What Does That Mean? 

 

“GOOD”

 

                  How should the word “good” be defined from a biblical perspective? You may think you’re a good person, but my question to you is “compared to who?” Exactly who would you like to compare yourself to so you can feel like you are a good person? Adolph Hitler? The “unpleasant guy” around the corner from you? The “provocative woman” at work? How would YOU define “being good”? A definition for good must be universally accepted, not accepted just by you. Perhaps this is why in the gospel of Mark 10:18 (NIV), Jesus Himself says the following: “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”

            According to the Bible, God defines "good" as morally excellent, virtuous, righteous, of high quality, and beneficial. Goodness is not merely a human standard but is rooted in God's own nature, which is perfectly good and holy. God's goodness is revealed in His creation, where He declared everything He made to be good, culminating in the summary that creation was "very good". This goodness is consistent across Scripture, with God being described as the ultimate standard of all that is good.

God's goodness is demonstrated in His actions, including His law, which is holy, righteous, and good. It is also seen in His self-giving, other-centered love, exemplified in Jesus Christ, who laid down His life as the ultimate expression of goodness. The Bible teaches that God is the source of every good and perfect gift, and His nature is such that He cannot do evil or even desire to do wrong, as it would contradict His inherent goodness.

Furthermore, the concept of good in the biblical sense is tied to moral excellence and right behavior, involving kindness, justice, righteousness, holiness, and purity. Goodness is not just about avoiding evil but actively pursuing what is right and beneficial.  Ultimately, God's definition of good is inseparable from His character—He is the source, standard, and embodiment of all that is truly good. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.christianitytoday.com

 

 

What Does It Mean? – Eternal Rewards

 

God will give rewards in heaven at the bema, or judgment seat of Christ, based on our faithfulness in service to Him... “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” ^{(2 Corinthians 5:10)}. The reward Christ receives is shared with all of us: “If we are children, then we are heirs; heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” ^{(Romans 8:17)}

Our rewards in heaven depend on the goodness and power of God. Through Christ’s resurrection we gain an inheritance in heaven; on earth our faith is tested and results in praise and glory and honor when Christ is revealed... “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead....” ^{(1 Peter 1:3–9)}  The things we do in this life are only permanent (that is, carried with us into heaven) if they are built on the foundation, which is Christ... “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” ^{(1 Corinthians 3:11–15)}

The rewards we gain in heaven are not like the rewards we earn here on earth. We tend to think in material terms; mansions, jewels, money, etc. But we aren’t to do things in the name of the Lord for the sole purpose of gaining rewards. We must learn to be selfless in this regard. We represent Christ out of gratitude solely because of what He has done for us. Any rewards or honor we gain in heaven should be precious to us because they carry the weight and meaning of our relationship with God, and because they remind us of what He did through us on earth.

In this way, rewards in heaven glorify God and provide us with joy, and peace, as we consider God’s work in and through us. The closer we were to God during this life, the more centered on Him and aware of Him, the more dependent on Him, the more desperate for His mercy, the more there will be to celebrate. Rewards in heaven are the completion of our earthly story, and those rewards will be eternally satisfying... “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” ^{(Psalm 16:11)} Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

 

What Does It Mean? – 

Consistency: Being constant - Unchanging in nature, value, or extent; persistent

The Bible clearly expresses the immutability of God—His unchanging, consistent nature—in numerous passages. James communicates it like this: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” ^{(James 1:17, NKJV)}.

Immutability is the state of being unchangeable. God is many things; He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere at the same time. He is also immutable. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Since Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is God, then each person of the Holy Trinity has all the same attributes as God the Father. Each person is unchanging of the Trinity does not ever change.

Consistency in everything you think, say & do is critical to having an effective Christian walk. In contrast, living in the wake of constant ups & downs, highs & lows will keep you off balance in life. The example Christ presented to us is highly consistent. What you see is what you get, in a manner of speaking. No smoke & mirrors, just true honesty & transparency. If you follow Christ’s example for living what you get is a consistent life which is highly effective as you display, along with your humanness, a straightforward, honest portrayal of Christian living as God intends it to be. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.gotquestions.org

What Does it Mean? 

Abiding in Christ

“Abiding in Christ” means you are living a close, intimate, sustainable relationship with Jesus Christ. The evidence of it is thru your faith in God, obedience to His Word, and continuous trust in Him for life and strength. This should not be a “here today, gone tomorrow” type of relationship. It should become a way of life for the believer.

“Abiding in Christ” is synonymous with being saved and being "in Christ".  It entails keeping Christ’s commandments; which is a way that we abide in His love. It also means allowing God's Word to shape your mind, will, thoughts and actions. It is recognizing daily that Jesus is your source of life and strength, rather than a part of the whole. 

Christ and the believer abide in each other, which is a sign of a close, intimate relationship. As a branch on a vine would bear fruit, believers who ‘abide’ in Christ will also bear fruit in their lives.  Knowing Christ in a personal way is shown by the trust and belief that should be on full display daily.

When you “abide in Christ” you will gladly spend time in prayer, communicating with God. Notice I said, “with God”. Communicating “to God” is what a lot of us do, but God more than likely has something to say to you as well. That’s why listening with a discerning ear is so important. 

When you “abide in Christ” you pray regularly and ponder over His word. What does a passage mean to you? How does it speak to you? Just reading it to say you read it is a supreme waste of time, for typically you’ll get NOTHING out of it.

Self-Reflection is a practice that Christians should practice regularly, for the enemy is relentless in his efforts to cause your faith to stagnate. Assess your walk with the Lord with the purpose of adjusting and thus, strengthening it from the inside out. That is a formula for success in your relationship with the Lord. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Quote Contemplations 

 

“Don’t shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see him.” – C.S. Lewis

This quote emphasizes humility and becoming a reflection of our Lord rather than our own personal recognition.  It means that Christians should not live in a way that draws attention to themselves or seeks admiration. Instead, their lives should be so filled with Christ’s love, peace, and goodness—like a lamp shining in darkness—that others are naturally drawn to see and recognize Jesus through their actions and character. 

The core idea is that our light is not our own; it is the reflected light of Christ. Just as the moon shines by reflecting the sun’s light, believers shine by reflecting God’s glory. The goal is not self-promotion, but pointing others toward God. As Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The quote aligns itself with the biblical call urging spiritual authenticity thru selfless humility. It’s tied into a person’s integrity. A believer must be above reproach, morally and ethically consistent, and fully transparent. In spite of your beliefs, if you damage someone’s trust in you, you have single handedly shot a massive hole in your testimony. The problem is that the unsaved seem to think Christians are or at least should be perfect. Nothing could be further from the truth. Believers in Christ are no different than the unsaved with the exception that they are forgiven by Almighty God and in right standing with Him, while the unsaved are not. 

So if you’re a follower of Christ, guard your witness and make sure to shine your light heavenward, rather than on yourself, because frankly speaking, we are nothing without the Lord. I mean that in the broadest spiritual sense. Obviously we ARE something, but when you are not a child of God you are a spiritual orphan with no direction. The greatest navigation system cannot take you where God wishes you to go.  Without Him you don’t have the slightest clue.  Follow the light that IS God and reveal Him to the unredeemed masses. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.ibelieve.com/christianliving

 

Quote Contemplations 

 

“What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again.” – Anne Frank *

 

            It is amazing to me that this child, a teenager (she was only 16 when she was killed in the concentration camp), learned something very important. You cannot change history, but you can keep from doing the same mistake all over again.

Whatever happens even 1 minute ago is relegated to history. It is past and cannot be retrieved. Whatever you’ve said or done is over, never to be reversed. An evil act cannot be atoned for and saying you’re sorry is a poor substitute for not doing it at all, for what’s done is done. 

            There’s a common saying from the past that says: “There’s no sense crying over spilt milk.” An addendum to that statement should be, “Just be careful to not let it happen again.” That is essentially the sentiment Miss Frank was conveying. 

            We serve a merciful God; “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” ^{(Jonah 4:2)}

Psalm 85:15 echoes that sentiment: “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

            Mistakes... errors in judgment, they happen all the time. Forgiveness sought from a sincerely contrite heart is readily available. So if you happen to do something that ends up being a mistake, seek forgiveness, and with God’s help don’t allow yourself to do it again.  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Annelies Marie Frank (1929 –1945) was a German-born Jewish diarist and Holocaust victim.

Quote Contemplations 

 

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” - Marcus Aurelius *   

            What is happiness? Happiness has many philosophical aspects to it, but generally speaking it is feeling content with your overall life. It is also experiencing more positive emotions than negative ones. And it can stem from your minimizing chronic stress, anxiety, or sadness. Can we do this on our own. My answer to that is that while it may be possible to achieve a certain level of happiness on our own, it appears to be temporal in nature. Belief in Almighty God can help you in achieving a more permanent state of happiness based on who God is, who you are in Him, and what Christ achieved on our behalf. That should not only flood you with happiness, but gratitude as well.

            I dare say you would be far more likely to achieve happiness and remain happy if you devote your thoughts to that which is positive and uplifting. This can be achieved thru reading the Word of God, fellowshipping with like-minded believers, and hearing the Word preached. That’s a great starting point. Cultivating a personal relationship with our Lord can become difficult, but that’s on us, because God is in the business of providing, and sustaining us. We are the ones that are making it difficult by straining at the leash like an unruly dog. We want things to go the way we think they should. That’s simply spiritual immaturity. It takes time, patience and determination to reach the level of faith and trust God is attempting to lead you to. 

            In the end, all your thoughts are the result of what you feed into your mind. Godly input results in Godly output. Negativism breeds doubt, fear, and a general uneasiness, all things that bring about an unhappy disposition. So focus on feeding your mind that which is pleasing to the Lord and you will become content and the resulting happiness will be rooted in the Words of Life. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 A.D. – 180 A.D.) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher.

Note: Stoicism - It is a practical philosophy centered on cultivating virtue as the only true good and the path to a flourishing, meaningful life marked by inner peace and resilience.