Thoughts from a Random Mind

Temptation is a vile thing. Satan uses it to tear down good people, even righteous people. Walking away from temptation when it is staring you in the face can be a little tough at times, but understanding it is nothing more than bait set to trap you helps you to walk away. The enemy wishes to ensnare you via your thoughts, words and actions, blackmailing you with your own guilt. A person who has a conscience can be pounded senseless with the guilt that comes from a poor decision made. Your strength comes from God. Your strength comes from the Holy Spirit within you. The Spirit which causes you to rise up with full armor and fight off the temptation so that you do not become a pawn of the enemy.

The Lord has given us great power to withstand the attacks of the enemy. Why do we succumb to temptations that lay down in front of us, as if to block our way? There is nothing that says we must give in. Fight back! Rebuke the thing in Jesus’ name. Quote scripture like 1 John 4:4, which says, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” Tap into the power that has been afforded you and claim your victory! 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

When God does something, He does it on His timetable, not ours. We get very impatient as if we know what is best for us, but we could not possibly know that because of all the outside influences that attempt to subjugate our way of thinking. We allow ourselves to be controlled by our emotions, prejudices and presuppositions which make us unable to think clearly regarding our own well-being. There is nothing to cloud God’s judgment. His decision making is concise and correct all of the time. Sometimes we don’t realize this until the dust has settled and the results are clear. At times we don’t even realize what has happened. Shed yourself of overthinking and relax your mind. Seek the peace of God and allow His perfect will to manifest itself in your life. His timing is always perfect. Tell Him you are ready to accept whatever His will is for you and then watch it unfold before you in His time. You’ll have much less stress if you simply accept this as fact and move on. You can prove this out by reflecting on your life since your conversion. Has God ever failed you by not providing the solution to your problem or answer to your question at the exact moment you needed it most? Trust God for all things and rest in His peace that passes all earthly understanding. Until next time, walk with that King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

           While I admit I think way too much at times, there are also times when I am simply mulling over thoughts (hence the title Thoughts from a Random Mind) and it tends to be those moments where God pulls separate thoughts together into a coherent collection of words that actually make sense and take me to a new level spiritually, albeit a tiny step up. Progress in a person’s thought processes can be rewarding. This is the way the Lord speaks to my heart. 

            I try not to strain my brain about things that are obviously above me, like understanding the deeper meaning of the Trinity or why the Lord allows babies to die before they have a real chance to live? Instead of struggling with answers I fall back on what I know. God exists. God created all that is in existence. Jesus Christ is God’s Son. There is a definitive way to be forgiven for all we have done that served our own purposes, rather than God’s. I know he’s coming back one day. Isn’t that pretty much all I need to know? We know other things about God and his kingdom for sure, but the above list are really all we need to understand and know to follow the Lord. 

            We don’t need to believe any of that if we so choose, but I have chosen to believe that God is real and in complete control of all things. I understand he doesn’t need any of our help but has chosen to use us for his own good pleasure. If you are in a difficult situation, just strap yourself to the mast and ride out the storm. God is with you. We are covered in the blood of Christ. Instead of thinking about any of this too hard, praise his name, feast on his word and continue working to be more like Christ each and every day. 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

           It’s a funny thing about darkness and light. Darkness conceals, light reveals. Darkness can cause a beautiful plant to shrivel and die. Light causes it to bloom and grow, as it reaches out toward the sun. The sun nourishes and replenishes. Darkness causes things to shut down. God created both light and darkness. We sleep at night when it is dark (except for areas in the far north where it stays light or dark for 6 months at a time.). We go about our lives in the light.

            What is normal and what is abnormal? It would seem to us to be abnormal to not have sun light for 6 months straight, but those that live there find it to be normal. I would suggest people can get used to just about anything if they need to. If they can’t they make life alterations. I would submit to you that everyone has their own definition of normal and I’ll bet you won’t find any two that are exactly the same. God’s brand of normal is found in the Bible. In my opinion, it’s the only true, fair, just, evenly distributed plan for living in existence. It is consistent just as God is the only constant in a world of inconsistency. Just as God never changes, so his word doesn’t change either. Those who find his plan to be restrictive would consider it abnormal, rather than normal. What is comfortable to them has been established as their normal, whether it truly is or not. 

            Living in the light of God’s plan creates a new normal for all who would choose to follow along. Free will gives you the option to follow or stay behind in your own prefab set of normalcy. That version of normal is what we refer to as our ‘comfort zone’ … the place where we can exist stress free without the concerns of life weighing us down. Think of it as a ‘man cave’ or whatever a woman would call the equivalent space. In the end, what is truly set up as normal will overshadow everything around us and we will learn to accept it even as we are accepted. Praise the name of the Lord and seek to settle into his brand of normal and be free of the clutter and clamor of this crazy, dysfunctional, sin-filled world of which we are temporary residents. 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

            Are we defining the value of others rather than lovingly accepting them for who they are?  The older we get the more entrenched in our prejudices and preconceived notions we get. It’s like scar tissue around our hearts that must be cleared away. The process can be painful because they have been in place, many times, for a number of years. It would be very helpful if we could see others thru God’s eyes, but that is an attribute that we must pray into existence and then cultivate as we would a garden. To get lovely red roses to grow we must tend to them daily; fertilizing, watering, weeding, then repeat. It’s not a one-time deal. Similarly, we must strive to be like Christ each and every day. It’s too easy to fall back into bad habits.

            How do we establish another person’s value or worth? We do it with a condescending look, casting them beneath us in stature. Instead of valuing them as another of God’s creation, we are actually devaluing them as a means of subconsciously elevating our own stature. If we would be truly honest with ourselves, we are all guilty of this. It is so beneath the child of God to devalue anyone, no matter who they are or what they’ve done. Remember, we are not judge and jury for anyone. Only God is. We are the ones who are to embody God’s love, mercy, kindness, and compassion. The world needs that so badly and all we give them is a Sinner’s Prayer to pray and a list of attributes that are ideally supposed to seek. We accept them conditionally based on their response to the Gospel. If they respond favorably then we accept them … our job is done. If they turn away from our offer of eternal forgiveness, we simply move on to the next person in line. How embarrassing that our belief system has become a numbers game.

            In spite of our faults, and they are many, God’s shows us love without one single condition placed upon it. Aside from the consequences that come from a poor choice made, we have nothing to be concerned about. What we must do is concentrate on imitating Christ in our daily lives. Bless others by valuing them as a creation of God. The Lord places incredible, immeasurable worth on each one of us. No one person is any more valuable than another. The world’s system is broken. Those with money, power and prestige are valued higher than a homeless person, but in God’s eyes they are equal. We must look at people the same way. 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

                 We as believers in Christ must keep our focus on the Lord and not what is going on around us. It is normal and even helpful to know what’s going on in the environment in which you live, but the news is mostly negative and serves little purpose but to light a spark of fear. Despite serious circumstances, God is STILL in control. I completely understand the seriousness of the current global situation, but that doesn’t lessen God’s power. If he so desired the Lord could end all evil, but he has yet to do so. So we pray. We place our hope and trust in the Almighty One who loves us without conditions. We accept that while we are worthy of nothing, we are treated like children of the King. His mercy and kindness toward us is ever present and forevermore.  

            If you happen to have some serious situation that has robbed you of your joy and peace, shift your focus off your circumstances and keep them on your God. And by all means, keep your faith in God strong. “From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been my refuge, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.” – Psalm 61:2-4

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

            Perhaps the greatest fear that people have in this life is a fear of the unknown. In God’s economy knowing doesn’t require faith. It is when we face uncertainty that faith must kick in. I believe God has everything under control; therefore I must focus on what I believe in my heart to be true rather than that which I see on the news each evening. Not knowing the future tends to give me pause from time to time. What if I get a disease or have something very bad happen to me? All that is in the hands of my Heavenly Father whom I trust implicitly. 

            Are you afraid of what may happen to you? I know the unknown can shake you to your core. But let’s face the reality of it. For those who have unwavering belief in Almighty God, we must lean on what we know. God is not a liar. What he has done in the past he can do again. He is no respecter of persons, so what he did for Abram and Moses he is able to do for us. He has never failed at any point throughout history. He has always fulfilled and not reneged on his promises. His love is uncompromising, unconditional and has stood the test of time. In knowing just this we can have the faith to lean heavily on him when times become rough, and calamity is hovering all around. It need not affect you. 

            Pray as I do, that the Lord would place an impenetrable hedge of protection around you and your loved ones. God will not fail you. He is not in the failure business but in the miracle working business. When are at your lowest, look up and praise God from whom all blessings flow. 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

            I’ve learned over time that delays can be a blessing. So many of us are in a hurry. If you go 70 mph on the interstate, there will invariably be at least one person who feels the need to go 80. If you are going 80 mph, there is always someone going 90. Where are people going in such a hurry? Delays can keep you from being involved in an accident. Amy Grant had a song back in 1984 called Angels Watching Over Me where she describes life situations that are avoided by delays in our lives. I now know that getting a red light or being stuck in a traffic jam may be keeping me from a dangerous situation. We shouldn’t question delays because God could be orchestrating them to 1) test our patience or 2) test our faith in trusting God everything will work out all right in the end.

            You don’t know how many times I have been what I thought was late for an event, only to find out the event wasn’t even ready to start when it was supposed to. I stressed over being “late” when I didn’t end up being late at all. We need to take things as they come and know that as long as we are faithfully serving God we will be all right. The fact is that God is at the end of our situation waiting for us. Because he is ubiquitous, he is also WITH US at the same time. He is all places at one time. Hard to imagine, but scripture says it is so. (Jeremiah 23:23-24)

            So the next time you are delayed for whatever reason, except the fact that you are being held up for a specific purpose that you may never know about. Life happens all around us and we are unaware of all that is transpiring because we are not involved personally in those things, but they are happening all the same. It’s like that age old question – “If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it does it make a sound.” * An event took place, and we were unaware of it happening. Trust God that all will be as it should be according to his will for your life. Be faithful to the Lord in the way you live your life. Be the ambassador you have been called to be. The maker of your soul loves you unconditionally. His love for you will never, ever change, no matter what you do. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*George Berkeley was an Anglican bishop, philosopher, and writer. The foundation of his theory was that perception creates our reality.

"I am a God who is everywhere and not in one place only. No one can hide where I cannot see them. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?”- Jeremiah 23:23-24

Thoughts from a Random Mind

       My brethren, this is no time to faint in the face of calamity. The devil is the master of deceit and will do all he can to place doubt in our minds. Don’t allow it. Doubt gives way to fear and fear leads to indecision and a feeling of hopelessness. My brethren, this need not be the case. We have all God liberally provides to us at our disposal. Tap into the Spirit of God and feed on his goodness. Do not allow doubts of his faithfulness to creep into your mind. There is power in the name of Jesus.  Rebuke the devil in His name. God has the final word regarding all things; even who lives and who dies. 

            This is the time for those who don’t know God in a personal way to give their lives over to him. Would you trade this life of pain and misery for an eternal home with the King of Kings? Even if you have had a comfortable existence, are healthy and have no significant problems, there is one thing you are unable to do. You cannot buy forgiveness. You cannot redeem your own soul. Only God can do that. If you don’t believe in God, if you don’t think he exists, you had better be right in your belief. If you are wrong eternal separation from him will end up being a very harsh penalty for your ignorance. 

            Those who are Christians in name only, but are not practicing their faith, what is holding you back for being all in. This is no time to be lukewarm. You want blessings from God but are not willing to align yourself with his standards for living. You are not willing to speak his name to the unsaved. Going to church every time the doors are open makes you a Christian like standing on a stage makes you an entertainer. What does Christ’s death on the cross mean to you? Have you allowed him to change your life one iota? Think on these things; reassess and realign yourself with your Creator. He loves you and wishes you to come home. 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

            John used to be our mailman. Nice guy. We had the chance to chat with him from time to time. We provided him with either ice cold water or Gatorade during the sweltering summer months. Today we were chatting about our personal health & he told me he was needing a knee replacement. I told him we believed in God and would pray that all would go perfectly well for him before, during and after his surgery.  His response was typical for a non-believer; he looked down at the ground and quietly laughed. 

            People that do not know God or only have a fringe belief in him will tend to do that. Sarah laughed out loud when the angel of God told Abram he would have a son. Sarah considered this impossible due to her advanced age. 

            Naaman was the King of Syria who was afflicted with leprosy. He sought healing from God’s Prophet Elisha, but the prophet not only didn’t come out to see him but sent a message via a messenger to the King telling him to dip 7 times in the Jordan and his leprosy would be gone. Naaman was furious at what he perceived to be the prophet’s disrespect. He wasn’t going to do it. The King’s servant talked him into doing as Elisha had said. 

            Those who do not ascribe to the standards of God will tend to either laugh or become mad. Why would God allow this to happen to me? Everyone would like to think of himself or herself as reasonably good and not at all worthy of some dreaded sickness or life threatening disease. Those who only have a marginal belief in God act as if they are testing him. If all is well, then he is a good God. If calamity takes place in their lives he is a merciless God who is mean and self-serving. God is neither.

            Once a person takes the time to find out just who God truly is they will begin to understand that God isn’t there to be at our beck and call. He is not obligated do whatever WE wish to have done. In other words, the Lord isn’t a genie in a bottle. We were created for HIS good pleasure, and not the other way around. 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 devil is an expert at diverting our attention. He is a master of deceit and is called in scripture the father of all lies (John 8:44) *. Thankfully, he has no power over a child of God, unless the Lord chooses to allow the devil to bring something against you as a means of bolstering your faith. Our faith and trust in God must be unshakable. It must never waver. We need to understand that there is a reason for everything that happens in life. We may not understand the why and wherefore of the matter, but that doesn’t make it any less true. If it were not true then the world would fall into abject chaos, with no rhyme or reason for anything. What is God trying to tell you in your situation?

            The COVID-19 pandemic was an event that could have scared the wits out of you if you let it. The devil had succeeded in some regions of the country to terrorize people into not leaving their homes. The stress that is generated by fear will lower your immune system’s ability to combat sickness. Scripture tells us not to worry, for worrying will not add one day to your life (Luke 12:25) **.  

            Don’t let the devil distract you. Keep your focus squarely set on Christ. It is HE that can rescue you from the fire. It is HE that can save your soul from hell. The devil destroys, the Lord re-establishes and restores. All it takes is a matter of minutes, sometimes even mere seconds to tear apart all you have built throughout your life. That isn’t God’s plan for you. Seek him, trust him and live for him. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

* John 8:44 “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

 

** Luke 12:25 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”

Thoughts from a Random Mind

          I am of the opinion that no matter how bad a person may have it in his or her life there is always someone somewhere who has it worse. It helps me to think like that when things aren't going so well for me. We all have our little trials and tribulations. They come to good people and bad people alike. You can be a saint and still have difficulties. It is an inevitable part of life. How we deal with our difficulties says a lot about our character and our belief system. I have chosen to believe that God has everything under control at all times even when I do not. If God is truly who the Bible says He is, then how could I not believe in such a way. Putting my faith and trust in something or someone else is putting it in something or someone that is fallible, for no one is infallible except God. Why would a person believe in anything that wasn't flawless? Beats me. 

            So I am going to go about my day today with the hope that all will go well for me today. If it doesn't I believe there is a reason for it and I will roll with the tide. Life doesn't have to be complicated. We make it that way, but it doesn't have to be that way. It's like the gospel; we tend to make that complicated too. It's simple really. God loves us so much that He saved us from ourselves by sending His Son to die for all the sins we have ever committed. That was Christ’s way of inviting us into an intimate, loving relationship with Almighty God. Praise His name. 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

            I believe there are far too many Christians who love their brethren and those outside the faith with conditional love. Believe it or not they don’t have to belong to your same denomination to be saved. They don’t have to believe exactly the way you do. Do they believe in God? Do they believe Jesus is God’s Son? Do they believe Christ died to set all men free from sin? Do they ascribe to the standard for living laid out by God in the Bible? Some shun believers that smoke, without knowing the circumstances surrounding why they smoke. Some shun believers with tattoos, without knowing where in life they’ve come from.  

            How’s about this: maybe the God we say we believe in we really don’t know as well as we think we do. Maybe, just maybe, we’ve made God in our own image. Maybe we’ve made God to be what makes sense to us and what makes us comfortable and at ease. We act in a way that doesn’t reveal the true God to anyone. We’re just pushing what we’ve been taught to believe, but is it an accurate representation of the one true God. 

            We all assume way too much. We were told to love our brethren, not pick and choose from the lot based on what we agree with or find pleasing. Anything distasteful must go, right? Don’t you realize there is tremendous hypocrisy in our words and actions? Don’t you realize WE are the reason many people don’t darken the door of a church. Perhaps that’s because what we say doesn’t always line up with what we do. We’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but in spite of that we attempt to take a hard line with those who don’t follow the exact same path we are walking on. WE ARE NOT THE JUDGE. Thank God for that.  We are all broken people, just like those in the world. The difference is we are on the road to recovery. We’re no better or worse than anyone else. Our Creator loves us all UNCONDITIONALLY. Lighten up friends, make it a point to ask God daily to help you see others thru HIS non-judgmental, merciful, compassionate, loving eyes. Study the Jesus of the Gospels and emulate that. Exhibit a loving and merciful spirit. THAT is what we are called to do. I half think we’d be better off at times living out our faith and say nothing. Showing people God’s love far outweighs telling them. The telling needs to supplement the showing. 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

                  I believe there are far too many Christians who love their brethren and those outside the faith with conditional love. They don’t have to belong to your same denomination to be saved. They don’t have to believe exactly the way you do. Do they believe in God? Do they believe Jesus is God’s Son? Do they believe Christ died to set all men free from sin? Do they ascribe to the standard for living laid out by God in the Bible? Some shun believers that smoke, without knowing the circumstances surrounding the person’s smoking. Some shun believers with tattoos, without knowing where in life they’ve come from.

            We all assume way too much. We were told to love our brethren, not pick and choose from the lot based on what we agree with or find pleasing. Anything distasteful must go, right? Don’t you realize there is tremendous hypocrisy in our words and actions? Don’t you realize WE are the reason many people don’t darken the door of a church. We’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but in spite of that we attempt to take a hard line with those who don’t follow the exact same path we are walking on. WE ARE NOT THE JUDGE. Thank God for that.  We are all broken people, just like those in the world. The difference is we are on the road to recovery. We’re no better or worse than anyone else. Our Creator loves us all UNCONDITIONALLY. Lighten up friends, make it a point to ask God daily to help you see others thru HIS non-judgmental, merciful, compassionate, loving eyes. 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

Rest in Peace

 

            This morning on my way to work I spied a sticker on the rear of a car in front of me that said “Rest in Peace” over a State Policeman’s badge number. He had obviously been killed in the line of duty. What does “Rest in Peace” actually mean? The Holy Spirit said to my spirit, “Look it up. Expound on it,” so I did…

                  After the rigors of this life, Christians from the early church would wish those who pass on from this earth rest.  The phrase “Rest in Peace” was found in the catacombs of the early Christians and indicated that "they died in the peace of the Church, that is, united in Christ." * I thought to myself, ‘what lasting peace can be found aside from Christ? Is there another peace that passes all understanding outside of knowing God?’ I know I’ve never found it, have you? 

The peace of this world is fleeting at best, largely because the one who controls this world is God’s chief adversary and he is the creator of chaos and distress, not peace. Therefore, any peace found this side of heaven is temporal. It cannot last based on the atmosphere created on the earth.

                  So when someone says, “Rest in Peace”, it is only meaningful if that person had a relationship with the God who made them. Aside from that there is no peace. Make peace with God and watch your disposition change. Make peace with God and find rest from your troubles in the here and now. We lose our peace and inner tranquility when we take our eyes off of the Lord. This is what happened to Peter when he attempted to walk on the water to Jesus in the gospels. 

                  So find peace thru a personal relationship with God now. Why wait? Ask for it, expect it & bask in the glow of it. God loves us ... “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” ^{(Psalm 84:11)}.

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

* Tuker, Mildred Anna Rosalie; Malleson, Hope (1900). "Introduction to the Catacombs". Handbook to Christian and Ecclesiastical Rome: The Christian monuments of Rome. A. and C. Black. p. 411.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

STOP!

            “To change a course of action.” *  That is just one of many definitions of the word STOP.  There are many times that we are asked to stop in our lifetime. STOP signs on the road tell us to change our course of action from propelling forward to coming to a complete stop so as to avoid a potential accident with another oncoming vehicle. We might be told to “STOP” saying or doing something because it is annoying to the other individual in the room. Police yell “STOP or I’ll shoot” in an effort to keep a criminal from getting away. In scripture, the word STOP is used in the very same way. The most important use of the word STOP is so that people will STOP sinning. 

            We are bound for an everlasting hell unless we do something: Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’  ^{[John 3:3-6 NLT]} Therefore, we all have a decision to make in this lifetime. If we reject Christ by living as we please, never receiving & applying God’s gracious gift of salvation to our lives, we shall go to hell. God didn’t send you to hell, you voluntarily went all on your own thru disbelief.  

            STOP & think it thru. Are you so arrogant and/or ignorant to think that you can handle this life without the help of the One who created you in the first place? You cannot change the path you are on by yourself, or thru shear will.  You need God’s help; help He is more than willing to give you. STOP delaying.  No one knows when their time on this earth is up. It’s time for a spiritual inventory to be taken. It’s time to allow God to reveal to you your shortcomings. STOP procrastinating. Don’t put off till tomorrow what can be done today...right now. Receive a spiritual cleansing by God’s own Spirit & be made anew. It’s yours for the taking. Allow the Spirit of God to mold you into the likeness of Christ a little more each day. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing 

Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I have had a bit of a problem coming to a complete stop when I come to a stop sign. I perform what I’ve heard called a “California rolling stop”. My wife has been after me for some time now to make sure I come to a complete stop. Finally, it dawned on me... The message on the sign isn’t a suggestion, it’s the law. So now whenever I come to a stop sign I say out loud, “Stop is not a suggestion”. It has been working so far. Then I got to thinking...how can this be applied to our walk with the Lord? 

            Isaiah 1:16 says “stop doing wrong”. In John 5:14, Jesus says “stop sinning...”. In John 6:43 Jesus says, “stop grumbling among yourselves”. Jesus said in John 7:24, “Stop judging by mere appearances”. There are other examples in scripture, but I think you can see where I’m going with this.

            When the Lord tells His children to “stop” doing something we must take it very seriously. It is NOT a suggestion. There are no options involved. Sin has no place in a believer’s heart; therefore, it stands to reason that they ought to completely STOP sinning. The unspoken thought here is that we’re not being asked to go it alone. We are told in scripture that the Lord is with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10 & Deuteronomy 31:6).

            So don’t blow off the STOP signs in your life. Come to a complete stop when you’re required to and also stop doing those things that God has impressed on your heart to stop. The Holy Spirit will help you if you ask Him. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His name & for His glory,

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Here Peter is quoting Proverbs 3:34, which says:“The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.”

 

            Humility is another word that can be used for a person who has a “teachable spirit”.

Some folks seek out the things of God, wishing to please Him with their attitude toward their own behavior. They wish to emulate Christ and the only way that can be done is for them to feast on the word of God. 

            Then there are those folks who gladly accept salvation but have their own ideas on how to live their life. Perhaps they have a rebellious nature based on their own life experiences. It’s God’s desire for His children to follow in His footsteps. To do that people must be willing to submit to the will of God. Those who ignore God’s wise counsel regarding how they should live are generally not willing to be told what to do. I know a few people like that. 

 

            God’s strategy for effective living is as follows:  

1]        It begins with God’s wisdom - Respecting and appreciating who God is; having reverence and awe toward God.

2]        It requires moral application - Trusting in God and His word; allowing His Word to speak to us personally; being willing to obey.

3]        It requires practical application - Acting on God’s direction daily.

4]          It results in effective living - Experiencing what God does with our obedience. *

 

The Christ Life - Don’t just speak it ... LIVE IT!!!

 

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

In His name and for His glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study bible

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Outside vs. Inside

 

                  I heard a statement a week or so ago that made me think. The man said, “People are too focused on the outside and not enough on the inside.” I pondered that thought and concluded that he was absolutely right. Satan has done a major number on us all with regards to what we find important and what preoccupies our minds.

                  The Apostle Paul tells the Roman believers in his letter to them, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  Yet isn’t that exactly what we’ve done? Too many people claim to be Christians, but don’t live like one. How do we live like Christ? It’s all in the Book ... The NT account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth tells us everything we need to know regarding how we are to live. 

                  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “... anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” We are supposed to be different once we accept Christ into our heart and life. We are supposed to make a 180 degree turn and walk away from our former way of living. But this isn’t happening to a large extent. Men and women have falling for the devils lies and tricks to pull us into an ungodly direction. Just look around you. This is not to judge anyone ... we’ve all been duped to a certain extent. And if you think you’ve not fallen into his trap you’re fooling yourself.

                  People focus on the exterior and ignore the interior, which is what God cares about. 1 Samuel 16:7 says: “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” 

                  As true believers in Christ we must shake loose of the chains Satan has placed upon us and go on a mission to replicate Christ’s behavior as much as possible. We will fail and fail again, but striving for perfection is our goal, understanding that we can never achieve it. This is not a reason to avoid trying. Take your eyes off yourself and the external things that are meaningless in a spiritual sense and focus inwardly. Seek to become selfless, instead of what we are. Let’s face it, we all have a thread of selfishness that exists in us. It takes a deliberate attempt to eradicate it from our life or we will not be able to achieve the selfless state the Lord desires for each one of us. 

                  Don’t be concerned with your outward appearance. Don’t be a slob, but also don’t be fixated on your outward appearance. Become Christ-like in all you say and do so as to take on the appearance of Christ in your life. 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'm at peace with anything that happens because I know God's in absolute control of all things, but my wife was allowing the situations that were arising to overwhelm her. I told my wife that if we believe in God (and we do) then we know He can be trusted. I tried to encourage her with the following two scriptures.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you & not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future." Psalms 37:25 (NIV) says, "I was young & now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." Faith Building Moments are also Faith Defining Moments. 

We truly have nothing to fear. Almighty God is the Creator of ALL THINGS! Instead of being afraid or worried about the darkness that is all around us, focus on Christ who conquered the darkness. If we stay close to the Lord & trust Him over all other people or things, we will begin to feel that "peace that passes all understanding" that scripture talks about. Determine NOT to be like Peter when, at the behest of our Lord, he climbed overboard onto the water, only to sink when his focus flipped from Jesus to his surroundings. 

Jesus tells us in the Gospels that it only takes a mustard seed* of faith to move mountains. God loves us and will always look out for us. Instead of focusing on the negative, shift your focus to the cross and allow the Spirit of God to lift you up. Maintain your faith and trust in God no matter what you experience with your senses. God is in complete & total control of everything & either causes or allows everything that takes place in this world for His own purposes. He can be relied upon. Allow your faith to explode into that which will carry you forward thru each calamitous event. Praise His name as you go. Keep the faith and let it grow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing....

In His name & for His glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* A mustard seed was the smallest seed at that time. It was said to be only as big as the head of a pin.

Thoughts from a Random Mind...

Label - “To identify or designate with a descriptive term...

describe or classify.” *

Judging others is a problem nearly everyone, Christian or Non-Christian, has difficulty with. Going hand in hand with judging is placing labels on individuals.  Just by watching another person’s behavior or interaction with others can cause the judging person to figuratively place a neon sign over the head of the subject being judged. They seem to think that they know this individual without any personal interaction.

                  Labels can be hurtful if given with malice intent. In actuality, they can be hurtful if given with kindness in mind yet are misconstrued by the recipient. If we are to emulate Christ in all areas of our lives we must not size up people and assess them based the world’s consensus of who people are. Love and kindness should always lead the way. If you don’t know someone, either introduce yourself and get to know them firsthand or simply leave it alone. Nine times out of ten the person being judged or labeled isn’t known by the offender. 

                  What is the purpose of judging or labelling another person? Have we been manipulated into believing a lie about the person being labelled. I’ve been labelled throughout my life as many things that are simply not at all true. The result has been being rejected by other family members based on lies or half-truths. I’ve been guilty of this sin myself, but understanding that God loves all his creation, I’ve fought hard to banish such ungodly behavior from my heart. It’s a blessing to make new friends and a bigger blessing give everyone the benefit of the doubt rather than judging or labeling people out of ignorance. 

We are called to love all we encounter in this life. We are called to accept all we encounter. We are to treat them just the way we’d like to be treated. If you are unfamiliar with these concepts, seek them out in scripture. Learn what scripture says about living for Christ. It’s so much more rewarding then being negative towards others. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries                                                                                    

* American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 

PublishingCompany. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

         There are times when I enjoy looking up a word that is generally associated with either the Bible or Christianity in a secular dictionary. Today I decided to look up the word “cross”. I started thinking about the word during a conversation with a female co-worker. She had just had a birthday and I asked her what her boyfriend got her for the occasion?  She showed me a small gold cross.  This prompted the following query: “What does the cross mean to you?” After a bit of a pause, she said: “Well, hmmm, it represents life. You know, life, because we aren’t always gonna have these bodies.” That was an interesting take. Since we were supposed to be working, I left it at that, but will revisit the topic again tomorrow if the opportunity presents itself. 

It’s interesting to me that so many people really have no idea what the cross stands for. They don’t automatically associate Jesus Christ with a cross. I view the cross as an international iconic symbol that should have a deep significance to those who profess faith in God.

I checked three (3) different secular dictionaries; American Heritage® Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary, and Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words. Each one as one of its’ definitions tied it to Christ’s death on a cross and its’ association with Christianity. I happened to like the definition listed from the Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words. It reads: “The main Christian symbol, reminding Christians of Jesus’ sacrificial death and his resurrection. It is a symbol of good over evil.” 

It is disappointing that some many people wear ostentatious crosses with big chains as a fashion statement yet means very little to them personally. I cannot know their heart’s motivation for wearing such a gaudy item, that’s up to God. But wearing such a piece without knowing it’s true significance is simply sad. 

There is a local independent evangelical church who has NO crosses anywhere on its property, its building or in its sanctuary. When asked why their only response that “Jesus is no longer on the cross.” I am certainly aware of that; however, the cross is a universal symbol that is easily recognizable to most. It’s a symbol of peace, hope, love, Christ’s death. I attempted to broach the subject with the head of their Christian Education Dept to no avail. I was treated as if I were a reporter looking for something scandalous or controversial. I received no answer of any consequence.  Why are people who are supposed to be lovers of Christ so afraid to take a stand regarding their beliefs? That represents a broad, sweeping generalization, for I know that all believers don’t feel that way. 

What does the cross mean to you? Have you told anyone else? The cross represents new life ... eternal life. It represents a payment ... a debt paid. A debt we owed yet had no way to repay. It represents Christ taking a severe beating in our place ... bled and died for us willingly with no hesitation. Do you agree? The cross does indeed represent “life”, my co-worker was on the right track. I aim to reveal to her what she’s missing. Maybe you have someone you know who wears a cross. What an awesome conversation starter!! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource(s): American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved; Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014; Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited.

 

Thoughts From a Random Mind

        I have currently realized that I am not important at all in this world. That is essentially because I am not from this world. My citizenship is in heaven, I just haven’t arrived there yet. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.” (Phil 3:20) 

What I say and do outside of God is totally inconsequential. It has no eternal meaning. Conversations focused on anything outside of God tend to be tedious chatter without meaning. In my OPINION, we should begin to do more observing and less talking, unless the talk lifts up Jesus. Take to heart the oft-said phrase: “Your life may be the only Bible some folks will ever read.”

I have also realized that actions speak way louder than words. Christians tend to say all the right things, but then don’t exhibit them in their own life. It’s like encouraging someone to go to church, when you yourself don’t go. 

Be innocuous; inoffensive in every way. Become humble, realizing that you are not needed to accomplish God’s mission. Become grateful, realizing that God Himself has CHOSEN you for this mission. He knows what you bring to the table because He placed it in you and is cultivating it by the person of the Holy Spirit. 

Notoriety is unnecessary. Deflection is the key. Deflect all praise and honor to God, for we are not worthy to receive it. Who you are in the grand scheme of things is unimportant and what you amount to in this world is laughingly incongruent with the kingdom of God. It’s incompatible. It doesn’t jibe.  

Accept your proper place in this sinful world. In it, but not of it. Do what is pleasing to God always without debate or hesitation. The Lord is the only one who has a bead on that which is right and wrong, necessary and unnecessary. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit will always be the correct decision. We must listen more and speak less. Live out your faith to the glory of God. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries