April 2022 Memory Verses.

My Friend,

For our April scripture memorization, I've suggested 3 verses.

Here are the memory verses: Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 20:28, Romans 6:23.

As always, I've suggested the ESV version which is the version I use most often, however, if you have another good word for word translation you enjoy, feel free to memorize it in that version. It's completely up to you.

You'll notice that following the verses is a list of some basic themes/topics.

I've included those suggestions as I learned many years ago that having at least one theme or topic in mind when you memorize scripture helps you store them in memory and as you have conversations with others in the future, I can guarantee that as those themes/topics come up, the scripture you've memorized will also come to mind and you may share encouragement from God's Word or re-encourage yourself!

May you continue to abide in God's Word through reading, studying, memorization and living it out as vital keys to our growth.

Have fun with scripture Memorization! Don't stress about it! And, as always, be in The Word and stay in The Word!

You're in my prayers and please reach out if you need any tips.
Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch
 
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No Past Is Too Dark For The Love And Forgiveness Of Christ.

My Friend,

Everyone has a past and if we're honest, everyone has regrets too. The truth is that we've all missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God. (Read Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23)

Hear me when I share that nothing you've experienced, no matter what sins you've committed, no matter what, there's nothing that can keep you from the love and the forgiveness of Christ! (Read Romans 8:38-39)

Yes, I know the schemes of the evil one (and possibly others) whose aim is to try and convince you that Jesus' sacrifice isn't enough. That His grace and love isn't enough. That He is not enough, but...satan is a liar!

No matter how dark you think your past and present is - allow Jesus to shine His light upon the darkness by receiving His free gifted of salvation.

Allow your history become HIStory which will then be about His redemption of you, your new life in Him, and then your eternity with Him!

Thanks be to God that He gave His Son Jesus to die in your place as the perfect and complete sacrifice! He is the only way! (Read John 14:6)

Don't allow your past hinder you anymore and instead repent of and confess your sins, believe in faith Jesus died for you and rose again in victory over death and sin, and receive in faith Jesus as your Savior through His free gift of salvation. (Read: Acts 16:31, Romans 10:9-10, 13, 1 John 2:2, John 10:15, and Ephesians 2:8-9)

Put your faith fully in Him and leave your past, present, and future with Him.

You're in my prayers.

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch

Connect with A Shepherd's Heart: https://linktr.ee/ashepherdsheart (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Website, YouVersion, Telegram, and More).

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Nothing Can Separate You From God's Love!

Hello My Friend,

What's that? Your past is too messy and you've done too many things that God could never forgive you for and love you?...
 
Or, maybe you think you're "not good enough" to be loved and forgiven?

Or, What's that? You're a follower of Christ and you messed up again and now you think God won't forgive and love you anymore?
 
First off, let me encourage you to stop listening to the lies of the enemy or the lies you keep telling yourself and instead get into The Word and listen to God's truth!
 
He died once for all of your sins and His forgiveness isn't based on what you do or have done...it has nothing to do with your good works. You can't work your way to heaven!

 

What Jesus did for you so you couldn't be forgiven for your sins and no longer be separated from God because of sin, wasn't based on your works, rather, it was all based on what Jesus did! What He did for you was and is complete! You can't add or subtract from it!

 
He Loves you...period. If you've received His free gift of salvation then you're forgiven and He'll continue to forgive you when you sin. We should never doubt that or take it for granted.
 
Nothing can separate you from His love!
Nothing you do can make you love you more or less than He already does!
Nothing you do can make Him not forgive you!

So, stop building a self inflicted wall between you and The Lord and instead: repent, believe, receive His love and forgiveness completely!
 
Yes, you should strive for holiness but when you fall down, (we all do) get back up, repent when you need to repent and seek The Lord as He's not mad at you, He's not going to withhold His love and forgiveness from you!

Rest in His love, forgiveness, and grace and never stop seeking Him with all that is within you!

Rest in the fact that His love for you will never change. His love is perfect!

Praying for you!

Here are a few of the many verses for your you to read, study, pray over and take to heart:
John 3:1-17, Romans 10:8-10, 13, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:10, Romans 8:38-39, Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:18-19

Your Brother and Servant in Christ,
Randolph Koch

P.S. Please share this encouragement with others and please also pray and give if possible to our first ever fundraiser. https://www.gofundme.com/f/Please-Help-AShepherdsHeart

Finding Strength & Hope In Forgiveness

Read and Study Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 ESV; Romans 10:9‭-‬10 ESV; Psalm 103:12 ESV; and Psalm 139:14 ESV

To the people who care about you, you are not a nuisance or a waste of time. 

Don't let doubts discourage you from living a full life. Time is short and you can't change or take back regrets, but you can control where you focus your energy now clear into the future. 

Realizing this empowers you to feel in control of your journey. Anxiety and fear numbs, but forgiveness brings a visceral freshness unparalleled by anything that could be conjured in an impaired mind.

Dig deep, push back, fight the lies, forgive yourself, and be strengthened. YOU are worth the time and energy even if it's a challenge to believe it.

For my fellow believers Proverbs 3:5-6 is a great launching point to maintain a healthy idea of what is truth vs a lie by "not leaning on your own understanding." V5. It says the Lord "will make your path straight" V6. That straight path is hard to find without the forgiveness given on the cross. 

When you confess and become saved (Roman's 10:9-10) you are forgiven in the deepest way possible. As far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12)! Now we have to decide if we want to accept that God's free gift of grace and forgiveness is enough. 

He is the only one who constantly says you're worth the time when you believe a lie. He is the only one who will continually wash you white as snow all the while not leaving or forsaking you even when the accuser roams. You are a child of God and therefore loved, cared for, forgiven, and wonderfully + fearfully made (Psalm 139:14).

Hold on to hope my friends!!

God Bless 

- Noah

Picture of a view of The Pacific Ocean From Otter Crest By Noah Koch

We're blessed to have Noah Koch as a guest contributor to A Shepherd's Heart. He hails from the Pacific Northwest in the USA where he actively and passionately lives life on purpose for The Lord. He's very creative and talented as a communicator, photographer, musician, and writer. He has a true servant's heart. We prayerfully look forward to further guest posts from Noah in the future.

Please prayerfully consider helping this ministry through a gift of any size via our first ever fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Please-Help-AShepherdsHeart

A Clean Slate

Read and Study Psalm 103:11-12

If you are in Christ, you need to remember that your Heavenly Father has given you a clean slate.
 As a part of this clean slate, He does not hold your sins against you.

I have to ask though, since He doesn't hold your sins and past against you, why do you hold on to them or hold on to your past sometimes?

Friend, It's times to really walk in the new life He's given you.

As part of this, if you're holding on to things, remember that you've experienced His forgiveness and you need to lay it all down at His feet. 

You also need to forgive yourself as He's already forgiven you!

You are completely forgiven!

I have to ask though, since He doesn't hold your sins and past against you, why do you hold on to them or hold on to your past sometimes?

Friend, It's times to really walk in the new life He's given you.

As part of this, if you're holding on to things, remember that you've experienced His forgiveness and you need to lay it all down at His feet. You also need to forgive yourself as He's already forgiven you!

I pray that you take these truths to heart in Jesus name. 


Your Brother and Servant in Christ,

Randolph Koch 

Stop Remembering What God Has Forgotten!

We all we all sin. But because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and payment that satisfied God’s wrath by His death on the cross! He died for our sins and then He rose from the grave, every one of our sins past present or future has been paid in full through what He did for you and I!

Don’t let shame and guilt keep you from walking in God's love and forgiveness daily!

Isaiah 43:25 (NIV) says, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

Since God has removed your sin from His memory – He doesn’t hold your sin against you any longer if you’ve received His gift of salvation!

If you have receive His salvation then isn’t it time you do the same and move forward with God fully embraced by His love and mercy? He wants to use you and He loves you with a perfect and unconditional love.

Don’t allow your past or the evil one’s influence cripple you any longer and let God’s love wash over you!

Now, today, if you're actively and willfully sinning....STOP! Repent from your sin and move forward in the same before mentioned truth!

He doesn't want you to live a defeated or crippled life anymore do the past or present sin because He already won victory over sin on the cross so let's start living and walking in His truth!

Something to think about today and if you’re struggling with letting go of the past, letting go of the sins you’ve already been forgiven for, let me encourage you to seek Him about this as He can and will help you move forward! 

So, STOP remembering what God has forgiven and forgotten! Make this your prayer today!

In Christ,

rlk

Celestin Musekura's Story

The below brief video tells the story of Dr. Celestin Musekura , and his ministry of forgiveness and reconciliation in Africa as he endured much loss as part of the Rwandan Genocide.

I've had the privilege of hearing Dr. Musekura speak at my home church and have been blessed, encouraged and challenged by what he shared.

We have much to learn from his journey and his love and forgiveness and we should seek to do the same day-to-day.

Although it's brief, (and a promo for a seminary) I believe it still gives us a lot to think about.

I'd like to encourage and challenge you to do a study on forgiveness in the scriptures and then work hard, with the Holy Spirit's help to learn how to forgive others.

If your reading this and you're not a Christian I'm sure you realize that love and forgiveness is a powerful and needful thing! I hope that you also glean from this message and if you don't know the Lord that you seek His ultimate love and forgiveness as well - today!

In order to hear this message clearly, you'll want to scroll down on the right side of this blog to where it says Tunes and press pause on the music that plays on this site.



Questions to Consider:
Ask yourself....
-Who do I need to forgive today?
-How can I practice love and forgiveness right now and day-to-day?
-What do I need to forgive myself for?

Blessings in Christ,

rlk

Unforgiveness

If you’re a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, then you’ve experienced the power of forgiveness first hand. Because of your own experience it has become typically easier for you to forgive others when they’ve done you wrong, right? :-) Ok, so maybe it’s not so easy sometimes but since God is helping us grow in the grace and knowledge of Him this is a very needful area that we need to work hard on and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our paths.

You see, unforgiveness has a lot of negative impact on people such as: it steals our joy and even more important it also is contrary to the teachings of The Word of God. It also cheapens the sacrifice He made for you and I when it comes down to it. He first loved and forgave you so in turn you and I need to really work on forgiving others. Now, this doesn’t me we need to “jump back into the snake pit” as they say because sometimes trust takes time but it does mean we are to forgive those, yes even those who “bite” us.

I wanted to share the below devotion with you that is a powerful reminder of unforgiveness and forgiveness.

But before I do, let me share some parting words: I can only imagine the hurt and pain you’ve been through at the hands of others whom you loved and trusted, let me encourage you to forgive them because even if the relationship isn’t back to 100%, you need to begin to heal from the wounds and if you can’t forgive, you won’t totally heal until you do nor can you fully honor God in your life until you do. Seek God, pray hard and give it some thought and God will help see you through!

Your Brother,
rlk

_______________________________________

Unforgiveness
By Pastor James MacDonald

"Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors . . . For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-16

We're on one topic today and we're not getting off it till I'm sure you get it.

Nothing will cut a swath of devastation across your soul like unforgiveness. It is the absolute opposite of the life God calls you to live.

I know someone has hurt you and I'm sincerely sorry for that but you don't have to prove you were right.

You don't have to demonstrate the superiority of anything.
You've got to let it go.

Matthew 6:14-15 says, "If you don't forgive, my Father
won't forgive you."

Living in unforgiveness is a barren, tortured existence. Even those of us who have experienced God's love and forgiveness need to be reminded about what we have received. It's so easy to slide into a self-centered mess of unforgiveness.

Contrary to what some might think, unforgiveness isn't private. People will seethe in silence, insisting, This is just between me and him. But that's not true. It's also destructive to innocent people around you. How many people in your life have suffered because of an unforgiveness issue in your heart that has absolutely nothing to do with them? It seeps into the tone of all your conversations. It leaks out in your impertinence and impatience, your short temper and rashness. People who you love, who have done nothing wrong, suffer because of the unforgiveness that you're holding over someone else.

Unforgiveness is sin. It will eat away at your being until you choose the crisis and commit to the process of forgiveness. But that can all change.

This could be an awesome day--you have the choice to change. You have the chance to choose. I wonder if heaven is leaning over you and wondering what choice you are going to make. Your destiny depends on it.

To clarify, you are not saved by forgiving, but forgiving is what saved people do. This is one of the litmus tests for reality. Making the choice to forgive is one of the things that prove you truly belong to God.

Father, it must grieve Your heart even more than ours to live in such a dark world where people say things and do things that wound so deeply. But by Your grace I can forgive. I can simply release the pain to You and let it go. I choose by an act of my will to trust You and Your Word. I'm not going to hold it over the person who hurt me anymore when I have to see him or talk to him. I'm not going to go over it in my mind anymore. I want to handle it as You would. I want to be a forgiving person.

Forgive me for my pride, my anger, and the pointed comments that reveal the woundedness in my heart. Cover me with Your love. Let Your grace displace all that is ugly and angry and unforgiving in me. By Your grace, I choose to forgive.
In His name. Amen.