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. 

Quote Contemplations 

 

“Care about what other people think & you will always be their prisoner.” – Legendary Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu

 

            I face a conundrum quite often. I both want to be liked by my peers, yet also don’t care what people think of me. Huh? You may ask... Yeah, I know. It doesn’t make much sense to me either. I’m certainly not one to be concerned about my legacy either as a person or as a Christian. I truly do feel that to know Jesus is far more important than to know me. I know my place in God’s universe. I try hard not to think too highly of myself and conversely, try not to beat myself up over mistakes. I want to please the Lord more than anything in my life, yet find my mind wandering away from Him from time to time. Not a lack of faith or trust in the Lord, just easily distracted by life. (I have horrifying concentration unless I’m writing. Then I seem to be able to focus on what I’m doing without too much trouble... must be a God thing.) 

            The quote above speaks truth to my soul. When you are striving to be the best version of yourself with the Holy Spirits help, then does it really matter what others think of you. Perhaps that is why I allow compliments to roll off me like rain drops on a water resistant coat. Oddly enough, I go out of my way to compliment others as a means of encouraging and supporting them. I suppose I don’t really know a whole lot of folks who take compliments well. Be it embarrassment or disinterest in being praised, most people I know tend to fluff it off.

            Don’t be a prisoner to the likes and dislikes of other people. Care what they think to a certain extent, but not to the point that is causes you consternation. Learn what you can from what others think, and discard that which is not helpful. Everyone has opinions. One is no more valid or important than another. So keep your focus on the One who always thinks highly of you and loves you without reservation or regret.  Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Quote Contemplations 13

 

 “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” - Oscar Wilde *

 

            This could easily go hand in hand with a sweatshirt I have that says: “You Be You, the World Will Adjust”. We probably wouldn’t be very good trying to be someone else. We are who God made us to be. Though born with a sin nature, or having the propensity to do the wrong thing instead of the right, we are in need of a makeover from the word ‘go’. Until we receive Christ, we are fighting a losing battle character wise. Many questions come into play. Who are our initial influences? Are our parents followers of Christ or are they secular in their beliefs and lifestyle. I don’t say that as if the unsaved are hopelessly corrupt and on a fast track to hell. I just know that those NOT living in a bible believing home are at a distinct disadvantage regarding spiritual things. What they do with the right type of upbringing is up to them, but at least the foundation is being established.

            As we become teenagers and young adults, we begin to emulate those things that we think will make us popular, and well-liked by our peers. Being yourself is the furthest thing from our mind. We feel we NEED to be accepted and at times go to great lengths to achieve that acceptance. At times we allow ourselves to be taken advantage of just to fit in. Just be yourself, not someone you think will be popular. Those who truly appreciate you for who you are will show up. God will see to it. 

            I often refer to myself as someone who is “an acquired taste”. I’m admittedly not for everyone. I can be a little “out there”. I just don’t think like other folks. Since I’ve (cough cough) matured in Christ, I’ve ratcheted that back a bit. It’s fun to be me. There’s no one else just like me. God created snowflakes so that no two are exactly alike. He did the same thing with man. No two of us are alike. Even identical twins are not alike in every nuance of their being. Could be a freckle, or birth mark, something minor that most would never notice. We are all unique, made by God’s own hand. You are one of a kind. Revel in it. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Oscar Wilde (1854 –1900) was an Irish author, poet and playwright known for his great wit.