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Friday, January 31, 2025

How Long Shall We Then Live?

 

Isaiah 57:1-2 (from yesterday’s post) begs the question “Who says how long we are to live?” Psalm 90:10 says the following: “The years of our life are seventy or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” So, if scripture says we should live 70, maybe 80 years, why do people die prematurely? Because of sin, our lives are filled with “toil and trouble”. Life is not perfect. It is riddled with sin … both ours and that of others. The thought brought up in Isaiah that God takes some “before their time” is so they might not have to endure the evilness that surrounds them any longer. As with all seemingly unanswerable situations, God has his reasons. We aren’t asked to understand, only to trust God and have faith in him and his word.

Ephesians 6:2-3 says the following: “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” This is from Deuteronomy 5:16 …  “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Paul was quoting the Old Testament. So, it adds a personal criterion for achieving a long life, but these scriptures don’t say how long “long life” is.

Since God, Christ & the Holy Spirit were together at the beginning of time, they put the DNA into Adam & Eve when they were created. It’s the same with each one of us. They know what makes everyone of us ‘tick’. They know when we’ll be born and to whom. They know the future from the past and when each person that is so inclined will become ‘born again’. They also know when and how they will pass on from this life. Nothing surprises them, so it will be no surprise to God when a baby dies, or a young parent meets death thru disease or car accident. 

We don’t know what is coming. When we leave the house each day, we, frankly, don’t know if we will make it back home again that night. But God knows. We also don’t realize when angels provide protection for us as we go about our business each day. Sin is the reason why tragedy strikes so unexpectantly. There are times when we make our own decisions regarding life choices and they lead to death. That wouldn’t be God’s fault for it falls under the category of “free will”. Do as you please but bear the consequences … which do not always happen to good.

We may never understand the ‘why’ of it, but we can know that when we mourn, God mourns and when we’re grief stricken, the Holy Spirit is there to bring comfort. I will continue to dig into this topic and post my findings from time to time. God is good, despite the continued disobedience of his creation.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries  

Thursday, January 30, 2025

A MATTER OF TRUST

Psalm 119:114 “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”  

            David confidently declares that God is his source of help, relief, and comfort in times of trouble. He also says that God is his protector.  Knowing what we know about the Lord, we can stand with David and confidently boast the same.  Furthermore, our hope is in God as well and by extension, His word.  When a person doesn’t have hope, it can be a devastating feeling.  Just knowing that God is ever present and has your best interests at heart should bring hope even in the direst of circumstances.  He knows what He’s doing.  What you are going through is by design to teach you something of spiritual significance.  Moping and being depressed, while a natural response for most of us, is counterproductive.  We know that in our heart but getting our head to cooperate with our heart sometimes can be difficult.  Our Lord is patient with us.  He understands our hesitancy and works in us, if we allow Him to, to bring about spiritual growth.  It’s all a matter of trust.

          Scripture tells us faith without works is dead (James 2:17).  I say to you, faith without trust is equally dead.  We must develop an unwavering trust in God to fully realize all He has for us.  He knows who we were meant to be, and He wants us to reach our fullest potential.  I’m not speaking of worldly potential, but rather spiritual potential.  The Lord knows what we’re capable of.  God’s word can instruct us, and His spirit can take us to the lofty heights He has ordained 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

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS

 

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12 Amplified Bible)

 

            Persecution shouldn’t surprise any Christian, for scripture promises that it will come. It’s relatively normal since the unredeemed see us as somewhat of a threat, albeit not a violent one. We are a threat to their sensibilities. The unsaved don’t know how to respond to us other than ignoring us or lashing out as a means of getting us all to simply leave them alone. Some consider us proselytizers, as we offer forgiveness in exchange for their sin wracked life. 

Paul promises that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12)“In the same way,” Jesus reminds us, “they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:12)

Don’t be surprised when it happens to you; God certainly isn’t.

Even some believers who think their denomination is ABSOLUTELY correct in every way, will shun other believers who espouse beliefs that aren’t exactly like theirs. It could even be someone in the same church. So much for loving the brethren. I think God is very disappointed in those believers who Lord their faith over others. 

                  We are called to love others even as Christ loves the church and willingly died for it. It’s not an easy thing to speak to others about Christ. And experiencing failure or some sort of persecution while “witnessing” can compound the issue keeping us on the sidelines, rather than in the game. I’ve experienced that more than once. Jesus told His disciples to, “Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you, ....” (Luke 6:27 Amplified Bible)

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Two Kinds of Wisdom

James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” 

            James 3:13-18 speaks of two kinds of wisdom, although I personally hesitate to refer to the second type as ‘wisdom’ at all. If you have a bitter, envious, selfish attitude, it didn’t come from the Lord, but rather his evil counterpart, Satan. With envy and selfish ambition comes nothing of a positive or godly nature. These negative attributes produce chaos and disorder in due time. Sadly, even those who call themselves Christians can be prone to this type of attitude. 

                  The way to combat these attitudes is to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit within you. Emulating Christ is paramount for the believer. Without his example how would we fully know how to live a godly life. Studying scripture will take you far, but it is easier for some who learn better by seeing a lesson, even if it happens to be in our mind’s eye. Illustrations are plentiful in scripture and help us to know how to live as well. 

                  Real and not fake humility is pretty easy to spot. Doing godly deeds without making a show of it is being humble. Making sure those around you know who you are and what you are doing is not. In Matthew 6:3 Jesus announces the following: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing…”. It’s absolutely NOT important if ANYONE knows what you are doing for another. Deeds done in humility is placing others before yourself. 

                  Though not created for man, the Lake of Fire will be filled with those who professed to be followers of Christ yet didn’t live for him. The are not genuine believers, for they have continued to live their lives as if nothing has changed. That is trampling on God’s grace. It’s like taking a wonderful gift from someone, setting it aside and never opening it. In some cases, not even thanking the person for it. Follow God’s standards daily as you seek to resemble Christ. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Monday, January 27, 2025

Value Others Over Yourself

Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” 

         Paul knew that the two greatest enemies to unification among God’s people is “selfish ambition and / or conceit”.These characteristics are self-centered, which is the opposite of what is being stated.  When someone “looks out for number one”, that is un-Christlike and displeasing to our Lord. That type of person may outwardly believe in congregational unity, but his actions speak far louder than his words. Selfish people tend to gather a group around themselves to promote their own interests. That can be a recipe that could produce seeds of contention and strife. Steer clear of all of that.

                  Being selfless is a totally foreign concept to the human mind. We cannot imitate Christ on our own … it’s not possible. It’s only when a believer allows the indwelt Holy Spirit to empower them that we can begin to resemble the Lord in words and actions. 

                  I would venture to say that we all have quite a number of people around us that know us pretty well. I think it’s safe to say that they would notice if your behavior changed significantly. Valuing others above your own interests is supposed to be a primary function of the true believer.

It’s not easy to sidestep your own interests in favor of the interests of others, but it is something we need to work on because it is how God wishes us to behave. We must seek these things from the Lord and adhere to that which the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Selfless behavior is a product of a humble spirit. Humility was modeled by Jesus especially when he went before Pontius Pilate, was beaten and nailed to a wooden cross. He didn’t fight back but knowing the importance of these actions that led to his death, he willingly allowed his life to be taken from him so that all of mankind could be forgiven of their sin. That was selfless humility on full display. Imitate that. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Believer’s Bible Commentary

Saturday, January 25, 2025

FAITH REPLACES THE LAW

Galatians 3:23-25 “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So, the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” 

 

          The Galatians had fallen back into living by the Law of Moses and not by the faith they had originally embraced. Paul is not overly pleased with them. In the beginning of chapter three he first calls them “foolish”, then asks them who had “bewitched” them into clinging once again to the Law over faith. Paul likens living under the Law as being held in custody of a guardian. This was necessary in God’s economy until faith in Christ was introduced to man. (As a side note, when I refer to God’s economy, I am referring to anything and everything that falls under the control of Almighty God, which would happen to be all of creation.)

          Justification came in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of a virgin, lived among us and died a criminal’s death in our place. That death erased our sins, not just covered them as the Old Testament blood sacrifices did each year. Christ’s death cleansed us once for all time. Do we still sin? Yes! Is forgiveness still available to the contrite heart? Yes!! Are we living under the guardianship of the Mosaic Law? No, we are not. Christ’s death freed us from the Law forever. This is seen in the tearing of the veil that separates the Holy of Holies from the Most Holy Place in the Jewish Temple (Matthew 27:51). That represented our open access to God. No longer were we required to go through a High Priest, but rather could approach God ourselves due to the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross. We are now able to have a personal relationship with God directly. This fact may mean more to a Jew who receives Christ as their Messiah, then a gentile who never had the Law to live by, however, we can still embrace this gift of freedom by making ourselves aware of what the Jews were required to do previously. Many Jews still live by the Mosaic Law to this day, not realizing that their Messiah had come. 

          A relationship with God, which may have once seemed impossible, was made possible by a single death. God dwelling within us in the form of His Holy Spirit, made possible by a single act of love. Christ’s death on a wooden cross shall stand for all time as the most selfless act of love and mercy known to man and yet millions reject that act each day. There is no other hope of redemption. Without forgiveness, sin goes unpaid, and all hope vanishes. Living for God gives life, freedom, and hope for all our tomorrows. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Friday, January 24, 2025

Value Others Over Yourself

Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” 

         Paul knew that the two greatest enemies to unification among God’s people is “selfish ambition and / or conceit”.These characteristics are self-centered, which is the opposite of what is being stated.  When someone “looks out for number one”, that is un-Christlike and displeasing to our Lord. That type of person may outwardly believe in congregational unity, but his actions speak far louder than his words. Selfish people tend to gather a group around themselves to promote their own interests. That can be a recipe that could produce seeds of contention and strife. Steer clear of all of that.

                  Being selfless is a totally foreign concept to the human mind. We cannot imitate Christ on our own … it’s not possible. It’s only when a believer allows the indwelt Holy Spirit to empower them that we can begin to resemble the Lord in words and actions. 

                  I would venture to say that we all have quite a number of people around us that know us pretty well. I think it’s safe to say that they would notice if your behavior changed significantly. Valuing others above your own interests is supposed to be a primary function of the true believer.

It’s not easy to sidestep your own interests in favor of the interests of others, but it is something we need to work on because it is how God wishes us to behave. We must seek these things from the Lord and adhere to that which the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Selfless behavior is a product of a humble spirit. Humility was modeled by Jesus especially when he went before Pontius Pilate, was beaten and nailed to a wooden cross. He didn’t fight back but knowing the importance of these actions that led to his death, he willingly allowed his life to be taken from him so that all of mankind could be forgiven of their sin. That was selfless humility on full display. Imitate that. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Believer’s Bible Commentary

Thursday, January 23, 2025

THE DEATH OF LAZARUS

John 11:25 “Jesus said to (Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
               This is the accounting of the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Mary, the one who put perfume on the feet of Jesus on another occasion and her sister Martha had sent word to the Lord that their brother, Lazarus was sick. Take note that Jesus did not say in response that Lazarus would not die. “When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” (John 11:4) Jesus loved all three very much yet stayed where he was two more days. If He had come directly Lazarus might have still been alive and the purposes of God would not have been fulfilled. This is a perfect example of how God knows, and we do not. God says in Isaiah 55:8 “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.” God always knows what He’s doing and always knows what is best. The word ‘always’ is an absolute word. It means that God knows each and every time, making no mistakes. God never has to ponder His plans or question Himself. How does He know? He knows because He is omniscient, the knower of all things that can be known. There is never a time when God is lost or confused. We are the ones who stumble and fall on our face, not God.  
                Jesus is the source of everlasting life. It is only through Him that we can reach our eternal destination. There is nothing we can do to achieve this on our own. All we must do is believe in Christ; however, it’s a little more detailed than that for even the devil and his demons believe in Jesus and shudder in terror at the mention of His name. (James 2:19) We must surrender our will to the one true living God. If we do so we will never truly die. Oh, we will die physically, but not spiritually. Our physical tent, which houses our soul and spirit, will turn to dust in the ground, but our soul and spirit shall live on in heaven with God for all eternity.  
                Jesus purposely waited so that Lazarus would die. This way He could reveal the miraculous power of God in the resurrection of His friend. This is what Christ meant when He said what He did in verse 4 listed above. God always knows exactly what He’s doing; therefore, we can absolutely and positively trust Him in all things all the time. Do you believe this? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

HAVING A HUMBLE SPIRIT

 

Psalm 149:4 “For the Lord takes delight in his people; He crowns the humble with victory.”

 

          Arrogance* is an unattractive characteristic that many people display. They think they are above it all and see themselves as superior in either intellect or economic status (or both). They do not mingle with those they deem lesser then themselves by choice. Because of arrogance, people become judge and jury over the socioeconomic status of all who are around them. They determine who is worthy of their association and who is not. It is an unseemly trait that is all too common in society today. God doesn’t honor such an attitude, nor does it please Him. Seeing themselves as higher than most of society, they wouldn’t waste their time believing in an unseen god, since they would see no need for him. That is frighteningly sad, for their own attitude is the affliction that will take them down. They cannot see that their thoughts, words, and deeds are self-centered. They have reached the pinnacle of self-absorption and yet are unaware that from this lofty position can come a mighty fall and it will come. Why are people like this? Is it insecurity? Is it being spoiled at a young age? Is it a borderline mental illness? Perhaps a little of all that, but nonetheless, it is displeasing to the Lord and needs to be purged.

          A humble** spirit is quite the opposite. Humble folks are not at all arrogant, but rather submissive to another, in the Christian’s case, God. The humble person seeks to please and places others before themselves. Since faith is required to please God (Hebrews 11:6), we must first believe and place our trust in the unseen deity, namely, Almighty God. Once we learn how to live for Christ, we slowly develop a spirit of humbleness and humility. 

Arrogant people view those that are humble as weak and on occasion will take advantage of them. Arrogance doesn’t consider the feelings of anyone but themselves, while those that are humble consider the feelings of others before themselves. It is the humble individual who pleases God and not the arrogant for it is not all about ME, but rather about God and others. If we believe that God provides and sustains those whom He loves, then we should have no concerns and submission ought to come fairly easy. The arrogant person believes that he alone provides and sustains for himself without any outside assistance. What a shock they will receive on the last day when they will be required to bow before Almighty God and profess Him as Lord. Do for others with a spirit of humbleness and humility and God will crown you with victory. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*ar•ro•gant 1: exaggerating or disposed to exaggerate one's own worth or importance often by an overbearing manner; 2: showing an offensive attitude of superiority: proceeding from or characterized by arrogance.

**hum•ble 1: not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive; 2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission. 

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Be Steadfast

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” 

 

In a world that is filled with chaos, we read these comforting words. Because we have placed our faith in God, it stands to reason that we will trust Him as well. If we trust God, then we can be at peace. Why, you may ask? God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our tendencies and in knowing that God knows that we are prone to worry about things that we can either do nothing about or won’t even happen. Steadfast is to firmly fix something in place; therefore, if we firmly fix our minds on the Lord and His Word, He shall keep us at peace. Nothing can come against us that is not either caused or allowed by God. So, if He is in control of everything in creation, He must be in control of all the things that affect us. The logical conclusion to all this is to stay close to the Lord and allow His Holy Spirit to minister to our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits so that we remain at peace in all situations. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Monday, January 20, 2025

What is Your Worth?

Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” 

 

             What do you think you’re worth? Did you know you’re of incalculable worth to the God who created you? Think about how insignificant five sparrows would be. Let’s take a brief look at the sparrow. There are five species of sparrow in the world today. The largest species group is referred to as True Sparrows. There are 27 different types of True Sparrows flitting about the earth. Sparrows are small, plump, brown-grey birds with short tails and stubby, powerful beaks. The different species can weigh anywhere from a 1/2 oz to 1-1/2 ozs. Sparrows, which are primarily seed eating birds, have an extra bone in their tongues to help stiffen it giving them the innate ability to hold their seed firmly in their mouth.

             The first thing that could be said is regarding the intricacy of the bird’s skeletal structure, especially the extra bone in its tongue to aid in eating. Do you seriously think that just happened? I choose to believe that it was by grand design and the designer was Almighty God.

             It’s like the mustard seed, which was said to be the tiniest seed in Bible times. It is the perfect example for the amount of faith that is required to believe, just as one of the tiniest birds is a perfect example of one’s value or worth. If God, in all His power and wisdom, values the sparrow and doesn’t neglect them in any way, how much more does He value you? Luke makes a good point in saying that every single hair on your head is numbered. He knows how many hairs you have on your head!! With that in mind I would venture to say that God also knows the number of grains of sand there are on the earth’s beaches. It is meant to show that God cares and not just in a casual way. He cares for you intimately. He cares about everything that matters to you. He loves you and wants you to know it. 

You may be down and out and have nothing positive going in your life, but God still loves you. If you seek His face and trust in Him, He will never fail you. We have nothing to fear. We are not worth more to God than one sparrow, but rather many sparrows. If He takes good care of the little birds of creation, He will most assuredly take good care of you, but you must have faith - you must believe. You must place your complete trust in Him. It is easier if you know Him and to know Him comes from reading the Bible. In it we find promises of His never-ending love and the fact that He will never leave or forsake us. God cares deeply for you as an individual. Never forget that. Call out to Him regardless of your situation. He’s there waiting to hear from you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Saturday, January 18, 2025

STAND FIRM IN YOUR FAITH

 

2 Thessalonians 2:13b-15 “…God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

            We live in perilous times, with Satanic activity all around us. Corruption has run amok within big business, social media, and the government. True believers are under attack worldwide. But fear not, for their day is rapidly coming to an end. God has declared it to be so, and it shall be so when the time for their removal has come. We need not fear, but only stand firm in our faith and remain prepared. There are those who have rejected the loving forgiveness of the Lord in favor of other lies that are being presented as the truth. They’ve been given multiple chances to embrace freedom from sin and eternal life thru the Father but have turned away. I have told you in the past that God sends no one to hell, they send themselves by their own decision to embrace a lie that seems much for palatable to them then the truth. No matter what trials come your way, never think God has abandoned you. He knows all that is taking place and is patiently waiting in the hope that they turn toward the light. 

                  Paul says in his second letter to the church in Thessalonica to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings that had been passed on to them. Nothing that has taken place in this world cannot be reversed. God is infinitely more powerful than Satan, who is a created being. Just when Satan thinks he has turned the tide against the truth, Christ will return and overpower the enemy with the mere power of his breath. It will be such an abrupt end to evil that it will be like a man boxing with one who is without arms.

                  We have nothing to fear, for God is in ultimate and total control of all things that transpire in this world. When you hear news that causes you to be concerned, lay those concerns at the feet of Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. There is nothing that can be done to us of any lasting consequence. The enemy can take everything from us, but they cannot ever take our soul from us. We belong to God, now and forevermore. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Friday, January 17, 2025

God’s Unfailing Love

Lamentations 3:31-32 “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.”

                   This is a tricky statement that implies that no matter what you’ve done God will not cast you out from his presence eternally. But that’s not true. To believe that you must make an assumption; that a loving God wouldn’t cast anyone out but make allowances as if all had a right to be with him in heaven. However, that assumption would have to ignore the fallen angels and unrepentant man. There are those who are presented with the gospel message repeatedly throughout their life and never embrace it as true. They choose to believe a lie that either there is no hell, no devil or that they are basically good people and God wouldn’t send good people out of his presence. The Bible makes it clear that there is a hell.[1] In fact Jesus spoke more of hell (aka - hades, Gehenna) than anyone else in scripture.

                  It should be made clear that it brings no pleasure to the Lord to cast off anyone. Hell was created for Lucifer (Satan)and his fallen angels (who then became demons), not man. But a person’s rejection of Christ and his forgiveness, plus God’s appointed standards for living voids man’s opportunity to go to heaven to live for all eternity with their Creator. This scripture in Lamentations shows us clearly that casting off someone out of his presence forever grieves him. To grieve is to “express great sorrow or distress. God’s plan has no place for those who turn away from his offer” [2].

                  He shows compassion towards man. Compassion is a “deep awareness of the suffering of another accompanied by the wish to relieve it.” [2] Scripture says we are but dust and to dust we shall return [Genesis 3:19; Psalm 103:14]. His love for us is great, unending and without conditions placed upon it, therefore, unless we completely reject God’s way of life, we will be with him after we pass on from this earth. Do not reject Almighty God. Shift your focus onto the scriptures and seek his face while he may be found, for someday it will be too late. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

[1] Luke 16:23; Matthew 11:23; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 5:22.

[2] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Patience Thru Wisdom

Proverbs 19:11“A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

                  Solomon is said to be the wisest man to ever walk the earth. God gave him his wisdom because of his unselfish request; for the wisdom and knowledge to rule the people of Israel justly and without malice, with wisdom and discernment. [1 Kings 3:1-15] This so impressed the Lord that he gave him both what he asked for and the riches and material wealth he didn’t ask for. Solomon’s heart was after God. His words in the Book of Proverbs should be heeded because of his God given wisdom.

                  Patience is a godly trait that can be given in great measure if asked for. That is not to say that non-Christians can’t be patient, but believers in Christ often face a different type of trial or set of circumstances that will tear at the undercarriage of their faith if allowed. It’s at those times that we are to be as the prophet Isaiah declares: “Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” [Isaiah 50:7]. In this case Isaiah was speaking of the Messiah. Setting his face like flint means he will not shrink back from His mission, despite severe suffering, opposition, and humiliation. He also never held any offence against his perpetrators. 

Christ’s patience was impeccable and worthy of being emulated. In the face of many obstacles, we need to embrace the contemporary phrase; “Get on your knees and fight like a man.” It is thru prayer that mountains can be moved. The wise man will recognize that patience and not impudence is the route to take with those who would seek to incite you to say or do something unbecoming of a Christian. If you are lacking wisdom, seek it thru prayer. The Holy Spirit will dispense it as he wills to help us exhibit more Christ-like behavior. Patience thru wisdom is a key lesson for a believer to learn this side of heaven. God is in control and he absolutely knows what he’s doing. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Proverbs 1:5 “…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…”.

Proverbs 14:29 “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”

Proverbs 16:32 “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.”

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Believing with Your Heart

Romans 10:10-13 “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

“The heart in the Bible was thought to be a sort of "control center" from which all our decisions were made. So, when we read about the heart in the Bible, it is about the place where you have your will, your attitude, and intentions, and which is the source of your thoughts, actions, and words. This heart is the core of who you are as a person.” [1]

                  “To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; - especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy.”- J. H. Newman. [2]

                  I began this post with some clarification regarding our heart and belief. You see, it’s not simply believing as in giving mental acknowledgement to someone or something. Scripture is clear, “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” [James 2:19] It isn’t in the believing that makes you saved, per se, it is believing and then acting on that belief. Anyone can simply believe in something or someone, but how has that belief changed their life? 

Our focus is supposed to be on Jesus Christ; his life, ministry, and subsequent death and what that all means to us personally. It should mean that a purchase has been made on our behalf. It should mean that purchase paid off our sin debt, which we had been accumulating our entire life. Do you understand what that means? It may not be until you watch a movie like Mel Gibson’s THE PASSION, which graphically depicts Christ’s crucifixion, that what was done for you finally sinks in. It was preplanned and acted on solely for our benefit. So don’t say you are a Christian unless you truly know what it all entails and what is expected of you. 

Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-26 that we are to pick up our cross (figuratively)

and follow him. He also asks a rather poignant question: “…what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” If you intend to swim you don’t go into the water up to your knees, you go in all the way.  If you tell people you are a Christian, be prepared to display your beliefs as a means of testifying to the world that belief. 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://activechristianity.org/what-is-the-heart

[2] John Henry Newman (February 21, 1801 to August 11, 1890) - was an English theologian, scholar, and poet, first an Anglican priest and later a Catholic priest and cardinal.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

God’s Forgiveness

Psalm 103:8-12 “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

            Good and evil both exist in this world today, just as they did in the past. Ever since Lucifer (Satan) had been cast out of heaven he has been at odds with God. He is a trickster and liar to the nth degree. Sadly, I see a lot of parallels between the spirit world and the world we live in. Lies are pervasive. They come from unexpected sources. The tentacles of evil reach into places once thought to be pure and righteous. We are at war with the enemy of our souls, make no mistake about that. We will win, because we know God wins and as long as we are on the side of righteousness we are safe. But the battle is coming to us like never before. We must gird our loins with the gospel of truth and put on the rest of the armor of God. [Ephesians 6:10-18]

                  Our future is secure as long as we stay linked to the things of the Lord. These verses above make it very clear that if we renounce our sin and live for him our past sins will never be held against us. We serve a compassionate and gracious God who loves us with an everlasting love. Nothing can cause him to not love us. Of those who have done such heinous acts against humanity, there is still hope. The Lord doesn’t repay us according to what we have done. He doesn’t wish that any would be separated from him for all eternity. [2 Peter 3:9]

                  The statement “as far as the east is from the west” is symbolic. If it were not that there would be a limit to his forgiveness as calculated by that distance. It’s like when Jesus tells the disciplines to forgive 7 x 70 times. [Matthew 18:22] If that were literally true then you’d be required to forgive people 490 times and that’s all. It is symbolic, for forgiveness is to be offered without reservation or hesitation, just as God forgave you. 

Rejoice, for if you are covered in the blood of Christ you are forgiven for all eternity and those sins shall never be held against you ever again. That, my friends, is very good news. Trust God and live for him. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries 

Monday, January 13, 2025

OUR PROTECTOR

Psalm 119:114 “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

          Chapter 119 of Psalms is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses. In the 114th verse above we find four words that stand out: 1) refuge, 2) shield, 3) hope and 4) word. The Psalmist is declaring first that God is his own personal refuge. What is a refuge? A refuge is a fortress of sorts, a safe haven, a shelter from danger. Not only has the writer stated this, but also that God is his shield. This is typically a piece of armor that is used to protect the combatant. So, the first portion of the verse deals with protection. Since there is nothing God is incapable of (Matthew 19:26; Job 42:2; Jeremiah 32:17, 27 & Luke 1:37), I can think of no better protector then Him. 

           The Psalmist states clearly that he has put his hope in the word of God. What is hope? It is a strong desire with anticipation. Hope is born out of faith and trust. If we have faith, we believe in things unseen as if they can be seen. If we have trust, we have an assurance that we can rely on that thing or person we have placed our faith in. It is with that in mindset that we have hope. When we place our hope in the Bible, we are placing our hope in all the statutes and promises that are within its covers. By stating that he puts his hope in God’s word, the Psalmist is in fact also stating that he has faith in Almighty God and through trust is relying on Him to make all things as they should be. God knows all things and can bring about His perfect will for each one of us. His plans for us are for success and His timing is impeccable. There is nothing we cannot do if we rely on God fully. He can open closed doors, provide sustenance where there is none, bring hope to the despondent. God is our protector and our helper in the most desperate of times. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Saturday, January 11, 2025

Dying to Truly Live

1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

            This is referred to by some as “substitutionary atonement”.  Blood is required by God to expunge one’s sin. It’s simply the way he set his sacrificial system up. He foreknew that man would sin against his laws so he had prearranged from the beginning of time that the second person of the Trinity, his Son Jesus Christ, would come to earth as a baby. Jesus would be raised by hand picked parents. Jesus knew he was God’s Son and also knew what would eventually be required of him. This is alluded to in 1 Timothy 1:15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.”

                  Far too many people believe in Christ and in Father God, but don’t allow that knowledge to impact their lives in a personally intimate way. We are not talking about ‘religion’, we are talking about a ‘personal relationship’ … ‘a way of life’that is diametrically opposed to the world in which we live. Scripture cautions us not to walk with one foot in the spirit and one in the world, for it will compromise your walk for Christ.

                  I’m going to go out on a limb and say that while our wounds ‘have been’ healed, that statement applies to members of God’s family and / or those outside the family that believers stand in the gap for in prayer as a means of bringing them to the edge of the ledge regarding the reality of their sin. Sin must be shown to us so we can understand that it is wrong. We also need to grasp the fact that we cannot pay for it ourselves. It is a humbling and terrifying experience. But in our understanding, we need to accept that Christ paid that sin debt for us so we wouldn’t have to suffer the punishment we rightfully deserve. It is only in dying that we can truly live. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Friday, January 10, 2025

Childlike Faith

John 1:10-12 “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ….”

 

          Jesus of Nazareth came into the world two thousand years ago and the people of the day didn’t have any idea who He was. He came as the Messiah to the Jews, and they rejected Him, seeking a warrior king to defeat the Romans. But there were those who did accept Jesus and as a result received something far more important than just knowing Him; they received redemption, freedom from all sin. Their slate was clean. They got a do over as some would put it. The people of the day that realized He was something more than just a mere man were compelled to follow Him. They were His flock, and He was their shepherd. He taught them the things of God and while they may not have understood all that He said to them, they saw the miracles He performed with their own eyes. He was either a liar, a crazy man or He was exactly who He said He was – the Son of God. The people were fascinated by Him as He calmly flowed in and around them speaking of love, peace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

          If you had the chance to become a child again, would you? With all the responsibilities that we take on and the heavy weight of some of them, we may think we’d love to be a little child again. Carefree, lighthearted, not a care in the world. When Jesus ushers us into His family saying that we are now the children of God that is not exactly what he means. We obviously don’t become little children again, but rather should display some of the characteristics of little children; wonder, astonishment, trust, belief, love, respect, faith. The faith children have is simplistic and unquestioning. It is the type of faith a believer is to have.

 

Matthew 18:1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child, whom he placed among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”

 

          Life can be so simple, yet we tend to make it so complicated. The more things we attach ourselves to the more complex things become. We should consider shedding our attachments and simplify our lives. Keep Christ the main focal point and strive to become as little children with regards to our belief in God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thursday, January 9, 2025

BE A LIGHT

 

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

          When I read this verse of scripture it makes me think of lighthouses*. They come in various shapes and sizes, yet it appears that most are cylindrical or more correctly, conical (have a cone-like shape). The reason for this shape is that it allows the fierce winds that can tend to buffet a coast to flow freely around it. The light it emits is to guide the navigators of the seas, so they don't crash upon the rocks. Some are used to guide them through water inlets as well. They are no longer used much because of the expense of upkeep and the emergence of modern technology; however, they still dot coastlines throughout the world as a reminder of days gone by. 

          As Christians, we are to be lights set upon a hill. We are also to not allow our lights to be extinguished. The message we carry is of great importance to the world. Just like an extinguished lighthouse beacon can spell doom for seafaring sailors, so an ineffective Christian can spell doom to those in need of redemption. Each individual makes contact with some that no one else have access to. We have association with people who respect us and listen to what we have to say. We are not to hide our light under a bushel, ignoring the needs of others. We must feed our spirit man so that our light burns bright as the noon day sun. 

          Lighthouses are majestic in appearance and of great value in that they represent a part of our history as a civilization. We, as believers, are invaluable to God who made us. We represent His handiwork and are a part of a spiritual history that has stood the test of time. We need to be proud of our heritage as Christians and strive to do the work of God and be His hand extended where He places us. Don’t extinguish the light that is within you, let it shine out for all to see. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* light•house:  a structure (as a tower) with a powerful light that gives a continuous or intermittent signal to seafaring navigators.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

GOD'S GOOD WORK

 

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 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 we truly love someone, we 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. 

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. It’s a serious responsibility we have, yet a small price to pay for a clean slate. It is also a price we can ill afford to pay. We owe our lives to the payer of our debt, Jesus Christ, who will continue to sharpen us as stone to steel, as we allow Him to. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

sanc•ti•fi•ca•tion 1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use. Consecration is also a word that can be used for this process; a setting apart for God’s use.