34; Deut.7:9; Isa. 55:7; and Eph. 2: 1-10)
God is waiting for the people of our land to come back to Him. He didn't leave us. We left Him. He has never quit loving us, but our ways: abortion, unbelief, and sexual immorality have made many spiritually dead to Him along with the other sins. Don't forget, we all have sinned and we all need redemption. He loves us more than the world does, because He sent us His Only Begotten Son to die for us. Be honest, the ruler of this world, Satan,( John 12:31 and Ephesians 2:20) has only given us heartache and separation from a God who loves us. Who are you going to give a joyful shout to?
Please send your comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com. If you enjoy reading my post, please pass on to others. Also, you may purchase my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart by going to www.amazon.com .
Thanks you so much.
Rick Hepler
You love your grandchildren as much as I love mine. We want our children and grandchildren to go to heaven when they die of an old age on this earth. In today's world it seems more and more like there are large magnets drawing them from the path God has planned for them. Some of those magnets are: doing anything to get the world to notice them, uncontrolled pleasures, unedited entertainment, idolizing: athletes, singers, and actors to name a few.
We all are subjected to these, but why? Because we can see and feel them. We can see the happiness offered by the world, but fail to see it's short existence. We can feel being selfish when we do not want our peers to accomplish more than we do. With the internet we can experience 15 minutes of fame, even if it goes against everything we have been taught. Sexual pleasures can be seen and felt, even though the consequences are never comprehended. The world is teaching to be an intellectual you must believe in evolutionary thought, which leads mankind to thinking he can control his own destiny. These same scientists are heard in the classrooms each day teaching and proudly proclaiming this falsehood as fact and insinuating any other thought is ignorant and unbelievable. There are many other distractions the world (Satan) uses to distract mankind from God. Our grandchildren are subject to these distractions that they can see and feel every waking moment of their day.
How can we compete with the world? They can see and feel the pleasures of carnal living. You and I need to have a faith pleasing to God. (Hebrews 11) With this faith we cannot see the things we hope for, nor how the things we see were not made of things which are visible. Our children, grandchildren and the world must see in us a faith so powerful that the thoughts of the world cannot cause this faith to diminish or weaken at all. How is this done. By hearing, believing, living and feeling the word of God, with all our strength ,in our heart, soul and mind. Counterfeit beliefs will not be allowed. They will then be able to see and feel the fruit of a God loving and obeying people..
Tip # 25 Read Psalm 100 everyday upon arising and retiring. What good will this do? I do not know if David wrote this Psalm or someone else, but it doesn't matter. The author of this Psalm had the faith I just talked about. Let's look at this Psalm verse by verse and see what clues we can find to help our grandchildren. ( I just list the tips in the book. A devotional guide may follow)
Psalm 100
Verse 1) Make a joyful shout to the Lord, the word shout is used as noise in some translations. The word is taken from the Hebrew word ruwa' meaning to shout with religious impulse, shout with triumph, to shout in applause etc. In other words the noise or shout was made with a deep appreciation and excitement. If you are a Patriot's fan, the noise you made after their game winning interception from the Seahawks could describe this excited shout. Why did you shout? You shouted with emotion because the team you followed just won the Super Bowl, so you are the fan of a Super Bowl winner.
All you lands! is the end of this verse. What should that mean to us? That we, not only Israel, can make this joyful shout.
Verse 2) Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. In order to serve anyone you have to be willing to submit to them. That submission can either be from fear or love. If it is from fear, there will be emotional pain in the service and dreading each day of it. When the submission is out of love, the service will be to the servants fullest ability each day, and also an eagerness for the beginning of each new day. Serving with love will also present a heart full of joy and sound, and the Master will be approached with confidence instead of fear.
Verse 3) Know that the Lord, He is God, it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Look up at the stars; look at the beautiful sunsets; feel the warmth of the sun each day; smell the spring rains approaching; feel love in your heart for someone; and then can you honestly say we evolved and created ourselves? We know nothing about the magnitude and vastness of the universe. The psalmist knew without a doubt that God created us. Do not live your life as if mankind created himself , because you will live to survive, overlooking love and the needs of others. You will become prideful and selfish and not useful to anyone.
The psalmist also knew God wanted us to be His people. He wants to care for us and protect us like a shepherd cares for and protects his sheep. When we go away as sheep going astray, He desires our return.
Verse 4) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Read the parable of the lost son. Luke 15:11-24) Sin made mankind dead spiritually before God. God has a loving plan to get us back, sacrificing His only Son in our stead. God is portrayed as the father in the parable of the lost son. His son rebelled, as we did and do, and let the world waste his life. The son came to himself and went back to the father, ashamed of sinning against him. But the father was waiting for his repentance and watching for his return. He showed his love by his actions of love and forgiveness and prepared a feast and royal raiment for his son.
The psalmist knew God wanted mankind back into a relationship with Him. By this we know when we are in Christ (Galatians 3:27), we will be thankful to Him and bless His name for this forgiveness and the eternal promises that come with it. We then can enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Verse 5) For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. We can live without fear, because the Lord is good. We can also be assured that His word, the truth, endures all generations. We have the same words of God that were delivered to men of the Old and New Testaments. (Matthew 24:35; 1John 4:18-19; James 1:16-17; 1Chronicles 16:34; Deut.7:9; Isa. 55:7; and Eph. 2: 1-10)
God is waiting for the people of our land to come back to Him. He didn't leave us. We left Him. He has never quit loving us, but our ways: abortion, unbelief, and sexual immorality have made many spiritually dead to Him along with the other sins. Don't forget, we all have sinned and we all need redemption. He loves us more than the world does, because He sent us His Only Begotten Son to die for us. Be honest, the ruler of this world, Satan,( John 12:31 and Ephesians 2:20) has only given us heartache and separation from a God who loves us. Who are you going to give a joyful shout to?
Please send your comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com. If you enjoy reading my post, please pass on to others. Also, you may purchase my book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop a Giant Slaying Heart by going to www.amazon.com .
Thanks you so much.
Rick Hepler
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Let Removing Doubt be One of Your Goals in 2015
Usually by this time in January I have already quit my New Year's Resolution. So, I did not make one this year on January 1st.for that reason. I set my goals on 01/15/2015. I'm going to make my goals this year. I can't do it alone though. I will need God and you to help me. My goals in the past have always been about my success in my business, my income, taking a vacation to a certain place or buying something I have always wanted. Not this time. My goals this time are to take me out of them and put God, my family and you in them. As you read what I write this year, I hope you begin to realize what these goals are. Stay with me and ask others to join you in reading my blog and my books.
You Kentucky basketball fans, do you remember when WPSD TV used to replay the games on Wednesday night at 10:30? I would want to know the score before I watched it. I didn't want to sit up that late to see them get beat. I hated to see them get beat. One night my brother Randy told dad that Kentucky had a big comeback and won the game. Dad sat up late watching and as they got further behind, he was anticipating a big comeback. It never happened. They lost by several points. We still laugh about it.
Knowing you are going to win in the end relieves all the stress and worry of anything we do. This life is not fair. Many good people have chronic diseases, financial hardships, premature loss of loved ones, and those that do evil "seem" to prosper and most everyone agrees that our government is messed up. We live in a country where the minority enjoys a majority voice. At one time I read that 78% of people in this country were Christians. Doesn't that word mean followers of Christ and Christ means the anointed one, which means the consecrated one. (to set apart as holy; devote to religious use...) (Webster's New World Dictionary). Being a Christian then would be defined as being set apart and following the anointed One, which is Jesus.
Following Jesus means living the life he commands us to live. Many think that wearing the Christian name is all they have to do. Sad to say this, and I am not their judge, I have been to funerals of people who lived like the world, never attended a worship services, drank all the time and used God's name in vain and the preacher said they were in heaven because they loved the Lord. A sad way to show it. Jesus said, If you love Me keep my commandments. (John 14:15,NKJV)
To me, the most frightening verses in the Bible are in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus says: Not everyone who says to Me , 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' I can't say I am a Christian and still live as the world lives.
One of my goals last year was to remove all doubt and to trust in God and His word to lead my life. I am saved by the grace of God. (No Doubts) I cannot work my way to heaven.(No Doubts) All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (No Doubts) God loves us. (No Doubts) I do what God commands me to do, not out of fear but out of love for Him and what His Son has saved me from. Jesus said the greatest command was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt.22:37) You and I can't honestly do that, unless we have no doubt who God is and that He loves us so much He wants us back in a relationship with Him.
Satan's biggest tool to get you away from God is to get you to doubt Him and His word. Satan does his best to cheat us out of an eternal life with God.(Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8, NKJV) Satan wants to cheat us out of the promises God has given to us. Have you been deceived already by doubts placed in your mind by Satan? Let's see if Satan is working on you. (I have already asked myself some of these questions.) Do you think your life is so messed up that God can't forgive you? Do you believe we and everything were formed by evolution? Do you believe there is not a hell? Do you believe you can live like the world and be alright with God? (1 John 2:15-17) Do you believe everyone goes to heaven, but just on a different path? (Matthew 7:21) Do you love the Lord? Did you go to worship last Sunday and worship Him in truth and spirit?
Like I said earlier, I have already questioned myself on many things I have done and also on the doubts I had. With God's help and His word I have eliminated any doubt about God and His love for me and you.
Don't let Satan cheat you with from an eternal life with God by placing doubt in your heart. In my book:The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop A Giant Slaying Heart, in chapter 4, David's Shield against Doubt, I show how David never doubted that God was there to help him. He faced Goliath, never doubting he would defeat this giant that defied the armies of the living God.
Removing doubt about God and what He can do for you is a good goal to have this year. One of the rewards, among many, will be that you will have a peace that does pass all understanding.(Phil. 4:7;Col. 3:15) Don't let Satan deceive you any more. (1 Cor. 6:9) Remember God loves us and Satan wants us to doubt it! (John 3:16-17)
Do you need a faith that will help you conquer the giants in your life? Please take a look at how David developed such a giant slaying heart and also a man after God's own heart. Go to www.amazon.com to review and purchase the book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop A Giant Slaying Heart.
Any comments on today's post can be sent to: rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com.
If you enjoyed reading please pass on to others.
I hope you have a great 2015!
Rick
You Kentucky basketball fans, do you remember when WPSD TV used to replay the games on Wednesday night at 10:30? I would want to know the score before I watched it. I didn't want to sit up that late to see them get beat. I hated to see them get beat. One night my brother Randy told dad that Kentucky had a big comeback and won the game. Dad sat up late watching and as they got further behind, he was anticipating a big comeback. It never happened. They lost by several points. We still laugh about it.
Knowing you are going to win in the end relieves all the stress and worry of anything we do. This life is not fair. Many good people have chronic diseases, financial hardships, premature loss of loved ones, and those that do evil "seem" to prosper and most everyone agrees that our government is messed up. We live in a country where the minority enjoys a majority voice. At one time I read that 78% of people in this country were Christians. Doesn't that word mean followers of Christ and Christ means the anointed one, which means the consecrated one. (to set apart as holy; devote to religious use...) (Webster's New World Dictionary). Being a Christian then would be defined as being set apart and following the anointed One, which is Jesus.
Following Jesus means living the life he commands us to live. Many think that wearing the Christian name is all they have to do. Sad to say this, and I am not their judge, I have been to funerals of people who lived like the world, never attended a worship services, drank all the time and used God's name in vain and the preacher said they were in heaven because they loved the Lord. A sad way to show it. Jesus said, If you love Me keep my commandments. (John 14:15,NKJV)
To me, the most frightening verses in the Bible are in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus says: Not everyone who says to Me , 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' I can't say I am a Christian and still live as the world lives.
One of my goals last year was to remove all doubt and to trust in God and His word to lead my life. I am saved by the grace of God. (No Doubts) I cannot work my way to heaven.(No Doubts) All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (No Doubts) God loves us. (No Doubts) I do what God commands me to do, not out of fear but out of love for Him and what His Son has saved me from. Jesus said the greatest command was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt.22:37) You and I can't honestly do that, unless we have no doubt who God is and that He loves us so much He wants us back in a relationship with Him.
Satan's biggest tool to get you away from God is to get you to doubt Him and His word. Satan does his best to cheat us out of an eternal life with God.(Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8, NKJV) Satan wants to cheat us out of the promises God has given to us. Have you been deceived already by doubts placed in your mind by Satan? Let's see if Satan is working on you. (I have already asked myself some of these questions.) Do you think your life is so messed up that God can't forgive you? Do you believe we and everything were formed by evolution? Do you believe there is not a hell? Do you believe you can live like the world and be alright with God? (1 John 2:15-17) Do you believe everyone goes to heaven, but just on a different path? (Matthew 7:21) Do you love the Lord? Did you go to worship last Sunday and worship Him in truth and spirit?
Like I said earlier, I have already questioned myself on many things I have done and also on the doubts I had. With God's help and His word I have eliminated any doubt about God and His love for me and you.
Don't let Satan cheat you with from an eternal life with God by placing doubt in your heart. In my book:The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop A Giant Slaying Heart, in chapter 4, David's Shield against Doubt, I show how David never doubted that God was there to help him. He faced Goliath, never doubting he would defeat this giant that defied the armies of the living God.
Removing doubt about God and what He can do for you is a good goal to have this year. One of the rewards, among many, will be that you will have a peace that does pass all understanding.(Phil. 4:7;Col. 3:15) Don't let Satan deceive you any more. (1 Cor. 6:9) Remember God loves us and Satan wants us to doubt it! (John 3:16-17)
Do you need a faith that will help you conquer the giants in your life? Please take a look at how David developed such a giant slaying heart and also a man after God's own heart. Go to www.amazon.com to review and purchase the book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop A Giant Slaying Heart.
Any comments on today's post can be sent to: rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com.
If you enjoyed reading please pass on to others.
I hope you have a great 2015!
Rick
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