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.

Christ Came to Save Sinners

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”- Luke 19:10 NLT

            This is the story of a hated tax collector named Zacchaeus. Tax collectors in Israel were hated because they were considered swindlers and cheats, getting rich off the backs of the taxpayers. He had most assuredly heard of Jesus and now he was coming to his hometown of Jericho. Jesus called Zacchaeus out by name and said, “I must be a guest in your home today.” The people were displeased. Of all the people he could have chosen to eat with he chose a sinful tax collector.

            This account reveals two important things. The people of that area judged others but comparing themselves to another. They saw Zacchaeus and presumed they were better than a tax collector both ethically and morally, but they were wrong. No man is good except one. Jesus says in the gospels that not even HE is good, but only the Father who is in heaven. 

            This is just another example of how we are to see others the way our Father in heaven sees them, with kindness, love, and mercy. As the saying goes, “But for the grace of God go I.” * Believers in Christ are a most fortunate people. They ought not look down on anyone, especially those economically worse off then they are. Be Jesus to these folks as the Holy Spirit leads you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* This quote was attributed to:  John Bradford

John Bradford was an English Reformer, and martyr. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London for alleged crimes against Mary Tudor. He was burned at the stake on 1 July 1555.

Born: 1510, Blackley, Manchester

Died: July 1, 1555 (age 44-45), Smithfield, London

Education: Catharine Hall, University of Cambridge and Pembroke College, Cambridge.

It’s Not a Contest ...

So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”

Romans 14:11 NLT

                  Christianity isn’t a contest to see who can save the most unregenerate souls, like notches on our belt. We don’t do the saving in the first place. Our approach is lacking on many fronts due in large part to our general lack of understanding of what God’s will for each of us is. It should be obvious to us that being uplifting and encouraging to the general populace is paramount, but LIVING our faith is more important, in my opinion, then talking about it. We all know talk is cheap unless it’s followed up by action. We’d be much better off leading with action. There’s no room for selfish, condescending behavior. 

            There are enough people in the world today who have no time for Christians. Some of us are responsible for this rejection due to our bullyboy approach regarding the way we share the gospel. Scripture here in Romans is very clear; we will ALL stand before the judgment seat of God. Believers in Christ will be there for what we’ve done with Christ. It is not to determine our eternal destination. Those who stand before God without Christ as their advocate will answer for their sins all on their own. Those who stand condemned due to their rejection of Christ will find that they will be compelled to bend their knee and declare that which they had never believed. Christ’s Lordship will be evident and impossible to deny.

            Many are convinced that, because of cataclysmic world events, we are in the last days, but the fact of the matter is that ‘the last days’ began right after Christ’s ascension told in Acts. From that viewpoint we can see that man has been waiting for Christ’s Return for a very, very long time. Too many of us are heavily reliant on social media and the Internet for our news with the notion that if it’s on the Internet it must be true. That is a fallacy. Reports of microchip installation under ones skin that is being done (I believe) in Sweden has some calling it the ‘Mark of the Beast’ as prophesied in the Book of Revelation. They do not realize that the Beast must first be introduced into the timeline of history before there can be a Mark of the Beast. Don’t believe everything you read. Test your sources. Believe scripture. Don’t waste your time on frivolous endeavors. You can count on the fact that one day time WILL be no more and there WILL be a new heaven and a new earth. Hold fast to that which is true and let the rest go. If you do that you will have nothing to be concerned about when you stand before Almighty God. 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

Standing in the Gap

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.” – Ezekiel 22:30

            I’ve used the phrase “standing in the gap” with regard to praying for others. I mistakenly thought it only referred to praying for the unsaved among us, who have a gap between themselves and God, but what it really refers to is whenever we pray for ANYONE. Standing in the gap for someone is intercessory prayer. “The word ‘intercede’ comes from the Latin ‘inter’ meaning ‘between’ and ‘ced’ meaning ‘go’. So it literally means ‘go between’.”[1]

            Intercessory prayer acts like the mortar that fills the gaps in a stonewall. It goes in between the stones solidifying the structure as a whole. If you want to weaken the wall the best place to start is by striking the wall at its weakest point, the mortar. Remove the mortar and the wall collapses. The enemy knows our weakest point and will hammer away at it until we either stand strong and ward off the enemies attack or crumble, thus becoming ineffective for God by sinning.

            “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)  I ask you a question, how can we love one another if we don’t pray for them? This is part of community, loving one another and praying one for another. And part of that is ‘standing in the gap’ for our brethren, better still, for all who stand in need of prayer. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

[1]  http://myredeemerlives.com/intercession.html

1st Chronicles 29:10-12

Making Time for God

“David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, ‘Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head overall. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.’”

1 Chronicles 29:10-12

          The Lord God is over all things. Here is David claiming just that. David knew his God and God knew David. He was considered the apple of God’s eye (Psalm 17:7-9) and a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). David was flawed just like you and I, yet those things could still be said of him. God is over all for He has made all things. The beauty that surrounds us is witness to His creativity. We too are beautiful. We were made in His image and are unique in that not one of us is the same. Even identical twins have differences. Everything that we have is because of God. Anything that has a true value is from Him. If we are a true believer, then our soul is His and our spirit can be attuned to Him.

          It's a shame that we become too busy to fine tune our spiritual relationship with our Heavenly Father, yet He patiently waits for us to get our collective acts together. We should recognize and not ignore who our freedom comes from and who our savior truly is. It would take a monumental effort to secure a meeting with the President of the United States, but we can meet with the Creator of the entire universe any time of the day or night. It’s really up to us how close we choose to get to Him. God is waiting for us to make time for Him. What would our lives be like if He hadn’t made time for us? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Do Not Be Anxious ...

“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

          I have a question: has being worried or anxious ever solved any problem you were having? I can answer that one from my own personal experiences … NO! and not just NO, but a resounding NO!! We humans have this propensity to become anxious over things we can’t do anything to change. The enemy jumps in our face and says to our subconscious, “Now you’ve really got problems. Do you really think God will get you out of all this?” We must remember, Satan is a liar and the father of all lies (John 8:44). He challenges our belief system by throwing flaming darts at areas that are our weakest. Our faith begins to fade far too quickly leading us to spend too much time fretting over things as if God’s word was a lie.

          God’s word is as clear as a newly cleaned windowpane. The word ‘but’ in verse 6 should actually read like this, “Instead of being anxious about anything, pray to the Father about everything … and be thankful in the process.” For people who constantly feel that we need to be doing something to create a change in their situation, here is your solution … PRAY. Pray from a clean heart. Pray from a clear conscience. Pray regardless of your mindset at the time. Pray. Pray specifically by asking that God’s perfect will for your life to be done. Give thanks for the opportunity to learn something new and become stronger in your faith. Don’t pray for the situation to disappear, because there is a purpose for everything that takes place in our lives and you were meant to go thru whatever is taking place in your life right now and you may never know why.  Notice that in verses 6 & 7, God doesn’t say He will alleviate the problem or alter the situation. What does He say? That His peace will cover you with the purpose of guarding your hearts and minds. 
          Praying to God with thanksgiving in your heart needs to become as commonplace an action in the face of unpleasant circumstances as breathing in and out. One action sustains life the other sustains your spirit life. Don’t forget all you know and believe about God just because things have taken a turn for the worse. Always remember this: regardless of the circumstances, God is mindful of them and one word from Him can change everything in an instant. Focus on Christ instead of the winds and waves that surround you. It is how we grow in the spirit. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Blood of Christ

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” 

Matthew 26:28 NIV
          Blood is an amazing thing, isn’t it? It’s our blood that powers our bodies, as it flows through our veins and arteries into the furthest reaches of our extremities to provide life. God made it so that blood was required to cover one’s sins in the OT. In the NT, the blood of Christ no longer covered one’s sins, but rather removed them, as if they were never committed.  
          We take it for granted, I think, until we have problems with it. Certain diseases are blood related; blood carries those diseases to others if not quarantined. It CAN be a destructive force if not respected and taken care of. We do things to our bodies, put things IN our bodies that can affect our blood and shorten our life. While it’s true we can do as we please in this life, as Paul says to the Corinthians basically, ‘do as you please, but understand that not everything is good for you.’

          Forgiveness is a marvelous institution. To forgive is to practice unconditional love. It’s like saying to someone, “regardless of what you‘ve done, are doing or will do, I will love you … without conditions.” It is a wonderful thing. At times we can take forgiveness for granted. This creates cheap grace, but grace isn’t cheap, nor was it free. It came with a price. Christ willingly shed His own blood to provide forgiveness. Don’t let it become a cheap thing. Innocent blood was spilled on Calvary’s cross for you and me. Let us never forget that. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

THE GOLDEN RULE

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”

Luke 6:31 (NASB)

 

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 

As long as I can remember I have tried to live Luke 6:31 in my own life. I am here to tell you that most of the time it ended up with me treating folks with kindness only to get crapped on or taken advantage of. Does that mean I should stop treating people with kindness? No. Does it get frustrating? Yup. Do I want to continue setting myself up in that manner, not likely. But I do or at least I try my best to. I just say, “it’s the way I’m wired”. 

Actually, the truth of the matter is that we are wired to be anything BUT kind to other people. Our sin nature, aka, our old man, which is what we are born with, desires to be selfish … to do that which benefits us and us alone, even to the exclusion of those we love the most. When we came to Christ, He did a “re-wiring” job on us. As long as the current running through us is heaven sent, our desire will be to please God and not ourselves. 

Make no mistake about it; the enemy will do his best to throw a monkey wrench into any and all of your best efforts. This is when relying on God and His word for guidance comes into play. The closer you come to God, the heavier the attacks will be from your enemy. Focus on the source of your staying power and re-focus if necessary.

As a basic rule, you should never give anything expecting something in return. That is not the true spirit of giving. We are to give without conditions or expectations. It goes for material things, such as gifts and it goes for giving others kindness and compassion. Reflecting on what Christ forgave you for is always a great place to start. He willingly gave everything, requiring nothing in return. This is to be our example. No one said it was going to be easy. It’s called selfless living and that is incredibly difficult to pull off. Impossible without divine assistance. The one thing I CAN promise you though, is that if you follow these two scriptures in the way you live, most of the time, you will be the one getting blessed regardless of whether the recipient gets blessed or not.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Living By Faith

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Habakkuk 3:17-18

          Habakkuk is praying to Jehovah God in the third chapter as he sees Him trample his enemies underfoot. Habakkuk is awestruck by the power displayed and the vengeance brought against his enemies. In the end of the prayer Habakkuk is resolute as he states that no matter what may happen to him, he will rejoice in the Lord. Habakkuk sees the ferocious way that God repays evil done against His children and recognizes that only God can deliver him from his calamity. He humbly acknowledges that God is the one who is over all and shall provide for and sustain him.

          If we were in the same situation, how would we act? No food, no job, no money to pay bills … what’s going on? God was mindful of Habakkuk and He is mindful of us as well. We are not in danger of anything other than the discomfort of having our routine disrupted. Habakkuk, being a prophet, was targeted and in danger of death from enemies that rose up against the people of God continually throughout the Old Testament. In all three chapters of Habakkuk, the overriding theme is that the just shall live by faith. It is faith that leads to trust and as believers we need to know we can trust God. It is a conscious decision we must make; do we trust God or not? If we do, then we should understand that nothing is impossible for God and His timing rarely syncs up to ours. The perfect job is coming your way; financial relief is coming as well. Your prayers shall be answered. Seek His will for your life and then praise God from whom all blessings flow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

If You Say It, Mean It

“Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.” - Deuteronomy 23:23

          In this day and age, we say a lot of things … often glibly, without thinking of the serious implications that come with the words said. When we do so, we cheapen the words immensely. Their meaning becomes cloudy and ineffectual. The off handed manner with which they are offered tends to belie what may be their true intention. Delivery is important, tone critical, and other’s feelings need to be considered. Words spoken have been replaced with words typed in emails or text messages. Intimacy has been replaced with online chats. No face to face contact. No intonation heard. Our society needs a serious overhaul, in my humble opinion.
          Let’s get a little specific for the moment. What about wedding vows? In a day and age when commitment is fleeting at its’ best and non-existent at its’ worst, we must stare down the barrel of temptation constantly. Are the words laid out in the “Love” chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 meaningless? When we say our wedding vows do they mean nothing to us when we say them? Is our “I do” covered with stipulations. In the back of our minds are we calculating deal breakers to the vows that we have made? 

          Look at this sample of traditional wedding vows: “I, (name), take you, (name), to be my [opt: lawfully wedded] (husband/wife), my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family, and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.”
          When we say our vows they have to MEAN something to us. They have to, or they are a sham, not worthy of even being said. And make no mistake about it, when you make a vow, you make it to God as well. You’re not going to hell if you, as a couple, split up, but it’s certainly not what God had in mind when He created man. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministry

VOW defined: 1. An earnest promise to perform a specified act or behave in a certain manner, especially a solemn promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order; 2. A declaration or assertion; 3. To promise solemnly; pledge.

Christ’s Blood Redeems Us

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”- Ephesians 1:7-8 (NIV)

Hell or Hades defined: “The Greek word hades of the New Testament has the same scope of signification as sheol of the Old Testament. It is a prison (1 Pet. 3:19), with gates and bars and locks (Matt. 16:18; Rev. 1:18), and it is downward (Matt. 11:23; Luke 10:15). In Greek Mythology, Hades is the god of the netherworld. We are taught that hell is a place of evil, misery, discord, or destruction; a place of eternal torment and anguish; a state of separation from God; an exclusion from God’s presence.” (1)
            With Ephesians 1:7-8 emblazoned upon the top of this entry, why define hell? Because we need to understand what we, as believers, were saved from. We also need to understand that this is where unregenerate souls go if they never receive the gift God has for everyone … His grace.
Grace defined: “the free and unmerited favor of God shown towards man; the divine assistance and power given to man in spiritual rebirth and sanctification; the condition of being favored or sanctified by God.” (2)
Lavish defined: “To give or bestow in abundance; shower.” (2)
            We need, as believers in Christ, to understand what was done for us. We need to understand that we did nothing to deserve such a monumental and gracious gift. We need to understand that we were bound for an everlasting and infinite stint in hell, separated from God, with no hope of parole. If you don’t believe in such things, are you willing to bet your eternal soul on it?
            Are we living our lives only for ourselves or are we living for God first. You see, God doesn’t want you to live for Him to the exclusion of your family … no. He wants you to be a better husband, father, and provider for them through Him. It is only through the Holy Spirit of God that we can be all we CAN be. It’s the only way we can grow spiritually and be a proper Godly leader in our families. And I am not forgetting about women ... wives/mothers are a key component in a family, so what I say applies to them as well, for god loves them just the same. No one gender is more important than the other in God’s economy. Remember, Christ Himself said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; without Me you can do nothing.” (3) The gospels also declare: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who try to build something not according to His call. [paraphrase]
            Don’t let God’s grace become a cheap thing to you, like a withered piece of fruit on the vine. Let Him be both Savior AND Lord of everything you have and everything you are. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
In His Name & for His Glory, 

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

(1) Bible Dictionary; www.biblegateway.com
(2) www.thefreedictionary.com
(3) John 15:5 (NIV)

Seek the Light

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way … “.

Colossians 1:9b-10a

            Paul, the once vile hater & slayer of Christians, was now a fierce prayer warrior on their behalf. The Damascus Road episode in his life changed everything. He now asks God to fill these same believers of Christ with “all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives”. Two things are shown to us here: 1) that God will give us those things that we are in need of to live a life worthy of Him; 2) His Holy Spirit is the conduit by which this is accomplished.
            What have we been rescued from? These verses tell of God, by His Holy Spirit, through the actions of His Son, Jesus, the Christ, rescuing or delivering us from “the dominion of darkness”. 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 lives in you. God has you covered with His righteousness. You are safe. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,  so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,  being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,  and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” – Colossians 1:9-14