HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE FORGIVE?

“Then Peter having come near to him, said, `Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him -- till seven times?' Jesus saith to him, `I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven.’” - Matthew 18:21-22 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)          

            Symbolism plays a big role in the Bible. Here we see Peter asking a simple question regarding forgiveness. Jesus’ answer is direct, yet seems preposterous at the same time; 490 times. I would hate to think of how many times God has forgiven me. Surely it must surpass 500 times; yet He still forgives and loves. I’m sure Peter thought 7 times was a lot, but Jesus blew the disciples doors off with His answer. It’s hard to imagine that an individual would commit the same exact sin 490 times, so while there may be some repeat offenses, I think we can assume that forgiveness is being given for various sins. The offender must ask for forgiveness, yet even if they do not, we should treat them with kindness anyway. That isn’t something that's easy to do, especially when malicious intent is involved. It may help to remember how often Christ forgave us in the light and magnitude of our own sin.

            Believers can take solace in the above two scriptures, because it means that there is no end to the forgiveness of God. You see, while Peter’s number represents a point to which forgiveness would be withheld, Christ’s number represents no end to forgiveness. That doesn’t give us a license to act out and do as we please. God is forgiving us in an effort to reform us so that we improve our behavior as we attempt to be His ambassador on this earth. Forgiveness comes with a price; consequences are tied to our actions. Forgiveness allows us to see the error of our ways and reform. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

THE SAVING FACTOR

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” - Psalm 25:4-5 

            King David is seeking the instruction and guidance of the Lord. His relationship with His God is strong, in spite of his failings. We all have failings; none of us is perfect. Once we realize and accept that we can begin to let God do His work in us. Just like David, we need to ask and ask often for God to reveal His truths to us. It comes from the reading of His word and praying. It comes from cultivating a spiritual awareness of His Holy Spirit’s leading. We can do it, but it doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time. Frankly, it takes your whole life. 

            Acknowledging God as his Savior, David shows the reader that he knows where his salvation comes from. There is nowhere else in scripture that would say or even indicate that David found salvation in anything or anyone else. God is the saving factor. Christ’s death purchased our souls, redeeming us from hell. 

            David shows in these two verses that his reliance is on God and not himself. He derives hope from the truth God lays out before him. We too can find hope in His guidance and instruction. We allow ourselves to become so easily entangled in that which would bind us, rather than shrug ourselves loose and stand tall in the truth of God. Life as a Christian is rewarding and filled with joy, yet our enemy tells us otherwise. It is in truly getting to know God intimately that we experience all the blessings His has for us. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

NO PLACE TO HIDE

“Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”- Jeremiah 23:24 

            Folks do things that are wrong all the time. They think they are so cunning, that they have actually gotten away with something. All the while they are acting out in full view of God, whether they happen to believe that or not. Christians can take comfort in the fact that there are no places that He does not see us; non-Christians cannot. There is no place on this planet that is hidden from Him. Like a home designer who knows every nook and cranny of a house he drew up, so God knows even the most remote place in His creation. If a Christian has a misstep, there is a need to own up to it, seek forgiveness and move on. God knows all about it, so denying it, acting as if it never happened, is fruitless. Take solace in the fact that God is patient. This isn’t a single elimination reality show; God wants us to succeed, to thrive and be at peace.

            Since God is omnipresent, there is literally no place that He is not. His spirit can be found everywhere. The self-absorbed man sees nothing but themselves and what they are doing; the spiritual man can see God’s presence all around him. Take the time to marvel at the creation of God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Another of God’s Promises: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

GOD’S PROMISE

“Because they love me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue them; I will protect them, for they acknowledge my name. They will call on me, and I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will deliver them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them and show them my salvation.” - Psalm 91:14-16 

            When the Creator of the universe says something of this nature, we can count on it. When we love someone, we seek to please them. So, it stands to reason that if we love our Heavenly Father, we are going to strive to live for Him to the best of our God given abilities. As a result, He is going to move heaven and earth to make sure we are safe and secure. We should take great comfort in that. It doesn’t mean calamity won’t come our way; it means that if we are living for God, He will protect us. God uses very specific action words to describe how he will take care of us. Words like rescue, protect, call on, deliver, honor, satisfy. No matter what situation should befall us, God is there and will do as He has promised. That’s how we should view these verses, as a promise. 

            If we acknowledge God for all that He truly is, then we will have the appropriate awe and reverence towards Him and His statutes. We will learn all we can about Him through His word and we will live according to the instructions He has laid out for us therein. God loves us with an everlasting love that is unconditional and shall never change or diminish over time. Love of this kind cannot be found anywhere else this side of heaven and it is free for the asking. No matter what we’ve ever done in our lives, know this, we are not defined by our mistakes. God loves us for who we are, not who we should be. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

THE WORLD FOR YOUR SOUL

“What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?” - Mark 8:36 

            The world tantalizes with wealth, glitz, glamour and fame. People become slaves to fashion and live paycheck to paycheck chasing that next big event or technological advancement. Their attention is kept focused on anything and everything that promises satisfaction, fun and popularity. The devil is an expert at deceit. Those trifles dangled in front of them are nothing more than a mirage that shall disappear when you need them the most. Christ asks a very poignant question to those following him: what good is it to gain everything and yet have nothing and what good is it to lose your very soul in the process. The time spent chasing after temporal things would have been better spent seeking eternity, for it is in the things that shall NOT pass away that true satisfaction is found. 

            The world scoffs at Christians. ‘Look at all you are missing’, they say. ‘Only the weak-minded need Jesus’, they say, ‘He’s nothing more than a crutch.’ They don’t understand. Perhaps they never will. Christians find hope and peace and true freedom in their relationship with God. It has nothing to do with religion; it is an intimate, personal relationship with our Creator. So, while the world chases after the unattainable, we shall continue to seek God and gain far more in the process than those in the world shall ever possess. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

GOD’S GRACE

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”- Ephesians 2:8-9 

 

grace noun 1a: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification; b: a virtue coming from God; c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace; 2a: approval, favor, mercy, pardon.

 

            There is nothing we could ever do to save ourselves. We can’t work our way into heaven with good deeds. We can’t buy our way into heaven. We can’t beg or plead. There is one way to get into God’s heaven and it is by His grace. We simply ask for it by recognizing our lowly state and seeking forgiveness for our deeds which have flown in the face of His precepts. Just as an alcoholic must confess that he has a problem and needs help, so must we confess that we are sinners in need of redemption. It requires faith; specifically, the faith of a child. Children have such innocence. Just as they trust their earthly fathers and mothers, so are we to trust our heavenly Father, who loves us without hesitation or reservation. His unmerited favor, His mercy, come in the form of the bloody, beaten, broken body of His only Son, Jesus Christ. 

            To truly grasp the significance of our redemption, we must look to the cross. It is a bloody, gruesome sight. There is nothing appealing about it, yet our gaze must fall upon that horrifying scene to truly begin to understand what God’s grace entails. He paid our sin debt with His own blood. Someone had to do it. He required a blood sacrifice to wipe out sin. He knew no one else was able to pay the debt in full except His own Son. He set it up that way. It was preordained from the beginning of time. It had to take place that way. So, understand that the greatest gift ever given came to us by way of blood, pain and separation; for Christ had to be separated from His Father for a brief time. He didn’t have to be coerced into going all the way to the cross on Golgotha’s hill, He did it willingly for us all. Embrace the cross and you will find grace. I doubt we will ever fully comprehend how great the Father’s love truly is for us. There is nothing this side of heaven to compare it to. Rest in His grace and mercy and find peace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

 

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”- Philippians 1:3 

 

friend noun 1a: one attached to another by affection or esteem.

 

            Although the Apostle Paul is saying this to the church at Philippi, I would like to generalize this scripture to make a point about our own brothers and sisters in the faith; those throughout our lives who have been our friends, not to mention, a wonderful blessing to us through thick and thin. There are those individuals, perhaps family members, perhaps co-workers, someone in your neighborhood or church members, who have meant a lot to our spiritual growth in this life. Some are in our lives for only a short while, a single chapter in our lives, then are gone. They are a true friend to us, and we thank God every time they come to mind. They are encouraging, empathetic, kind, helpful … they are living examples of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. There is a mutual love and respect for one another. No judgment or condemnation comes from their lips. They are understanding and supportive, no matter what we have gotten ourselves into. That is a true brother or sister in Christ; that is a true friend. They don’t condone misdeeds in any way, seeking to be instructive rather than combative, so as not to hurt us and/or drive us away. When a true friendship has been forged, it cannot be severed by age or distance. 

            We all have someone, perhaps more than one, who falls into that category. Actually, a true friend can be somewhat of a rarity. Frankly, our wife or husband really should be our best, most true friend, in addition to being our lover and life companion. God has blessed us with true friends whom we need to thank Him for. They are stabilizers; they help add structure to our lives. God knows what we need and provides these people in our lives to help lighten our burdens as we walk through this valley of tears called life. May God be praised for His wisdom and compassion, for without the friends who enter our lives, our struggles this side of heaven would be much greater. Hopefully we are that type of friend to someone. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries