Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

I came across a question that caused me to stop and think. I didn’t have to think long before I came up with an answer to the query. “If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence for a conviction?” It was a startling question; the kind that catches one off guard. I stumbled across it and then sat staring at it. My near immediate mental response was “No, no. I don’t believe there would be.” I was ashamed to have to admit that, but understanding all that I do about scripture, I have to admit I am not much of a threat to the devil at all. My comfort zone is so large and well lived in that I scarcely think of leaving it. Faith, love, mercy, grace, forgiveness. I write about them and believe in them, but have they truly transformed my life? 

I must also say that I am very hard on myself. I always have been. That’s not to minimize or cast aside my concerns; no, not at all. I don’t consider myself to be a very good Christian. However, having said that, I realize that God is not through with me yet and better days are coming as I allow Him to continue His work within me, for you see it is not the exterior things that others can see that matter, but rather the inward working of the Holy Spirit who creates the change that can ultimately be seen outwardly that really matters. This spiritual surgery which extracts undesirable traits and replaces them with Godly ones is quite necessary in all believers. Without it we are the same person with the same worldly desires and the same penchant for doing wrong. 

How would you answer that question up above? Have you allowed God to have His way with you? Do you even feel the need to do so? God loves you. Let Him move freely about you by His Spirit, reconstructing you into all you can be for His glory.

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

 

    I’m nobody special. Just your average guy; a sort of Joe Bagadonuts. Never done anything spectacular by the world’s standards. Never achieved financial success. Never made a name for myself in any way, shape or form. None of this matters because I know God loves me. And there are no conditions placed upon His love. I know now that my past mistakes, and there are many, do not and never will define who I am. I am a child of God. He created me to worship Him. He created me for His good pleasure. I try to live the best I can for Him with the help of the Holy Spirit within in this dark world that has lost their way. It is the simple things, the common things of this world that God chooses to use to accomplish His purposes. He shares glory with no man. The creature can never be greater than its’ Creator.  

                I am humbled that He has so readily forgiven me when I have fallen; I am humbled by His patience with me. If it were not for God’s grace and mercy towards me only who knows where I would be and what I would be doing. I want my life to be a tribute to Almighty God. I want to let the world know in one form or another what He means to me. I want to take my common, unspectacular life and let everyone know that it is not what we do for ourselves in this life that matters at all, but rather what we do for Him. I love the Lord for who He is, for what He has done and for who I am because of it.  He loves us, for who we are, not who we could or should be. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

A special Thanksgiving Day message.

 

         I am of a mind that for the Christian, EVERY DAY is Thanksgiving!!! Sure, we celebrate it nationally on the last Thursday of November every year, but for the believer in Christ, we are thankful & grateful every day because we were once lost, but now we are found. But to us believers it means more than just that. It’s family & friends. It’s a time of reflection. It’s a time to mend fences with others. Forgiveness can play a big part during this holiday, but as Christians forgiveness is magnified. Almighty God forgave us from all our sins forever. They will never be held against us again. For that I am eternally grateful. How about you? 

Enjoy your holiday today. Enjoy food & family and of course, football. Keep the joy of the season in your heart always, and may our Lord fill your homes with peace for today and hope for the future. For with Jesus, there is always hope. God bless you all. Enjoy your holiday!!  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

 

When I think about my life and all I have been through, it is very hard not to think about the negative things that I have inflicted upon myself. God didn’t do it, I did. There are times when I have dwelled on those times so much so that I had become mired in a depressed state. In reality, the past is the past and cannot be altered in any way, shape, or form. I know that to be true and always have, but sometimes our minds become a playground for the devil. He delights in pointing out all the reasons why God would not only not love us, but not have anything to do with us. This is why the Bible calls him a liar and the father of all lies ^{(John 8:44)}.  

          Nothing can separate us from the love of God ^{(Romans 8:39)}. We must leave the past in the past and focus on the present and the future, both of which are in God’s capable hands. We can resurrect our lives from the rubble of past mistakes. Our mistakes do not define us as people. God still loves us, and He still wants to use us for His glory. If I have learned anything in my life it is that I am flawed, and God is not. We will never be perfect, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying. 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

 

Sometimes we just don’t get it. No matter how hard we try we still get things wrong. When we think we were being selfless, in retrospect I were being selfish all along. It is a hard pill to swallow. Life can be complicated, but that is because we make it so. In the midst of this God is standing. He can take what we have made of our lives and help us put it back together. There is a catch though; we must allow Him to do that. Like an alcoholic must first admit he has a problem before he can get help, we must acknowledge our need. There are times when a friend must administer tough love by showing us our mistake. God uses brothers and sisters to constructively advise us to correct a wrong. In the end we are nothing more than frail creatures who over process the simple things and ignore those things that tend to be most important. May the Lord help us as we right the wrongs in our lives. 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

 

There are times in every believer’s life when we want to ask the question: “Why God? Why?” At times we ask it quietly, sometimes loudly … there are times when we wish we could scream it at the top of our lungs. God doesn’t hear the question any more clearly; it just seems to make us feel a little better. It is probably a psychological thing. Something to do with releasing stress or the like. No matter how we ask the question or how often, we usually will get the same response from our benevolent Deity … silence.

Does He not care? Our Heavenly Father sees every tear drop that wells up and falls from your eye. When we have a need, no matter what it is, the wheels in heaven are turning to provide the answer. I believe that God would create something that had never been in existence before, if necessary, to meet the need of one of His children. In the end, what it really all comes down to is TRUST.

Do we TRUST our unseen Father enough to take care of our every NEED, no matter what it is? It is with unspoken understanding that that which we request lines up with His word and His will, which is laid out in scripture. It is interesting to me that we want instantaneous answers to our every question and immediate solutions to our every problem, yet do not feel any unction to spend any more time with God than we have to. Oh, trust me when I tell you, I am NOT pointing any fingers here. I am as guilty as the next person for neglecting my quiet time with the Lord. Yet this is what He desires from us. Time. Alone. With Him. Praising. Worshiping. Glorifying. Thanking. And then, if needs be, beseeching, imploring, questioning and then, by design, finding some semblance of peace. 

God will answer. Yes, He will. But God does not operate on our time schedule. Scripture tells us that “a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day” to our Lord. Time is irrelevant to Him. This moment in our lives is a microscopic nothing compared to eternity. He will provide what you need, whether it is an answer, a material possession, finances, employment, healing … you name it … when He knows the perfect time is. We are in such a hurry. We must engage our faith and put our trust into play. Relying on God is never an easy thing. Just imagine what those of us who are “control freaks” go through. But God is always there, always watching, always listening. Sometimes I believe He wants to see if we are learning the lessons He is trying to teach us about faith and trust. He knows what He is doing. Failure isn’t in His nature. Impossible is not in His vocabulary. He is Almighty God, Creator of everything that was and is and is to be. Praise Him for who He is, take a deep breath (maybe two) and let your faith kick in. It’s in there … inside you. It’s that smoldering ember in the core of your spirit that is looking to ignite into a flame. Allow it the oxygen it needs to burst forth into a blaze that cannot be extinguished. 

                  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

 

A strange thought went through my mind as I was sitting at a stop light looking in my rear view mirror. I saw two 20-something young men in what appeared to be fairly new BMW, or Beemer for all you 'in the know' My heart was saddened by the thought that they might be caught up in the NEW American Dream. The original American Dream was that one could start from nothing and make something of themselves through hard work and a certain level of integrity. Today people aspire to lofty financial heights and when they find them unattainable want the government to give it to them as if they are entitled to the fulfillment of that Dream without having to seriously work for it. 

On top of all that is the fact that the most important thing of all may be missing in their lives; Christ. Life with Christ leads to contentment regardless of your circumstances. Life without Christ leads to one hopeless endeavor after another. They struck me as two young men who were reaching for the promised golden ring, never realizing that it shall always remain just out of their reach. Satan delights is doing that. In the end, all I can do is pray for God to become real in their lives so that they might attain that which they truly need, rather than what they wish to acquire. May we all not just see the things that need to be done, then crawl back in our comfort zone away from the fray. Lord, help us to BE Your hand extended selflessly ... help us surrender to Your will daily.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

PS - To clarify ... there is nothing intrinsically wrong with owning a BMW or any other expensive luxury car. That’s not the point. The fact that that is what some folks LIVE for and do anything to attain may represent a skewed sense of what is important. Just sayin’.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Doing what you know to be right can be very difficult at times. Like putting a parent in an assisted living facility when you know they would much rather be at home around familiar surroundings. In 2012 My Dad was in the beginning stages of dementia. He was just fine in the morning but in the early afternoon he would start to become confused and by the evening did not make any sense at all. It was hard to watch. I fought putting him in a home in my mind thinking that I HAD to at least TRY to take care of him at home. A dear friend of mine said I had no idea what I was in for. They had taken care of both their parents who had Alzheimer's and they assured me that it was a mind numbing undertaking.

So I signed him up for the memory unit at a place nearby. They requested that I not come to visit for the first two weeks of his stay, saying that they have determined that this aids in their acclimating to the new surroundings. So be it.

I was initially not very happy about having to do this to him, but I gradually realized that I was not doing anything TO him, but rather doing what was best FOR him. 24/7 nurse and caregiver staff to keep watch over him was more than I could have ever provided. He needed that then. He never hated me for doing it, but in the end it is the best thing for him. Doing what you know to be right can be very difficult at times.

That was over 12 years ago, and I still wish I didn’t have to do it, but he’s at rest now and even gave his heart to the Lord during the last week or so of his life. Thank you Lord for that. 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

We were created to worship someone. Who? The world around us has provided us with superheroes, rock stars, actors & actresses, social media influencers and so on. They are the enemy’s replacements for the One (and the only one) who is truly worthy of worship. It’s Almighty God, Creator of all things. The sad thing that unsaved people do is compare themselves to those other imperfect folks all around them. In reality, no one person is any better than any other. Man’s free will, provided by God, allows him to think the way he chooses to think and do that which he wishes to do. Our own thoughts dictate our actions. That leads to nowhere eternally speaking. It behooves us to at least entertain a different perspective, namely a Christian one. You can certainly decide NOT to do that, but viable options are not all that plentiful. As a matter of fact Christianity is the only “religion” that deals with the SIN question. You can take what would appear to be an easier path, but I’m really sorry, every road up the mountain DOES NOT lead to heaven, in spite of what Hindus happen to believe. The proverbial mountain, whose apex is heaven, can only be achieved by accepting Christ & His sacrifice, which was substitutionary in nature. That’s right, Jesus Christ, the 2nd Person of the Trinity, took OUR beating & took our punishment for our sinful living. I don’t know why folks are turned off by Christianity, I really don’t. Perhaps it is because of a misunderstanding or the way it is presented to them. Understanding scripture and the crux of Christianity is essential for knowing that you are on the correct path to salvation.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

          Have you ever noticed how the world has trivialized LOVE? Even the word has been made to be so commonplace it hardly holds any meaning anymore. Oh it does to many, probably the majority of people, but Satan is hell bent on destroying anything that is pure and decent in this world. His desire is to make love into a sexual thing when true love is far from that. True love is defined in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, also referred to as “the Love Chapter”. You should read it to see what true love really entails. 

While true love can lead to a physical love when two people fall in love and become one, it doesn’t always have to. Parents can truly and deeply love their children in the Biblical sense; so can friends, even friends who are the opposite gender. I believe the key to loving another completely is tied up in the word “unconditional”.

 

UNCONDITIONAL (def):  Without conditions or limitations; absolute; total.

 

Without limitations; without conditions. God places no restrictions on the depth or breadth of His love for His creation. There is nothing this side of heaven to compare with it. Being flawed creatures, we try but fail so often as we attempt imitate what we see and feel love really is. This world’s version of love is a cheap imitation. It is nothing like the real thing. 

True unconditional love is absolute and total. It is a complete package. It doesn’t HAVE to include the physical part, but it can. It is forgiving and pure. True love is not a dirty thing. It is a beautiful emotional experience. God defines it in His power and purity. Jesus reflects it in His words and actions. God loves us with ‘agape’ love; a love that is spiritual, not sexual, in its nature. In it we find peace, comfort, and hope.  The most amazing thing about all this is that He loved us with this type of truly perfect and incredible love before we ever gave Him a thought. No matter what we can or will ever think, say, or do, His love for us never changes. It is enduring. It is eternal. THAT is the type of love people are clamoring for. They don’t recognize it when is appears, so Satan imitates it with a cheap, tawdry version of it which is physical and erotic and not at all what the real thing is. People accept it because it feels good, but that feeling passes as soon as the encounter is over. God’s love shall always remain and never fail … ever.  

Would you like to know this type of never-ending love? You need to embrace God and surrender to Him. He will escort you into joys unspeakable over time. Give your life to Him today. Why wait? 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 is not always God’s will to heal a person physically. A person may sincerely pray and truly have faith that God can heal, but if it is not God’s will to provide the healing at that time, then no healing will come (see 1 John 5:14). Sometimes God’s blessings come in other ways besides physical healing.

If it were always God’s will for people to be healed, then everyone would be healed every time he or she became ill. If good health were always God’s will, then Christians would never die. We can’t blame someone’s malady on a lack of faith, for we know, biblically, that God sometimes uses illness to accomplish His will. Also, it’s not just wayward believers who get sick. Paul “left Trophimus sick in Miletus” (2 Timothy 4:20), and Paul himself had a physical ailment that the Lord declined to heal (2 Corinthians 12:7–9).

Often, Christians have an over-simplified idea of healing. They think that, if they are sick, they have only to ask God to heal them and, because God loves them, He will heal them straightaway. Healing is seen as proof of a person’s faith and of God’s love. This idea persists in some circles in spite of the truth that every mother knows: a parent does not give her child everything he asks for every time, no matter how much she loves him.”

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource:  https://www.gotquestions.org/God-heal-everyone.html

Thoughts from a Random Mind

ABSOLUTE TRUTH

            Is there such a thing as an absolute truth? Let’s look at this. To say there is NO GOD is an absolute statement, but there is no way of proving that statement. Therefore, it is not an absolutely true statement. The statement is based on various factors that may or may not happen to come into play. The same is true of the converse statement; there IS A GOD. That also cannot be proved. The whole nature of faith never demands proof. 

            I cannot actually SEE GOD, but I can see the evidence that a Supreme Being exists simply by looking at nature, and other aspects of creation. Don’t believe in CREATION? You believe in EVOLUTION? The THEORY of Evolution is NOT FACTUAL. It is scientific theory and conjecture that cannot be proven without a shadow of a doubt. Is it possible that the BIG BANG was in actuality the exact moment when God said, “Let there be light”? That is what some creationists are saying. No one was there when it happened, so you are back to the notion that coincides with the statement, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear & see it, does it make a sound?” How would you know? You wouldn’t. So therein lies the conundrum we are faced with.

            We believe much of what we know by faith. We take it for granted that our history is true, but what if it was a pack of lies? How would we know? We wouldn’t. Even eyewitnesses would have their own version of past events, which may or may not correspond with another person’s version. Proof. It can be somewhat sketchy at times. It’s based on interpretation.  

            You can’t always believe what you SEE. Unless you personally experience something, you should automatically look at that THING with a jaundiced eye. To think like this can make someone CYNICAL.

So, what do you believe? I would guess you would believe and subsequently trust that which you find reasonably plausible. We choose to believe that which makes the most sense to us.  Consider placing your faith and trust in Almighty God. Do an investigation. While you will not find proof, you may just begin to understand what this whole ‘God thing’ is all about. 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

TIME

            Time is a relevant topic. Some think time goes fast, some slow. It depends on what you’re doing. Time at work goes slow. Time on vacation goes lightning fast. I’m turning the BIG 7-0 next year and it boggles my mind … I find myself asking the all too familiar question: “Where did the time go?”

            How we spend our time is equal to what we get accomplished in this life. Lazy folks get little accomplished. Energetic folks get more than their fair share accomplished. What you do with your time tells what is on your heart; what is most important to you. What do you spend quality time doing? Who do you spend it with? Family? Friends? Work? Play? What is it? Are you an under or over achiever? Why? Is it to please yourself or to please others? Do you follow the Golden Rule by treating others the way you’d like to be treated? 

            What’s your take on God? Does He exist? Doesn’t He? Why? If you believe He exists how much time do you spend with Him? Does He feel distant to you? If so, who moved? Does He feel close? Time is an expensive commodity. You can only spend it once. Here today and gone tomorrow. Time keeps on rolling, no matter what the situation. Some think time stops when you die. Is that literally true? Those who don’t buy in to the whole Christian scene may think that is the case. Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? 

            With all the “religions” in the world, why would you think Christianity is the only valid one? How can you prove it? Can You? Proof negates faith and it is faith, combined with belief, that is needed to believe in an unseen God. How can you trust in someone you cannot see? It’s a choice. A free will choice. Believe or don’t believe; it is at your own discretion. 

            Regarding God and the whole of Christianity, no proof is coming. The existence of God cannot be proven, though Christians believe that evidence is all around us in His creation. That is all well and good unless you happen to be an Evolutionist. 

            It all comes down to faith – believing something unseen as if it CAN be seen. The clock keeps ticking and time shall one day be no more. The eternity question will be answered either by action, one way or another, or by ignoring those thoughts that have been presented to you. Someone has to pay the piper. Christ paid for those who believe. For those who do NOT believe, the offer is there. It’s an individual choice that HAS to be made or it will be made for you. God sends NO ONE to hell. Their silence on the issue of God speaks volumes and brings about a self-determination that will lead to regret because that person never considered the seriousness of the issue at hand. Once the final trump sounds it will be too late. Use your time wisely; choose wisely as well for your future destination after death is at stake. 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 hard to know what level of spiritual maturity people are at. Even after you’ve talked to the person you may not have a clue. There’s a lady security guard who said to me she had a lot going on in her mind. It was a difficult time for her. I asked her what she is going to do. “Organize and pray” was her response. I said, “GOOD! Good for you. God loves you very much you know.” She said she knew that and smiled. The interesting part of that brief encounter was that she was born and raised in Egypt. I have no idea what the level of faith and believe she has.  My aim is not to have people replicate my faith and belief, but rather to encourage and uplift the spirits of the people I encounter whether they know Christ or not. Perhaps this lady prayed only when she needed help, maybe she prays all the time. It’s irrelevant really because I’m not her judge anyway.  I try to treat people as equals spiritually speaking. I find that most of the South Americans are mostly Catholics. Whether they are practicing, or non-practicing Catholics is not known to me. For the most part Cubans appear to be atheists, in that churches under Fidel Castro regime were not allowed to exist. 

The Gospel message is one for the ages. It works in all situations. No matter how much or how little you have the message is the same and the God of the message never changes. 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 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

 

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