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

THE MONEY TRAP

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”

Proverbs 23:4-5 

          Wealth is a deceptive thing. One day it’s there, the next day it’s gone. People who amass fortunes see it slip away by way of lawsuits or poor investments. It seems as though everyone wants a piece of the proverbial money pie. ‘If I could just hit it big I would have it made’, says the person playing the lottery. While there is nothing wrong with attaining wealth in and of itself, making it our sole goal in life is dangerous for then we are placing all our faith and trust in our own abilities and in the money we have acquired. 

 

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

 

          The pursuit of wealth is a full-time endeavor. Once a person gets sucked in they are hooked, believing that the answer to every problem is more money. While it can solve a certain set of problems that require money, it cannot purchase forgiveness and it cannot buy them peace. Money is emotionless and cannot provide a way to heaven. Spiritually speaking, one cannot hope to achieve anything of eternal value with money. They may receive the accolades of this world, but at what cost? It is in the acquiring and the use of money that the key lies. If we acquire wealth honestly, do not seek it to the exclusion of all else and use it for the glory of God in a humble manner, then we have achieved something. However, it takes a special individual to accomplish that, one who is well grounded in scripture and has a heart solely after God. We cannot serve two masters and if we are a slave to our money, then it is our master. Don’t be duped into thinking you can control money, because in the end, it controls you. Anything that is truly important in this life is tied to God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

FINDING PEACE

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 4:6-7

          Here in Philippians, the Apostle Paul not only tells us not to be anxious but tells us how to acquire the peace that surpasses all understanding. Every time we encounter a difficult set of circumstances we are to pray. It is a good practice to praise and thank Him for who He is and who we are because of what Christ has done for us first. If we are praising and thanking God, we aren’t worrying. It is very human to worry, but we don’t have to. The peace that God gives us flows through us and cannot be comprehended by mortal man; it is a supernatural phenomenon. It isn’t conjured up by us, but rather administered to us by the Holy Spirit. In our busy, crazy, chaotic world where we run to and fro, it would be nice to have a little peace. Well it is there for the asking, but we must believe. We all know what faith is: believing in the unseen as if it can be seen; believing in things that are not as if they are. If our trust is in Almighty God, faith isn’t that much of a reach. It was required to believe in God to begin with.

          Rest your mind. “But I don’t have time.” Rest your mind. “I am too busy for that.” Rest – your – mind. It isn’t easy to relax at times., but frankly, if we have time to worry, we have time to rest. We get so wound up at times that resting any part of our anatomy is near impossible, but if we seek God and ask Him to fill us with His peace, He will do it. We take on too much. We don’t know how to say ‘no’. We create un-peaceful situations for ourselves at times. Take a deep breath and focus on Christ. Nothing is impossible for Almighty God; NOTHING! Let His Spirit flow through you and you shall be at peace in the midst of any storm. God loves you; without hesitation, without conditions, without regrets. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Seeing God

         “Be still, and know that I am God; …” 

Psalm 46:10 

          In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of each day stands God. We don’t notice Him because He is not in the hustle and bustle. We veer around Him and never even see Him standing in our midst. God is not in the chaos, but rather in the stillness. We see Him when we take the time to quiet ourselves. We feel Him when we sit by the ocean and soak in the sights and sounds of the incoming waves. We sense His presence in the woods or by a babbling brook. We know Him by spending time with Him. It’s not in talking to Him that we experience His true nature, but rather in the listening. Talking comes easily to most but listening and actually hearing something or someone is an acquired skill for us. 

          We play our music loud, our TV’s blare away and conversations with others go on and on and all the while God is there. The Creator of the Universe is quietly observing, patiently waiting for us to notice Him. It’s not when we are ‘vegging out’ or ‘chilling’ that we find God, for it takes a conscience effort to see, hear and feel Him. When we take the time, when we literally seize time by the throat and slow down even for a few moments and make a concerted effort to experience God that we will know He truly is the great and awesome I AM THAT I AM, the Almighty Jehovah God. He is our provider and sustainer. He wishes to meet with us regularly because He loves us and desires our company. He doesn’t need it, but rather desires it. What an incredible thought! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

FREEDOM TO SERVE

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.”- Galatians 5:13-15 NLT

            Paul’s letter to the Galatian church was written for the purpose of refuting the Judaizers, who taught that Gentile believers must strictly follow Jewish Law to be saved. Paul wished for them to know they were free in Christ, but that freedom wasn’t a freedom to sin; rather it was a freedom to serve.  While it’s true our free will gives us the right to do whatever it is that we wish to do, only one thing will bring us forgiveness, peace and joy. 

            Seeing freedom as a license to sin isn’t freedom at all. This is because you are a slave to someone; whether it is Satan, others, or your own sinful nature. Christians shouldn’t ever become slaves to sin. Their freedom is to do the right thing and glorify God thru service to others. 

            We must never lose our motivation to love others, for when we do we will begin to become critical instead. We will stop looking at the good in them and only see their flaws. We must never compare ourselves to others because we’re all flawed, weak and frail. We are unable to make a sound eternally significant decision regarding anything, especially our own life, without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Treat others the way God treated you. With unconditional love and acceptance. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

God’s Love Remains Forever

Psalm 103:15-18 New Living Translation

“Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!”

 

                  We know from scripture that man’s time on earth is but a wisp. It cannot be altered or stopped in any way. As the saying goes, “Time marches on!” This simply means that ‘time continues to pass’. We’re born, we live and then we die. What we make of this life is up to us. If we don’t live for God then chances are we’ll pass from this earth unnoticed. Now that’s not to say that we’re supposed to spend our lives building our own reputation and legacy. That smacks of self-centeredness. Our legacy needs to be established ‘In His Name & for His Glory’. Our accolades are inconsequential. A true believer in Christ takes no credit for those things they’ve accomplished in this life, for what we do should be for the expansion of God’s Kingdom and not our own.

                  On the heels of the truth that we are here today and gone tomorrow comes another truth ... that God’s love for His creation is endless. The Psalmist says to his readers that those who fear him will experience His infinite love. ‘Fear’ here is not being afraid, but rather, viewing Him with awe, reverence, and respect.  If you honor and respect God you are more inclined to obey His commandments and be faithful to His covenant with His creation. 

                  This is no time to have a selfish or rebellious nature in the face of our distressing future. In the end God wins without question. Plant yourself on the right side of life and don’t fall victim to the lies of the enemy. Focus on Christ and all He has done for us. Reciprocate by living a life that is pleasing to the Creator. Obey God’s precepts for in them there is life and life more abundant. 

                  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

GUILT

CONSCIENCE - To have a conscience means to have a sense of right and wrong, and a feeling of obligation to do the right thing. It can also mean having a sensitive regard for fairness and justice.

 

            If a person has NO conscience, it would mean that they have no sense of what is right & what is wrong. They feel NO obligation to do the right thing. They justify their words or actions by what they are thinking or how they feel at the moment. A person with NO conscience is liable to think, say or do just about anything. They tend to be irresponsible (in a general sense). Their world revolves around them and only them, making them selfish. They feel no guilt because their morals & ethics are skewed. 

            A person who HAS a conscience will feel some level of remorse for what he or she has either said or done. They understand the hill that must be climbed to gain someone’s trust back. The pain they may have caused bothers them. If you’re a Christian, you should be seeking forgiveness from the Lord & the object of your error in judgment. Receiving forgiveness from God is a given if sought with the right heart motivation. Forgiveness from the target of your mistake make be harder to come by. 

            At times even when the person WITH a conscience regrets what they’ve said or done, and sought forgiveness, their guilt outweighs the forgiveness achieved.  If you don’t feel you have much of a conscience, grow one with the help of the Lord. Focus on that which is upright & good & fair & just and not those things that create ambivalence in their mind.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

            

Exploring the Trinity

Genesis 2:7 NLT “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the His spirit (the breath of life) into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person (a living soul).”

 

SOUL & SPIRIT

 

It is a blessing that we have three parts; body, soul, and spirit. All of these parts have specific functions. The body is our physical functions and how we feel our physical senses such as the sense of sight, taste, smell, hear, and touch. The soul is basically our mind, our emotions, and our will. It is who we are as human beings. Our soul is our humanity that makes us feel emotions. The spirit is our spiritual and deeper connection with the Lord. It is our way to magnify God through our human limitations. We express our love to God and Jesus Christ through our spirit because this is one of the gifts that Christ gave us when he became human and died for our sins. So we HAVE a spirit, but it is only activated And thus, we can only use the spirit if we believe in God and Christ and if we do the ways of the spirit.

 

God formed man’s body from the dust of the ground, but only the impartation of the breath of God made him a living being. “Physically, man was taken out of the ground. It is quite interesting that our bodies are made up of about fifteen or sixteen chemical elements. Those same chemical elements are in the ground. The physical part of man was taken out of the dust of the ground.” * So if Almighty God gave us life, what are we to do WITH that life? Are we to live whatever way we please or are we to follow His spiritual plan FOR us. As I’ve said before, we don’t have to follow God’s plan if we don’t want to, but unless we understand the BIG picture regarding life and death and what happens when we pass on from this earth, we will continuously make uninformed decisions based on our feelings, rather than our intellect. What is feeding our intellect? It all depends on what we read, watch, and/or experience. Those things will cause our life to follow a certain path. The end is essentially predetermined, in that those who follow Christ will go to heaven and those who follow anything or anyone other than Christ will go to hell. That is our predetermined destination, but where we end up is solely up to us as individuals. Obey God and live a life that will end in victory. The bible continuously makes it crystal clear that God loves His entire creation, which would include both you and me. It should be an easy decision to obey God because He knows more than all of humanity combined. Frankly, He knows all that could possibly be known. We do not have that ability. Why would we seek advice from unsaved individuals who eternally speaking haven’t got a clue what the right move to make is? We were created by God and given the possibility to know Him intimately. No sacrifice we could make would impress or please God. Why? Because it’s NOT what He seeks ... not what He desires from His creation. Obedience, for this is what the Lord knows will lead to the only positive outcome for us. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* (J Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE)

The ENTIRE Serenity Prayer

Normally when we see the Serenity prayer we see the 1^st four lines shown below. In reality, there is a full version of that prayer that people don’t always see. Drink in this iconic prayer that has been attributed to American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971).  This full version was composed sometime in the 1940’s.

 

“God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

 

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

As it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

If I surrender to His Will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with Him

forever and ever in the next.

Amen.”

 

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

LIVING IN THE LIGHT

“All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”- John 3:20-21 New Living Translation

     Those of the faith who do what the Lord wishes are not just “doing the truth”. They are thinking and saying it as well. Our thoughts come from what we have learned thru the course of life. We acquire them from the events, people or reading we have done for starters. These things help mold us into the person we become. Living apart from God gives you a life that is skewed by your influences.  

     Those who are outside the family of God think, say, and do things that are not in line with God’s standards. Many times their deeds can be evil. They live in fear that their deeds will be found out. Though they are unaware of it, God sees and knows all things. Nothing escapes him or surprises him. Those who walk with God think, say, and do what they do out in the open with no fear of others knowing. This comes from a clear conscience. 

     Living a life that is free from guilt and shame is very liberating. Those who do evil shall be found out. They can fool the entire world, but nothing fools Almighty God. Whenever you are confronted with a choice, consider that which would be pleasing to God and not man. Living in the light is what is expected of the true follower of Christ. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.biblegateway.com; The Reformation Study Bible.

 

GOD IS JUST

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him …. Hebrews 6:10

 

            Have you ever said to yourself “Life’s not fair?” I know I have. Sometimes it seems as though those in the wrong “get away with murder” and those in the right get ground under someone’s heel. Sometimes it just seems that way, sometimes it literally IS that way. Having said that, it begs the question: Who said life was fair? It sounds trite and trivial, but it’s true. Life isn’t fair and no one, especially God, ever said it would be. To quote the words of Lynn Anderson’s famous, oft-played hit single … “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden”. It goes on to say … “Along with the sun, there’ll be a little rain sometimes.”

            Matthew 7:24-27 talks about the Wise and Foolish Builder. It is a parable or “simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson”. The point that many people miss in this story is that the rain fell on the just and the unjust. The greater point is that one man’s foundation was incorruptible and indestructible, while the others was easily eroded away by life’s circumstances. The trials and tribulations of life often hit us right squarely between the eyes leaving us reeling. We must take comfort in the fact that God is a fair and just God who sees all and knows all and will judge us based on what is morally right and true and by no other standard.

            It should also be pointed out that God is not forgetful. We, however, are another story. If I didn’t have Outlook calendar reminders, task lists and Post It notes I would be lost. But God needs no such tools to remember all the things He has planned. We should take comfort in that fact. Were we dealing with a human entity, our concern level would shoot through the roof, because we know that they are susceptible to temptations like power, money and/or impropriety…. But the Creator of the Universe is susceptible to none of these things, for He is flawless in every way. So go through your day today knowing that nothing that happens to you has escaped God’s ever watching eye and rest in that comforting fact. He is always fair and just and will not forget you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* “JUST” defined: 1. Honorable and fair in one's dealings and actions; 2. Consistent with what is morally right; righteous.

Christianity isn’t a Religion

There are key differences between Christianity and the other major world religions. The Hindus believe all roads lead to heaven. In other words, there are a variety of paths you can take to get to heaven. Is that true? First, we must understand that Hinduism is a world religion that has a sketchy origin. It’s origin is by conjecture only and not as a known fact. Buddhism at least has a beginning and a person to point to that started the religion, however, their beliefs are not based on ‘good vs. evil’. No sin, no God, no need for salvation. Islam claims that Christ never really died but rather was sitting at the right hand of God while He only made it appear to the human eye that Christ really died. So the Bible would then be full of lies and deceit. I don’t believe that for a second, but I suppose that’s the only way they can legitimize their beliefs. To the Islamists Christ was simply another prophet/teacher like Mohammed.

Christianity is not a religion; it’s a relationship, personal in nature, intimate at its core. It is the only belief system that offers forgiveness for sin and a singular person who performs a selfless act to provide that forgiveness. If any and all paths lead to heaven, then why did Jesus have to die? The notion of there being many ways to achieve heaven minimizes what Christ did for all mankind on the cross. With regard to intimacy, scripture tells us the closer we draw near to God, the closer He draws near to us (James 4:8a). One day we will know even as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12). I believe the other schools of religious thought are false. I choose to embrace that which I have believed. Whether you agree or not is completely up to you. Choose wisely. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

James 4:7-8a … “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

1 Corinthians 13:12 … “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

GOD HEARS US

“I have heard your prayer ….”

2 Chronicles 7:12 (NIV)

 

Nothing on this earth could ever compare to Almighty God. No matter how hard we try to emulate God we fail miserably because we are terminally imperfect. God is the only perfect entity, which is why He is the ‘prototype’, so to speak. The ‘standard’ that should be followed.

Having said all that, what does it mean to us when we read the words “I have heard your prayer …”? If God is ethereal and therefore not of this earth, then how does He hear us? So many of us, and I can tend to be one of them, over think certain things. Rather than focusing on the fact that He hears us, I want to know how He hears us. I am telling you now, the confirmation in scripture that your Heavenly Father actually hears you when you pray to Him is infinitely more important than how He hears you.

How many of you understand that there is a significant difference between listening and hearing. We can listen to someone all day long and not truly hear anything they’ve said. What a comfort to find that our Heavenly Father can be trusted to HEAR our prayers and not just listen to them.

In the movie, BRUCE ALMIGHTY**, God, played by Morgan Freeman, takes a vacation, giving all His powers to Bruce (Jim Carrey). In one scene, Bruce is on his computer and he starts receiving hundreds, even thousands of prayer requests almost instantaneously. He can’t answer them all individually, because he has determined that it would be too time consuming, so he decides to just give an affirmative answer to all the prayer requests. This of course doesn’t work out so well. Isn’t it a good thing that God not only hears us as an individual, but takes the time to say either ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ from time to time when He knows to rubber stamp our request will lead to negative consequences. We truly do not know what is good for us and normally want the easy way into or out of a given situation. However, it is in the waiting that some of our most important lessons are learned … as long as WE have decided to hear and not just listen. So know that God hears all your prayers and will answer them when the right time for an answer has come. This involves trust and patience. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

*Prototype – An original type, form or instance serving as a basis or standard.

** Bruce Almighty – released in theatres May 14^th, 2003, by Universal Pictures.

Note: I just read a couple of days ago that Jim Carrey has given his life to Christ. I rejoice in that, for another lost soul has found his way to God.

Thank you Lord for wooing him with your Holy Spirit. Amen.

FAITH REQUIRES NO PROOF

        Morgan Freeman, the actor, once said something to the effect of he doesn’t believe in God because there is “no hard evidence” to prove He exists. Johnny Depp, another actor, said he doesn’t believe in God because he doesn’t believe in anything he cannot see. ‘Seeing’ negates the need for faith. ‘Hard evidence’ also negates the need for faith. Faith is linked to trust. Plain and simple; man doesn’t truly want to answer to anyone other than themselves. Believing in someone or something you cannot experience with at least one of your six senses is too much of a reach for most non-believers. Honestly, if someone doesn’t have a mind to at least entertain on some level the validity of Christianity, then I believe Jesus Himself could engage them in a conversation & they would still find a million reasons not to believe.

The amusing thing to me is that Morgan Freeman played God in a Jim Carrey movie some time ago. Although it was a comedy, I felt that Freeman played the part as well as a human can without any ridicule or disparagement. Anyway, to many non-believers, they believe what they would like to believe and think that’s alright. They may even believe in the existence of God and / or Jesus yet have never allowed that knowledge to effect their lives either positively or negatively. To them Christianity is nothing more than another religion in a sea of religions. It’s funny in a way. It’s as if that which you don’t believe exists simply doesn’t exist. But that’s not the way it works. Just because you don’t believe in God doesn’t cause Him to exist for everyone else, but not for you. That doesn’t even sound rational.

How unfortunate that people don’t make or take the time to do an honest investigation. It’s as if they DON’T WANT TO KNOW, because if they know then they would have to do something with that knowledge. Come judgment day there may just be a lot of very shocked or at least surprised individuals as they stand before the One they chose NOT to believe in. Think on this: If there IS NO GOD, then when you die you won’t ever have another conscious thought, therefore we will never know. However, if God DOES EXIST, you will know it for all eternity. Woe to those who fall in the latter category. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You will try just about anything at least once, right? Why not try Jesus on for size? Why not entertain the idea that God is real and what is said about Him, and His Son Jesus is true? Read the Bible with an open mind and ask God to help it make sense to you. For those who will NOT try just about anything at least once, it’s still time to do some research. Don’t sidestep this important issue. If you are positive that there is NO GOD, you’d better be right ... your eternal destination is on the line. 

Rejecting that which could be true deserves a look, perhaps even a second look, don’t you think? Just because I believe it doesn’t necessarily make it universally true ... it makes it true to ME. Now I do happen to believe it to be universally true, but God has given us all the right to reject whatever we’d like to. It’s called having a ‘free will’. Free will is defined as: “The ability or discretion to choose; free choice” ^[1], and it’s a gift to us from God Himself. Now there are philosophical debates that take place with those who desire such endeavors that contests the existence of free will, but we’re not going to get into all that. Suffice it to say, Paul addresses the issue of free will in 1 Corinthians 10:23, where he is dealing with the Corinthians who seem to think they can do whatever they want to do with no repercussions or consequences. Paul says: “All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].” (Amplified Bible). So based on that verse, it is true. Do as you please, but you will never avoid the consequences that come following your decision. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. (2011).

CONFIDENCE IN GOD

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

1 John 5:14-15

 

            I remember when I was a child, I had asked for a tape recorder for Christmas. For some reason, I took it upon myself to go on a hunting expedition in my parent’s closet one Saturday, when my folks were out shopping for groceries. Well, I found a small reel-to-reel tape recorder in a box buried deep in the bowels of their closet, behind my mom’s long dresses. That particular year I was extremely confident that what I had asked for I would be receiving. This is the same confidence we can have regarding those things we ask for from God. There is one stipulation though; we must ask according to His will. If we know the Lord personally than chances are you’ll know what to ask for.

            Sometimes it seems as if the will of God is one of the most difficult things to discern in the whole, wide world, but it really isn’t. Start off by doing what you know is right and righteous in the sight of God. Do whatever you do to glorify Him. Be like Solomon, in that you ask for that which will benefit others and not lift yourself up. Remember, according to scripture, “we must decrease and He must increase” (John 3:30). If you seek wisdom, guidance, assistance out of a dilemma or a healing … all noble requests that would bring glory to God, then God will answer you in the affirmative. God’s will is not unattainable.

            If you’re uncertain as to whether something is within the parameters of God’s will just ask that his will be done in your life and wait for the manifestation of it.  Something like this, “Lord, give me wisdom and sound judgment today that I might be able to bless and encourage others and I will give You all the glory. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus, amen.” I believe God will not only hear, but also answer a request like that.

            May the will of God never be far from you is my prayer for you this day. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

OUR REDEEMER LIVES

“I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand on the earth.”- Job 19:25

                  After all Job had been through in his life; the loss of family, property and material goods, he could still look up and say “I know that my redeemer lives …” Isn’t it amazing how little some of us are required, by life’s inevitable trials and tribulations, to endure and yet we lose faith so easily? Is not God the same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Did He not say that He was “no respecter of persons” ^[1], that what He has done for one generation, he would do now? So why do we doubt? Why do we tremble in fear at times over circumstances that come our way? We didn’t ask for it. We do not require it, yet it comes upon us all the same.
            I have learned that ‘everything happens for a reason’ … and I really believe that.  Almighty God orchestrates everything and it lends itself to our own maturation process. It behooves us to be aware of that which is taking place around us. The Lord wishes to bless us, but we end up missing his blessings because we aren’t paying the proper attention. 
            In all of the hustle and bustle of this crazy life in which we live, we would do well to always remember not only that our Redeemer lives, but also that he has defeated death; therefore, we who believe in Christ and all that He stands for shall not taste the sting of death. While we may taste the temporal death of these fleshly tents we live in, we will never partake in the 2^nd death that is the death of our soul. We will live forever with the Lord.
            When Christ returns, all wrongs will be righted; all injustices will be dealt with; the evil one shall be punished; the righteous shall be rewarded with an eternity in the midst of God’s heavenly glory. Job believed this. Abraham believed this. King David believed this. Paul believed this. All these men were far from perfect. They doubted, lied, committed murder and adultery and still, when redemption came to them, they embraced it with both arms and did not release it until they were with God in the heavens. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

[1] Peter said: “Most certainly I understand now that God is not one to show partiality [to people as though Gentiles were excluded from God’s blessing] - Acts 10:34 Amplified Bible

Christ Made Himself Nothing for Us

“… he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death … even death on a cross!” - Philippians 2:7-8 (NIV)

                  In a world where people are constantly striving to better themselves and climb the ladder of socially defined success, it is amazing to me that Almighty God would purposefully and deliberately make Himself NOTHING. He went so far as to make Himself the lowest human form … a servant … a person with no rights or authority. And then willingly allowed Himself to be led to a criminals cross to be crucified and as a result die. It is one thing to die for a friend, but to die for a people who do not even know You is pretty amazing. It defies all logic. Yet this was God’s plan all along.

            We call it a ‘criminals cross’ because that was the common way of putting those who broke the law of the land to death at that time. So even though Christ was not a criminal, He was treated as one in the manner by which He was killed. Eradicate the problem. That is essentially what the religious leaders of the day were doing. Everything about Jesus; His words, His actions, flew in the face of the Pharisee’s comfort zone. They had control over the religious people around them. They determined what God wanted and didn’t want. They defined His laws. They set the temple payment system for the covering of sins. When Jesus came along, just like He eventually overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the temple courtyard, He overturned everything the Pharisee had set in motion. Instead of rationally discussing matters of the heart with Jesus, they almost immediately plotted to get rid of Him. Christ needed to be eliminated. Unbeknownst to the religious leaders of that day, it was God’s plan for that to take place all along also. He knew their hardened hearts and that they were stubborn and stiff necked. He knew they would fall right into line with God’s plan because they believed in their hearts that they were right, even though they were not.

            So Christ willingly became like a slave. He did what He was called by His Father to do. He was obedient to the point of death and it was all for a divine purpose … God knew the heart of man. He created man, so He knew him intimately. He knew that man, if given a choice, would choose incorrectly based on feelings and emotions, rather than on what was right vs. what was wrong. This sentiment is still prevalent today. No boundaries create a chaotic existence.

            A blood sacrifice was necessary to atone or pay for sin. It was the payment system that God put in place to satisfy or forgive our disobedience. It behooves us to dig into God’s word for ourselves to see what is truly required of us as followers of Christ rather than constantly be spoon fed. Christ died for you. Get to know Him intimately and you might be surprised what is really required of you as His followers and what is not. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

We’ve been rescued.

“For (God) has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:14

         Did you ever see yourself as needing to be rescued? We are born into darkness until we see the light. It is only when we accept the light into our lives that we become rescued from darkness, death, and destruction. What have we more specifically been rescued from is a life of sin, outside the family of God and his influence. The scripture says of us that we have been born twice and will only die once; our 2^nd birth being spiritual in nature. This 2^nd birth negates a 2^nd physical death for our spirit never dies.

            If you read the text from verse 9 you can see that Paul asks God to fill those in his presence with “all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives”. There are two thing shown to us here: 1 – God will give us those things we need to live a life worthy of Him if we ask for them and 2 – His Holy Spirit is the conduit by which these things are given to us. 

            Without Christ, our life is under the domination or control of darkness, which permeates this world. It is cloaked so it is not easily seen by the naked eye, but with the eye of the Spirit, is seen plainly. We have been rescued from this world that we are IN yet no longer OF. This world embraces many things that are blatantly evil and easy to spot. However, the enemy works overtime to come up with ways to deceive those who would strive to avoid such things. We need the full Armor of God (Ephesians 6:13) to combat such an evil attack. 
            Be wary of the darkness that surrounds you but rejoice in the light that resides within you. God has you covered with His righteousness. You are safe. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

RESCUE defined: 1. To set free, as from danger or imprisonment; save; 2. An act of rescuing; deliverance.
DOMINION defined: A territory or sphere of influence or control; a realm.