The Significance of the Narrow Gate

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”- Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

In the Gospel of John Jesus tells his listeners that he is the good shepherd. “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.” ^{[John 10:7-9 NLT]} In today’s text he references the same gate he speaks of in John. It is part of his Sermon on the Mount. Thru illustration, Jesus is telling his listeners that it is thru him and him alone that someone can enter heaven. 

“This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” ^{[Acts 4:11-12 NLT]} Jesus is the only way to enjoy an eternity with our Heavenly Father. He is the only way to have our sin debt paid for in full. 

The narrow gate doesn’t mean it’s difficult to become a Christian, but rather that there is only one way to reach heaven. When he says only a few find it I believe that ‘few’ is in comparison to the trillions of people that have been born and died on the earth. Comparatively speaking, the number of believers is few in view of all humanity that has existed thru the ages. Living your life by following the example laid out by Jesus and by God’s word is certainly not the most popular or most comfortable way to live, but it is the only way that in the end will prove to be true and right. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Visible Image of God

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation … “. - Colossians 1:15

            If Colossae existed today, it would be in the southern section of modern-day Turkey. The issue in this church was the infiltration of some believers who were attempting to combine elements of paganism and secular philosophy with Christian doctrine. Paul wrote to combat these errors and show that Christ alone is more than sufficient to meet all a believers’ needs than anything outside God’s standards. This letter was written in approximately 60 AD.

            The first sentence in verse 15 speaks directly to the divine nature of Christ. Not only is Christ equal to God ^{[Philippians 2:6]}, but IS God ^{[John 10:30, 38; 12:45; 14:1-11]} by virtue of the saying that he is “the visible image of the invisible God”. Jesus “is and was and is to come”. He was the most intimate part of creation in that he existed prior to there being anything in existence. There is nothing our Lord cannot do for us and is in complete control of everything he has created.

            Paul spent a good portion of his letter emphasizing that our focus must be on Christ as our sole provider and sustainer. We must also focus on God’s word and not another person’s perception of what God meant with what he said. The standard we must follow is God’s word and his word alone. Worldly philosophies and conjecture re: Christianity will only confuse you, not drawing you any closer to God. Draw close to God. Rid yourself of worldly habits that quickly turn into sin. Praise the Lord with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Praise his name without ceasing, for this is what we are called to do. Until next time walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

LOVING GOD'S WAY

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” - 1 John 4:20-21

 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” - _{John 13:34-35}

 

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” - _{Matthew 5:23-24}          

          These three portions of scripture paint a vivid picture of just how we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. First off, we cannot hate anyone and have it be alright with God. The Jews sent His only Son to the cross to be crucified and God didn’t hate them, yet some of us work up a good hate for just about anyone who wrongs us. Scripture tells us to be wise a serpents, yet gentle as doves ^{(Matthew 10:16)}. In other words, we are not to allow others to walk all over us, but we are also not supposed to trample others underfoot either. Love, but in the process of loving be wary of those whom you sense cannot be trusted. Extend a hand of friendship if so led; however, do not allow yourself to be taken advantage of. 

If you say you love God, you must love your brothers and sisters in the Lord. It is how the world knows we are disciples and ambassadors of Christ. How else would they know? If we speak and act like the world, how could anyone in the world possibly know we are walking with God? What about us would tip them off? Our love for one another. I might also say that our peace in difficult situations, no matter what the magnitude, would speak loudly as well. 

           The Bible is very clear regarding having an issue with a brother or sister in Christ. The world says the one that is wrong is to initiate the reconciliation; however, the Bible says just the opposite: you who have been wronged, you go to the guilty party and make amends. That shows the offender love and a spirit of reconciliation which should cause him or her to soften their heart towards the offended party and agree to a harmonious settlement. It is then that you can both present your gifts at the altar. Love breeds forgiveness. Forgiveness reveals love. God is the definition of love. It flows from His character. It is out of His love for us that forgiveness is possible. Genuine love is easy to spot. It shows in ones’ eyes and in the selfless acts that one does. True love is love that seeks nothing in return. Those who receive unconditional love feel compelled to return it of their own volition. We are to love our brothers and sisters the same way we love our God. The Bible calls us liars if we do not. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Rid Yourself of These Things

“So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.”- 1 Peter 2:1 ^NLT

            God, in His infinite wisdom, has given us an entire book which chronicles the history of the Hebrew nation; their rejection of Christ as their Messiah & the grafting in of the gentiles as recipients of the precious gift of salvation that was originally meant for God’s chosen people, the Jews.  In its pages we, as believers in Christ, are instructed regarding many important topics. Perhaps one that is most important are those negative attributes listed in our headline verse. They are particularly important to avoid because they can be so incredibly devious & destructive both within & outside the body of Christ.

            We are to rid ourselves of these heinous character flaws without question. We are still human & therefore prone to exhibit these flaws from time to time. It takes a conscience effort to rid ourselves of such behavior patterns. Life can be cruel & it is those, both saved and unsaved, who are the ones administering the cruelty. We must not lash out in anger. We must not be two-faced. We must not wish ill upon them or anyone for that matter. It’s a battle that we will face so often at times that it will seem continuous. We must embrace Christ, so we become all God intends us to be in this life. Without Christ in our lives, we will succumb to the temptation of living out each & every one of those negative personality traits & will be miserable in the process. Surrender your will to God. Only He can save us from ourselves. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Definitions:
Malice: A desire to harm others or see others suffer; extreme ill will; spiteful.
Deceit: The act of falsification; misrepresentation.

LIVING BY FAITH

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”- Romans 1:17 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”     - Hebrews 11:1 

          Why is having faith important? To not have faith is to believe only what you can see, taste and touch for yourself. To not have faith is to be like ‘Doubting’ Thomas who wouldn’t believe Christ was alive from the dead until he could touch where the nails had entered His hands and where the spear had pierced His side (John 20:19-31). We are being asked as Christians to believe in the unseen. The world says, “seeing is believing”; Christians say, “not seeing we believe anyway”. It must seem strange to non-believers that those who believe place their trust in something or someone they cannot sit down and have a conversation with. Believing such a thing defies logic. Even the fact that a man would willingly die for another man is illogical. Who would do such a thing? It boggles the mind of believers and non-believers alike. Yet we are not being asked to understand it; there is nothing to figure out. Belief and trust is what we are being asked to embrace; belief in an unseen deity who exists in an unseen spiritual realm. 

          Once we let go of our sensibilities and consider the possibilities of such a thing actually being true, we open ourselves up to God’s Spirit, who can expand our vision and ignite the ember that resides within us all. Once we give God the chance to change us from the inside out, we will never be the same. Everything looks different; we begin to see things we never saw before. We see things through spiritual eyes. 

          We are not just asked to belief but also to rely on God. Believing is one thing but allowing God to guide and direct you is quite another. As we begin to know God better through reading and hearing the word preached, we start to embark on a wonderful journey. We need to be Christ-centered in our thinking and our actions. It’s a growing process that never ends. If we allow God to do His work in us it will be impossible to remain the same as we once were. 

          We are seen by God as righteous through our acceptance of the forgiveness freely given. Our righteousness was born out of our faith to believe the unseen. A heavy price was paid for our redemption. A price we were and still are unable to pay. We must live our lives soberly, enjoying it, but not abusing it. In the end our lives speak volumes to those all around us. Make your life count for the kingdom. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Immeasurable Power of God

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”- Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

            Since there is nothing on this earth that could possibly compare to the power & majesty of Almighty God, I think most followers of Christ underestimate what He is able to do. According to His Word, it seems clear that there is NOTHING He cannot do either for us or against our enemies. Compared to God our mental faculties are rather puny. We cannot even in our wildest imaginings understand all that our Lord is capable of. He does as He so chooses & everything is does is orchestrated for His children’s ultimate good.

            If we have dedicated our lives to follow Him, then that power that flows from God is within us. We don’t take advantage of it because we don’t realize it’s there. Now this doesn’t mean we are all superheroes with limitless power. That would no doubt bring catastrophic results due to man’s ego, self-centeredness & penchant for making poor decisions. What we do is to be to the glory of God alone & for the advancement of His kingdom. We are to act humbly, with kindness, mercy & compassion towards all. There is no room for personal agendas or a self-serving attitude.

            The glory of Christ & His church is meant to be carried on throughout all generations. God’s Kingdom is eternal. It’s like the fabled ‘Never-Ending Story’ … it just goes on & on forever. And forever is a very long time. Study God’s Word to find out all that He can do & stand on His promises that we might live without fear in a world that breeds chaos. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

God Preserves Us

“Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.” – Psalm 138: 6-8 NIV

            “A song of praise for God’s saving help against threatening foes—understood by many to have been originally on the lips of a king.” * There is no question that God is to be lifted high for he is the creator of all things. If you choose to believe that then these verses above should be an encouragement to you. The Lord sees us wherever we are and even though we may stand and walk in the very middle of a troubled spot the Lord will keep us safe from harm. ‘To preserve’ is to keep from injury, peril and/or harm. In other words, God will protect us. I don’t know that this means we can purposely walk straight into trouble, such as a riot, a battle, or some death-defying situation. I believe it means more like we are going about our business and find ourselves in the midst of trouble. Perhaps that trouble finds us, rather than we seek out trouble. 

            Scripture tells us that God is to us like a strong tower and a mighty fortress. Think about that for a moment. A tower is a either a building or part of a building that is exceptionally high in proportion to its width and length. Therefore, the Lord sits high above our enemies with us behind its’ walls.  A fortress is a building with stone walls anywhere from 4 to 8 feet thick with us inside. Needless to say, we are protected by our Lord regardless of our circumstances.

            The love of God is endless for it “endures forever”. The cry is for him not to forsake his children, who are “the works of (his) hands”. This is an especially pertinent and encouraging word for us today, for there now exists in our country a large amount of chaotic turbulence that is meant to bring fear and doubt to the people of this land. For those who unequivocally believe in God, his word, and his ability to save, forgive, guide, and protect, this is great news. It reestablishes the truth against any doubts you may have. Don’t allow your faith and trust in God to waver. He is our rock, the one bastion of truth in a sea of lies and misinformation. Trust God above all others. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*NIV Bible Study Notes