How to Know ...

            Would you like to know a good way to find out if something you’re about to do is right or wrong? I found a pretty simple way for Christians to know the right or wrong of something. You can simply ask yourself two questions: 1) “What would Jesus do in that situation?”; and 2) “Does this act point me to Jesus and help me glorify God in my life?” 

            If you sincerely want to know the answer to the right or wrong of a situation, then those are two simple questions that should clear things up for you. Insincere motivation will more than likely give you an answer you don’t want to hear. When that happens chances are you will do that thing anyway and dig up some weak justification for doing it. It is never right to do that which is morally or ethically wrong according to God’s Word. Romans 12:2 ^{English Standard Version} tells us “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

            As you can see by the bold text, there is a way to know God’s will for any situation you are faced with. God knows what is best for each one of His children. We think we know but don’t know at all, unless we seek the face of God and the wisdom He freely gives to those who ask. So we CAN know what we should be doing in every situation we find ourselves, if we draw close to our Lord and stay in constant touch with Him. God WANTS to hear from us. Not because He’s checking up on us, but rather because He loves us too much to watch us stumble around and fail. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Lashes

            Have you ever wondered how many lashes Jesus endured at the hands of the Roman guard prior to His crucifixion? I thought of this the other day and thought it would be interesting to look into. Below is what I found out.

The Bible doesn't explicitly state the exact number of lashes Jesus received, but it does mention he was scourged (flogged or whipped) by the Romans. According to eBible.com, a Roman scourging was an excruciating punishment where the victim was stripped, tied to a post, and beaten with a whip called a flagellum or flagrum. Each flagrum had up to 9 thongs that had lead and bone pieces embedded in them designed to cause deep bruising and tear the flesh. The severity of the punishment was such that victims often died from it, even before crucifixion.  

Some sources, like Feed the Hunger and WordPress.com, mention 39 lashes, referencing a Jewish practice of limiting floggings to 39 lashes to avoid exceeding the Biblical limit of 40 lashes. This practice, described as "40 lashes less one," is also mentioned by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:24 when describing his own experiences of being beaten.  

However, it is important to note that Jesus was scourged by the Romans, who were not bound by the same Jewish laws or traditions. According to Quora, there was a 40 lash maximum in Jewish law, and they always stopped at 39 in case they miscounted. But the Romans had no rules and were very unlikely to follow a rule that prevented them from imposing maximum pain on somebody. Some sources suggest that the number of lashes Jesus received could have been significantly higher, as Roman floggings could be extremely brutal and often led to death. 

Ultimately, while the exact number of lashes is not definitively stated in the Bible, it is understood that Jesus endured a severe Roman scourging that involved a considerable amount of physical suffering. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.gotquestions.org

What is worship?

 

Would you be surprised to know that it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with music or singing? It can, but the main thrust of worship is revealed below ...

In ancient Greek culture, proskuneo referred to showing devotion and reverence to God in worship. We bow, kneel, draw near, or even kiss the hand and foot of the one you highly love and honor. The word "worship" originates from the Old English word "weorthscipe," which means "worthiness" or "worth-ship."  This etymology* indicates that worship, at its core, is about attributing value or worth to something, particularly a deity or divine figure. 

 

Worthy or Worth - The root meaning focuses on the concept of something being valuable, deserving of respect, or possessing inherent worth. The word "worship" evolved to signify the act of showing or demonstrating this worth through various actions and rituals. 

            In the Bible, words like shachah (Hebrew) and proskuneo (Greek) are often translated as "worship," but they carry the idea of bowing down, prostrating oneself, or showing deep reverence, reflecting the act of attributing worth to God.

            So this is how you worship God in all situations. You keep Him at the forefront of your life and your life decisions. You think of Him with respect and reverence. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time

OXYGEN

 

“Your blood oxygen level (blood oxygen saturation) is the amount of oxygen you have circulating in your blood. It is essential to life; our bodies need a certain amount of oxygen to function properly. Oxygen enters your body through your nose or mouth when you breathe (inhale) and passes through your lungs into your bloodstream. Once in your bloodstream, the oxygen then goes to cells all over your body. All of your cells need oxygen to create energy efficiently, and your body needs energy to fulfill all of its processes, such as digestion and even thinking.

Once your cells use oxygen, they create carbon dioxide. Your bloodstream then carries the carbon dioxide back to your lungs, and you breathe it out (exhale it) through your mouth or nose.” ^[1]

 

            Psalm 139:14 ^{[New Living Translation]} “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” Our bodies are pretty impressive. To think that our bodies just happened on their own is foolish thinking. Because of all the intricacies built into our bodies, it would seem logical that we were constructed by someone greater than we are.

                  We are given a free will to think and believe whatever we’d like. It’s too easy to blow off things we don’t understand for many things require research. Many folks are simply too lazy to take on that challenge. They don’t see looking into it as important or necessary. However, isn’t it better to acquire as much knowledge as possible on a given subject than just forget about it. 

Without oxygen we cannot live. Christians believe God provides everything we need to live, which means He provides us with oxygen. As it says above, “oxygen is ESSENTIAL” to living on earth. Without it you would suffocate and die. 

                  People are willing to believe many things without proof because it just sounds right to them. But believing that a god who is above all created us and watches over us is too out there; too unbelievable to comprehend.

                  In my estimation it requires more faith to believe in the THEORY of evolution than to believe in the existence of God. There is no proof that man came from amoebas or anything of the like.  Just a bunch of unproven theories and speculations. Believing in God is a faith thing. You cannot prove God exists. A person’s belief is based on the writings found in the Bible, a chronicled account of the creation of living beings, their history, their sins, and God’s plan to save His creation from themselves. That is a basic understanding of what the bible has in it. There’s definitely a lot more to it, but that’s essentially it in a nutshell.

                  Too many people in this world find it is much easier to ridicule or attack people of faith than to try to understand their beliefs. It’s a shame really, but we live in a war zone every day of our lives. The enemy of our souls ramps up his attacks regularly. We must wear the spiritual armor God provides for us thru scripture. Stand up for truth as you believe it and never stop trusting and living on behalf of our God. And also remember that every breath you take is courtesy of your Heavenly Father, who loves you with an eternal and unconditional love. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22447-blood-oxygen-level

 What is Christian Atheism? 

Christian atheism, also called non-realistic Christianity, is a bizarre form of quasi-spiritual philosophy that keeps the forms and practices of Christianity while denying God’s existence. Christian atheists attempt to “de-mythologize” Christianity, doing away with all belief in the supernatural yet maintaining liturgies and corporate worship experiences as meeting humanity’s need for socialization and the communication of lofty ideas.

Christian atheism has roots in the 1960s’ “Death of God” movement, which claimed God actually did exist at one point, but died. According to “Death of God” proponents, when God became incarnate and died on the cross, God ceased to exist as a being independent of the universe. This was the position of Thomas Altizer, one of the earlier proponents of Christian atheism. Modern adherents of Christian Atheism generally believe in a more literal atheism in the sense that they disbelieve that God has ever existed. Of course, in Christian atheism, Jesus is not divine.

Christian atheism, like most esoteric* spiritual approaches, can be difficult to explain in brief terms. There are multiple interpretations and no particular definition to bind them all together. In broad strokes, Christian atheism is a spiritual approach using the teachings and example of Jesus while denying the existence of a literal God. As a result, Christian atheism is entirely focused on earthly concerns and earthly justifications. Religion is a purely human endeavor, and God is simply a projection of a person’s mind. Belief in an afterlife is incoherent within a Christian atheist framework. In fact, Christian atheism generally holds that Christianity, like all religions, is nothing more than a “benevolent lie,” a fiction that makes life easier to understand and control.

All of this is interesting in theory, but, in practice, Christian atheism is really just atheism. Christian atheism is a non-religious, non-spiritual, and non-Christian worldview that borrows biblical terminology and ideas without actually believing in them. Non-realistic Christianity is not really Christianity at all.

What is concerning is the surprising number of people who identify as orthodox Christians yet hold beliefs similar to Christian atheism. It is easy to find clergy who do not believe that Jesus was actually God. Many churches teach that Jesus was merely a good example. Some churchgoers participate in religious practice while openly doubting that God exists. It seems that Christian atheism is not an uncommon approach today, and non-realistic Christianity has made inroads into the church.

The Bible warns against those who, in the last days, possess “a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:5). Christian atheism denies the Father and the Son, a rejection of truth that brings a stern scriptural rebuke: “Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22; cf. 1 John 4:2–3).

Christian atheists see themselves as intellectual sophisticates who are smarter than your average churchgoer, who might actually believe that God is real and that the miracles in the Bible happened. But what Christian atheism rejects as “fairy tales”the Bible calls “many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3). And what the Christian atheist considers an intellectually superior position the Bible calls foolish (Psalm 14:1).

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

 

*Esoteric is intended for or understood by only a small group, especially one with specialized knowledge or interests. A synonym would be: mysterious. Ex: “an esoteric philosophical doctrine.”

Trusting the Lord

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” – Proverbs 3:5-7

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart" is a biblical instruction found in Proverbs 3, which encourages individuals to place their complete trust in God rather than relying solely on their own understanding or wisdom. This verse emphasizes the importance of surrendering control and acknowledging God's authority in every aspect of life. The concept is further explained as trusting in God's plan, even when it is not fully comprehensible, and recognizing that His ways are higher than human ways.

In practical terms, this means inviting God into every decision, struggle, and dream, and allowing Him to guide the way forward. It involves a posture of trust rather than self-reliance, and it is often accompanied by a recognition of God's faithfulness and guidance in one's life. The verse also highlights the promise that God will direct one's paths when they are willing to submit to Him. This principle is not limited to spiritual matters but extends to everyday life, encouraging individuals to seek God's will in all they do and to rely on His wisdom rather than their own. It is a call to let go of control and to trust that God has a purpose and plan that is greater than what one can comprehend.

Verse 5 is a complementary pair of commands. We are told, positively, to trust the Lord and, negatively, not to trust our own understanding. Those two things are mutually exclusive. In other words, if we trust in the Lord, we cannot also depend upon our own ability to understand everything God is doing.

Every person must make a decision whether to live his or her life according to personal preference or according to the unchanging Word of God. We often will not understand how God is causing "all things to work together for good" (Romans 8:28), but when we trust Him with all our hearts, we know that He is. He will never fail us (Psalm 119:142; Philippians 2:13).

 

“Trusting in the Lord means every decision you make is done with Him in mind.” – rlkeller

 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

What Does the Cross Mean to You?

 

To ME it is a universal iconic symbol of hope & redemption. To others it seems to be nothing more than a piece of jewelry to be worn out in public. So don’t ever assume that because someone wears a cross, whether big or little, ostentatious or plain, that they are a Christian. You would think it would reveal what was important to a person, but it many cases it means next to nothing; no different than any other jewel encrusted bauble. 

In a way it’s kind of like when a person wears a cap for a certain sports team and yet isn’t into sports at all. They wear the cap as a fashion statement. You don’t know how many times I’ve asked guys if they are a fan of the team their cap represents and am told ‘no, I just like the hat’. Okay, whatever. 

It only shows me the incredible ignorance people have regarding the cross’ significance. Regarding what took place on that cross. What it all means. In a way it an insult to the Lord to parade around with some big cross dangling from your neck and not have any clue the price that was paid for freedom from sin that was made available to us by that very act of selflessness.

Autonomy can be a good thing in certain circumstances, but in the eternal scheme of things autonomy only means that you think you can govern yourself without any external assistance. This is not the case. Our limited resources keep us from achieving that which we aspire to. Only an all-knowing, all-powerful supreme spiritual being can do that. Sure, it seems crazy ... to worship someone you cannot see, or experience with any of the 6 senses you were given, but that’s what is required. Reject this notion at your own peril.

So what does the cross mean? It means unconditional love, for love conquers all. It means sacrifice. It means hope. It means true freedom. It means all that and more. Don’t overlook the cross and its significance to mankind. Don’t dismiss it. Don’t disregard it. Instead, focus on it. This iconic symbol provides hope to millions. For it is thru the cross that eternity is established for the common man. 

                  What does the cross mean to you? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Rich Young Ruler

"Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “No one is good except God alone" ^{(Mark 10:17-18).}

                  In the gospel of Mark a rich, young ruler kneels before Jesus and starts off his conversation by addressing the Lord as “good teacher”.  It’s interesting that while the ruler had a question for Jesus, the Lord’s response was focused on the fact that the ruler called Him ‘good’. Did Jesus in effect deny His being God? Why would He say what he said if He were God?

                  The rest of Jesus’ conversation with this young man was designed to reveal the man’s true heart condition and motivation. Jesus asking why the man called him ‘good’ was possibly referencing the statement in Psalm 14:3, where it says, “there is no one who does good, not even one.” Therefore, He was not denying His own deity, but rather pointing out to the rich, young ruler that he, in fact, wasn’t quite as good as he seemed to think he was.

                  The Lord continued, now about eternal life. A man had to obey the commandments to achieve eternal life with the Father. The ruler assured Jesus he had kept all the commandments since he was a child. This provided proof, as far as the man was concerned, that he was righteous, but what Jesus said next would test the heart of this man. In verse 21 it says, “You lack one thing: go, sell all you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.” Jesus was asking him to relinquish everything he owned and follow Him.

                  The ruler’s response came without him saying a word, you see, he was very wealthy and wasn’t willing to give everything up to follow Christ. With this conversation Jesus revealed the fact that the young ruler wasn’t good, but selfish, choosing to retain his material wealth over obedience to the Lord. The reality is that he can’t take his wealth and belongings with him when he dies, and those resources could one day potentially dry up. 

                  After Jesus ascended to heaven, the apostles would shine a spotlight on the contrast between the law and salvation by faith. Following the law was rigid living, following Christ was filled with grace and truth. The young ruler walked away dejected, because he thought living out the law each day was the right thing to do. It was normal for Jews of that day to assume allegiance to the law was necessary to get to heaven, Jesus’ existence and ministry blew a major hole is that premise. He was the very essence of grace and truth.  John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus 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.compellingtruth.org

POSSESSIONS

 

            To possess something is to own it. People accumulate a multitude of possessions in a lifetime. Some are worth keeping, some are expendable. Those would be the things that have little to no value. Other possessions have intrinsic value, in that they are essential to one’s life and well-being.  

            There are things that we need and things that we want. Desires do not equal a need. Our desires are driven by what we feel we must have. We must come to the understanding that all things that we desire are not essential to life. Take salvation ... it is essential to ones existence both now and in the future, but many have no desire for it because they don’t understand their need of it. 

            The most important possession is something that we cannot own, but rather something that owns us. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. He seeks to possess your heart, for in possessing your heart He will be able to mold you more into His image. Jesus Christ was God in the flesh.  The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, resides in us once we receive Christ into our lives. These things do not possess us in the purest sense of the word, but rather possess us because we are no longer our own. We’ve been purchased by Christ’s blood. We are not possessed as in being slaves to the King, but are more the children of the King with all the benefits that come with that title. 

            We are compelled in scripture to submit to the will of God, knowing that He ALWAYS has our very best in mind. To believe that we must attach trust to our faith, for I believe they go hand in hand. To have faith without trust is empty faith. If you don’t trust God, then what’s the point of believing in Him. If we possess nothing of any eternal value then what’s the point of living at all. The things of this world are valueless to God; yet the things that have immense value to God are things that spring forth from the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To acquire these traits makes you more like Jesus. Those are attributes that we all need to possess. That way we are able to BE Jesus to others that we encounter in life. The most profound witness is to exhibit Godly characteristics in your daily life and exhibit them regularly. As St. Francis of Assisi once said, "Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words." While hearing the gospel is vital to the conversion of men, exhibiting godly qualities preaches without words. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

COMPLACENCY

The dictionary tells us complacency means to be “extremely content”. From a Christian perspective it would be as if there was nothing new to learn about God. You slowly become comfortably numb in your self-contained tomb of religiosity. It is so easy to fall into the trap of complacency. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

You CAN be at peace and achieve contentment thru your relationship with Christ. However, that type of contentment comes from resting in the arms of the Lord, not ‘resting on your laurels’. * When complacent, you become no threat to the enemy, just as you were before you knew Christ. 

I have often said that our relationship with the Lord must be cultivated, as with a garden. It takes work and an earnest desire to know Him better. With some folks it is twice as hard because of their lack of ability to block out the outside world. I resemble that remark. My concentration has always been horrible. I pray for that which I need concentration-wise and as a result find that the ONLY time I’m able to concentrate at all is when I’m writing about God. So I certainly understand why some folks struggle, but with God’s help complacency can be averted.

It is God’s desire for us to succeed in all areas of our life. For that to happen we must tap into the source itself. Allow the Holy Spirit to have his way in you. It is imperative that we become lesser as He becomes greater in our lives. We must surrender to God. Without surrendering to the will of God for our lives we will be like a rudderless ship on a stormy sea.  

Living for God is far from a complacent experience. Of course, having said that, it is what you make it. The ‘free choice’ we’ve been given came at a monumental cost, not to us, but to Christ. We must realize the depth of pain Jesus suffered for you and me ... willingly. With no hesitation Christ endured the savage brutality that was levied against him on his way to Golgotha’s hill. We need to fixate on all of that. The passion of Christ. See it in your mind’s eye and realize the immense price that was paid to not just cover up our sin, like a coat of paint, but completely and for all time eradicate it.  God will NEVER throw past sins up in your face ever again; it is the devil who excels at that.

Living for God can be exciting, and it is meant to be. There’s no chaos, only opportunities to bless others and as a result bless yourselves in the process. The thought of complacency disappears when you do for others. That has to be a deliberate action, not something you feel you must do to please God, but rather a concerted effort to escape yourself and live for others. This is how you can allow the Holy Spirit to speak thru you to those who are in need. You can be the door that leads people to a life with Christ.

So cast off the thought of becoming complacent in your faith and allow yourself to be used by your Heavenly Father to expand His Kingdom. While it may not always be easy, it will prove to be well worth it.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* To be satisfied with one's past success and to consider further effort unnecessary.

God’s Good Work

 

Philippians 1:6 “… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

When you give your life to Christ a “good work” has begun. First of all, you are forgiven of every sin you have ever committed. The proverbial slate has been wiped clean. You have begun to think differently. You have begun to act differently. People start to notice that something is different about you. Your conscience is clear. You have been justified … “just as if I’d never sinned”. But maintaining that initial freshness of salvation requires work on your part. Life can be a cruel task master. Your senses become bombarded with things from all directions.  The enemy of your soul knows your weak spots and isn’t afraid to head straight for them. So here is a question for you. Do you think once you give your life to Christ He is going to leave you to your own devices? 

That “good work” that Christ began in you the day you received Him is still going on. Every day new challenges come your way. How are you supposed to act? What do you say? What would the Lord do in this situation? Or perhaps you don’t consider any of those things and just wing it based on “what you know” from your life experience. Understand that God doesn’t go anywhere. Scripture tells us that He “neither slumbers, nor does He sleep”. He is constantly mindful of all things that concern you. And He will never let you go wandering off unless that is what you really decide you want. Even then He is there, watching. He knows how everything turns out. He is in the past; He is in the present and He is in the future. He is walking with you where you are right now, and He is standing at the end of the road. He is working this “good work” in you all the time. 

In past writings I have shared that God knows everything about you so utterly and completely that no one could ever know you any better. Like a mechanic who works on something he has built from scratch, He knows His creation inside and out. He knows what you need and is adding things to your character as time goes by. Be assured that God has no intention of giving up on you. He will never drop you off by the side of the road. If you end up on the side of the road it has been by your own choosing. If you dedicate your life to being all God wants you to be then you will realize all that God has for you.

According to our verse today, He will never stop applying layers until Christ returns. If God does not seem to be near, you have to ask the question “where did I go?” because God is all around us and hasn’t gone anywhere. He IS and WILL complete the work He has begun in you. Don’t fight it. Succumb to it. Allow Him to make you everything He knows you can be in Christ. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

What Things Are Christians to Judge?

 

Contrary to the mistaken idea that Christians should never judge (often wrongly attributed to Matthew 7:1), people who serve God are told to judge many things. Here are a few issues and areas of life that require us to make judgments.

Doctrine: Is it sound or flawed (1 Timothy 4:1, 16; 2 Timothy 4:3-4)?

Religious teachers: Do they teach truth or error (Matthew 7:15; Acts 20:29-31; Colossians 2:8; Revelation 2:2)?

Morals: Do we accept and live by godly standards or those of the world (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)?

Friends: Do we choose them wisely (Proverbs 12:26; 22:24-25)?

Culture: Do we strive to live godly lives or strive to be accepted by the world (1 John 2:15; Revelation 18:4)?

Ourselves: (2 Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves.”)

It is not our job to judge people in the sense of condemning them. The responsibility for that kind of judgment is given to Jesus Christ for believers at His Mercy Seat, and Almighty God for non-believers at the Great White Throne Judgment. All judgments are completely fair and merciful (Psalm 96:13; Acts 17:31; John 5:22). 

God expects us to exercise discernment regarding what is godly and what is ungodly so we can live in obedience to His good and beneficial laws (Deuteronomy 10:13 – “...you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.”). That wording makes it sound dictatorial. In reality, we are to obey because only God knows what is good for us. That being because He knows all that can possibly be known. It is a matter of trust. Do we trust God enough to lead and guide us thru our life by the person of the Holy Spirit? The answer to that question needs to be ‘yes’. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name and for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Repentant Heart

 

            The Lord loves a repentant heart. It would appear from scripture that no matter what we may be guilty of, if we repent with a “sincere & contrite heart” than we shall be forgiven. God’s love doesn’t change toward us because of what we think, say, or do. God’s love for us is unconditional. It NEVER changes. 

                  An example of this is found in scripture. Let us set the scene: Bathsheba’s husband, “Uriah is dead. Bathsheba was raped. The resulting baby will die. And Nathan (the prophet) says, “The Lord has put away your sin.” Just like that? David committed adultery. He ordered murder. He lied. He “despised the word of the Lord.” He “scorned God.” And the Lord “put away [his] sin” (2 Samuel 12:13). What kind of a righteous judge is God? You don’t just pass over rape and murder and lying. Righteous judges don’t do that.” But the Lord did. You see He knew David. He knew his heart. Yes, what David did was terrible, a gross sin, and he paid dearly for them all, for the consequences of his sinfulness was the death of the infant Bathsheba bore him. David acted selfishly and arrogantly with a person he had no right to be with. Because he was king he felt he could do as he pleased with no repercussions. How foolish. God knows all that can be known, so David might have fooled those around him, but God is not mocked, what you sow, so shall you reap.                 

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV)

                  The Lord knows us down to our core. He knows what drives us, what moves us, what influences us. He knows our heart; the seat of our emotions. ^[1] He knows when we are sincere and sorrowful about something we had done and when we are not. We cannot “fake out” God. Yet, in spite of what we may think, say, or do in this life, God loves us and will forgive us should we repent. Repentance is taking a 180 degree turn from the direction you are going in and begin to follow God’s path. We are all prone to battles with the “old man” who is supposed to be dead and buried, but the enemy won’t let him die completely, allowing that old ungodly nature to rise up at some pretty inopportune moments. Our focus must be on the Lord at all times to ward off the fiery darts of the enemy. ^[2]

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] “Historically, the heart has been considered the seat of emotions. Ancient civilizations like Egypt and Greece believed the heart was not just a physical organ but also held emotions and wisdom. Philosophers like Aristotle thought the heart was the center of both emotions and intellect.” _{[https://www.saybrook.edu/2009/03/09/emotion-heart-heart/]}

_[2] “In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” [Ephesians 6:16 Common Standard Bible CSB] Satan cannot be everywhere at once since he is not God, yet Satan attempts to attack every believer he can. Like a military commander, he can attack Christians indirectly through his demons.

Human Love is Flawed

            This, of course, is a broad sweeping generalization, but let me continue. How do you define love? It’s not about sex, although true, lasting love does have intimacy as a component. It’s not about looks, because looks fade over time and no amount of Botox or nip/tuck surgery can alter that fact. (Let’s be honest, those who have had appearance altering surgery don’t look natural anymore. They look somewhat fake – my opinion.) It’s not about money, because that can disappear faster than an ice cube in the blazing hot sun.

            Has anyone come up with a definition, an equation regarding love? Why yes, God did. Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is often referred to as “The Love Chapter”. The actual components of true, God inspired love are found in vv.4-7 of chapter 13.

            “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It isn’t irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. ... Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love.” ^{(1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13 NLT)}

                  I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that anything less than what scripture declares regarding love is NOT love at all. At least it isn’t Godly love, for that type of love is UNCONDITIONAL. Anything less than unconditional love is conditional. Our human traits seek to define love on our own. When Jesus told the disciples in the gospels that they must forgive an endless number of times *, we decide who we forgive and who we don’t feel like forgiving. We love our spouse whenever they love us back, but when they are mad at us, we decide we don’t happen to love them at that particular moment in time. It that right? No. But is it human behavior ... sadly, far too often.

            It is my belief that every person, Christians and non-Christians alike, should commit those few verses to memory, because it may not represent the way we choose to act, but it should be. Strive for perfection, knowing full well it cannot be achieved this side of heaven. It’s a worthy goal regardless. Until next time, walk with the King & be blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The verse notes on p.2053 in the Life Application Study Bible.

*Matthew 18:21-22 NLT: “Then Peter came to (Jesus) and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ Jesus replied, ‘No, not seven times, but seventy times seven.’” 

Note: Jesus answer essentially means that we shouldn’t keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We ought to always forgive those with a repentant heart. 

The rabbis in their day taught that a person should forgive anyone who offends them, but only 3 times. Peter considered himself being generous by saying 7 times.  Could you imagine having to forgive the same person 490 times for the same offense, but that is only a number to represent an infinite amount of times. The key here is the condition of the heart of the supposed offender. We wouldn’t know the condition of their heart so we should forgive and let the Lord deal with the sincerity of the offender’s apology.

Pleasure is Overrated

Mark 8:36 _NLT

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

         Those things that the world offers are temporal; nothing on this earth lasts forever. Seeking pleasure no matter what it costs, ends up being hollow and empty over time. Think about all the things you’ve bought over the years that you felt you HAD to have. Where are they now? Do you still have them, or did you toss it to make room for the next big thing? 

                  Some people will spend every last drop of their energy seeking out pleasure. Don’t misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with pleasure in its proper place, but it becomes a mill stone around our necks when we place an inordinate amount of attention to achieving pleasure. 

                  God’s parameters for living can be an immense blessing if we choose to look at them that way.  If you see them as restrictive then for you they will appear to be restrictive; however, looking at life with Christ as the captain of your ship can and will be both interesting and exciting if you see it that way. It all depends on your point of reference. 

                 A person who isn’t interested in the least in knowing God, would find life with Him as boring and intrusive. Answer me this: if there is no God, then what happens when we die? Pure nothingness – a loss of consciousness and nothing more? Do we not have a soul and spirit? If you ignore God He doesn’t go away. He loves you and wishes for you to know Him even as He knows you.

Rethink your disposition regarding your Heavenly Father. Believe in Him or not, He still exists. The sad thing is no amount of “evidence” would ever convince ANYONE of God’s existence, even if there was any, but there is not. The very nature of faith prohibits evidence, as in it isn’t necessary.  Open your heart and your mind and receive that which you need the most in this life ... forgiveness. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Conditional vs. Unconditional

            If you tell someone that you love them ‘to the moon and back’, that would be a finite statement whose condition was the distance from earth to the moon and back. In other words, it is conditional love based on a finite statement.

            If you tell someone that you love them ‘to infinity and beyond’, that is an incalculable distance, so it represents unconditional love based on an infinite statement.

            Human love is very conditional, because no one is perfect and will invariably break a promise made or commit a misstep that would tend to negate their love for their partner at least temporarily.

            “God’s love for mankind, as described in the Bible, is clearly unconditional in that His love is expressed toward the objects of His love despite their disposition toward Him. In other words, God loves without placing any conditions on the loved ones; He loves because it is His nature to love (1 John 4:8). That love moves Him toward benevolent action: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).” ^[1]           

God’s love is completely UNCONDITIONAL, because He and ONLY He is perfect. There is nothing we could ever think, say or do to quench His love for His us. He created each one of us and loves each one of us the same way a parent loves their child(ren).

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] www.gotquestions.org

Isaiah 53:5 – Healing: Physical or Spiritual? 

 

A person asked this question on the www.gotquestions.org website:

“Why is it that when Jesus touched the sick all were healed and yet when we pray for healing of others it seems to be hit or miss? Are we lacking in our faith or in some other way? I believe God definitely still heals today as I know people who have been healed.” 

 

Here is the answer that he received:

“Isaiah 53:5, which is then quoted in 1 Peter 2:24, is a key verse on healing, but it is often misunderstood and misapplied. "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." The word translated "healed" can mean either spiritual or physical healing. However, the contexts of Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2 make it clear that it is speaking of spiritual healing. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24). The verse is talking about sin and righteousness, not sickness and disease. Therefore, being "healed" in both these verses is speaking of being forgiven and saved, not physically healed.

The Bible does not specifically link physical healing with spiritual healing. Sometimes people are physically healed when they place their faith in Christ, but this is not always the case. Sometimes it is God's will to heal, but sometimes it is not. The apostle John gives us the proper perspective: "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). God still performs miracles. God still heals people. Sickness, disease, pain, and death are still realities in this world. Unless the Lord returns, everyone who is alive today will die, and the vast majority of them (Christians included) will die as the result of a physical problem (disease, sickness, injury). It is not always God's will to heal us physically.

Ultimately, our full physical healing awaits us in heaven. In heaven, there will be no more pain, sickness, disease, suffering, or death (Revelation 21). Whether or not God grants us physical healing in this world, we can trust His goodness and focus our hope on heaven where we will no longer have to deal with physical problems. Revelation 21:4 describes the true healing we all long for: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”             

                  If you are chronically or critically ill, or disabled in any way, God can still use you, but you have to be willing to be used.  I believe that everything that happens in this world of ours happens intentionally. God is over all and in complete control of all things. He has His reasons for allowing certain things that we find terrible and unnecessary, according to our sense of right and wrong, but God doesn’t ask for our permission to cause or allow that which takes place in this world. He knows what He’s doing and face it; we don’t have a clue. Trust Him with your life. It’s better than any insurance policy you could ever buy. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

Conviction vs. Condemnation

Religious conviction refers to a strong, deeply held belief or opinion related to religious faith. It's not merely a casual belief but a deeply ingrained principle that shapes an individual's worldview. It can be a source of personal conviction, guiding individuals' moral and ethical decisions, and influencing their behavior. It can also be a factor in interfaith relations and a basis for understanding different perspectives. 

In Christianity, "satanic condemnation" refers to the belief that Satan, or the devil, actively attempts to condemn individuals, often by focusing on their sins and failures rather than God's grace and forgiveness. This condemnation is seen as a spiritual attack, an attempt to instill feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and hopelessness. 

            The enemy is called in scripture “the accuser of the faith” (Rev. 12:10b NLT). He will do everything in his power to drag believers down. THAT is precisely why believers MUST stay close to God. It is the Lord that is committed to protecting His children. 

Satan does his level best to upset the apple cart of our lives, by pointing a finger of condemnation on any individual who has fallen into temptation. God forgives. Satan does not. One of his jobs is to make Christians believe that God will not forgive them for what they may have done. The condemnation may manifest itself as feelings of guilt, shame, hopelessness, and a sense of being undeserving of God's love and forgiveness. 

            Recognizing the difference between God's conviction and Satan's condemnation is crucial. Faith in Christ and the forgiveness offered through Him are essential in overcoming feelings of condemnation. Focusing on God's love, grace, and the finished work of Christ can help dispel the lies and accusations of Satan. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

The Purpose & Theme of the Book of Proverbs  part 2

 “...for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair;...”- Proverbs 1:3

            When someone presents you with a gift, you would receive it, open it, and use it for what it is intended to be used for. The instruction we receive from the Lord is, in a manner of speaking, a gift. We should apply it to our lives, for it’s not useless talk. The sayings in Proverbs are jewels of wisdom that flow from the very mouth of God thru His servant Solomon. 

            The ‘instruction’ we receive is designed to lead us to a ‘prudent’ way of handling ourselves. A prudent man would be “a man who is careful and wise in handling practical matters; one who exercises good judgment and/or common sense.” ⁽¹⁾ He would be a sensible man.

            A prudent man, we are told, is a man who does what is right, just and fair in God’s sight. God’s fairness doesn’t always line up with the fairness of this world; however, fairness in a Godly sense is equitable for all parties involved. The world’s view of fairness typically favors one side or the other. 

            Godly justice involves man conforming to the will and standard of God. There is a fine line between doing God’s will and insisting on your own will. This implies that God doesn’t know what is best for you. That thought is ludicrous when you compare His achievements to ours. Living according to God’s standards is the only way to achieve peace for today and hope for tomorrow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.          

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: NIV Bible Study Notes; MacArthur Study Bible; Reformation Study Bible. 

⁽¹⁾ the American Heritage Dictionary