I Have a Question 

What is Replication?

            To replicate something or someone is to reproduce or duplicate that thing or person. Is that not what we are asked by God to do with Jesus? In effect, to reproduce or duplicate his behavior? The answer is YES. That’s EXACTLY what we are encouraged to do.

            Let’s look at scriptures that reveal this fact:

 

^“... whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.” - 1 John 2:6

 

^“For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps.” - 1 Peter 2:21

 

“Imitate me (Paul), just as I imitate Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 11:1

 

“Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.” - Ephesians 5:1-2

 

            That should make it crystal clear that the plan from the foundations of the world was for followers of Christ to begin to replicate his behavior. To grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord will help your spiritual maturation process immensely.  Your walk with the Lord will not be perfect. It was never intended to be because God KNOWS we are but “dust and to dust we shall return.” ^[1] We must, though, be determined to know God intimately by studying his word. I’m not saying or even insinuating that we should become so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good. It is however imperative that each serious believer set aside some time to spend uninterrupted with the Lord. Don’t shirk normal responsibilities and do NOT neglect your family. Include them in your pursuit for a rise in your relational exploration with Almighty God. If you haven’t started, begin your replication process. It’s never too late to begin. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” - Genesis 3:19 NIV
Note: All verses are from the Amplified Bible & the NIV.

I Have a Question

 

“Are We to Associate With Sinners?”

 

         The answer to that question is YES. How can you plant seeds of faith where they are not needed? “But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with such scum?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.’” [Luke 5:30-32 NLT]

            The Pharisees acted respectably in public, making themselves look good to the masses. They publicly did good deeds, all the while pointing figures at the sins of the commoners. Jesus chose to spend time with those in need of salvation and not the proud, self-righteous religious leaders. Those who lived in the towns had a sense of their own sin and knew they were not good enough for God. To come to God they all must repent, renouncing their sin. The first step was to own up to their own sin. The Pharisees saw nothing more in Jesus than a way to disrupt their way of pleasing God. 

            We are not to shun, but to associate with non-believers. This should be done as a means of planting seeds of the gospel, but that mustn’t be the only reason. I’ve known several people who always sought you out until you said a “sinner’s prayer” and got saved. Then they were virtually impossible to find for fellowship and to answer questions. A very poor way to handle that type of situation. You have to be real, not fake. You have to make a commitment to be a friend to this new person, even if they resist salvation. Become a true friend, not a spiritual salesman who is insincere. Did someone do that to you when you got saved? Don’t do that to someone else. 

            Associating with sinners doesn’t mean you become like them, doing the things they do. You be true to yourself and your faith. No phony put on, genuine interest in being their friend(s). Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

I Have a Question 

Who Were the Samaritans?

(and Why Did the Jews HATE Them?)

 

The Samaritans occupied the country formerly belonging to the tribe of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The capital of the country was Samaria, formerly a large and splendid city. When the ten tribes were carried away into captivity to Assyria, the king of Assyria sent people from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to inhabit Samaria. These foreigners intermarried with the Israelite population that was still in and around Samaria. These “Samaritans” at first worshiped the idols of their own nations, but being troubled with lions, they supposed it was because they had not honored the God of that territory. A Jewish priest was therefore sent to them from Assyria to instruct them in the Jewish religion. They were instructed from the books of Moses, but still retained many of their idolatrous customs. The Samaritans embraced a religion that was a mixture of Judaism and idolatry. Because the Israelite inhabitants of Samaria had intermarried with the foreigners and adopted their idolatrous religion, the Samaritans were universally despised by the Jews.

            There were several other reasons why they were so hated by the Jews. After their return from Babylon, the Jews began rebuilding their temple. While Nehemiah was engaged in building the walls of Jerusalem, the Samaritans vigorously attempted to halt their construction. Why were the Samaritans so opposed to the Jews rebuilding the Temple? The Samaritans initially offered to help rebuild the Second Temple but were rejected by the Jewish leaders.  Their opposition, which sought to stop the temple construction, stemmed from being turned away, plus they viewed the restoration of pure Jewish worship in Jerusalem as a threat to their own religious practices.

The Samaritans built a temple for themselves on “Mount Gerizim,” which the Samaritans insisted was designated by Moses as the place where the nation should worship. Sanballat, the leader of the Samaritans, established his son-in-law, Manasses, as high priest. The idolatrous religion of the Samaritans thus continued on.

Samaria became a place of refuge for all the outlaws of Judea. The Samaritans willingly received Jewish criminals and refugees from justice. The violators of the Jewish laws, and those who had been excommunicated, found safety for themselves in Samaria, greatly increasing the hatred which existed between the two nations.

Religiously speaking, the Samaritans received only the five books of Moses, yet rejected the writings of the prophets and all the Jewish traditions.

That was the final straw for the Jews. The differences between the Samaritans and the Jews had now become irreconcilable, as the Jews now regarded the Samaritans as the worst of the human race and had absolutely no dealings with them. Jesus broke down the barriers between them, in spite of the hatred that existed, preaching the gospel of peace to the Samaritans and His apostles later followed Jesus’ example.

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

I Have a Question 

What Must I Do to Get to Heaven?

            Peter makes it very clear when he speaks to the Jews that were present at that time. In Acts 2:38-40 he proclaims the following: “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.” And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!”

            So when scripture says, “Call out to the Lord and you will be saved”, there’s a little more to it than just calling out His name. Actually, it’s pretty basic. God knows all things that can be known; we do not. God is perfect in every way; we are not.  God has a plan; we do not. He is able to cleanse us of all our sins; we are not. Scripture tells us in Romans 3:22-24 the following: “This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction, since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,...”. THAT is what you must do to get to heaven.

            Mankind has a problem. Whether they understand, or believe it or not, they have sinned repeatedly against the One who created them. Our sin is like an immense monetary debt that we have accrued and have no way of paying off. The blood spilled by Jesus on the cross was the payment required to cleanse our sin debt. The payment has no strings attached to it, unless you consider following Jesus a reason to turn down the payment. 

            Free will has been given to all men by God. We can exercise that free will and walk away from His gracious invitation if we so choose. That is exactly why God doesn’t send anyone to hell. By virtue of their free will, they make that decision all on their own. They choose not to be involved with God at all. Choose to follow the Lord... choose life. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

I Have a Question

How do we determine our own moral and/or ethical framework of beliefs? 

 

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” – Genesis 1:27 NKJV

 

“...for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” – Romans 2:14-15 NKJV

 

According to Christian theology, God gives humans an innate sense of right and wrong from birth.  This is rooted in the belief that humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), which includes an inherent capacity to discern moral truths. 

The Apostle Paul argues in Romans 2:14-15 that even those without direct knowledge of God’s law have the "work of the law written on their hearts," with their conscience bearing witness to moral distinctions. This suggests that humans possess an innate sense of right and wrong that persists despite the distortion caused by sin, allowing for basic moral recognition across all cultures. 

While this innate sense exists, it can be corrupted or seared by sin (1 Timothy 4:2).  Therefore, believers are encouraged to align their conscience with Scripture and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit to accurately discern God’s moral will. 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

Taking a Look at Scripture 

 

“And as for [the rest of] you, brethren, do not grow tired or lose heart in doing good [but continue doing what is right without weakening].”- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 Amplified Bible

 

         After speaking to the disorderly church members in Thessalonica, Paul took the time to encourage those who persevered in doing good without growing weary or discouraged. The apostle calls those who are persevering in the faith his brethren. Now technically, the slackers are Paul’s brothers in Christ as well, but the dutiful ones are called such in this letter to let them feel good about what they are accomplishing. It separates the good from the bad. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 that not all who profess to be following Christ are. 

            We are called to follow Christ, some believers do and others do not. They may have had a legitimate conversion experience; however, they’ve not counted the cost and as a result may have turned spiritually lazy regarding the things of the Lord.

            I have a saying that I firmly believe and live out each day. It is, “It’s NEVER right to do wrong, but it is NEVER wrong to do right”. Some of the members of the Thessalonica had become weary of doing good. Paul’s concern was that those members would have an adverse effect on those continually doing good. 

            The good that some were doing involved daily labor, generosity toward others, along with general Christian conduct, which would be consistent with an ongoing commitment to the Lord. This guidance from Paul can be tied to Galatians 6:9 where Jesus promises a harvest for the ones who do not give up. Faithful service shall be rewarded by the Lord. Idleness can be contagious if one isn’t alert and discerning. Continue on with your service to the Lord and stay strong in the things of God. Keep building your relationship with him and become like the proverbial beacon on the hill. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.thebiblesays.com

Taking a Look at Scripture

 

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” – John 14:15 NIV

            Obeying Jesus’ commands is NOT a requirement or condition for salvation. Rather, it should be a natural result of having a living, breathing relationship with Christ. Love is an action word; therefore, it is important to show your love thru action instead of just by emotion.

            Exactly what commands is Jesus speaking of?  They encompass all of the words and teachings of Jesus from throughout his ministry. His words should be identified as his Father’s own words since they are one in the same. Obedience is proof of salvation. It is a call to accept and follow his revelation to love and live in truth.

            The love spoken of in the above verse is known as “agape” love which represents a selfless, sacrificial commitment. We should obey the Lord out of love and respect instead of fear of repercussions if we do not, because there would be no punishment coming if you do not follow his lead in obedience. We should do it because we have placed immense value in their relationship with Christ.

            The focus should be between loving God and keeping his word, rather than adhering to a rigid list of do’s & don’ts. It’s quite simple really. Those who do NOT love the Lord will not obey his teachings. Those who DO love Jesus WILL follow his teachings because of their love and respect for him.

            All disciples of Christ both then and now are identified by their obedience to God’s Word, their love for fellow believers and even for those they consider enemies. 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

Taking a Look at Scripture 

 

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” – 1 John 4:7 NIV

 

            Love is a divine attribute that comes directly from Almighty God, and this verse establishes that fact. Having the love of God in your heart is evidence that a spiritual rebirth has taken place in a person.

            The verse reveals to us the divine origin of love showing us that it is not merely a human emotion. It comes directly from God’s nature for as it says in the very next verse (v.8) “God is love.” He is the embodiment of love. Man has skewed love into something disjointed, immoral, and evil, which is not at all what God intended.

            When someone exhibits love in a visible way it reveals selflessness growing in that persons heart. It is thru love that we become selfless, as Jesus was. Doing for others with no expectation of reciprocation reveals the sacrificial side of love. Those characteristics represent an individual that is spiritually born again by Almighty God.

            One of the things that is so special about “knowing God” is what that truly means. To know God is to begin a trip to an intimate, transformative relationship with the creator of the universe and man’s first breath. It is supposed to result in loving others more than you love yourself. It is loving in a real, palpable way rather than simply giving a verbal acknowledgement. Forget what the world says love is... disregard it. Home in on what the creator of true lasting love has to say in his Word about love. ^{[ Hint: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ]}

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries         

Resource: www.biblehub.com

 

Taking a Look at Scripture

“...the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” – Hebrews 9:22 NIV

            Nearly all iniquities that took place in the OT period required that they be purified with blood. Without it there was NO forgiveness of sins. The animals blood signified a temporary, symbolic covering for impurity, having NOT removed that sin for all time as Christ’s blood did. The Law was absolute; no sin was pardoned unless a life was given for “the life of the flesh is in the blood”. [Leviticus 17:14 NIV]

Hebrews 9:22 is a bridge to the New Covenant provided by Christ’s sacrificial death. The New Covenant reveals the superiority of Christ’s willing sacrifice. The OT sacrifices had to be made repeatedly on an annual basis in a ritualistic fashion. This system was imperfect, yet set the stage for the shedding of Christ’s own blood as a “once for all time”redemptive sacrifice which fulfilled the Mosaic Laws demand for justice. The New Covenant provided for believers forgiveness that was for a lifetime. Eternal forgiveness which begins the moment you give your life over to Christ. His death validated the New Covenant, proving that God’s justice was satisfied completely, allowing Him to forgive sins eternally without compromising His holiness.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: https://www.biblestudytools.com/hebrews/9-22.html

Taking a Look at Scripture 

 

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” – John 17:5 NIV

            Early church tradition referred to this verse as Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, as it is where he asks God the Father to restore him to the divine glory that was shared with God before the creation of the world. 

            The verse speaks of Jesus pre-existence and divine posture. It affirms his eternal nature and unity with the Father. This glory he seeks is a REACQUISITION rather than a NEW acquisition. He was seeking to return to his rightful state after his earthly ministry was completed. Jesus concealed this while on his mission to accomplish salvation for mankind. The Lord sought re-glorification as a result of his glorifying the Father while he was on earth.

            While there exists slight interpretable differences among theologians the vast majority see this verse as direct evidence for Christ’s pre-creation existence with God the Father; both being eternal and both being divine. 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.bible-study.com

Taking a Look at Scripture 

 

“But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 NIV           

            This verse is considered a “foundational” truth within Christian beliefs. It reveals three basic, yet very important facts. It speaks to the unconditional nature of the love God has for his creation, it speaks to the substitutionary sacrifice Christ willingly made on our behalf, and clarifies the assurance of our salvation from sin.

            One thing people must understand is that God’s love is not a response to our goodness, our repentance, or our worthiness, but rather solely an act of grace. Grace is undeserved favor, which is something that can never be earned. The truth of the matter is that prior to salvation we were guilty, alienated from God and rebellious toward him. That stands in sharp contrast to love. Worldly love can tend to be conditional, based on merit. Man can never earn God’s love so isn’t it a good thing that God’s grace exists?

            Christ’s sacrificial death should never be seen as his martyrdom, but as a substitutionary atonement. Based on the OT sacrificial system that had been set in place, a perfect sacrifice must be made to cover the sin of the offering owner. This was different. The OT system was turned on its head with Christ’s death because his blood didn’t just cover the sin it removed it completely.

Christ died in our place. He took the penalty and judgment that was owed us and he did it willingly. This one act reveals God’s character, showing that his love was both costly and decisive. This was how it HAD to be done; there was no other way.

            Christ’s death provides an assurance to believers that while we were still enemies of God he allows for the one sacrifice that defines his immense love for his creation. This verse shows us the foundation of Christian hope, letting us know that NO SIN can separate believers from the love God has for them. It was fully expressed in Christ’s sacrifice while we were still enemies of God. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: www.salvationcall.com

 

Quote Contemplations 

 

“... now I will show you the most excellent way.” – 1 Corinthians 12:31b

 

            The apostle Paul is writing to the church members at the church in Corinth. The purpose of his letter was to identify problems in their church. He was offering solutions to those problems and attempted thru his letter to teach them how to live in their corrupt society.

            Paul concludes the 13^th chapter with this advice; that faith, hope, & love will last forever, but without question the greatest of the three is love. THAT is “the most excellent way”. Things that go along with ‘love’ would be kindness, mercy, consolation to name just a few. We’re to treat others the way we ourselves would like to be treated. [Luke 6:31] That should involve loving others, just as you would like others to love you.

            You can try to treat others well in a variety of ways; however, the way that ends up being the most real is the honest to goodness, heartfelt love you show another person. Know this though; loving those who already love you is not the point of the teaching. We are expected to show love to EVERYONE, even those who dislike or even HATE us for whatever reasons. 

            If I am hated for anything in this life I’d like it to be because of my affiliation with Jesus Christ. Jesus is a threat to Satan and all who reject the Lord’s existence. Some even say that Christianity is very dangerous because we try to force people to follow the teachings in the Bible. The ones who say that are the “anti-theists”. Musician Enos is a rabid “anti-theist” spewing lies to breed hate against God. His unrighteous deeds will be dealt with by God in due time. In spite of the world’s hatred, we are to love just as Christ loved... unconditionally. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

Quote Contemplations

 

“Your mistakes are nothing more than a page in the book, but it isn’t the end.” – RL Keller

 

            If you’re a human being you will make mistakes. Hopefully you will not be prone to making mistakes, but you will have lapses of reason and make ill-advised decisions that may not end particularly well.  Your mistakes do NOT define you as a person, at least not in God’s eyes. I tend to believe that we humans think a whole lot less of ourselves than our creator does. While there are some egocentric folks out there, I doubt they make of the majority of the world’s population.

            “Newer research suggests humans may be less egocentric than previously thought, often showing high sensitivity to the beliefs of others rather than defaulting to self-centered assumptions.” ^[1]  

            Almighty God doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. How do we arrive at that conclusion? 1 John 4:8 tells us straight out, “Whoever doesn’t know love doesn’t know God, because God is love.” So then if we then go to 1 Corinthians 13:5 we find that Paul is speaking of love and says, “(Love) does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” Therefore, if God is love and love keeps no record of wrongs, than God keeps no record of wrongs. It’s called deductive reasoning, or an “if-then” clause.

            God’s grace is his undeserved favor bestowed upon his children; those who have received his Son and his subsequent forgiveness, sanctification, and undeserved favor (grace). My left forearm has a saying tattooed on it, “Because of God’s grace I am no longer defined by past mistakes.” I wear that proudly because I know I’m not perfect and never will be, but since I accepted God’s terms for forgiveness he doesn’t hold any of my mistakes against me. That’s an eternal promise. God writes the end of our story. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1]https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/2023/10/30/news/why_humans_aren_t_as_egocentric_as_you_might_think_new_research-3738079/

Quote Contemplations

 

“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” ―  H. Jackson Brown Jr.

 

“It is better to give than to receive.”  - Proverb 20:35

 

“The proverb ‘it is better to give than to receive’ means that the act of giving is more virtuous, noble, and spiritually satisfying than the act of receiving. Originating from Acts 20:35, where the Apostle Paul quotes Jesus, the phrase teaches that generosity brings greater happiness and blessing to the giver than the pleasure of acquiring things for oneself.” ^[1]

      I know that to be true. When you give money to someone who is in dire straits, or food to people without, or a winter coat to a homeless person, when given with the proper motivation, is very satisfying. It’s not all about us. God uses us in various ways and scripture is very clear on this front: “But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” [Matthew 6:3 NLT] In other words, don’t broadcast what you’re doing for someone, for what you did is no one else’s business. We are not to seek recognition for anything we do in the name of the Lord. A humble spirit is required. Whether anyone knows who gave the gift is of no consequence. The Lord indirectly did it thru you. He moved upon the heart of a person to assist in a tangible way. God is to receive the glory, not us. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] www.biblehub.com

 

Quote Contemplations 

 

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.”  -  Victor Hugo*

 

            This is something I say quite often. That God loves us in spite of ourselves. Let’s face it, our lives don’t paint a pretty picture. Mankind is deeply flawed and in need of a major makeover. The beauty of God is that he knows all about us yet loves us in spite of ourselves. He knows we are but dust and to dust we shall return. 

            We must understand something very important. God knows who we are. He knows what we’ve thought, said, and done in our life. He knows the good and the bad; the beautiful and the ugly side of each one of us. In spite of all our foul-ups he loves us. He loves us in spite of our moral and/or ethical weaknesses. He may not agree or like what we are doing with our lives, but it has no impact on his feelings for us. 

            We can go to the Lord with any problem or potentially dire situation, and he will not judge us.  Instead he will show us a better way. He is always ready to forgive the contrite heart and will never hold any past iniquities against us. So remember and never forget that we are loved by our Creator passionately and eternally and NOTHING will ever change that!!

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* Victor-Marie Hugo, February 26,1802 – May 22, 1885) was a French Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician.

 

Quote Contemplations 

 

“Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.” -  H. Jackson Brown, Jr.*

            This advice is well suited for marriage and other special relationships. The truth of the matter is that when you’ve made someone you care about happy, then YOU are happy as well. Love is the catalyst that provides the spark. When you love someone then their feelings are paramount to you. Doing for them out of love brings you satisfaction. It also reveals to the recipient the depth of feelings you have for them.

            Spiritually speaking, we should return God’s love for us back to him. We do that by obeying the standards laid out in the Bible. God’s love for us cannot be topped in that his own Son died in our place, the atonement for our sins. THAT is a special, supernatural kind of love that is eternal in nature.

            Being happy is a choice. Some people have wonderful lives by worldly standards yet are not happy because they feel they are missing something. They are. A relationship with their Creator. They haven’t found that piece of unparallelled happiness and satisfaction yet, but it is our prayer that some day they will. 

            Worldly happiness is temporal; here today and gone tomorrow. Only that which is eternal will last. Some folks look for that ‘thing’ that they feel they are missing, without knowing where to look or how to find it. And the Holy Spirit quietly calls out to them, but they do not have ears to hear. Someday maybe they will. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Horace Jackson Brown Jr. (March 14, 1940 – November 30, 2021) was an American author who was best known for his inspirational book, Life's Little Instruction Book.

Quote Contemplations

 

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” John 13:1 NIV

 

            “...The full extent of his love.” If you ever had any doubts as to how much God loves you, doubt no further. Knowing in painful detail what he would have to go thru to show the world the depth of his love, Jesus willingly gave himself over to the cruelty of the Roman soldiers. The Lord took an ordinary scene and by his divine presence and calm demeanor, turned it into a holy event. The man who could have called down a thousand angels to his side to defend him remained silent. Jesus knew what must be done and he also knew he was the ONLY one who could accomplish this and have it mean something eternal. I would say that there is no one living or dead who could have pulled this off, because the creature is but a pale reflection of its creator.

            The full extent of God’s love for those who have given themselves over to his guidance and leadership is deeper than the deepest ocean and wider than the sky.  Nothing compares to it. Nothing ever will. It is my believe that mankind will never, ever fully appreciate or understand what actually transpired over 2000 years ago on a hill called Golgotha. And Christ did that for each one of us. Some embrace it and have it revolutionize their lives; others barely consider it, questioning if it was real or just a legend.  

            They say experience is a great teacher. Experiencing salvation thru faith and trust in God teaches you over the course of time that Christ and his crucifixion were very real historic events. Scripture combined with time period documents verify the existence of Jesus of Nazareth and the spectacle on Golgotha’s hill. That is how deep the extent of Christ’s love for us is. That he would die for each one of us. Matchless love, incredible display. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Once you’ve been seen as a person of low integrity by others, it’s very difficult to gain a person’s trust again. God forgives; man typically does not. Those who know God and walk with Him can make somewhat of a recovery as far as being trusted again, but the consequences can be rough. When you aren’t trusted for legitimate reasons, you’ve shot yourself in the foot, quite literally. You’ve singlehandedly made your life a lot harder than it had to be.

That is precisely why a believer simply MUST dedicate time to knowing the Lord better and learn to emulate Christ. We cannot live this life without some outside help. Worldly help is risky business since the world is inwardly and not outwardly focused. We are inconsequential in God’s universal plan. In other words, He doesn’t NEED us to make His plan work; rather God has CHOSEN to use us and that my friends is a whole lot different than Him NEEDING us. He sees value in us. He knows what we can become with His influence firmly planted within our heart & mind. The catch is that we HAVE TO submit to His leadership in our lives. If you aren’t willing to entertain that proposal, then you’ve made your decision and once you die it becomes irreversible. 

If you don’t believe in there being an Almighty God who loves you and desires to have a relationship with you, then all I have to say is “YOU BETTER BE RIGHT.” Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Understanding how fragile and brief life truly is, I honestly don’t waste a lot of time pondering its brevity. I’ve tried to make the most out of my life for the Lord in the comparatively short time that we all have?

                  I say our lives are brief because of the point of reference I am using. My point of reference is the longevity of God’s existence. It’s really no different than the bigness of God compared to His creation; namely man. We are nothing more than single grains of sand on the beaches of creation, especially when compared to the vastness of the universe and the Lord’s preeminence.

                  There appears to be a whole lot of folks in the world today who have an over-inflated sense of importance. They seem to think they are better than all others in intellect, status, looks, and so on. Only God knows who is serious about their commitment to Him.  Selfishness, laced with arrogance, is a poor path to follow. These type of people don’t think about the frailty of life, but rather have the odd notion that they will never die.

                  Life is too short to waste time on trivial matters. God is to be our primary focus. Understanding who He is and who we are in relation to Him is crucial to our spiritual growth. So don’t focus on the shortness of time, but rather focus on how you can make the most out of the time we have for the Lord. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

The world is filled with hatred and the vilest sort of evil that it leaves our collective heads spinning. It makes us bone weary. In our efforts to replicate the behavioral traits of Jesus we find Satanic opposition at every turn. The hatred that is percolating right below the surface is bringing about stiff resistance to Christianity. Notice that other “religious beliefs” are not mentioned. Why? Because they present no threat to the enemy. 

Jesus is THE ONE WAY to heaven and THAT is why He comes under attack so often from Satanic forces. It makes walking by faith a bit more of a challenge. But we must never lose sight of who God is & who we are IN HIM. 

With God there is nothing to fear. With God, by association, there is nothing we cannot do in His name. Faith and trust in God is what we need to survive in this world. He is the only One that can wipe your proverbial slate clean and give you a new start. He is the only One with the resources (Christ’s blood) to simply remove one’s sin permanently and for all time. God is the only One who can provide the way to an eternity with Him. 

So don’t look at the potential problems that loom off in the distant, but rather look at that which is right beside you, namely, Jesus Christ, the author and completer of our faith.

Refocus on that which is positive and refresh your mind with His word daily. We’re in a war of good vs. evil and though we already know that good wins, we need to play it out. Trust the Lord to lead you to the Promised Land. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind 

 

“The strength of what we believe is measured by how much we are willing to suffer for those beliefs.” ^{P.1989; Life Application Study Bible.}

 

                  How strong are your religious beliefs? Would you be willing to suffer and die for those beliefs? If not then why do you bother to believe them? No one ever promised that you wouldn’t face persecution for your faith in God. In fact down thru the centuries untold numbers have suffered and died for what they believe. What would you do if it came to that in your own life? 

            I would like to think that I would stand tall in the face of all opposition. I love the Lord with all my heart and while I’m a highly imperfect representative for Christ, I am covered by His blood and bound for heaven. He loves me unconditionally and without reservation. At the critical moment when He was dragged off to His own crucifixion, Jesus had NO regrets for He knew it had to be done and that He was the only one able to do it. His blood was the only perfect blood specimen that could satisfy the payment due for the sins of all mankind. What He did for me I can never repay except with faithful obedience, and joyful worship. 

            Have you ever thought about how you would react should your life be required of you for your faith in Jesus? Think long and hard about that because it’s an important question. When we access our own ability to withstand pain and suffering, never forget that God is in ultimate control of all things and whatever He either causes or allows to happen is for our ultimate good. Do you believe that? I hope so, because it’s true. 

            Don’t lose sleep over the possibility of having to suffer for your faith. If it happens one day God will see you thru it. But it may never happen prior to the Rapture of the Saints. Trust God and know that He is with you wherever you go. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

             

 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

“Suddenly” is an interesting word... it typically leads into a big event in time. Take Pentecost... “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.” (Acts 2:1-2 NLT) It took place just as Jesus had said.

            When Jesus asked Peter to come to Him on the water, Peter was up for it and stepped out on the water. Prior to Jesus arrival a storm had whipped up. That particular area by the Galilean Sea was prone to sudden storms swooping down and causing havoc. This was what the scene was when Peter stepped onto the water.  “So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he shouted.” ^{(Matthew 14:29-30 NLT)} Now this example doesn’t actually use the word ‘suddenly’, but based on the meteorological history of that region. Storms “suddenly” popped up seemingly out of nowhere, which makes this example qualify.

            Another example that doesn’t actually use the word “suddenly”, would qualify based on the nature of the event. “Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!” ^{(Exodus 14:21-22)} Because of Moses obedience in simply raising his hand over the sea, the Lord sent a “strong east wind” to blow ALL NIGHT. Sounds like it was a “sudden” event to me. It started suddenly at God’s command and was sustained throughout the night. Miraculous.

            The Rapture of the Church or the “catching away” of the saints is a sudden event that Paul speaks of in his letter to the Thessalonian church. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” ^{(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NLT) “}For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.” ^{(1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 NLT)}

            The reason I share about the word “suddenly” is because God is timeless and therefore not under the restraints that time can put on people. He does as He pleases without immediate warning, though there is more than likely some sort of warning woven into the scriptures. Since the sudden nature of certain future events we should live ready, for we may not have a seconds notice to get ready. Study the nature of God. Understand what it means to serve Him with your whole heart. This life isn’t all about YOU. It’s about GOD. Live like you believe that. Until next time, walk with the King & treat others as you’d like to be treated.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries