It was just like every other Sunday morning. Deb and I were with her parents coming in to Martin, Tn. from Union City, TN. The 15 minute ride over was quiet and peaceful. As we approached the stoplight in front of Walmart, something caught our attention from the field on our right. It was a white car out in the middle of a muddy field.
Did you see the white car in the middle of the field? Wonder how it got there and who was driving it? How did they get that far? Another 100 yards and they would have made it. It was stuck in mud up to the frame. I wonder what happened? These were questions and statements made in every restaurant, church, school, and any other place of conversation in Weakley and Obion County. Social media had a field day (no pun intended) with it.
I still do not know any of the above answers, or at least the truth of what happened. I have heard every theory possible and even opined a few of my own. Still no actual facts. The only true fact I do know is this peculiar occurance has brought more people together with laughter than anything I have seen in a long time. Strangers talking and laughing together.
We have all been unified in laughter and with the same curiosity. In a time when there is so much bitter division from politics to religion and terrible news of shootings, sexual harassment, actions or inactions in Washington, D.C., we have the "white car".
We owe it to the white car for bringing us together with laughter. Maybe the City of Martin should purchase the car, get permission from the land owner, and place the car back in the field and let it serve as a monument. A monument of the time we laughed together as a united people, being able to escape a few minutes each day from the burdens we carry.
Now let's move on to some serious questions. Who (we're in the South, "Bless his/her heart") was driving this car and why did he/she drive it there? We know someone put it there. It is an actual fact the car didn't put itself in the middle of the field, just like the sun didn't put itself in the middle of our galaxy. Well maybe some folks down the road may think the sun did, but they are united with us in believing this car had a driver.
Now let's get back to the person responsible for all of this. I laughed, belly laughed, every time I saw it, but my laughter was at the expense of the driver of the car. I started thinking how it must be with everyone laughing at you. Whether this was accidental, intentional, medical caused, or under an influence, the consequences are still the same. He/she was the main topic of laughter.
He/she could be a bad person, addict, felon, have medical issues, lonely, confused, troubled, or a good person, but he/she has something in common with us all. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) If this individual had made it to the end of the field, we would have never known. It would have been between him/her and God. Many of our mistakes and sins are only known by us and God alone. If they were made public, we may be the talk of the town also. Many of us strive for perfection, but like the car, we don't make it to the end of the field.
Over two thousand years ago, there was another man who was made a public spectacle. They laughed at Him, but they also hung Him on a cross. He was the only perfect and sinless person ever to walk on the face of this earth. He went to the "end of the field" for us. We got stuck in the middle of the field (life) with mud (sin) all over us.
We all get laughed at. Not by each other, but by Satan. He knows we will never make it out by ourselves. He does all he can to deceive us into not following the only one that can present us righteous before God. Evil works hard to keep us from following truth.
What is the truth that counters the evil that is wanting us to get mired down in the mud (sin)? God's word is truth and sets us apart. (John 17:17) Following this truth will set us free. (John 8:32) When David felt stuck, he wrote: I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth--praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord. (Psalms 40:1-3, NKJV)
All of us have a "white car" episode in our lives. Those episodes have been public and private, with each producing a consequence affecting us and those around us. How can we overcome these episodes? We can overcome these and be pulled out of them by being part of the family. The family I am talking about is God's family. In this family, we laugh together, we cry, we forgive, and are forgiven by God and each other.
So, to the driver of the "white car", I hope you are okay. If you want to be a part of a group of people, including myself, who have been stuck in mud (sin) before, come and be my special guest Sunday at the Martin Church of Christ. Morning service starts at 9:00 A.M.. We remember each Sunday what Jesus did for us. He suffered, bled, and died for us, because we were also stuck in the middle of a field of mud (sin).
This offer is also to anyone else who may also be stuck in that same field. We encourage each other and help each other when we get stuck with life's problems. Look forward to seeing you there. Tell them Rick Hepler invited you and we won't ask you if you are the driver of the "white car".
Thanks for reading. Please send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com . Also I was literally stuck in mud one time with my brother Randy. I wrote about it a few years ago. Please go to https://rick-hepler.blogspot.com/2011/07/blue-mud.html to read about it.
Hope you have a nice day!
Rick Hepler
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Courage To Be Vulnerable=Changed Lives
Vulnerable: open to, or be liable to be hurt by criticism or attack. (1968 edition of The New World Dictionary of The American Language, The Southwestern Company, Nashville, Tennessee).
I have been enslaved almost all of my life with the fear of the above word. The thought of allowing myself to be vulnerable in seeking to do what I love in life, produced a chilling fear of failing, rejection, being the topic of local conversations (gossip), people not liking me anymore, being broke and, most importantly the fear of just compassionately making the commitment to try.
I have just recently realized that it is so important for me as a leader, a father, grandfather, husband and a Christian, to have the courage to be vulnerable. The best life I have found to imitate is the life of Jesus Christ. From His birth to His death, He was always vulnerable to the world we live in. He faced it all with love and courage. Even his mother and those who closely followed Him, were openly vulnerable.
The first test of His ministry was His being vulnerable in the wilderness. He then subjected Himself to the subtle and deceptive temptations of the Devil. His vulnerability did not stop there. We have read of His speaking the will of His Father in heaven to the religious people of the time. This placed Him in a dangerous degree of vulnerability. You can and probably have already read of His courage.
His courage in overcoming the fear of being vulnerable came from loving and wanting to do the will of His Father in heaven. And He accomplished this bravely, lovingly, and perfectly. How do I know? God said He did. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ''This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'' (Matthew 3:17, NKJV)
If we fervently and zealously seek to do the Father's will as Jesus, we will have the same courage to live vulnerably for the Master, without any fear or hesitation.
Now, I want to discuss the scriptures that surprisingly got my attention. The first one I have read all of my life and have never noticed the message that would so quickly allow me to be emancipated from the fear and battle I have from being vulnerable.
Please carefully read along. Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto Me, and do not forbid them, for such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:13-14, NKJV) What is it that jumps out at you?
Have you noticed when your children or your grandchildren began to talk and put sentences together, how bold they were in asking questions or talking to someone? Also they are very creative and enjoy being with others their age, but it doesn't last long. We are the ones who teach them the fear of being vulnerable. We teach them quickly to watch what they say. When they get older they realize in order for some people, even us, to like them, they have to act in a certain way to be accepted. An ego is born.
Do you think those little children heard the rebuke of Jesus's disciples? What if Jesus had not corrected them when He did? Those children would probably have never wanted to go to Jesus. Would the parents mentioned have ever tried again? The seed of feeling vulnerable was attempted to have been sown through the disciples and guess by whom? Don't you think it may have been the Devil?
Little children do not feel, nor have they developed the fear of being themselves. We teach it to them for the rest of their lives. Read what Jesus says, Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4, NKJV.) What does this mean? How many little children do you know who have a big ego or much pride? At the earliest age they do not even know what pride or ego is. Again, it is taught by us and others for the rest of their lives.
Why would Christ say we need to be humble as a little child? Before we had an ego and pride, we were humble. We didn't live to protect ourselves from the criticism of others. We subconsciously followed the pattern of others needing acceptance and fearing rejection. Our egos wanted everyone to like us and when pride was introduced we wanted the best toys, best cookie, etc. and MINE! was vocally and forcefully stated. We were taught of scarcity and not abundance. So therefore as we got older, we fiercely protected what was ours. We cared not to lose our ego, pride or "toys". Thus vulnerability was introduced along with the fear to hide it.
So, we adults have to be humble like very young children. With years of life behind us, living in the fear of rejection and toiling to be accepted, we now read that Christ wants us to erase this out of our habits and subconscious mind to be humble. How does He want us to do this? Does He tell us how. Oh yes. But are you ready for it?
These, I believe are the scriptures He uses to instruct us how. But you have to know where you are now. Have you built up an ego along the way that tries to please everyone to get acceptance? Has this caused you to give up your values? Your courage? Your dreams? What has your pride done to you lately? Are you afraid of making yourself vulnerable?
Read these and see what he is asking and why. "For whosoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for My sake will find it". (Matthew 16:25, NKJV) To me if I try to save my life, my pride and ego, I will lose it. I will not allow myself to be vulnerable. I will compromise my values to appease my peers, who I feel like I so desperately need. I will say the words I think they want to hear.
Another scripture that goes along with the above is, He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life'. (John 12:25, NKJV) God created me to be Rick Hepler. He has given me talents to use for His purpose. I do not know what the commentaries say about this verse, but if I love my life of impressing my peers, doing and living a life of pleasing others not God, I lose that life Rick Hepler was created to be.
If I have the courage to be vulnerable and live as Christ has commanded me to live, that fake life I was living, instead of who I was created to be, will fade away. I will then be living the purpose I was created for. I will have the courage to be vulnerable in serving God the way He has commanded. My Ego and pride will cease to be what drives my life.
When I have the courage to be vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and disappointment in serving God and spreading the gospel, Christ will not be ashamed of me when He comes. (Luke 9:26) Yes, Christ's vulnerability to live and teach the truth, love, and will of the Father in heaven, resulted in His death.
Jesus, by His example, has shown me how to have the courage to seek not after the glory of the world, (Matthew 4:8-10) but the glory He regained when He went back to the Father in heaven. (John17:5)
The Bible shows us other examples of courage and fear dealing with personal vulnerability. Peter would have been the last person I would have pictured fearing vulnerability. Yet he did it three times, even when he said he would never be made to stumble. (Matthew 26:33-35) When Peter was warming beside the fire with people of the world, his courage left him and at that moment he cared more of what they thought of him than Christ.
You and I have been placed in similar situations when we feared the rejection of the world by our decisions to speak up for the truth of the Christian values we have believed in. Sometimes I have remained silent and inactive in these particular situations. Will God forgive me and still use me in His service for this? Yes He will. What can I do? Just do what Peter did. (Matthew 26:75) Did Christ ever use him again? Do you remember reading about the first Gospel sermon? Who preached it? What did he preach? (Acts chapter 2)
He will use us also, if we weep for having given in to the fear of what other people think of us when we follow Jesus. That weeping, as Peter did, produces repentance. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. Peter had this godly sorrow, which lead to his salvation and introducing to thousands the path of that salvation. On the other hand, sorrow of not pleasing the world continues a never ending cycle of living to please the world thus compromising the godly values you believe in. The courage to be vulnerable is lost in appeasement of others that do not desire those same values. Spiritual death then follows for you and others under your influence.
I want to be a better leader to my family, friends, people off the street, those in jail, those in the church and those who I reach by my writings. I cannot do this if I do not have the courage to be vulnerable as Christ, while He was on this earth.
God does not only expect His people to have this courage, but He commands it. I have never read of His allowing Christians to compromise His commands to please others.
When Moses died and God told Joshua to cross over the Jordan river, leading His people to promised land, He expected him to do it. "Have I not commanded You? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, NKJV)
Joshua,like Christ, was not afraid of being vulnerable in carrying out the will of God. If you and I claim to be Christians, should we do any less? Joshua had faith and 100 percent trust in God's promises. He never questioned nor was he afraid of his own vulnerability.
Joshua was told by God to take people into the promised land and possess it. What does Christ command us to do that takes courage, faith , trust and places us vulnerable to the world?
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV)
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned". (Mark 16:15-16, NKJV)
As Christians in this country, have we done this? You may say we have. We send and support missionaries to foreign lands. That is great, but what do we do in our communities? Pay the preacher to do it? Yes we do and this is a good thing. When you and I send our money, are we not expecting them to be vulnerable for us? We think this relieves us of any type of personal evangelism. We say we want to be like New Testament Christian, but do we really?
The early Christian were not afraid to be vulnerable in spreading the Gospel. Some of them died doing it. To be honest, for years It made me uncomfortable. I wanted everyone to like me. My ego wanted nothing to do with it. I would just go to church every time the doors were opened. If I had died they would have said at my funeral I loved the Lord and was very faithful. I was more faithful in avoiding the vulnerability of talking to people about Christ, and fearing the rejection from people not liking what I said. Yeah, I know, very weak. What about you?
I see I need courage to be vulnerable living as God wants me to live in this fallen world. What will it look like if I do? Whose life will change because of it? How can I develop the courage to overcome this fear of being vulnerable?
How do we do this? Do we want to do this?
(To be continued)
Thanks for reading. Please send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .
Rick Hepler
I have been enslaved almost all of my life with the fear of the above word. The thought of allowing myself to be vulnerable in seeking to do what I love in life, produced a chilling fear of failing, rejection, being the topic of local conversations (gossip), people not liking me anymore, being broke and, most importantly the fear of just compassionately making the commitment to try.
I have just recently realized that it is so important for me as a leader, a father, grandfather, husband and a Christian, to have the courage to be vulnerable. The best life I have found to imitate is the life of Jesus Christ. From His birth to His death, He was always vulnerable to the world we live in. He faced it all with love and courage. Even his mother and those who closely followed Him, were openly vulnerable.
The first test of His ministry was His being vulnerable in the wilderness. He then subjected Himself to the subtle and deceptive temptations of the Devil. His vulnerability did not stop there. We have read of His speaking the will of His Father in heaven to the religious people of the time. This placed Him in a dangerous degree of vulnerability. You can and probably have already read of His courage.
His courage in overcoming the fear of being vulnerable came from loving and wanting to do the will of His Father in heaven. And He accomplished this bravely, lovingly, and perfectly. How do I know? God said He did. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ''This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'' (Matthew 3:17, NKJV)
If we fervently and zealously seek to do the Father's will as Jesus, we will have the same courage to live vulnerably for the Master, without any fear or hesitation.
Now, I want to discuss the scriptures that surprisingly got my attention. The first one I have read all of my life and have never noticed the message that would so quickly allow me to be emancipated from the fear and battle I have from being vulnerable.
Please carefully read along. Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto Me, and do not forbid them, for such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:13-14, NKJV) What is it that jumps out at you?
Have you noticed when your children or your grandchildren began to talk and put sentences together, how bold they were in asking questions or talking to someone? Also they are very creative and enjoy being with others their age, but it doesn't last long. We are the ones who teach them the fear of being vulnerable. We teach them quickly to watch what they say. When they get older they realize in order for some people, even us, to like them, they have to act in a certain way to be accepted. An ego is born.
Do you think those little children heard the rebuke of Jesus's disciples? What if Jesus had not corrected them when He did? Those children would probably have never wanted to go to Jesus. Would the parents mentioned have ever tried again? The seed of feeling vulnerable was attempted to have been sown through the disciples and guess by whom? Don't you think it may have been the Devil?
Little children do not feel, nor have they developed the fear of being themselves. We teach it to them for the rest of their lives. Read what Jesus says, Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4, NKJV.) What does this mean? How many little children do you know who have a big ego or much pride? At the earliest age they do not even know what pride or ego is. Again, it is taught by us and others for the rest of their lives.
Why would Christ say we need to be humble as a little child? Before we had an ego and pride, we were humble. We didn't live to protect ourselves from the criticism of others. We subconsciously followed the pattern of others needing acceptance and fearing rejection. Our egos wanted everyone to like us and when pride was introduced we wanted the best toys, best cookie, etc. and MINE! was vocally and forcefully stated. We were taught of scarcity and not abundance. So therefore as we got older, we fiercely protected what was ours. We cared not to lose our ego, pride or "toys". Thus vulnerability was introduced along with the fear to hide it.
So, we adults have to be humble like very young children. With years of life behind us, living in the fear of rejection and toiling to be accepted, we now read that Christ wants us to erase this out of our habits and subconscious mind to be humble. How does He want us to do this? Does He tell us how. Oh yes. But are you ready for it?
These, I believe are the scriptures He uses to instruct us how. But you have to know where you are now. Have you built up an ego along the way that tries to please everyone to get acceptance? Has this caused you to give up your values? Your courage? Your dreams? What has your pride done to you lately? Are you afraid of making yourself vulnerable?
Read these and see what he is asking and why. "For whosoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for My sake will find it". (Matthew 16:25, NKJV) To me if I try to save my life, my pride and ego, I will lose it. I will not allow myself to be vulnerable. I will compromise my values to appease my peers, who I feel like I so desperately need. I will say the words I think they want to hear.
Another scripture that goes along with the above is, He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life'. (John 12:25, NKJV) God created me to be Rick Hepler. He has given me talents to use for His purpose. I do not know what the commentaries say about this verse, but if I love my life of impressing my peers, doing and living a life of pleasing others not God, I lose that life Rick Hepler was created to be.
If I have the courage to be vulnerable and live as Christ has commanded me to live, that fake life I was living, instead of who I was created to be, will fade away. I will then be living the purpose I was created for. I will have the courage to be vulnerable in serving God the way He has commanded. My Ego and pride will cease to be what drives my life.
When I have the courage to be vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and disappointment in serving God and spreading the gospel, Christ will not be ashamed of me when He comes. (Luke 9:26) Yes, Christ's vulnerability to live and teach the truth, love, and will of the Father in heaven, resulted in His death.
Jesus, by His example, has shown me how to have the courage to seek not after the glory of the world, (Matthew 4:8-10) but the glory He regained when He went back to the Father in heaven. (John17:5)
The Bible shows us other examples of courage and fear dealing with personal vulnerability. Peter would have been the last person I would have pictured fearing vulnerability. Yet he did it three times, even when he said he would never be made to stumble. (Matthew 26:33-35) When Peter was warming beside the fire with people of the world, his courage left him and at that moment he cared more of what they thought of him than Christ.
You and I have been placed in similar situations when we feared the rejection of the world by our decisions to speak up for the truth of the Christian values we have believed in. Sometimes I have remained silent and inactive in these particular situations. Will God forgive me and still use me in His service for this? Yes He will. What can I do? Just do what Peter did. (Matthew 26:75) Did Christ ever use him again? Do you remember reading about the first Gospel sermon? Who preached it? What did he preach? (Acts chapter 2)
He will use us also, if we weep for having given in to the fear of what other people think of us when we follow Jesus. That weeping, as Peter did, produces repentance. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. Peter had this godly sorrow, which lead to his salvation and introducing to thousands the path of that salvation. On the other hand, sorrow of not pleasing the world continues a never ending cycle of living to please the world thus compromising the godly values you believe in. The courage to be vulnerable is lost in appeasement of others that do not desire those same values. Spiritual death then follows for you and others under your influence.
I want to be a better leader to my family, friends, people off the street, those in jail, those in the church and those who I reach by my writings. I cannot do this if I do not have the courage to be vulnerable as Christ, while He was on this earth.
God does not only expect His people to have this courage, but He commands it. I have never read of His allowing Christians to compromise His commands to please others.
When Moses died and God told Joshua to cross over the Jordan river, leading His people to promised land, He expected him to do it. "Have I not commanded You? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, NKJV)
Joshua,like Christ, was not afraid of being vulnerable in carrying out the will of God. If you and I claim to be Christians, should we do any less? Joshua had faith and 100 percent trust in God's promises. He never questioned nor was he afraid of his own vulnerability.
Joshua was told by God to take people into the promised land and possess it. What does Christ command us to do that takes courage, faith , trust and places us vulnerable to the world?
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV)
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned". (Mark 16:15-16, NKJV)
As Christians in this country, have we done this? You may say we have. We send and support missionaries to foreign lands. That is great, but what do we do in our communities? Pay the preacher to do it? Yes we do and this is a good thing. When you and I send our money, are we not expecting them to be vulnerable for us? We think this relieves us of any type of personal evangelism. We say we want to be like New Testament Christian, but do we really?
The early Christian were not afraid to be vulnerable in spreading the Gospel. Some of them died doing it. To be honest, for years It made me uncomfortable. I wanted everyone to like me. My ego wanted nothing to do with it. I would just go to church every time the doors were opened. If I had died they would have said at my funeral I loved the Lord and was very faithful. I was more faithful in avoiding the vulnerability of talking to people about Christ, and fearing the rejection from people not liking what I said. Yeah, I know, very weak. What about you?
I see I need courage to be vulnerable living as God wants me to live in this fallen world. What will it look like if I do? Whose life will change because of it? How can I develop the courage to overcome this fear of being vulnerable?
How do we do this? Do we want to do this?
(To be continued)
Thanks for reading. Please send comments to rhepler52@gmail.com .
Rick Hepler
Friday, January 19, 2018
Thoughts From A Cold Winter Morning
I was up early this morning, before sunrise. I always enjoy the peace of my quite time early each morning. The reading, writing, praying and meditating seems to transform a small part of me each day. This is when I have most of my creative thoughts on fulfilling my heart's desires. Courage to face any challenge comes from these moments.
It is so cold outside! I believe my phone said 7 degrees. The previous day's snow is still on the patio. Only a few melted places could be seen. Daylight finally appeared. Yes, the sun is shining. Then I noticed the birds flying around looking for water, that was not frozen, and something to eat. How do they survive in this cold? They looked like they were starving to me.
I wanted to feed them something. I didn't have any bird seed, so I got the bright idea of emptying the pantry of outdated boxes of cereal we had for our grandchildren. I also filled a shallow pan with water, so they could have fresh water to drink.
I waited and waited for them to come. Finally, one bird came and then flew off, then he came back. A few others came, but with the least bit of distraction, they would quickly fly away again. After several minutes, one came back. I guess he was the bravest one. He was very hungry and thirsty and was going to risk eating my cereal even though he had never seen or tasted it before.
With his displayed courage, the others came. Now the patio is covered with birds eating outdated cereal and drinking water that I set out for them.
Don't laugh at the wary birds. We humans are the same way. We trudge through every day with burdens and cares. Many spend each waking hour believing there is no hope for them. Evil abounds and touches our lives each day. We view and hear of hate, abuse, addictions, broken homes, heartaches, and many more atrocities in our world, country, communities, and even our own families every day.
As the birds are living hungry and thirsty on this cold and snowy day, all of us are living in this fallen world, hungry for something. Could it be we are tired of the fruits of unrighteousness? Do we even have a solution to our own emptiness? We do, but we are afraid to taste it. Are we like the birds, needing one brave bird to come in and show us it is different, but it taste really good? Are we so distracted by the noises of the world, that we fly away too quickly?
Our problems arise when we do not know we are starving spiritually. We are hungry and thirsty for something, but what is it?
What is it deep down in our souls that we truly are hungry and thirsty for?
I could have mentioned this parable, told by Jesus, forty years ago and probably the majority of people in our country would have already have read it or at least been told about it. The hunger in our souls needs to be filled, yet many do not know what it is and how to get it. Some have known about it, but the distractions of this life have caused them to forget. Please go to Luke chapter 15.
16 And he would have gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything, 17 but when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants". ...
The son did go back to the father. He remembered, repented, and was humble. He was asking for a meager existence as a hired servant, but please continue to read in verses 20-23 what he received. The beautiful part of this story is in verse 24. 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' and they began to be merry.
Our Father in heaven is portrayed as the father in the above parable. He has everything we need, but we like the son in the parable are so spiritually hungry we would be glad to eat the pods of the world fed to the swine. We have allowed this fallen world to twist and toss us around so much, that we think we are not worthy of anything that is good. We just settle for less, not knowing what the wonderful blessings God has prepared for us.
What is it we are hungry for? Righteousness! Do we know it? Jesus came to earth so we could see what righteousness is. He was sent by God the Father. He was brave and not distracted from His purpose in coming.
The birds outside this cold, snow covered morning, are cold and hungry. What I gave them to eat, they never have seen before. They liked it and ate all of it. Food for them is still scarce when it snows. Humanity, outside of Christ, is cold, dark, unforgiving and experiences scarcity in many ways.
Man looks searches in many ways for the world to give him peace and happiness, but many times the happiness and peace are consumed quickly by the fallen world we live in. This fallen world is like the fallen snow. It covers up what we need and unless we have someone to give us "food" we go hungry as the birds.
Christ said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6,NKJV) Why would we hunger and thirst for righteousness? Because there is none righteous before God. We all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Please read Romans 3:10,23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
With this righteousness comes salvation. Does God want us to be righteous and have salvation? John 3:16 is a verse many of us had to recite in the first grade at school. Please read John 3:14-21. For me, these verses introduce a loving God, a loving Son of God, salvation through this Son, and condemnation and perishing without Him.
Remember above how God is portrayed as the father of the prodigal son waiting for that son to come home. Upon his return, he finds the loving father waiting and watching for him. I believe John 3:16 is the beginning of the many scriptures revealing to humanity the love God has for us. After all, He created us in His image and likeness. (Genesis 1:27)
Are you cold and hungry? Imagine if you were the birds on this snowy morning, having to depend on the kindness of someone tossing them some food. When I am cold and hungry, I am desperately trying to find both. At times, my soul has been cold and hungry. The joy, I pursue and need, cannot be found in the world. I feel empty without it.
I am so blessed to have been shown and taught the Gospel "Good News" of God's love for me, and the way of righteousness and salvation through His Son. When life gets tough, I can rejoice in my salvation like the prophet Habakkuk did in Habakkuk 3:17-19.
What about you? Do you hunger and thirst for the righteousness that leads you to salvation. A salvation promising your being with a loving heavenly Father for all eternity. A righteousness that can give you joy as you live in this fallen world, no matter your circumstances.
How is this world really treating you? Is there something deep within you longing for something better? Have you ever stopped to think how much God loves you? Think about it. If I can help, please email me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or at rhepler52@gmail.com .
Are down trodden and heavy laden with burdens this life has given you? Have you ever tried the taste of God's grace, mercy and forgiveness? Please do not ever give up, until you have someone tell you or you search in His word for it yourself what He has for you.
Are you broke, broken, addicted, incarcerated, burdened by pain and suffering, suffering the consequences of sin in your life, or just needing a few moments of peace to regain strength? This is what Christ is saying you to today. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV)
Are you going through any of these trials above or some that are not listed? Is the world offering you what Christ has offered? What about your friends, neighbors, family, people you work with, politicians, and anyone else you come in contact with offering you a way to find the rest and peace you are searching for? I didn't think so. I do! I want to help you. Why? Because someone helped me find this peace, the peace that passes all understanding.
Please pass along to someone who is hurting and help them develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Thanks for reading. Comments are welcome. Please share on
Facebook to those who are hurting.
Rick Hepler
It is so cold outside! I believe my phone said 7 degrees. The previous day's snow is still on the patio. Only a few melted places could be seen. Daylight finally appeared. Yes, the sun is shining. Then I noticed the birds flying around looking for water, that was not frozen, and something to eat. How do they survive in this cold? They looked like they were starving to me.
I wanted to feed them something. I didn't have any bird seed, so I got the bright idea of emptying the pantry of outdated boxes of cereal we had for our grandchildren. I also filled a shallow pan with water, so they could have fresh water to drink.
I waited and waited for them to come. Finally, one bird came and then flew off, then he came back. A few others came, but with the least bit of distraction, they would quickly fly away again. After several minutes, one came back. I guess he was the bravest one. He was very hungry and thirsty and was going to risk eating my cereal even though he had never seen or tasted it before.
With his displayed courage, the others came. Now the patio is covered with birds eating outdated cereal and drinking water that I set out for them.
Don't laugh at the wary birds. We humans are the same way. We trudge through every day with burdens and cares. Many spend each waking hour believing there is no hope for them. Evil abounds and touches our lives each day. We view and hear of hate, abuse, addictions, broken homes, heartaches, and many more atrocities in our world, country, communities, and even our own families every day.
As the birds are living hungry and thirsty on this cold and snowy day, all of us are living in this fallen world, hungry for something. Could it be we are tired of the fruits of unrighteousness? Do we even have a solution to our own emptiness? We do, but we are afraid to taste it. Are we like the birds, needing one brave bird to come in and show us it is different, but it taste really good? Are we so distracted by the noises of the world, that we fly away too quickly?
Our problems arise when we do not know we are starving spiritually. We are hungry and thirsty for something, but what is it?
What is it deep down in our souls that we truly are hungry and thirsty for?
I could have mentioned this parable, told by Jesus, forty years ago and probably the majority of people in our country would have already have read it or at least been told about it. The hunger in our souls needs to be filled, yet many do not know what it is and how to get it. Some have known about it, but the distractions of this life have caused them to forget. Please go to Luke chapter 15.
16 And he would have gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything, 17 but when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants". ...
The son did go back to the father. He remembered, repented, and was humble. He was asking for a meager existence as a hired servant, but please continue to read in verses 20-23 what he received. The beautiful part of this story is in verse 24. 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' and they began to be merry.
Our Father in heaven is portrayed as the father in the above parable. He has everything we need, but we like the son in the parable are so spiritually hungry we would be glad to eat the pods of the world fed to the swine. We have allowed this fallen world to twist and toss us around so much, that we think we are not worthy of anything that is good. We just settle for less, not knowing what the wonderful blessings God has prepared for us.
What is it we are hungry for? Righteousness! Do we know it? Jesus came to earth so we could see what righteousness is. He was sent by God the Father. He was brave and not distracted from His purpose in coming.
The birds outside this cold, snow covered morning, are cold and hungry. What I gave them to eat, they never have seen before. They liked it and ate all of it. Food for them is still scarce when it snows. Humanity, outside of Christ, is cold, dark, unforgiving and experiences scarcity in many ways.
Man looks searches in many ways for the world to give him peace and happiness, but many times the happiness and peace are consumed quickly by the fallen world we live in. This fallen world is like the fallen snow. It covers up what we need and unless we have someone to give us "food" we go hungry as the birds.
Christ said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6,NKJV) Why would we hunger and thirst for righteousness? Because there is none righteous before God. We all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Please read Romans 3:10,23; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
With this righteousness comes salvation. Does God want us to be righteous and have salvation? John 3:16 is a verse many of us had to recite in the first grade at school. Please read John 3:14-21. For me, these verses introduce a loving God, a loving Son of God, salvation through this Son, and condemnation and perishing without Him.
Remember above how God is portrayed as the father of the prodigal son waiting for that son to come home. Upon his return, he finds the loving father waiting and watching for him. I believe John 3:16 is the beginning of the many scriptures revealing to humanity the love God has for us. After all, He created us in His image and likeness. (Genesis 1:27)
Are you cold and hungry? Imagine if you were the birds on this snowy morning, having to depend on the kindness of someone tossing them some food. When I am cold and hungry, I am desperately trying to find both. At times, my soul has been cold and hungry. The joy, I pursue and need, cannot be found in the world. I feel empty without it.
I am so blessed to have been shown and taught the Gospel "Good News" of God's love for me, and the way of righteousness and salvation through His Son. When life gets tough, I can rejoice in my salvation like the prophet Habakkuk did in Habakkuk 3:17-19.
What about you? Do you hunger and thirst for the righteousness that leads you to salvation. A salvation promising your being with a loving heavenly Father for all eternity. A righteousness that can give you joy as you live in this fallen world, no matter your circumstances.
How is this world really treating you? Is there something deep within you longing for something better? Have you ever stopped to think how much God loves you? Think about it. If I can help, please email me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or at rhepler52@gmail.com .
Are down trodden and heavy laden with burdens this life has given you? Have you ever tried the taste of God's grace, mercy and forgiveness? Please do not ever give up, until you have someone tell you or you search in His word for it yourself what He has for you.
Are you broke, broken, addicted, incarcerated, burdened by pain and suffering, suffering the consequences of sin in your life, or just needing a few moments of peace to regain strength? This is what Christ is saying you to today. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV)
Are you going through any of these trials above or some that are not listed? Is the world offering you what Christ has offered? What about your friends, neighbors, family, people you work with, politicians, and anyone else you come in contact with offering you a way to find the rest and peace you are searching for? I didn't think so. I do! I want to help you. Why? Because someone helped me find this peace, the peace that passes all understanding.
Please pass along to someone who is hurting and help them develop a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Thanks for reading. Comments are welcome. Please share on
Facebook to those who are hurting.
Rick Hepler
Monday, October 9, 2017
She Was Broken and Needing Hope.
Who told her about Him?
Someone must have told her where He would be or she overheard them talking about it. Maybe she was in the city Nain when Jesus raised from the dead the only son of a widow. Was she there when Jesus made the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead raised, and the gospel preached to the poor? (Luke 7:1-22)She was tired of people talking about her. She knew her sins and they were heavy on her mind. Life was beginning to be cruel to her. She must have thought this would be her last hope. This man called Jesus was doing the impossible. Did she think it would take the impossible to turn her life around and to have a peace?
She chose this as an action plan to change her life.
She would show her love to Him by being respectful, submissive and humble. She would show all of these by the actions she was about to perform. Was she used to the harsh comments others had about her? Did her critics and accusers offer any solutions or show any affections for her as a fellow human being? What emotions caused her to place herself in such a vulnerable situation that could cause her more emotional pain? I don't know. We just have to put ourselves in her shoes (sandals) and try to identify the emotions swelling up inside us.This did happen a long time ago, when Jesus was on earth. Get your bible and turn to Luke 7:36-50. Follow along as I try to relate this same story as to how it could happen today.
This woman was so desperate, she entered into an arena of glaring and condemning eyes. She was placing her life on the line. She had either been told of His love and compassion or she had witnessed it from a distance. Either way, it triggered an emotion, backed with courage, to seek Him out, no matter what.
After she got her audience with Jesus, here is what she did. She wept, washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her long flowing hair, continually kissed His feet, and anointed His feet with a fragrant oil. She realized He was her only hope. By her actions, we can identify the precious value of this hope. (Please remember this.)
The Pharisee speaks to himself.
Now let me turn to the one who invited Jesus to his house. His name was Simon. Before I get too hard on Simon, I must confess. At one point in my Christian life I have spoken to myself as Simon did. I had his same thoughts, only in a different setting and time.I was religious like Simon. I could identify those in our little town who had many sins, just like Simon did. If they came to a worship service, I would wonder why they came. I never mentioned Jesus loved them and would forgive them of those sins. I only, like Simon, looked down on them because of their sinful life.
I had the proud look, as Simon, instead of the look of this woman washing Jesus's feet.
My look was not one that would carry me or motivate me to go into all the world making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things Christ has commanded us to teach. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Simon spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner. (Luke 7:39, NKJV)
We all need to pay attention to the reply Jesus gave.
Jesus told Simon He had something to tell him. Simon agreed to listen. Jesus then gave Simon an example we should also remember. He said, "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One who owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me therefore, which of them will love me more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom He forgave the more."(Luke 7:41-42, NKJV)What would you say? If someone forgave my debts I would be forever grateful. Especially if I had no way or income of ever repaying. How about you?
In the following verses 44-47 Jesus tells Simon to look at the woman. He then reminds Simon of the acts he didn't do, but should have done. This woman, although she had many sins, did them.
Christ then speaks to the woman.
Christ then acknowledges before Simon and the others that her sins were many, but she showed Him much love. Simon and the others around the table showed Him very little love. Then Christ tells her, "Your sins are forgiven" and He said "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."Does this happen today?
Have you ever been to a church service and someone comes in wearing old clothes and tattoos? How do we look upon them? In years past, ignorantly, I have spoken to myself as Simon, "What are they doing here? I wonder what they want? Most of the time people like that have come for rent money or money to pay an electric or utility bill. I have made that judgmental mistake before. No more.What if one out of ten of these people came looking for Jesus and His forgiveness and the others would also have an interest if we told them about God's love, and the reason Jesus came to this earth? In my own regret, I wonder how many of these, drug addicts, unemployed, dysfunctional family members, and just plain broken people, have I ignored over the past several years. Only if I could have taken my time and shown them that in Christ they could be redeemed and start over with their lives. If I had only helped one that was like the woman above, what would his or her family look like today?
Looking for Christ can be stressful today.
Let me swap roles with one of the above. Say I was addicted to meth., morphine or heroine, had lost my job, and have now lost my family. I was at the end of my rope. Who am I going to turn to? My friends are in the same vicious cycle I am in, looking for the next high, enslaved to the cravings of the flesh in a most horrible way. What am I to do? Yes, it would be my fault that I was in that mess to start with. But, what if I wanted to clean this mess up? Who will help me?What if I remembered a verse of scripture that I heard long ago, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.(Matthew 11:28, NKJV) and also remembered the scripture that said, ...with God all things are possible, (Matt. 19:26,NKJV)? Where would I go to find out how to find Jesus and God to help me out of this impossible and sinful lifestyle?
What are the chances, living in the environment I would be living in, of someone coming and showing me the God of second chances loved me, sent his Son to die for me, wanted to forgive me of my sins, and then they patiently taught me how to live as Christ wants me to live? I am afraid very slim. So if I wanted to search for this Jesus to help me, I would have to go find Him. Where would I go?
Would I choose the largest, finest, newest looking church building in town or the smallest? What name on the sign would I choose? Would I go to these buildings to just see, from a distance, what the people looked like that attended there, as they got out of their cars and went in?
What if I did choose the largest church building to attend and I sat by you? How would you react? Would you be uncomfortable? Could you identify I needed help by the way I looked? Now get this. At this moment, there is no margin for error. I do not know if you are an unfaithful member of this church or the most faithful. All I know is, I am looking for someone like Jesus to help me. This may be the only time I ever try to get my life straightened out.
I am sitting here beside you, in this large and beautiful auditorium, in the middle of all of these nicely dressed members, feeling all of my failures, feeling unworthy of even sitting next to you, and my mind is racing of what you and other people are thinking about me. Also, to heighten my stress, I do not have a Bible, I do not know the songs you are singing, and when they are serving communion I do not know what to do. Don't you think I am more uncomfortable at this point than when I came in?
If you do not show me any compassion or love or even take the time to talk to me, do you think I will ever be back? If the pain of sin and addiction is less stress on me than looking for Jesus in your church building, which do you think I am going to choose?
This is why Christ said for us, His disciples, to go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that He has commanded. (Matt. 28:19-20)
Remember, He said for us to go, not the sinners to come to the church building.
What if the person next to me was like me at one time?
Let's now look at this a little differently. What if by God's providence, I walked into this church building and the person I sat by quickly identified my problem and told me I was in the right place. He said I have been clean for five years and I know what you are going through. The people here at this place sought me out while I was in jail. They taught me God's word, I repented and was baptized for the remission of my sins and I am doing all I can to help people that are in the same dark place I was in. Did you notice He said someone came to teach me?Which one loved Him more?
Jesus asked Simon in verse 42, Which one will love me more? . We can tell by their actions and humility, who loved Him more. Of course, the woman showed her love more. Whether I have one sin or many, I still need Jesus to forgive me. My religion will not do it for me. If I love Him, like this woman, I will follow His commandments and live the rest of my life as He would have me to live.Think about it.
Of the two above, who do you identify with? I was like Simon, but I have changed. You? Are you broken and needing Jesus? Please let me know.Thank you so much for reading and sharing with your friends. In this fallen world we live in, we need Jesus and each other.
Please send your comments to rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com . If you know of someone struggling with an addiction or just broken down, please send me their email address and I will send them a post each time I post it. Also please share on FaceBook with your family and friends.
Thanks again!
Rick Hepler
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Have You Worked Any 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles Lately?
Every Thanksgiving my wife, Debbie, gets a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle to work on during the holidays. She and her family get a large square board, place it on a card table in her mother's living room, and dump the 1000 pieces right in the middle of it.
Next, they separate all of the border pieces and corners. Then looking at the picture, they starting putting the outside, straight edge, pieces together and the four corner pieces.
The final step of their organizing is to try an match the different colors and sceneries of the picture. They each have their little piles and then the fun begins. Putting the pieces together may take until New Year's day, but those who work on it, enjoy finding and fitting every piece. It takes all of them and they eventually get it finished. I think it was last year they finished it, and the last piece was missing and I don't think they ever found it.
One thing about working a puzzle, the piece either fits or it doesn't; No in between, no deception, only a true fit. And you must have all of the pieces to complete the picture!
I do not do jigsaw puzzles, whether they are 25 pieces or 1000 pieces. I seem to be too impatient. Well, it is just not my favorite thing.
It seems living in this world is like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Looking back over my life, the puzzles I have completed were the ones I looked diligently for the right pieces to fit the situation. Those that I failed in completing were the ones, I either lost my confidence, or interest in finishing.
Yes I have failed miserably in trying to put some of my life's puzzles together. I will write about those another time. Those I failed at, I just could not find the right pieces to connect. I know where they were hidden now. I'll tell you about it maybe someday, so it might help you from making the same mistake.
There is one of my life's puzzles I did finish. This was one I had always pictured in my mind to have. I had seen my parents put theirs together and many of my friends' parents do the same. I saw in them what I wanted and knew I could have the same.
What was my puzzle and what did it look like. Well here goes. I wanted a beautiful wife, children and grandchildren. We had our picture made at Gulf Shores. The kids had it made into a puzzle.
This is my family. All of the pieces fit together beautifully. But I did not work this puzzle alone. This puzzle is was started when Debbie and I were born. We have parents that are still married after 67 years. The picture in our minds was to have a family like we came from.
I met Debbie on a blind date. Coincidence? I don't think so. We married two years later. In 1978 Beth Anne was born and 1982 Besti was born. From the day they were born we prayed for each to marry a faithful Christian man, raised by Christian parents.
Debbie and I both had a vision of what our family picture puzzle should look like. We began the day we married finding the outside pieces. The outside and corner pieces were from God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Our future family would be pieced together within these boundaries.
Pieces from the world did not and would not fit together with these outside and corner pieces. They would not form the picture we had in our heart and mind of the way we wanted our little family to look.
But, Debbie and I did not put our family puzzle together by ourselves. The same time we were praying for our daughters, there were two little boys, a far off, with parents praying the same prayer. Those little boys also had the examples lived before them each day by their parents and grandparents, who also have been married many years.
Betsi, our youngest daughter, was the first to get married in May 2004. She married Jonathan Pettus, from Leoma, Tennessee. His parents contributed and helped in fitting their section of the puzzle. These wonderful people are Danny and Rose Pettus. There is no way we could have picked better in-laws for Betsi than these two. They also are wonderful grandparents and examples to Xander and Connor.
Beth Anne, our oldest, got married in August of 2004. Yes I know, two weddings in the same summer. Many helped us pull this together and aunt Janie Gill saved us a boatload of money getting and doing the flowers. Beth Anne married Jarred Clayton from Dunlap, Tennessee. Jarred also has wonderful parents, Freddie and Tammy Clayton who wanted the same family for him that they have. Again, perfect in-laws for Beth Anne and grandparents for Anna Jewell and Grady. Freddie and Tammy Clayton, again I could not picked anyone any better.
Also Danny performed Jonathan's and Betsi's wedding ceremony and Freddie performed Jarred's and Beth Anne's. All I did was give them away and that was an easy task, because these were good young men from great families.
Debbie and I did not get our daughters to this point alone. Our daughters were taught by some of the best educators and coaches in the state. They each had a section of puzzle to help us fit together. They put pieces together we couldn't find. Our daughters, like many who have come out of the Union City School System, excelled in tennis, band, and academically. They were taught to pursue excellence by these caring people. Did they prepare them for college? You better believe they did.
Both daughters went to Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. Not only did they get higher education at FHU they were taught Bible from some of the best in the country. The friendships they have made from attending FHU are priceless.
You will notice in the picture above several pieces. Debbie and I kept the pieces in Christ, the boundaries and corners, and numerous others helped in supplying the much needed piece for their expertise. We could not have done it alone.
We cannot leave out our church families. They have been with us and loved us in the good times and tough times. Also both sides of our families have been so supportive.
Again, notice the many pieces of this puzzle. Some were of unconditional love, forgiveness, encouragement, several were prayers, all were based on truth. Each piece fitting with the one next to it was joined by a perfect fit. No deception or fake pieces in this puzzle. They all had to be true fits to produce a picture as this.
Did Satan try so slip a deceptive piece in? Yes he tried many times, but remember the edges and corners were from God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Satan's pieces would not fit in Debbie's and my picture. Did we have tough trials? Absolutely! We still do. Remember we live in a fallen world. Heaven is our real home. If we picture it and then put the pieces together God has given us, we will be there someday in a picture perfect puzzle.
You may think you cannot have a family picture puzzle as ours? Well the good news is you can. So you are a single mom or dad. Maybe you are addictive to drugs, even in jail for a period of time or divorced or living with someone not your spouse.
Yes you may have made a mess of your life compared to the way God wants you to live. You are forgetting one thing.
The disciples were greatly amazed, and asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus saw their amazement, and replied, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matt. 19:25-26,TEG, Hugo McCord) Did you get what He said. Your messed up life may be impossible for you and mankind to straighten out, but all things are possible with God.
You still don't think you can make a better life for you and your family? Read this!
And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28, NKJV) That doesn't mean that my wife's Parkinson's disease is working for her good. That means God has a plan and a purpose for everyone of us. And the things in His plans and His words are working together to make us more like Him and His Son, so one day when we put the last piece of our entire life's puzzle in, it will be the piece that says, faithful unto death. The good he is talking about is our salvation and being with Him in heaven away from this sin sick, and fallen world.
Has Satan convinced you that you are too sinful and God doesn't love you anymore. Read this! I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height not depth nor anything else in creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 8:38,NKJV) God still loves you, messed up life and all.
Still think you cannot, with God's help, clean up your life's mess? You are right in thinking that sin has messed your life up and probably the lives of people you love because of it. Well your not the first nor will you be the last. Again read this: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Now look at this carefully. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (Romans 6:9-11, NKJV)
Sounds like some messed up lives, but notice some let God help them clean up their mess. And such were some of them. But they are not anymore.
Please read today Psalms 103 with an emphasis on verses 11 and 12.
If your life's puzzle is all messed up and you have lost pieces or just given up, don't! My family puzzle above was not worked by me alone. Many helped me and I am grateful for all of the help. So grateful I want to help you to put together your family puzzle. How do you want it to look?
Yes I know your family is probably fragmented by now in every direction. You may not personally get the same family picture as I have, but you can start right now and make sure your second and especially third generations can have the same family puzzle as I have.
Remember this quote by Maria Robinson-Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. What if you started today letting God be the straight edges and the corners of your puzzle and God's word give you the pieces to fit together the future families of your grandchildren. The circle of messed up families can end with you and that new family life's 1000 piece puzzle can begin with you, God and God's family.
How about it. I couldn't do it alone and you can't either. You have everything to gain to let me or someone help you and have heaven to lose if you don't. But you are not the only one that will lose heaven. Your children and grandchildren may be following the same path you are on now. The big question for you is, do you want them to?
I am willing and wanting to help. You may email me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com . Please share this with others. How do you want the rest of your life's puzzle to look? And no it doesn't cost anything but your time. I do it for free because that is what I enjoy doing.
Thanks for reading. Please share on Facebook or email this link : www.rick-hepler.blogspot.com to your friends and love ones.
Thanks again.
Rick Hepler
Next, they separate all of the border pieces and corners. Then looking at the picture, they starting putting the outside, straight edge, pieces together and the four corner pieces.
The final step of their organizing is to try an match the different colors and sceneries of the picture. They each have their little piles and then the fun begins. Putting the pieces together may take until New Year's day, but those who work on it, enjoy finding and fitting every piece. It takes all of them and they eventually get it finished. I think it was last year they finished it, and the last piece was missing and I don't think they ever found it.
One thing about working a puzzle, the piece either fits or it doesn't; No in between, no deception, only a true fit. And you must have all of the pieces to complete the picture!
I do not do jigsaw puzzles, whether they are 25 pieces or 1000 pieces. I seem to be too impatient. Well, it is just not my favorite thing.
It seems living in this world is like a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Looking back over my life, the puzzles I have completed were the ones I looked diligently for the right pieces to fit the situation. Those that I failed in completing were the ones, I either lost my confidence, or interest in finishing.
Yes I have failed miserably in trying to put some of my life's puzzles together. I will write about those another time. Those I failed at, I just could not find the right pieces to connect. I know where they were hidden now. I'll tell you about it maybe someday, so it might help you from making the same mistake.
There is one of my life's puzzles I did finish. This was one I had always pictured in my mind to have. I had seen my parents put theirs together and many of my friends' parents do the same. I saw in them what I wanted and knew I could have the same.
What was my puzzle and what did it look like. Well here goes. I wanted a beautiful wife, children and grandchildren. We had our picture made at Gulf Shores. The kids had it made into a puzzle.
I met Debbie on a blind date. Coincidence? I don't think so. We married two years later. In 1978 Beth Anne was born and 1982 Besti was born. From the day they were born we prayed for each to marry a faithful Christian man, raised by Christian parents.
Debbie and I both had a vision of what our family picture puzzle should look like. We began the day we married finding the outside pieces. The outside and corner pieces were from God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Our future family would be pieced together within these boundaries.
Pieces from the world did not and would not fit together with these outside and corner pieces. They would not form the picture we had in our heart and mind of the way we wanted our little family to look.
But, Debbie and I did not put our family puzzle together by ourselves. The same time we were praying for our daughters, there were two little boys, a far off, with parents praying the same prayer. Those little boys also had the examples lived before them each day by their parents and grandparents, who also have been married many years.
Betsi, our youngest daughter, was the first to get married in May 2004. She married Jonathan Pettus, from Leoma, Tennessee. His parents contributed and helped in fitting their section of the puzzle. These wonderful people are Danny and Rose Pettus. There is no way we could have picked better in-laws for Betsi than these two. They also are wonderful grandparents and examples to Xander and Connor.
Beth Anne, our oldest, got married in August of 2004. Yes I know, two weddings in the same summer. Many helped us pull this together and aunt Janie Gill saved us a boatload of money getting and doing the flowers. Beth Anne married Jarred Clayton from Dunlap, Tennessee. Jarred also has wonderful parents, Freddie and Tammy Clayton who wanted the same family for him that they have. Again, perfect in-laws for Beth Anne and grandparents for Anna Jewell and Grady. Freddie and Tammy Clayton, again I could not picked anyone any better.
Also Danny performed Jonathan's and Betsi's wedding ceremony and Freddie performed Jarred's and Beth Anne's. All I did was give them away and that was an easy task, because these were good young men from great families.
Debbie and I did not get our daughters to this point alone. Our daughters were taught by some of the best educators and coaches in the state. They each had a section of puzzle to help us fit together. They put pieces together we couldn't find. Our daughters, like many who have come out of the Union City School System, excelled in tennis, band, and academically. They were taught to pursue excellence by these caring people. Did they prepare them for college? You better believe they did.
Both daughters went to Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. Not only did they get higher education at FHU they were taught Bible from some of the best in the country. The friendships they have made from attending FHU are priceless.
You will notice in the picture above several pieces. Debbie and I kept the pieces in Christ, the boundaries and corners, and numerous others helped in supplying the much needed piece for their expertise. We could not have done it alone.
We cannot leave out our church families. They have been with us and loved us in the good times and tough times. Also both sides of our families have been so supportive.
Again, notice the many pieces of this puzzle. Some were of unconditional love, forgiveness, encouragement, several were prayers, all were based on truth. Each piece fitting with the one next to it was joined by a perfect fit. No deception or fake pieces in this puzzle. They all had to be true fits to produce a picture as this.
Did Satan try so slip a deceptive piece in? Yes he tried many times, but remember the edges and corners were from God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Satan's pieces would not fit in Debbie's and my picture. Did we have tough trials? Absolutely! We still do. Remember we live in a fallen world. Heaven is our real home. If we picture it and then put the pieces together God has given us, we will be there someday in a picture perfect puzzle.
You may think you cannot have a family picture puzzle as ours? Well the good news is you can. So you are a single mom or dad. Maybe you are addictive to drugs, even in jail for a period of time or divorced or living with someone not your spouse.
Yes you may have made a mess of your life compared to the way God wants you to live. You are forgetting one thing.
The disciples were greatly amazed, and asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus saw their amazement, and replied, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matt. 19:25-26,TEG, Hugo McCord) Did you get what He said. Your messed up life may be impossible for you and mankind to straighten out, but all things are possible with God.
You still don't think you can make a better life for you and your family? Read this!
And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28, NKJV) That doesn't mean that my wife's Parkinson's disease is working for her good. That means God has a plan and a purpose for everyone of us. And the things in His plans and His words are working together to make us more like Him and His Son, so one day when we put the last piece of our entire life's puzzle in, it will be the piece that says, faithful unto death. The good he is talking about is our salvation and being with Him in heaven away from this sin sick, and fallen world.
Has Satan convinced you that you are too sinful and God doesn't love you anymore. Read this! I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height not depth nor anything else in creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 8:38,NKJV) God still loves you, messed up life and all.
Still think you cannot, with God's help, clean up your life's mess? You are right in thinking that sin has messed your life up and probably the lives of people you love because of it. Well your not the first nor will you be the last. Again read this: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. Now look at this carefully. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (Romans 6:9-11, NKJV)
Sounds like some messed up lives, but notice some let God help them clean up their mess. And such were some of them. But they are not anymore.
Please read today Psalms 103 with an emphasis on verses 11 and 12.
If your life's puzzle is all messed up and you have lost pieces or just given up, don't! My family puzzle above was not worked by me alone. Many helped me and I am grateful for all of the help. So grateful I want to help you to put together your family puzzle. How do you want it to look?
Yes I know your family is probably fragmented by now in every direction. You may not personally get the same family picture as I have, but you can start right now and make sure your second and especially third generations can have the same family puzzle as I have.
Remember this quote by Maria Robinson-Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. What if you started today letting God be the straight edges and the corners of your puzzle and God's word give you the pieces to fit together the future families of your grandchildren. The circle of messed up families can end with you and that new family life's 1000 piece puzzle can begin with you, God and God's family.
How about it. I couldn't do it alone and you can't either. You have everything to gain to let me or someone help you and have heaven to lose if you don't. But you are not the only one that will lose heaven. Your children and grandchildren may be following the same path you are on now. The big question for you is, do you want them to?
I am willing and wanting to help. You may email me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com . Please share this with others. How do you want the rest of your life's puzzle to look? And no it doesn't cost anything but your time. I do it for free because that is what I enjoy doing.
Thanks for reading. Please share on Facebook or email this link : www.rick-hepler.blogspot.com to your friends and love ones.
Thanks again.
Rick Hepler
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
But Even if You Do Not Heal Debbie, I Will Still Serve You.
My wife, Debbie, is much better with her Parkinson's disease. She is driving again here locally and doing her own shopping. But she is not healed. The Parkinson's has effected her speech and emotions. If she ever turns backward, her legs start shuffling and she falls. We were keeping our youngest grandson, Grady, the other day and I had to go somewhere. When I came back, Grady said, "Granddaddy, Mamaw didn't fall while you were gone". Even our little four year old is conscious of her condition.
I recently went with her to an Avon convention. Due to the 6000 people there, I had to walk with her to every session, place her in the seat, then get her when each session was over. She would have fallen twice if I had not been there. Her voice is so soft, people cannot hear what she is saying.
You who have a spouse with a chronic illness know better than I how hard it is to see them in the condition a disease can place them. Many I know are going through the fire you might say with a loved one or spouse dealing with some form of cancer.
I pray as many of you do several times a day for Debbie to be healed. At times, when I am alone, I have come so boldly to God that I shout out the prayer. It is hard for me, and I assume many are the same way, to see your children, grandchildren, parents, and especially your spouse suffering from anything. It even makes me angry at this fallen world we live in.
One of my daughters sent me something to listen to the other day. Please take time now to listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fA35Ved-Y Did you hear the words? This describes me. How about you?
I cried. Did you?
This song was written from Daniel 3:17-18. Please read it. Also read about Habakkuk's faith in Habakkuk 3:17-19. His faith was strong also.
Job's wife couldn't take it any more. She told Job in Job 2:9, Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" She also had lost everything and now was watching her last love one suffer. Please turn there now and read his reply in verse 10.
I could tell of many others who trusted God through it all. The last one I would like to mention today is found in Luke 16:19-31. Lazarus was a sick beggar. This world was so cruel to him. I believe the only thing Lazarus owned was a faith in his God. That has proven to be more valuable than the rich man's possessions. The angels do not carry unrepentant sinners to Paradise.
I know God loves me and all the world, because he sent his Son to die for us. He didn't have a comfortable life while He was here on earth either. He died so we would not have to taste that second death in which Satan, our accuser, wants us to taste. He knows where he is going and he wants us to be there with him.
If we could talk to Lazarus now, do you think he regrets being a sicken beggar?(Luke 16:19-31) No, I don't believe he would. Neither will I sell out my love for God for this world's temporary comforts or even discomforts. I will still pray" But even if He doesn't answer, I will still love and obey Him. Jesus says in John 14:15, If you love me keep my commandments and then in John 15:10, If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (NKJV)
If I live more like world than like Christ, I am not keeping His commandments. It says in James 4:4...Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (NKJV)
When I came to Christ, confessing He was the son of God, repenting of my sins and being buried in the watery grave of baptism, I came up a new creature. I buried the old sinful man. I now try to walk in the light as He is. Everything can be taken away, but this one thing I have is my faith and trust in Him. The greatest blessing any man can have is to be able to confidently say, when he lays his head on the pillow at night, It is well with my soul.
Here is another song we have sung for years, but someone has added these beautiful words on the end. Listen to them. Most importantly, respond to them. here is the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxMkt-HkcT0
Yes, this one made me cry also. He has restored me and given me the promise of heaven someday. Those that love Him and keep His commandments will never regret following Him. He went through more pain and suffering so one day we will not remember our suffering here on this earth.
Would you please share this with those that are suffering. I have tried to empty my heart to you with words. I hope you will let God help you through your trials. God still gives us a choice. Do we want to follow the ways of the world, with no hope, or do we want to follow Him? This is the most serious question we must answer before it is too late.
Please send me your comments on Facebook or email me at rhepler52@gmail.com or rhepler52@yahoo.com you may go to www.amazon.com and type in Rick Hepler to purchase my books.
Thank you for reading. Help someone who is suffering today. It will make both of you feel better.
Rick Hepler
I recently went with her to an Avon convention. Due to the 6000 people there, I had to walk with her to every session, place her in the seat, then get her when each session was over. She would have fallen twice if I had not been there. Her voice is so soft, people cannot hear what she is saying.
You who have a spouse with a chronic illness know better than I how hard it is to see them in the condition a disease can place them. Many I know are going through the fire you might say with a loved one or spouse dealing with some form of cancer.
I pray as many of you do several times a day for Debbie to be healed. At times, when I am alone, I have come so boldly to God that I shout out the prayer. It is hard for me, and I assume many are the same way, to see your children, grandchildren, parents, and especially your spouse suffering from anything. It even makes me angry at this fallen world we live in.
This song was written from Daniel 3:17-18. Please read it. Also read about Habakkuk's faith in Habakkuk 3:17-19. His faith was strong also.
Job's wife couldn't take it any more. She told Job in Job 2:9, Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" She also had lost everything and now was watching her last love one suffer. Please turn there now and read his reply in verse 10.
I could tell of many others who trusted God through it all. The last one I would like to mention today is found in Luke 16:19-31. Lazarus was a sick beggar. This world was so cruel to him. I believe the only thing Lazarus owned was a faith in his God. That has proven to be more valuable than the rich man's possessions. The angels do not carry unrepentant sinners to Paradise.
I know God loves me and all the world, because he sent his Son to die for us. He didn't have a comfortable life while He was here on earth either. He died so we would not have to taste that second death in which Satan, our accuser, wants us to taste. He knows where he is going and he wants us to be there with him.
If we could talk to Lazarus now, do you think he regrets being a sicken beggar?(Luke 16:19-31) No, I don't believe he would. Neither will I sell out my love for God for this world's temporary comforts or even discomforts. I will still pray" But even if He doesn't answer, I will still love and obey Him. Jesus says in John 14:15, If you love me keep my commandments and then in John 15:10, If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (NKJV)
If I live more like world than like Christ, I am not keeping His commandments. It says in James 4:4...Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (NKJV)
When I came to Christ, confessing He was the son of God, repenting of my sins and being buried in the watery grave of baptism, I came up a new creature. I buried the old sinful man. I now try to walk in the light as He is. Everything can be taken away, but this one thing I have is my faith and trust in Him. The greatest blessing any man can have is to be able to confidently say, when he lays his head on the pillow at night, It is well with my soul.
Here is another song we have sung for years, but someone has added these beautiful words on the end. Listen to them. Most importantly, respond to them. here is the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxMkt-HkcT0
Yes, this one made me cry also. He has restored me and given me the promise of heaven someday. Those that love Him and keep His commandments will never regret following Him. He went through more pain and suffering so one day we will not remember our suffering here on this earth.
Would you please share this with those that are suffering. I have tried to empty my heart to you with words. I hope you will let God help you through your trials. God still gives us a choice. Do we want to follow the ways of the world, with no hope, or do we want to follow Him? This is the most serious question we must answer before it is too late.
Please send me your comments on Facebook or email me at rhepler52@gmail.com or rhepler52@yahoo.com you may go to www.amazon.com and type in Rick Hepler to purchase my books.
Thank you for reading. Help someone who is suffering today. It will make both of you feel better.
Rick Hepler
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Yard Sale Junk-You Are Not!
I know some people who have the talent of restoring furniture, appliances and other items most people, including me, set on the street for trash pickup. Many an item has been cheaply purchased at yard sales by those with talented eyes for restorable treasures other people and I call junk. These people visualize this junk in their minds what it was before it had been weathered and broken down.
They are confident of their restoration talents, have the correct tools, and have the patience to work till their little projects are complete. Have you ever seen some of their projects completed. What was cheap junk, is now again the beautiful piece it was originally made to be.
These people know what to look for. They can recognize brand names, valuable wood, and the original date created. It took years of learning the craft, gaining the knowledge of identifying value, and the potential value of a piece. The end result from their passion is a beautifully restored item, many times the yard sale price. Just knowing that grandmother or granddaddy had sweat equity in it, increased the aesthetic value to want to pass the piece down to the families' future generations. ( Or some just fight over it after the funeral. LOL!!!)
Have any of you ever seen or do you have a piece restored furniture? Debbie bought a corner cabinet out of someone's barn near Franklin, Tennessee. He was using it in the barn as a hay manger to feed his cows. We brought it home and had a talented individual restore it. (Definitely not me.) The once hay manger is now a beautiful corner cabinet.
We all have bought different items over the years with the wear and tear of using them, just wore them out. They are broken and just junk, being beyond repair and restoration. Some created beings (people) think they are junk, and many other people would agree with them. But, before you and I call them junk and worthless, let's try to determine their real value.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...(Genesis 1:26) So God created man in his own image and likeness, male and female. (Genesis 1:27) Then God looked upon everything He had made, and, indeed, it was excellent. (Genesis 1:31) (ELG translation, Hugo McCord)
So, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit made mankind in their own image and called everything they created, that first week, excellent. Sounds to me like mankind is valuable. How valuable? Well let's go a little further.
Satan, our adversary, (1 Peter 5:8) had already been cast out of heaven with the angels that followed him. This was due to his pride. Now he wants to get back at God by tarnishing the image God had created in mankind.
Here is what he did and this is why we live in a fallen world today with sin, pain and suffering. (If you are going through pain and suffering now, it only last for this lifetime not eternity.) We will get into that later. We can continue suffering for eternity or we can live in heaven with God, with no pain and suffering for eternity. This will also be our choice.
Satan, in the form of a serpent, introduces doubt for the first time to Eve. Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1) Eve then responds with God's command not to eat of the tree that was in the middle of the garden. She said, God said she would die if she ate the fruit from it. (Genesis 2:2-3) Then the serpent said to her the first and most damning lie, ...You will not surely die. (Genesis 3:4)
Next, he tempts her with pride. ...In the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5) Then he tempts Eve with the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. Please read (Genesis 3:6) She saw it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and would make her wise, she bit the lure of the serpent, hook, line, and sinker. It still happens today, but it doesn't have to.
When Eve, and then Adam, disobeyed the one command God had given them, the image they had been created in became tarnished and covered over with the sin of disobedience. Satan's deception had worked, but God had a plan. A plan to restore that image.
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. (John 3:16) (Please continue to read verses 17-21 in your Bibles.)
All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. (Romans 3:23) The image we were created in is still there, but covered by the old man of sin. We all are experiencing the effects of sin today. For some, the consequences have been brutal, leaving them and their families in hopeless situations.
We needed to see what the image of God looks like. Remember, God is a Spirit...(John 4:24) So God sent us His Son. He is the image of the invisible God. (Col. 3:15) also read 2 Corinthians 4:4. When we read about Christ and His life on this earth, we see the Father in Him. (John 14:8-12) To live in the image we were created with, we will do the works and live like that image.
We know we are living in the flesh when we do the works of the flesh. Please read Galatians 5:19-21. If you or I are living by the works of the flesh identified here, we are still living as the old man of sin that we were. Our image we were created in is hidden by sin. But, if we have been renewed or restored by repentance , confession and baptized into Christ raised to walk in newness of life, (Romans 6:1-14) The image is restored and we can know that it is by the new life in the Spirit we now lead. We will know this by the Spirit's fruit we exhibit. Read Galatians 5:22-25.
You and I are never like yard sale junk. We may be broken down by the works of the flesh condemned in Galatians 5:19-21, but we do have One who sees our value and will mend and cleanse our broken, and sinful lives. He will not put us on the street. He died for us, so we could be righteous before our Father in Heaven. All we have to do is to love Him and hear and obey Him. (Matthew 17:5)
I see so many families hurting from the consequences of sin and the Evil one. They are not junk in God's eyes. He has proven this to us by letting His Son die that cruel death on the cross. In all humility, we should love these as God does. Giving them hope of repairing their broken lives and the hope of Heaven.
This renewed spirit in Christ could then be valued and passed down by teaching to their future generations just like the restored piece of furniture. Except this has an eternal value that will never see corruption again.
The Master Restorer has given you and me, if we profess to be His disciples, a mission to find those that are broken in our communities, families, nation, and all nations making disciples of them, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all of His commands. (Matthew 28:18-20)
I have been broke and broken. I hate to see anyone hurting and without hope. If you or others you may know are hurting and need that eternal hope, please contact me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com All will be confidential.
Remember you are not junk. Don't you give up because of addictions or any other terrible consequences because of sin. God will forgive you and give you peace and hope for tomorrow. Please contact me if you are hurting. I want to help you.
Thanks for reading. Looking forward to your comments.
Rick Hepler
They are confident of their restoration talents, have the correct tools, and have the patience to work till their little projects are complete. Have you ever seen some of their projects completed. What was cheap junk, is now again the beautiful piece it was originally made to be.
These people know what to look for. They can recognize brand names, valuable wood, and the original date created. It took years of learning the craft, gaining the knowledge of identifying value, and the potential value of a piece. The end result from their passion is a beautifully restored item, many times the yard sale price. Just knowing that grandmother or granddaddy had sweat equity in it, increased the aesthetic value to want to pass the piece down to the families' future generations. ( Or some just fight over it after the funeral. LOL!!!)
Have any of you ever seen or do you have a piece restored furniture? Debbie bought a corner cabinet out of someone's barn near Franklin, Tennessee. He was using it in the barn as a hay manger to feed his cows. We brought it home and had a talented individual restore it. (Definitely not me.) The once hay manger is now a beautiful corner cabinet.
We all have bought different items over the years with the wear and tear of using them, just wore them out. They are broken and just junk, being beyond repair and restoration. Some created beings (people) think they are junk, and many other people would agree with them. But, before you and I call them junk and worthless, let's try to determine their real value.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...(Genesis 1:26) So God created man in his own image and likeness, male and female. (Genesis 1:27) Then God looked upon everything He had made, and, indeed, it was excellent. (Genesis 1:31) (ELG translation, Hugo McCord)
So, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit made mankind in their own image and called everything they created, that first week, excellent. Sounds to me like mankind is valuable. How valuable? Well let's go a little further.
Satan, our adversary, (1 Peter 5:8) had already been cast out of heaven with the angels that followed him. This was due to his pride. Now he wants to get back at God by tarnishing the image God had created in mankind.
Here is what he did and this is why we live in a fallen world today with sin, pain and suffering. (If you are going through pain and suffering now, it only last for this lifetime not eternity.) We will get into that later. We can continue suffering for eternity or we can live in heaven with God, with no pain and suffering for eternity. This will also be our choice.
Satan, in the form of a serpent, introduces doubt for the first time to Eve. Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1) Eve then responds with God's command not to eat of the tree that was in the middle of the garden. She said, God said she would die if she ate the fruit from it. (Genesis 2:2-3) Then the serpent said to her the first and most damning lie, ...You will not surely die. (Genesis 3:4)
Next, he tempts her with pride. ...In the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5) Then he tempts Eve with the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. Please read (Genesis 3:6) She saw it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and would make her wise, she bit the lure of the serpent, hook, line, and sinker. It still happens today, but it doesn't have to.
When Eve, and then Adam, disobeyed the one command God had given them, the image they had been created in became tarnished and covered over with the sin of disobedience. Satan's deception had worked, but God had a plan. A plan to restore that image.
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. (John 3:16) (Please continue to read verses 17-21 in your Bibles.)
All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. (Romans 3:23) The image we were created in is still there, but covered by the old man of sin. We all are experiencing the effects of sin today. For some, the consequences have been brutal, leaving them and their families in hopeless situations.
We needed to see what the image of God looks like. Remember, God is a Spirit...(John 4:24) So God sent us His Son. He is the image of the invisible God. (Col. 3:15) also read 2 Corinthians 4:4. When we read about Christ and His life on this earth, we see the Father in Him. (John 14:8-12) To live in the image we were created with, we will do the works and live like that image.
We know we are living in the flesh when we do the works of the flesh. Please read Galatians 5:19-21. If you or I are living by the works of the flesh identified here, we are still living as the old man of sin that we were. Our image we were created in is hidden by sin. But, if we have been renewed or restored by repentance , confession and baptized into Christ raised to walk in newness of life, (Romans 6:1-14) The image is restored and we can know that it is by the new life in the Spirit we now lead. We will know this by the Spirit's fruit we exhibit. Read Galatians 5:22-25.
You and I are never like yard sale junk. We may be broken down by the works of the flesh condemned in Galatians 5:19-21, but we do have One who sees our value and will mend and cleanse our broken, and sinful lives. He will not put us on the street. He died for us, so we could be righteous before our Father in Heaven. All we have to do is to love Him and hear and obey Him. (Matthew 17:5)
I see so many families hurting from the consequences of sin and the Evil one. They are not junk in God's eyes. He has proven this to us by letting His Son die that cruel death on the cross. In all humility, we should love these as God does. Giving them hope of repairing their broken lives and the hope of Heaven.
This renewed spirit in Christ could then be valued and passed down by teaching to their future generations just like the restored piece of furniture. Except this has an eternal value that will never see corruption again.
The Master Restorer has given you and me, if we profess to be His disciples, a mission to find those that are broken in our communities, families, nation, and all nations making disciples of them, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all of His commands. (Matthew 28:18-20)
I have been broke and broken. I hate to see anyone hurting and without hope. If you or others you may know are hurting and need that eternal hope, please contact me at rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com All will be confidential.
Remember you are not junk. Don't you give up because of addictions or any other terrible consequences because of sin. God will forgive you and give you peace and hope for tomorrow. Please contact me if you are hurting. I want to help you.
Thanks for reading. Looking forward to your comments.
Rick Hepler
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