Don’t be anxious

Philippians 4:6-7 “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.”

                  Wouldn’t it be great to never worry about anything ever again? Paul tells us in verse 6 that instead of worrying, we should pray with thanksgiving in our hearts. This is sound advice. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God; however, it’s important to learn to listen also. The only time we learn something new is when we are NOT talking. When we begin to become anxious about anything at all, we need to go to the Lord in prayer.

                  Why do we worry or become anxious? Not knowing how a given situation will turn out is one reason. Feeling out of control is another. I’ve experienced that second one myself thru the years. I tend to feel claustrophobic in a traffic jam or on a boat, train, or plane. The reason? I’m not in control of those situations. Whenever it would happen, I’d panic. This hasn’t happened in a while, but I know the feeling all too well. It’s just like when Peter panicked as he walked on water. The surrounding circumstances drew his attention away from the Lord. The key is what we are focusing on. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and suddenly became aware of the raging storm all around him. He lost his focus. It’s a matter of occupying your mind. 

                  God’s peace, which the world knows nothing of, will place a shield of protection around your heart and mind. It sounds other worldly and frankly, it is. It comes from God himself and is administered by his Holy Spirit. So instead of freaking out, throw your life temporarily into neutral and enjoy the presence of God thru his peace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Righteous & the Wicked

Psalm 1:6 “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”

                  God delights in the way of the righteous, for they live according to his statutes. The righteous man leads a happy life, though he will have to endure a certain level of pain and suffering during the course of that life. At those times God is still watching and allowing his Holy Spirit to guide us. The righteous man is only righteous in God’s eyes because he has surrendered his will to his Maker. This action is one of obedience and that obedience is seen as righteousness.

                  “Righteousness will be ours if we are careful to follow every one of these commands* before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us”. ^{(Deut. 6: 25 CSB)}

            God watches over and protects those who are his. Those who are NOT his he lets go their own way. Out of ignorance they shun or ignore the word of God in favor of doing those things that seem right to them. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” It’s pretty simple really … God knows, and we do not; hence our necessity to follow his directives. 

                  We see much evil being wrought on our nation by men and women in power who are hell bent on forcing their satanic will on the masses. According to scripture, their actions will lead to their demise. God will never allow injustice to go on forever. When the time is right that which is satanic shall fall and great will its fall be. Trust the Lord. He is fully aware of the current happenings in the world. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries
* This is Moses speaking to the people of Israel regarding following the Ten Commandments. 

A special Thanksgiving Day message.

 

         I am of a mind that for the Christian, EVERY DAY is Thanksgiving!!! Sure, we celebrate it nationally on the last Thursday of November every year, but for the believer in Christ, we are thankful & grateful every day because we were once lost, but now we are found. But to us believers it means more than just that. It’s family & friends. It’s a time of reflection. It’s a time to mend fences with others. Forgiveness can play a big part during this holiday, but as Christians forgiveness is magnified. Almighty God forgave us from all our sins forever. They will never be held against us again. For that I am eternally grateful. How about you? 

Enjoy your holiday today. Enjoy food & family and of course, football. Keep the joy of the season in your heart always, and may our Lord fill your homes with peace for today and hope for the future. For with Jesus, there is always hope. God bless you all. Enjoy your holiday!!  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

The Word of God

Psalm 119:33-37 “Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

 

           While this is considered by many to be one of David’s Psalms for structural and content reasons, his name doesn’t appear in the beginning as the author, so it is generally considered one of the “orphan psalms”. It is the longest chapter in the Bible at 176 verses and has long been read for its’ inspiration.

          The writer implores God to teach him His ways. Key words are littered through these four verses: teach me, give me understanding, direct me, turn my heart, and turn my eyes. The writer is asking God to act on his behalf for a specific reason; he wants to follow God’s decrees, keep His laws, and not turn toward selfish gain or worthless things. How badly do we all need to pray this for ourselves? I know I have stumbled badly throughout my walk with God and need to commit these verses to memory and then live them. Saying these words and following through are two completely different things. Our world is filled with distractions that draw us away from the things of God. We become so easily entangled with obligations and chores, leaving little time to seek God. It is in God that we find what we are truly looking for and need so badly: peace, contentment, comfort, love, forgiveness, mercy. These are found in no one else.

          Once we get into the word of God and allow it to speak to us, it will change our perspective on things. Sure, we must tend to things during the day, but we needn’t allow those things to dictate our lives. Within the Bible lies a wide variety of truth, inspiration, wisdom, encouragement, and guidance to last a lifetime. Let God into your daily life. Seek His face and pray for others. Watch God work as you rely a little more on Him each day.

 

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

          The word of God can speak to the human heart like nothing else can. It’s God’s instruction manual for life. Let it minister to you in the deepest part of your heart and soul. Allow your spirit to connect with the Spirit of God and feed on His wisdom. His word will give you strength and encouragement even in your darkest hour. God is with you wherever you go ^{(Joshua 1:9)}. He will not forsake or abandon you ^{(Deuteronomy 31:6)}. God can be relied upon, just like His word, to take you in life where you need to go for His glory.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Believing in the Unseen

Romans 1:17 “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

 

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Debt

Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

 

            A whole lot of people struggle with credit card debt, but at least that debt can be paid down slowly and eliminated. We carry a debt that we cannot pay and that is the debt owed to God for our sin. According to God we were/are dead in our sins. For those of us who accepted His gracious gift of forgiveness through salvation as afforded to us by the blood Christ shed on Calvary’s cross, we are no longer dead but rather alive. The ember that exists in everyone has been fanned into a flame by God’s Holy Spirit and we are now free from the shackles our sin held us in. The debt has been removed, paid in its’ entirety. A big PAID IN FULL has been stamped on our account.

 

Psalm 103:12 “… as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

            The sins that we have committed, when forgiven, are never remembered against us again. In Micah, the prophet speaks of God having compassion on the Israelites, hurling their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). It has been lyrically referred to as the “sea of forgetfulness” *. Now God doesn’t forget our sins, for that would constitute a flaw in Him, but rather chooses not to remember them against us. He doesn’t hold our sins that have been covered in Christ’s blood against us ever again. We have been justified, which simply put means, “just as if I’d never sinned”. What joyous news! However, we mustn’t allow His grace to become a cheap thing to us by living as we please after our debt has been removed. We should feel compelled to praise Him and live according to His precepts, for no one else can pay our debt.

            Treating the debt as if it doesn’t exist, thus negating the payment necessary in our own minds creates a façade that everything is well with us when nothing could be further from the truth. Just as the creditors will come knocking on your door for that credit card debt that goes unpaid, so God will require payment someday. Don’t miss the chance of a lifetime to live for Him who paid the debt you could never in a million years pay yourself. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* Phrase taken from the song “Sea of Forgetfulness” by Seven Day Jesus.

The Exalted Christ

Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Jesus, who is God, came to earth to play out the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind. When He died on the cross He went to sheol* or hades, and back, thus defeating both death & Satan. Therefore, He came from the Father’s right hand, went below, and rose up to heaven again giving Jesus / God clear dominion of all regions. All who exist in heaven, on earth and in hell shall one day kneel and declare Him Lord. God’s plans are never thwarted. Don’t forget, He is all-powerful, all-knowing and in all places at one time by His Spirit. There is no one else in existence who can say that. And there is no one in creation who can challenge Him. There are those who fancy themselves as gods or at least it seems that way by their words and actions, but even they will be compelled to bow before Christ on that appointed day.

            This should be an encouragement to all believers. That shall be the final victory proving once and for all that no one in all creation can resist bowing down to the Lord Jesus Christ. God shall receive all glory as is due Him. No one shall steal His thunder on that day. We, as believers, must live lives worthy of the grace He has freely given to us. The mercy He has shown in the face of our unbridled impudence is truly remarkable. The restraint God shows in light of the fact that He could obliterate us with one finger is evidence of His great and unwavering love for His children. Kneeling before Christ one day will be a privilege and an honor, for we do so in our hearts now; then we can do it in His presence. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* The abode of the dead ... not hell which would be considered the final punishment for the unsaved and is known as the “Lake of Fire”. Unquenchable fire for all eternity. 

Honoring God

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

 

            These verses are part of Moses’ second of three sermons or speeches given to the Israelites just prior to their entering into the Promised Land of Canaan. What can we take from these verses for ourselves today? If a person is of a mind to believe that God exists and that His written Word, the Bible, is true, then it isn’t that big of a stretch to see that abilities we have are God-given. Yet some of us end up choosing to believe at some point that we have accomplished things by the might of our own hands and the use of our own intellect. We must remember two very important things in this life that God has given us: 1) we are not greater than the One Who made us; 2) any wealth we acquire is on loan to us and not really ours at all.

            We are to remember the Lord in our daily comings and goings. We are to honor Him with our lives. We are to seek His counsel regarding matters that concern us or those we love. We are to always remember than what we produce in this life is to help sustain us yet is to also be dispersed liberally to those in need around us, for God is JEHOVAH-jireh, our provider - we shall not lack anything we need. 

There is no sin in acquiring wealth, it is in the hording of it that sin resides. Our ability to learn and function with the information we have acquired has been given to us by God. Don’t be fooled into thinking that we are self-made men, thus cutting God out of the equation altogether. Stand in awe of His greatness and give Him praise for all He has done. While we think we know so very much, in reality we know nothing compared to the vast and unending knowledge of our Creator. Acknowledge His greatness, for those who embrace their own perceived greatness shall find that it very well may be their own demise. It doesn’t have to be that way, for inherent in our praise of Him lies our reverence for Him. Live a life worthy of His honor. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

* pronounced  jah-hoe’-vah  j-eye-rah

Psalm 136:26* ^{[Contemporary English Version (CEV)]}

God’s Love …

“Praise God in heaven! God’s love never fails.”

 

We have nothing this side of heaven to compare with His indescribable, unconditional, eternal love. Our finite minds are incapable of comprehending all that God is or what He can do. Could there possibly be anything He is not able to do for us? If there was, He couldn’t be who He says He is; an all-powerful, all-knowing God who is everywhere at all times. For a people who struggle with things they cannot see, touch or taste for themselves, it is nearly impossible to fathom. If you truly believe in God, then you must believe His word is true and accept it for what it says. You can certainly have questions, but in the end, after your questions and doubts have been quenched, you will find it is all true.  Maybe your questions and doubts have NOT been quenched. What do you think faith is? Undeniable proof is not coming. That would negate the need for true faith. You either accept what is being written here or you don’t. That is your prerogative 

There is no situation He cannot pull you out of, no problem He cannot help you solve, no where you can go that He is not already there. He isn’t a genie in a bottle who grants your every desire, he is Almighty God, the creator of the universe, who loves His creation and is there to oversee all that transpires.

            We tend as a people to focus on all the things we perceive God has not done. We grow impatient when things do not go as we think they should. We tend to be a selfish, self-absorbed people who have a bad tendency to only think of ourselves, yet God loves us. He understands us. He knows us through and through. There is nothing we can say or do to cause Him to change His mind about us. We are His children, and just like a parent will always love his or her own child no matter what, God shall always love us … unconditionally. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* The 2^nd portion of each of the 26 verses in Psalm 136 end with “God’s love never fails”. It says that because God’s l

GOD'S WORD

Matthew 24:35 

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

         If we believe the Bible is God’s word for us as Christians, then this verse tells us something very important: that His word shall never leave us. It will always be the true standard to live by and will never diminish in power and effectiveness to speak to us and provide guidance and instruction. This is incredible news in a world where change is the norm in the name of progress. The consistency and stability of God’s word provides hope to us. Just as God shall never change in any way, shape or form, so His word shall not either. 

            We can be assured that heaven and earth shall one day not exist; however, God always was, is and shall be. He is the great I AM THAT I AM. It takes faith and trust to believe anything, let alone in an unseen spirit Deity who proclaims His love for us mainly in written form. But as we open up to God, He reveals untold mysteries and points us in the direction we are to go in this life. We can feel His love for us in every chapter of scripture. The death that His own Son endured willingly as a part of God’s salvation plan shouts out His mercy, grace and forgiveness. His words are true and neither God, nor His word shall ever pass away.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Good Work of God

Philippians 1:6 “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

            As believers in Christ, we can be confident in our future. God isn’t going anywhere. That which has begun within us shall continue on until the 2nd Coming of Christ. This should be encouraging to us. God isn’t going to give up on us. No matter what silly mistakes we make or how many times we ignore His instruction. His patience is shown throughout scripture. Patience is a characteristic born out of love. If you truly love someone, you will give them a lot of latitude when it comes to their conduct. God is no different. His good work in us is representative of the sanctification process that began once we accepted Christ into our hearts. Notice I said process. 

 

            sanc•ti•fi•ca•tion - 1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use. 

 

            Sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive. Instantaneous because at the moment we are forgiven we are seen by God through the blood of Christ making us, in His eyes, totally sanctified. Progressive, because in reality the process of being made holy and set apart takes our whole lives. God has a purpose and plan to use each one of us in some form or fashion. Just as the High Priest sanctifies that which is used to make an offering suitable to present to God, so God sanctifies us that we might be used for His glory. So based on this verse in Philippians, we could say that we are a work in progress. Until Jesus appears in the clouds to take us home with Him, we are to be seeking instruction and serving our Heavenly Father; but we buck at that. We don’t want to miss out on anything perceived to be fun. Christians are not to be sitting in a darkened room with a lone candle burning studying scripture all day long. We are to get out and mingle with the masses. Rub elbows with those the world has cast aside. We are being set apart for God’s use. We have a serious responsibility, yet it is a small price to pay for the forgiveness purchased for us. It’s a price we can ill afford. We owe our lives to the payer of our debt, Jesus Christ, who will continue to sharpen us as we allow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

SYMBOLISM IN SCRIPTURE

Matthew 3:16-17_{(GOD’S WORD Translation)} “After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him. Then a voice from heaven said, “‘This is my Son, whom I love—my Son with whom I am pleased.’”

            Here we see our Heavenly Father proclaiming that Jesus is His Son. The dove coming down from the heavens to Him is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. In our day, the dove is used most in non-Christian circles as a symbol of peace, often with an olive branch in its mouth. While Jesus is the embodiment of peace, it is the Holy Spirit that is paramount in this case and not the ever elusive ‘peace’. The Holy Spirit is given to us as a guide and advocate. He is always readily available to us and resides within us if we have received salvation. The gift of the Spirit is secondary to salvation of course, but He is most necessary in our walk with Christ. Going it alone in this life is like going out of your house without clothing. It’s like going into battle without a weapon. We certainly wouldn’t do either of those things, so why do we go about our business without a second thought given to our greatest helper?

            There is a second lesson in these two verses for us and that is the issue of baptism. It is a public proclamation of the change that has taken place in our life. We are to follow Jesus’ example in baptism, which is symbolic of the old nature dying and the new nature rising up from a watering grave to live on. It’s done in the name of the Triune God; the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Obedience is sought by our God. It’s the least we can do in response to what has been done for us. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Terrible Day of the Lord

2 Peter 3:10 ^NLT “But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”

            Scripture tells us that no one knows the hour or the day when the Lord shall return. ^{[Matthew 24:36]} Only the Father knows. Believers in Christ should be anticipating his return as if it were going to be today. Non-believers, who live their lives outside of God’s family, are too busy with other things they deem essential to their lives. That is precisely why they will have no idea what is coming and thus will not be prepared.

                  Knowing that the earth will be burned up, why wouldn’t we place our confidence in that which is lasting and eternal? Being bound to the earth, with its valueless treasures and frivolous pursuits is a sure death sentence. God knows all this which is why his patience with mankind is long suffering. He knows the stubborn ways of man. He knows their rebellious nature. But he loves them just the same and gives them every opportunity to receive forgiveness for their sins.

                  I have said on multiple occasions that we must assess our walk, not compared to anyone else on this earth but, to God himself. Just because perfection is unattainable doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be our goal in this life. Ask yourself this important question: Do I spend more of my time piling up possessions or striving to develop a Christlike character? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

ATTAINING PEACE

Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” 

            Peace seems unattainable at times. We struggle through life seeking it, yet it appears to be so far from us. We worry about that which we have no control. We envy those who have what we desire. We desire temporal things that will be discarded shortly after. It is only when we come to the realization that God has a plan for us that peace reveals itself. 

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.” 

            We have nothing to fear and nothing to envy. God knows what we need. We will be at peace in our minds and bodies if we surrender and submit to the plans He has for us. We may not have any idea what they are, but we can rely on His truth and His past performance throughout scripture to show us the way to peace. 
            In peace we find rest. Rest is necessary for our bodies to recuperate from the strain of life. We can put our minds at rest by accepting that God has everything under control. Things may not be going the way we think they should or the way we would like them to, but they will turn out the way God knows they need to. Our entire belief system is built on a cornerstone of faith and trust in God. Faith and trust give birth to hope, which in turn gives birth to peace. Peace gives life to our bodies and rest to our souls. Peace is within our grasp. It comes from understanding that we cannot solve things ourselves, but we know who can. Rely on God to provide you with peace today. Until next time, walk with the King today and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

SEEKING THE THINGS OF GOD

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” - Psalm 25:4-5 

            King David is seeking the instruction and guidance of the Lord. His relationship with His God is strong, despite his failings. We all have failings; none of us is perfect. Once we realize and accept that we can begin to let God do His work in us. Just like David, we need to ask and ask often for God to reveal His truths to us. It comes from the reading of His word and praying.  It comes from cultivating a spiritual awareness of the Holy Spirit’s leading. We can do it, but it doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time. Frankly, it takes your whole life. 

            Acknowledging God as his Savior, David shows the reader that he knows where his salvation comes from. There is nowhere else in scripture that would say or even indicate that David found salvation in anything or anyone else. God is the saving factor. Christ’s death purchased our souls, redeeming us from hell. God desires to be our all in all. 

            David shows in these two verses that his reliance is on God and not himself. He derives hope from the truth God lays out before him. We too can find hope in His guidance and instruction. We allow ourselves to become so easily entangled in that which would bind us, rather than shrug ourselves loose and stand tall in the truth of God. Life as a Christian is rewarding and filled with joy, yet our enemy tells us otherwise. It is in truly getting to know God intimately that we experience all the blessings His has for us. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

 

HOW OFTEN DO WE FORGIVE?

Matthew 18:21-22 “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”    

            Symbolism plays a big role in the Bible. Here we see Peter asking a simple question regarding forgiveness. Jesus’ answer is direct, yet seems preposterous at the same time; 490 times. I would hate to think of how many times God has forgiven me. Surely it must surpass 500 times; yet He still forgives and loves. I’m sure Peter thought 7 times was a lot, but Jesus blew the disciples doors off with His answer. It is hard to imagine that an individual would commit the same exact sin 490 times, so while there may be some repeat offenses, I think we can assume that forgiveness is being given for various sins. The offender must ask for forgiveness, yet even if they do not, we should treat them with kindness anyway. That isn’t something that's easy to do, especially when malicious intent is involved. It may help to remember how often Christ forgave us in the light and magnitude of our own sin.

            Believers can take solace in the above scripture because it means that there is no end to the forgiveness of God. You see, while Peter’s number represents a point to which forgiveness would be withheld, Christ’s number represents no end to forgiveness. That doesn’t give us a license to act out and do as we please. God is forgiving us in an effort to reform us so that we improve our behavior as we attempt to be His ambassador on this earth. Forgiveness comes with a price; consequences are tied to our actions. Forgiveness allows us to see the error of our ways and reform. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

NO PLACE TO HIDE

Jeremiah 23:24 “Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”

            Folks do things that are wrong all the time. They think they are so cunning, as if they had gotten away with something. All the while they are acting out in full view of God, whether they believe that or not. The fact is that sinful man can run from God as long as they want, but they will only die tired. 

Christians can take comfort in the fact that there is no place that God does not see us; non-Christians cannot. There is no place on this planet that is hidden from Him. Like a home builder who knows every nook and cranny of a house they built, 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 or 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. 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. 

 

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 always has our best interests at heart. 

Seek His will for your life and not your own. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Wisdom thinks before it acts

“Wise people think before they act, fools don’t - and even brag about their foolishness.”- Proverbs 13:16 ^NLT

 

Proverbs 3:7 says, “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Many people have acquired knowledge over the years and have believed of themselves that they have become wise. But a wise person need not label themselves wise. If a person is truly wise, they will intrinsically know that about themselves. However, a truly wise person is humble, not boasting about their accumulated knowledge and/or wisdom, for they know it is inappropriate behavior. Also, a truly wise person will know it is a gift from God to be used to advise and bless others. 

Solomon was considered the wisest man of all time. He didn’t acquire his wisdom from book learning, but rather thru prayer. In meeting with the Lord one evening, it came about that God told Solomon he could ask for anything and it would be given to him. He could have asked for great wealth, a long life, or the death of all his enemies, but instead he asked for the following: “…give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” God was so impressed with his selfless request that he gave him not only what he asked for, but also what he didn’t ask for.  Solomon was exhibiting wisdom.

Remember this: Without God there is no one who is good or wise or righteous or holy. Only God is all those things. If you seek to live within God’s will for your life you will attain all that he has set aside for you in this life and the life after. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Heaven or Hell - It’s Your Choice

“And He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what could a person give in exchange for his soul?”- Mark 8:34-37 ^NASB

                  Did you know this world was not your home? If you are a child of God it isn’t, that is. Those who turn their back on Christ and his offer of forgiveness will end up regretting their decision forever in hell. Once the final trump sounds and time as we know it is no more, the fate of all creation shall be sealed. 

                  Man seeks pleasure as a means of counteracting the drudgery of work, which unfortunately, lasts most of our lives. Those who like what they do for a living would no doubt rather be doing something else. Even those who are flushed with money at one point, or another find their lives to be hollow and empty. There are those who actually do carve out a pleasurable existence, but when they are alone with their own thoughts the emptiness calls out to them. There’s a place within us that only God can fill and until he is allowed to enter in the emptiness will only be compounded over time.  

                  To answer Jesus’ question in verse 37, there is NOTHING that man can give in exchange for his soul. We are made up of body, soul, and spirit. When God breathes life into your body you then become a living, breathing soul. Your soul is what gives you your life-force. It has nothing to do with the spirit or whether you are a Christian or not, but it has everything to do with heaven and hell. Your soul is what goes to either place once your life-force passes on. You cannot give away your soul without losing your life. Why would anyone willfully and purposefully forfeit their own life? We don’t need to because Christ forfeited his life in our place. That sacrifice is tantamount to forgiveness for all our sins. A payment will come due on the final day. To be saved is like having a “get out of jail free” card in a game of Monopoly, only the stakes are much higher. Dedicate your life to God now if you haven’t already. If you are already redeemed and walking with the Lord daily, assess your walk to see if you are lacking in any way. Seeking pleasure to the exclusion of all else is not worth spending eternity separated from God forever with no hope of reprieve. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Is God too kind ...

... and loving to cast someone out of his presence?

“…the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”- 2 Peter 3:7-13 

 

                  God’s loving kindness is directed to those who are His chosen and those who have been grafted into his family (both Jews & gentiles). This is not so with those outside the family. God is clear, “The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.” ^{[Proverbs 11:21]} It is stated clearly up above … God wants no one to perish; however, those who ignore the warnings of his return and continue to live a life unto themselves and not to please God, will have to pay the price for their own sins. It doesn’t have to be that way, but man’s incredible ignorance and failure to investigate that which they may not understand will be their undoing. You see, God sends no one to hell; they go all on their own. 

Scripture is clear, a payment must be made for our own sin. Colossians 2:13-14 … “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” Christ paid the required price. You are in debt no more. God’s kindness is illustrated by his willingness to wait until the last possible minute so that all who would receive the gift of salvation are able to. Psalm 5:4-6 says … “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil can dwell with You. The boastful will not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do injustice. You destroy those who speak lies; The Lord loathes the person of bloodshed and deceit.”

                  Make sure your life is right with God. He’s not the “man upstairs”, he is a holy, righteous God who created you knowing you would turn away from him. Christ is the bridge back to God. Don’t burn that bridge. Run over it to freedom for all eternity. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing. 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

How to Avoid Guilt

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” - Psalm 19:12-13 ^{New Living Translation}

            Knowing that believers can be constantly bombarded with temptation that leads to sin, we must know how to combat these potential sins. Some folks think they may have sinned out of ignorance, not knowing something said or done was sinful. Let me make one thing clear, you don’t need to walk thru life with guilt weighing you down. It’s a good thing that you are astute enough spiritually to recognize sin or at least question what is being said or done by you or someone else. You must have a heart after God to truly succeed in this life. Godly success looks nothing like worldly success. Worldly success showers accolades on mortal man for their wonderful achievement(s). Godly success breeds an attitude of humbleness in the face of what God is doing thru you.

David’s plea to God here is one that we should all embrace. You will stand before God untarnished by this world if you emulate Christ and seek to please God. * Those who regularly give in to the sins that lurk within them may need to fall on the mercy of God in the end, for repeated sin either shows spiritual weakness or a fraudulent redemption event. While guilt can be a means to salvation, for the believer it is a cross they need not bear. Ask God, as King David did, to cleanse you of all that is displeasing to him … both hidden and deliberate sins, that they do not grab a hold of and control your will and your heart. You are a child of God. Guilt need not eat you up. Be transparent with our Lord because he is aware of all things anyway. Do not be involved in the vain effort to conceal your sinful behavior, for God sees all and knows all. Come clean and ask for a deep cleaning of your soul and spirit. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

*  Clarification:  I am not saying emulating Christ and seeking to please God is necessary to be forgiven. Once saved we should be doing those things as a natural outcropping of our salvation. However, even after being redeemed some may tend to dabble in sin or experience a moment of spiritual weakness. These actions do not revoke your salvation and certainly don’t send you to hell unless you never repent and turn away from them. Even then the ultimate decision lies with God, who is the sole judge and jury in the end. His mercy and compassion is well documented in scripture. rlk

The Significance of the Narrow Gate

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Visible Image of God

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

LOVING GOD'S WAY

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries