THOUGHTS FROM A RANDOM MIND

                        The term “hollow heart” came to my attention the other day. Here are some thoughts I pulled together regarding that topic of being HOLLOW.

                  What IS a HOLLOW HEART? It is a heart that is insincere; deceitful; treacherous; void of emotion. What about HOLLOW LOVE? How’s about it is when you love someone who will never love you back. Empty. Void. HOLLOW EMOTIONS would be when we feel emotional emptiness, we feel hollow–like there is simply nothing inside of us. This feeling can be very different from the “heavy” and overwhelming feelings of depression, panic, or anger, which weigh us down because they seem to permeate every aspect of our being.

                  Many people describe empty feelings as numbness, detachment, chronic or deep boredom, or a sense of being hollow inside. It’s like something is missing inside of you. If you have ever felt that way, it’s important to know that you are not alone. Emptiness is a difficult emotion to understand and process.

                  What is a HOLLOW PERSON? A HOLLOW PERSON' is often used metaphorically to describe someone who appears to lack depth, substance, or genuine emotions. This term can refer to individuals who may seem superficial, disconnected from their feelings, or lacking in meaningful connections with others.

                  How’s about a HOLLOW COMPLIMENT. It would be a compliment without any real or significant worth; meaningless: a hollow victory. Synonyms: pointless, futile, empty, vain. insincere or false: hollow compliments.

                  HOLLOW WORDS are things like words and/or promises a person utters although he doesn’t intend to keep them.

                  This hollowness can be defeated, because 1) we know it doesn’t come from the Lord, 2) it comes from the devil.  The devil is a DEFEATED FOE. He is a toothless lion. He can do nothing to God’s children without the Lord’s foreknowledge and allowance.  We don’t need to feel this way. God is far greater than any issues or problems you may encounter. It’s a matter of focus. Focus on negative thoughts or imaginings and you will feel, and act defeated but refocus on that which is positive and godly, and you will begin to snap out of it. Negativism isn’t where you want to be. It’s a dead end road.

                  Spend time praising God for your life and ask Him to guide you into a more positive mindset, so that you will be a blessing to those around you. You don’t have to carry the weight of negativism with you. It can be dropped right where you stand. 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 Frailty of Life

 

                  This last night I heard a story about someone who died unexpectedly. This morning at work the Holy Spirit said to me, “write on the frailty of life”. I said “alright”, so here it is.

                  While I don’t remember all the details, like names, ages, etc., I do remember that the victim was a woman. I remember she was sitting in her car at the exit of a local McDonalds. She either just ate breakfast or just picked up breakfast and was heading to work or back home. I’m guessing when she woke up that morning she didn’t think she’d be dying that day. The story goes that while she sat innocently waiting to pull out onto the main road, the driver of a pick-up truck lost control and T-Boned the woman’s car, killing her instantly. I’m guessing she didn’t think she’d be dying that day.

                  Scripture tells us we do NOT know what tomorrow will hold for us. Frankly, we don’t even know if we’ll wake up in the morning. A certain mild arrogance boastfully says, at least internally, that ‘nothing bad ever happens to me’. I was related to someone who used to say that all the time. I wonder if that woman ever said that to herself. Are you aware that your life, the one God gave you, can end in a split second without warning. To think otherwise is foolhardy. I’m not advocating living in fear of dying, not at all. But we must respect life...our own and the lives of others. Look at what the Bible says: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” - James 4:13-15 Also, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” - Proverbs 27:1

                  “Life is fragile, handle with pray” is a slogan I’ve seen before. It’s so true. Time flies and that’s a fact. Seems like yesterday I was in school. I’m now 69 years old and I am astonished at how quickly my life has gone by with a whoosh. And I have no idea when my life on earth will end. 

                  All this begs the question: Have you made your peace with God? Going to church / mass every day wouldn’t make you a Christian. Scripture tells us we must be Born Again of the Spirit of God. Jesus came and died for all our sins. When we receive Christ into our hearts we become a new creation. Our lifestyle is supposed to change. We are supposed to begin an exciting journey to become more like our Savior and Lord. Are you a Christian in name only, and have done nothing with your faith? God doesn’t need anyone of us, but instead has chosen to use us to spread His gospel to our portion of the world. Believing in Jesus means nothing if it hasn’t profoundly changed your life. Scripture says behold, old things have passed away and all things have become new. You are a new creation. You’ve died to self and should now be living for Him. Are you? If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence for a conviction? 

What if your last day on earth was tonight ... do you know without question or hesitation that you’d spend eternity with the Creator of the Universe?? You can absolutely know that for sure. Ask the Lord to do with you whatever He wishes and watch the sparks fly. Watch God’s will manifest itself in your life. Have you made your peace with God? If your answer isn’t a resounding YES, then search your soul and take a spiritual inventory of yourself. This is important and is to be taken seriously. God loves you and died for you ... He’s asking you to live for Him. To borrow Nike’s marketing slogan ... “JUST DO IT!”

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

           I’ve felt the Holy Spirit gently prodding me to write about this. Then the word came louder and more pronounced: “Do they not know how dangerous it is?” Was what ended up ringing in my ears.  “Apparently not”, I said back. So I said in a low, but audible voice, “Okay, I hear you. I’ll address it tonight.” What is IT? 

            It’s come to my attention that folks are not taking that which is inherently evil seriously ... not at all.  Witches, warlocks, ghosts, the devil, demons ... these are REAL ... they DO exist. They are not “cool” or anything of the kind.  People don’t know what they are trifling with. Satan wants you to think it’s all just innocent fun. Satanism, Pedophilia, Human Trafficking, and that’s just for starters. They are grimy subjects, but when you dabble in the supernatural, you enter into a whole new realm that we are not needing to be a part of. God wants to protect you from all that, but you have to take this threat seriously and seek His help or else the consequence of your actions will be ON YOU. 

            Now God loves us and because of that He gives each of us a FREE WILL to think, say and do as we please. His desire is that we will accept His gracious offer of forgiveness for all our sin, thanks to the blood Christ shed on the cross, and follow Him all our days on this earth, but that is our choice. If you want to dabble in evil things thinking there is no harm in it, you have no idea what you’re dealing with.  There is no eternal benefit to messing with occultic, satanic, supernatural things that you know NOTHING about.  LEAVE IT ALONE!! In Jesus name, amen!

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

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

PS - I wrote this out of love & concern for the hearts & souls of innocent men, women & children the world over. Trust me, leave it alone. rlk

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I don’t believe in ‘luck’. Luck is defined in the broadest sense as “a chance happening”, but I don’t believe anything happens simply by chance. I believe in God. I can’t see him, but I can see the evidence of his existence all around me. It takes faith in the unseen to believe in God. Now there are plenty of people who believe in the unseen, but instead of God they spend their time entertaining the existence of ghosts and the paranormal. These things cannot redeem your soul, so they are frivolous endeavors to say the least, in my opinion. 

            Luck has nothing to do with what transpires in our lives on a daily basis. When Moses parted the Red Sea, it wasn’t luck, but rather a divine act of providence that saved the Israelites from death at the hands of their enemies. When David killed Goliath with a sling and a single stone it wasn’t luck, but divine intervention. 

            We have been given a free will to believe as we choose and in what we choose. If we choose to believe in luck over a God who created and loved us enough to come in human form and die to cleanse us of our sins, then so be it. Just remember, luck runs out at some point and in the end is God standing, arms open wide, saying “when you grow weary of speculating about this and that I will still be here waiting for you.”

            Folks will try anything and everything rather than step thru the door into the light of the one truth that defies logic. Salvation isn’t logical. It isn’t rational. It defies everything we think we know as true. But what is really true and what is an illusion? What is real and what is fake? We think we know but in reality, know nothing of any consequence. Put luck aside and seek out the One truth that can carry you on to heavenly places. Being saved from sin isn’t in any way lucky, it’s God’s plan for mankind so we may be part of a bright and glorious future free from heartache and pain, free from tears and sadness, free from death and disease, not just temporarily, but forevermore. Seek God while he may be found & the door is still open. 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

                  It's curious to me that while so many people ask how you are, most aren't interested in the receiving your answer. If we truly told people how we are they'd be looking for any reason to detach themselves from that particular conversation very quickly.

                  As for me, I find myself saying HI to just about everyone at work.  I’m just a friendly guy. When I ask how someone is I really want to know. There have been countless times just asking how someone is can lead to a brief conversation that reveals the need for prayer. Sometimes I pray right then and there with the person, sometimes I send the request to my Prayer Posse so we can all pray or at times I do both. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way bragging or looking for the accolades of men. It’s just that God presents me with opportunities, and I try to represent Him as best I can with the Spirit’s help.

                  Because of my physical stature (6’5”, 320 lbs) and the fact that the Holy Spirit is within me, people seem to be drawn to me. From time to time I try a certain sociological experiment. I go thru the day NOT saying HI to people to see how many say HI to me without me saying anything. I find the results quite interesting. Many of the people pass by without saying a word. If I initiate the greeting they respond. If I don’t, they are silent. Curious, isn’t it. You can also tell a lot about a person when you begin to tell them how you really are … watch for their reaction. If it appears canned or mechanical, then perhaps they really don’t care all that much. I think most people don’t expect you to tell them how you’re really doing.  The people I like are the ones who, without you saying a thing, recognize that you might be in pain or some sort of mild distress and ask if you’re alright. Those folks show themselves to be legitimately caring for their fellow man/woman.

                  All this begs the question: Have we become too impersonal as a society? Maybe so. Only we can change that. We all (myself included) need to become more selfless and less selfish. Only God can bring about that change. Ask for it and you will receive it. It requires cultivation over time. We can do it. That will be one way the masses will see Jesus in us. 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

“Our daily prayer should be ‘Lord, let me see what you see and let me love what you love, in Jesus' name, Amen’". - RL Keller

 

            As we struggle thru this life, we too easily forget that it doesn’t have to be a struggle all the time. The Lord desires to make our burdens light, but we insist on carrying it all by ourselves. It is only when we stumble and fall on our face that we cry out to God for help. 

We readily judge people based on externals instead of accepting the fact that God created them too and loves them just as much as He loves us, no more and no less. God looks at the motivation of a person’s heart, something we are incapable of doing. That’s why He’s God and we’re not. 

                  His love for us is so outrageously immense that nothing can cause it to dissipate. The key to loving one another, I think, is to pray that simple prayer shown at the top of this post. God revealed that to me thru a song I heard a while back. We can get spiritually fed by any number of various means; sermons, Bible teachings, reading scripture, listening to the lyrics of songs, and so on. We should relish the source of that food. We should listen for God’s voice in all we read, listen to, or watch.  We should ask for the discernment and wisdom of Solomon, the wisest man to ever live.  If God granted it to him, He would grant it to any one of us. The Lord is no respecter of persons. What He does for one, He can and will do for another.

                  So make it a pledge to God that you will earnestly seek that which He sees and loves each day. You see, once you became a Christian, the path you were on shifted. You are now on the upward path that leads straight to heaven. Don’t you wish to be all you can be in Christ? Don’t you want God to use you to further His kingdom? Our desires must line up with God’s if we’re ever going to be at all like Him. We can’t do it alone.  God knew that, so that is precisely why we received the gift of the Holy Spirit when we got saved. If you follow this advice, you will not regret it. Your life will never be the same again. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His name & for His glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

DEPRESSION

 

1. “A mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness or inability to experience pleasure combined with symptoms including poor concentration, indecisiveness, sleep problems, changes in appetite and feeling guilt, helplessness, and hopelessness ... “.

 

2. “Extreme gloom, feelings of inadequacy and inability to concentrate.”

 

                  The devil is working overtime to keep us from being all we can be in Christ. He appears to be a malevolent force that should strike fear in the hearts of all men, but in reality, he is nothing more than a toothless lion. He is a defeated foe who, in desperation, will try anything and everything to drag us down. It certainly doesn’t have to be that way, but when we allow the circumstances around us to disrupt our connection with God chaos ensues.

                  We’ve all dealt with depression at one time or another in our lives. We may not have recognized it as such, but it can cause anyone to get stuck in the mud so to speak. We allow things or people to derail us from the track we are on by taking over the positive nature that the Lord infuses in us and replaces it with negativism. The devil wants us to be frozen with fear or indecision or guilt or hopelessness. I’ve become temporarily stagnant, like a brackish pond with no fresh water source feeding it. I have looked at life and events that are taking place around me and it has occasionally caused me to feel a sense of both helplessness and hopelessness. However, we all know THAT is not from the Lord at all. It’s why we pray. It’s why we read our Bibles. It’s why we attend church service. To snap us out of our malaise and stand us upright again.

                  Depression doesn’t need to be debilitating. It only takes a shift in our focus … off our circumstances and on to the Lord of life. God is aware of our comings and goings and knows when we are down or feeling without hope. He always provides a way out of it, but we must remain attentive to His voice. How can we do that when we are depressed? A simple 3-word prayer can do the trick … “Lord, help me!” and He most certainly will. 

                  Anxiety and depression don’t need to defeat us or even stop us in our tracks. God is far greater than anything the devil can throw at us. Listen to this: “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” ^{(Psalm 34:17-18)} “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”^{(Isaiah 41:10)} When depressed or despondent, God is your answer. Don’t give the devil a foothold in your life. 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

“This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:

I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)           

 

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brough us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

 

“So, Jesus asked the Twelve, ‘Do you want to leave too?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.’”  (John 6:67-69)

 

            So here we are. There is one and only one God and that is the One we are serving. He said He would heal us by virtue of the blood Christ shed on the cross. And there is nowhere else we can go to find truth (and healing). So why are some people not healed when they ask for it? They have the faith to be healed, they trust that God still heals today, yet they simply don’t understand why so many people are healed every day and they are not. 

            I have no answer for this valid question. Some say it’s because you don’t have enough faith, but I don’t believe that for a second. If scripture says you only need faith the size of the tiniest seed in Bible times (the mustard seed - which is said to be the size of a pin head), to move a mountain, then to not be healed would mean you have no faith at all if you go by the thought that you don’t have enough. Does it mean your healing is resting comfortably in ‘the land of the not yet’? In other words, the answer isn’t yes, but it isn’t no either … it’s not yet. God’s timing is impeccable, yet we are impatient. God does as He pleases. One person I know walked away from his faith in God saying that God was a tyrant who must be stopped because He does what pleases Him. An odd way to look at it, but so be it. I suppose he thought God should do whatever we ask immediately. 

            Since God knows the beginning from the end, He knows when your healing will take place. Is there a sin that is keeping you from being healed? Hmmm, don’t know. Perhaps. Maybe you need to ask God if there is anything that needs to be given up to Him to allow the healing to come to pass? Not too sure about that, but it never hurts to commune with God regarding your spiritual well-being. We literally have nowhere else to go for no one else can do what God can do. My inclination would be to pray like this: 

 

“Lord, I am seeking a healing from You. I know You still heal, and I don’t know why You have yet to heal me, but whether You heal me or not, I will still love you and follow you and trust that there is a perfect reason why my healing hasn’t taken place. If there is anything that is impeding my healing, please reveal to me what it is so that I can do my part to remedy that situation. You are a great and loving God, and I will serve You to the best of my ability with the help of the Holy Spirit as long as I have breath. I pray this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior … amen.”

 

            It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s what I felt that was the direction the Lord was nudging me. Never let your situations dictate your mood or emotions, for that is exactly what the devil wants. Remain at peace and never stop trusting God. He has reasons for everything He does. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.  

In His name & for His glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

            

Thoughts from a Random Mind

             More & more each day the conversations I end up in with my co-workers are highly insignificant and truly nothing more than banal banter. Have we really sunk that low as a society that our conversations end up being mindless chatter? It certainly seems that way. Speaking or writing about the Lord in some fashion or another looks to be the only communication that is meaningful & worthwhile anymore.

            I feel somewhat of a kindred spirit with Solomon in that I too see everything aside from my allegiance to God as meaningless. This world holds no attraction to me. I have broken free from its' hold, but I mustn’t become complacent, because the enemy will never give up trying to trip me up. 

            Knowing who I am in the grand scheme of things and knowing whose I am as well goes a long way to bringing on a state of peace and contentment. I have been trying to take Paul’s advice and think on those things that matter most in this life.

            “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].” ^{(Philippians 4:8 The Amplified Bible)}

            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

            Today at work was like most other days. Walk thru the door, swipe your employee card, put your lunch bag in the fridge in the lunchroom, go thru the security check and amble off to your workstation. Today would end up being a little different.

            Eric Mathie is a Jamaican born security guard who used to work up front by where I used to work. Now he was handling security on the other side of the building. A lot of us would chat with Eric every time we saw him. He is a very upbeat, positive, jovial man who was around 40 years old. Married, with a 6-month-old child, he had another baby on the way. He was at his desk this morning like any other morning, but today would be different.

            About mid-morning a rumor began to circulate that someone in security had suffered a heart attack. Being part bloodhound, I sniffed out details and found out it was Eric who had a heart attack. First, we were told he had died, then he was still alive and carted off to the hospital by EMT. We’d have to wait for clarification regarding any of this. All of us who knew Eric began to pray for him if we felt so inclined.

            About 2 hours later the security boss, who had followed the EMT to the hospital to be with Eric, shared the details. Seems Eric was talking to the FEDEX man as he does every morning. The man turned and started back to his truck. A loud noise caused him to turn around. The plexiglass partition between the man and Eric had been knocked over by Eric when he did a faceplant on his desk. To make a long story shorter, those that worked on Eric surmised that he may have died instantly because during the efforts made to revive him, he was limp … even his eyelids didn’t move. This was not at all the way Eric had planned his day. He was a good man and now he was gone … no warning … no underlying medical condition as far as anyone knew. I don’t know his spiritual condition, but if he needed salvation, he had no time to ask for it. 

            Why am I writing all this? Because you who are reading this may be outside of God’s family … outside His forgiveness. Waiting for the right moment is foolhardy because like Eric you may not have even a split second to make things right with the Lord.

            Maybe you’re walking in both the spiritual and material world, gambling that you’ll have plenty of time to gets things straightened out with God before you pass away. Saying you believe in God means little. Scripture tells us Satan believes in God as well. If you don’t seek to imitate Christ in your daily life you are wasting your life away. Living in the world leads to a life filled with temporal things. That is not what God intended for any of us. 

            If you reject Christ and all He has done for you on the cross than on the last day you will go to hell forever. That’s not a threat, it’s a promise found in scripture. You need not be a “holy roller”. Christianity isn’t a religion … it’s a relationship with the Creator of the universe and man’s first breath. It’s an intimate relationship with the One who knows you better than you know yourself. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Immerse yourself in God today … ask for forgiveness from every sin you’ve ever committed and turn 180 degrees from your old lifestyle. Don’t wait … do it now. 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

NOTE: FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE YOU THINK MAY NEED TO READ IT.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

“For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes, we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God].” - 1 Corinthians 13:12 ^{Amplified Bible}

 

“For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror, for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets what he looked like.” - James 1:23-24 ^{Amplified Bible}

 

We look in a mirror for various reasons. It stands to reason that once we leave from in front of the mirror, we will still remember what we looked like, but God is talking about our spiritual life. Do we regularly assess our walk with the Lord? Do we consider how our behavior stacks up to Christ’s life? While it’s impossible for us to achieve perfection this side of heaven, that is certainly no reason not to try. 

            The scriptures were written to teach us the ways of God. They were written to lead and guide us into all righteousness. They were written to show us how to behave with family, friends, and strangers. They give us what we refer to as “The Golden Rule” found in Matthew 7:12 ^{(Amplified Bible)} which says, “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.” 

Not reading God’s Word is like not eating. You feed your physical man, don’t you? Why wouldn’t you feed your spirit man? The concept is simple. If you don’t eat you will begin to physically waste away, grow sickly and given enough time without nourishment, you will die. If you don’t feed yourself spiritually your spirit man will become stagnant, dry up, and not survive. Do you see the correlation I’m making here? We must spend time in God’s Word, but you must have the ‘want to’ or you will give a million reasons why you don’t have the time. Ask the Lord to spark in you a hunger for His Word. God wants you to know him even as you are known by him. It’s possible if you really WANT to grow in Christ. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name and for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Am I a Church Drop-Out?

 

            I heard a good podcast from Praying Medic on Telegram about being a church drop-out. It was his feeling and the feeling of his wife Denise that those who have known the Lord for a long time, whom they referred to as “veteran believers”, have been neglected by the church at large. Not all churches have done this, but they seem to think far too many have. The churches mission, aside from saving the lost, is to educate new believers. At least this is the way it seems. 

                  I can’t say that I disagree with them. There are spiritual gifts that a person feels he or she has and when they enter the church arena, they are told a variety of things. They aren’t ready yet is one thing they are told. I guess the bottom line is that while a church needs structure and order, in some cases, there is too much control at the top. The Pastor decides who does what, perhaps intercepting the Holy Spirit’s role in a person’s life. It is the Pastor’s responsibility for sure, but many don’t seem particularly open to letting those with gifts exercise them. Yes, they will make mistakes, but church shouldn’t be a place where absolute perfection resides.

                  Mature Christians can feed themselves, but they must make sure they do daily if they decide to forego attending church. It’s not a matter of no longer following God, but rather that the person feels they are no longer receiving anything from their church. Doing your own bible study with the tools they have accumulated thru the years obviously is a huge help. You have to be careful though not to become spiritually lazy. You can slide into bad habits rather easily so be very mindful of your walk and continually assess it to keep from slipping off to the side of your path.

                  I believe we don’t always go to church for ourselves, but rather for others, that we might bless them in some way. While I still believe that I grow tired of being on the sideline watching instead of participating. This isn’t meant as a complaint, but rather an observation based on another person’s podcast. Nothing more, nothing less.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            Matthew West has a new song out titled “Truth be told”. It’s a really good song that tells a message of how things should be, at the very least between fellow believers. He tells of how believers should be truthful when we’re asked how we are, for example. We say “fine” when we know we’re not fine. But as I listen to the song, I say out loud, but “who truly cares enough to hear what you have to, even NEED to say?” There’s too much judging going on and unfortunately, I am part of the problem with that one. Where’s the love, man? I can think of a very small group of people that I might … might trust with the issues and problems that I face each day. That’s not even a definite. 

            I’ve told my wife that I tell others as little as possible, because the more they know about you or your situation, the more they feel they have the right to pass judgment. It’s the way I feel. It’s the way I’ve felt for a long time. Frankly, I simply don’t trust people. Not all people, but most. Many people that you try to talk to about something that is gnawing at you are busy doing something else and either don’t have the time to listen or are on their phone scrolling or texting while they are “listening to you” … You’re wasting your time talking to people who can’t manage to give you their undivided attention. 

            So, do we have to enlist the help of a counselor or psychiatrist (preferably a Christian one) to find someone who will listen to us? A lot of us can’t afford that. It’s like you need to interview people to find out their life story to see if they will satisfy your need for a listener. I’m not talking about someone who listens and advises so much as just someone who listens and then offers to pray for you. Sometimes you just need to talk certain things out. Once you do that many times you can straighten it out by just having a sounding board to talk it out. 

            It can be extremely frustrating when you have something that is heavy on your heart yet have no one that you can trust enough to unload on them. So, you internalize whatever it is. Christians are human beings, but why is it that so many don’t seem to have too much interest in imitating Christ in their lives. I’m not the role model for the problem I speak of, but at least I am aware of the issue and am trying to work my way thru the weeds.

            I think the most important resolution we can have for 2025 is to become more SELFLESS! We’re ALL selfish to a certain extent. Perhaps the world has beaten the caring out of a lot of us. Sometimes we’re too lazy to listen. Sometimes we listen but cannot help giving unsolicited advice. We need to empathize … we need to ask God to enable us to feel what they feel. That’s happened to me, so I know it is possible. 

            Luke 6:31 & Matthew 7:12 list what most refer to as “The Golden Rule”. That title doesn’t appear in scripture but is typically accepted as the unofficial title of the verses. “Treat others just as you want to be treated.” (Luke 6:31 CEV) “Do for others what you would want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the Law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 ERV) We ALL need to be a lot better at this or we’ll not look any different to people than anyone else in this lost, sin sick world. 

 

 

Here's a prayer you can pray to get the ball rolling … please join me in rectifying poor behavior.

 

 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me to be more selfless in my everyday life. Let your Holy Spirit lead and guide me into deeper truths and mold me more into the image of your Son. In His name I pray … amen. 

 

 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 I’ve already spoken of my problem with judging people by their appearance. Seems to me a lot of folks have the very same problem. Whether Christian or not, we all fall into the same trap. The Lord shared something with me at work yesterday. The things He placed in my heart analyze this topic a little deeper. 

                  Isn’t it interesting that when two men meet for the first time one of the first questions they ask is either “Where do you work?” or “What do you do for a living?” It’s our way of assessing various things about that person. Things like how much they make, which spins off into what he drives, where he lives … the wheels start turning in our mind and we determine all sorts of things about that person without saying another word. It’s a pretty common practice. 

Christians are no different. What’s one of the first questions we ask someone we are meeting for the first time … “What church do you go to?” or “What denomination do you belong to?”  We can really go to town with that information. If they’re from a Pentecostal or Evangelical background, we may feel a certain sort of way. Orthodox church goers (such as, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, or Catholic) are viewed another way. We don’t accept people for who they are. Not always, but many times. We shun certain denominations without really knowing anything about the persons attending them.  What if they are born again yet aren’t attending any church at all at the time. Depending on how we feel about a given church or denomination, or why they don’t go to church at all and why, we will judge them accordingly. We allow that info to influence how we feel about them. And what about Jews? They’re very different than Christians in beliefs and practices. But they are created by the same God and loved by Him the same as you and me. Don’t they deserve to be loved just like anyone else, regardless of their religious affiliation. What about other religions? What about Jehovah’s Witness or Mormons, two groups that are viewed by Christians as cults? What about atheists or agnostics? The list goes on and on. 

Our upbringing, our friendships, our schooling, what we watch, listen to, or read all play a part in how we see others. We segregate ourselves from certain folks because of information we have accumulated in our minds thru the years. Was Jesus like that? The only ones he rejected were the religious men of the day … the Pharisees. Interesting, isn’t it? 

What gives any of us the right to judge ANYONE about ANYTHING? We don’t know anyone’s back story. We only know what they have chosen to reveal to us and what we have chosen to assume about them. We are all unique. Everyone doesn’t have to believe exactly like me or you. While it’s true there is one way to heaven and that is thru Christ, I have no doubt that there are many tributaries that flow into the same stream, so to speak, that lead to God. And they all flow thru His blood. 

This practice of judging others comes from none other than Satan himself. It certainly doesn’t come from God. God seeks to unite us in a bond of love. Satan seeks to divide and conquer us.  To put it very simply, nothing good or positive has or will ever come from Satan. So, recognize the source of this bad habit and rebuke him in the name of Jesus. 

We aren’t perfect. This isn’t meant to shame anyone or make anyone feel guilty. It’s merely meant to point out a problem we all seem to have. I know I do it all the time and I know better. I try with God’s help to treat all others the same, with the love of Christ. We’re not going to agree with everyone, but we can help unite us all with His love simply by how we treat others. Follow the “Golden Rule” from the gospels … Treat (ALL) others the way we wish to be treated (regardless of how they reciprocate). Scripture tells us the world will know we are Christians by our love for one another. Let’s learn from past mistakes knowing that they do not define us as people. Our ability to adjust and make the necessary changes will.

 

“Heavenly Father, I ask that we all strive to become more and more like Christ as each day progresses. I rebuke the devil in the precious and powerful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The devil has no hold on us unless we give it to him. May we stay focused on the Lord and listen for the directives from the Holy Spirit within us. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

PLATEAU - an elevated, level expanse of land; a relatively stable level period or state; to level off. 

 

                  Have you ever plateaued in your spiritual life? I have. I actually visualize my walk with the Lord as a steep climb up a mountain. You get saved and start your steep climb up. You get to a certain point in your walk, and you plateau and so on. Perfection is not your goal, consistency is. We strive to be EXACTLY like Jesus in our daily lives somehow knowing we will never achieve this. The proper result from reaching your plateau is that you remain stable for a certain period of time, while you level off. I believe it is one way God can lead you to the next section where your climb begins again. Sometimes you plateau to rest, sometimes for instructions, sometimes to heal, and still other times to assess your behavior. There are many reasons when and why people plateau spiritually. It is a very important to recognize it for what it is. Sometimes a person can feel lost on their path. Perhaps they’ve lost a sense that God is with them. Perhaps they have allowed themselves to stop growing in the Lord. The main thing to remember is that it can happen to anyone, and it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you feel empty inside and you feel you can no longer hear from God, pray. No matter how lame you think your prayer might be or how empty it may sound to you, pray. God loves to hear from us. Pray something simple regarding wisdom and guidance and he will hear you and will act on your behalf. Reaching a plateau is part of the process on the way to your eternal home. Praise God that he is a loving God who wishes to show us which way to go. “Love the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on our own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

I’ve often thought to myself exactly what was expected of me as a child of God. He made us all different. Each one of us is unique … even identical twins. Doesn’t it stand to reason that each person’s walk with God would also be unique. We all have gifts given to us by God, but we don’t all have the same gifts. We each have gifts that are unique to each of us based on how we were wired. Each part of our lives has been influenced, either in a good way or bad way, depending on what path we took in life. 

            There are many things that I am not very good at. Some things I have no affinity for at all. I believe the Lord gave me several gifts. My gifts are not the same as others, but others do have the same gifts I do. Writing, speaking publicly, praying publicly & privately for others, serving others. Those are what I have discerned to be my gifts. Do you know what yours are? You can know by asking God to reveal them to you.

            I believe that we each have our own narrow path we must take. They all run parallel to one another and all lead to the same place … heaven. All we’re asked to do is honor and revere God and live a life that respects him for exactly who he is. We are called to do different things in his name. One thing we are all commanded to do is bring the gospel message to the masses of unsaved. My life has been such that I try my best to not bother others. Apparently, that is why I‘m not very good at initiating a conversation about God, but if someone else breaks the ice I am good to go. 

            I am a believer in prayer and am known by many at work and outside of work as someone who will pray for their needs any time. I know those I pray for don’t believe the same way I do, but they believe on some level so I ask that God would let them see him in me.  I am a big believer in leading with actions and not words. Time for words can wait, because I think if people see Christ in me, they will respond more quickly than if I tell them about him in words alone. 

            I call posts like these “Thoughts from a Random Mind” because they are thoughts that I believe God places in my mind and because my mind is incredibly random. My thoughts go all over the place at times, but I become very quiet and focused when I believe God wants me to say something thru my writing. God is good, all the time. He is still on his throne and prayer, without question, changes things. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Today I had been grousing a little under my breath about the time I’d been required to be on my feet at work. I have an arthritic right ankle and knee and the longer I spend on my feet the more my ankle, and right leg ache. The company knows this, so I’m allowed to sit for 5-10 minutes whenever I feel the need to rest my legs. That’s a blessing. I pray regularly for God’s touch to enable me to still be a productive worker. I work in a warehouse. It’s the concreate slab flooring that is the problem. Anyway, as I was going about my business in the afternoon, I suddenly realized how gracious God is to me. I’m still above ground and breathing (as I like to say). Aside from my general aches and pains, I’m healthy as a horse. I really have nothing to grouse about. God allows me to grouse without punishing or reprimanding me. He knows my heart and understands that in my finite state I am easily prone to whining, whimpering, heavy sighing and grousing on a semi-regular basis. It’s as if I’m the only person in God’s creation that deals with negative circumstances in their life. 

            It still boggles my mind that the Lord loves me forever and always, even though he knows my propensity to grouse. It is the exact opposite of what is expected of me, but God is patient, and his Holy Spirit will quietly continue to teach me what I need to know to be more like Christ, if that is my desire … and it is. 

            How about you? Can you relate to my story? Do you ask God for help to NOT grouse anymore? Think of how blessed we all are in spite of ourselves. Our Lord is gracious, merciful, patient, compassionate and loving, both now and forevermore. I thank the Lord for reminding me today of his grace towards me. I definitely don’t deserve it, but that is precisely what grace is … undeserved favor. How easily we forget some of the most important things in life. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

NOTE: For those of you who may not know what the word ‘grouse’ means, it means “to complain or grumble” (although I’m sure you figured that out on your own ... chuckle). Love ya’ll. rlk

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Having read a devotional entitled ‘God in the Midst of Tragedies’, and with my wife and I discussing it, we both still have a difficult time dealing with the death of young children. Some get healed, some do not. Whenever children are involved in tragic events it touches the heart in a profound and hurtful way. Why must the innocent children of the world, of both Christian and non-Christian parents, be thrust into the theatre of pain? As before, I have no answer for this.

I suppose the only thing that comes to mind is that death is an integral and intrinsic part of the cycle of life. We are not promised a certain number of years of life. It seems unfair without question, but we must remember we are thinking with limited understanding that has been heavily influenced by all that has infiltrated our various senses since our birth. Scripture tells us we are not promised tomorrow. ^{(Proverbs 27:1)} Our expectations are that we will have many days on this earth before death takes us, but how do we come to that conclusion? Perhaps it has something to do with our belief that we are good people who deserve a long, happy, healthy life. But who ever told us we were entitled to that? For that matter, who ever told us we were good? According to scripture no one is good except God … not even Jesus ^{(Mark 10:18)}. According to scripture we aren’t good because we fail to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” ^{(Matthew 22:37-38)}.

            According to the Bible no one deserves anything but punishment because we all sin … every last one of us. Yet scripture is crystal clear that God is merciful and kind and loving. It is most certainly a conundrum without an earthly solution. We may never know this side of heaven and once in heaven will we really care anymore. Those children that have passed on from various maladies and even those who have been aborted, shall be in heaven. Maybe the answer to the ‘why’ question lies in the future of said children? In other words, what would their life have been like had they lived. Is that possible? … most certainly. Maybe God was sparing them from future pain. Hmmm, sounds a little sketchy, but that’s just it, we simply do not know.

I will continue to ponder the great, seemingly unanswerable ‘why’ question, looking for a greater understanding. Until next time, continue to walk with the King of Kings and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

                  

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            Have you ever been so frazzled and frustrated that you thought you’d explode? What does one do when they feel that way? I pray. I try my best to shift my focus back to the Lord and off all the fiery darts the enemy is throwing my way. I remind myself that God is always supremely in control, and nothing will come my way that I cannot handle. He knows what I can take. The enemy wants me to believe I can’t take a whole lot, but God knows best and since he made me and knows me better than anyone else, I guess he should.

            Thoughtless, ignorant people cause me to simmer. They bring out the absolute worst in me. It is at those precise moments that the Holy Spirit reminds me who I am and whose I am. I need constant reminders because I am human and show it quite often. I am my own worst enemy and Satan feeds off that at the worst possible moments. There are times when I am truly amazed that God loves me at all, but I’m comparing his love to the flawed, earthly love that exists in the world. His love is perfect and never-ending. Believe me, I’m super grateful for that. Where our understanding ends is where God begins. 

            Lord, thank you for the patience, mercy, compassion, understanding and love you have for us all. You make this life worth living, trials and all. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

With all the chaos, killing and destruction being done worldwide, many are questioning why God would allow this.  And that is the proper word to use ... "allow"... because while God causes and / or all things, you can be sure that because of his very nature he has not caused all this. 

I’d like to share with you a question posed to the late Billy Graham and his answer. Perhaps it may shed some light on the subject.

 

Q: “A close friend of mine just told me she has incurable cancer. Why would God do this to her? I don't know anyone who is kinder or more thoughtful. It's really hit me, and it just doesn't seem fair.”

 

A: “No, it doesn’t seem fair; much of what goes on in the world isn’t fair or good or happy. Centuries ago, Job (who knew what it meant to experience suffering that just didn’t seem to make sense) penned these words: ‘Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward’ (Job 5:7).

Nor are tragedies like the one your friend is experiencing understandable—not completely, and not this side of eternity. I suppose I’ve asked myself thousands of times why God permits terrible things like this to happen, and I don’t know the answer—not fully. We live in a fallen, imperfect world that has been corrupted by sin, and we all share in its brokenness. But we still wonder why bad things happen—although we know God is still in control, even if evil sometimes seems to be winning.

When bad things happen, however, we can do one of two things: we can either be angry with God, or we can turn to Him in trust and faith. But anger only leaves us bitter and hopeless. May you and your friend turn instead to Christ and find in Him the comfort and strength you need.

Remember: by His death and resurrection Christ conquered death, and now He offers the gift of salvation to all who put their trust in Him. May the Psalmist’s words become yours: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. … and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:4, 6). Put your trust in Jesus Christ today.”

 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries