Who Does God Use?

 

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” - 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

          There are those in this life who consider themselves wise, yet their wisdom pales in comparison to the wisdom of the One who made them. Others spend countless hours in fitness centers pumping iron to get strong only to strut their stuff in public as a means of showing off their newfound muscles. Their so-called strength is nothing compared to the power of Almighty God. God has chosen to use the things considered weak and foolish to advance the kingdom. He has chosen to use those that society has cast off as less desirable to proclaim His goodness. Perhaps it is because they are the most pliable, the most easily molded into what He seeks to use. Those who see themselves as wise or strong do so to their own discredit. Their conceit is their undoing. They take credit for things that they haven’t done and therefore diminish the role of God. God shares His glory with no one ^{(Isaiah 48:8 & 11)}. 

          It should be made clear that we are not talking about literal fools and weaklings, but rather those that are perceived by society to be so. God can use what and whom He so chooses to get a point across. Humbleness and humility are two traits’ Christians are to have. Those who think themselves wise or strong are hardly who God is looking for to complete His mission, for their wisdom and strength are self-proclaimed and therefore of little use to Him. It is the meek, the humble, the passed over who God delights in using. They think little of themselves and doubt their own abilities regularly. God can lift them up and speak through them. Moses was a murderer with a speech impediment, David was an adulterer and also a murderer, Noah was a drunk, Jacob was a liar, Rehab was a prostitute, Jonah ran from God, Peter had a quick temper – they have one thing in common: they were all used mightily by God. 

          As already stated, God shares His glory with no one. Those whom He chooses to use are flawed, fault filled people who, as a result, seek no glory for themselves. They seem to understand who God is in the grand scheme of things and realize that they are incapable of anything without His guidance and assistance. We need to be humble. It’s truly an honor to be used by God. He could have chosen anyone in creation, and He has chosen you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

What is Your Worth?

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

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Value Others Over Yourself

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

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

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

            I would venture to say that we all have quite a number of people around us that know us pretty well. I think it’s safe to say that they would notice if your behavior changed significantly. Valuing others above your own interests is supposed to be a primary function of the true believer. It’s not easy to sidestep your own interests in favor of the interests of others, but it is something we need to work on because it is how God wishes us to behave. We must seek these things from the Lord and adhere to that which the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Selfless behavior is a product of a humble spirit. Humility was modeled by Jesus especially when he went before Pontius Pilate, was beaten and nailed to a wooden cross. He didn’t fight back but knowing the importance of this actions that led to his death, he willingly allowed his life to be taken from him so that all of mankind could be forgiven of their sin. That was selfless humility on full display. Imitate that. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: Believer’s Bible Commentary

True Friendship

“I thank my God every time I remember you.”- Philippians 1:3 

 

friend noun 1a: one attached to another by affection or esteem.

 

            Although the Apostle Paul is saying this to the church at Philippi, I would like to generalize this scripture to make a point about our own brothers and sisters in the faith; those throughout our lives who have been our friends, not to mention, a wonderful blessing to us through thick and thin. There are those individuals, perhaps family members, perhaps co-workers, someone in your neighborhood or church members, who have meant a lot to our spiritual growth in this life. Some are in our lives for only a short while, a single chapter in our lives, then are gone. They are a true friend to us, and we thank God every time they come to mind. They are encouraging, empathetic, kind, helpful … they are living examples of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. There is a mutual love and respect for one another. No judgment or condemnation comes from their lips. They are understanding and supportive, no matter what we have gotten ourselves into. That is a true brother or sister in Christ; that is a true friend. They don’t condone misdeeds in any way, seeking to be instructive rather than combative, so as not to hurt us and/or drive us away. When a true friendship has been forged, it cannot be severed by age or distance. 

            We all have someone, perhaps more than one, who falls into that category. Actually, a true friend can be somewhat of a rarity. Frankly, our wife or husband really should be our best, most true friend, in addition to being our lover and life companion. God has blessed us with true friends whom we need to thank Him for. They are stabilizers; they help add structure to our lives. God knows what we need and provides these people in our lives to help lighten our burdens as we walk through this valley of tears called life. May God be praised for His wisdom and compassion, for without the friends who enter our lives, our struggles this side of heaven would be much greater. Hopefully we are that type of friend to someone. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The World for Your Soul

“What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?”- Mark 8:36 

            The world tantalizes with wealth, glitz, glamour and fame. People become slaves to fashion and live paycheck to paycheck chasing that next big event or technological advancement. Their attention is kept focused on anything and everything that promises satisfaction, fun and popularity. The devil is an expert at deceit. Those trifles dangled in front of them are nothing more than a mirage that shall disappear when you need them the most. Christ asks a very poignant question to those following him: what good is it to gain everything and yet have nothing and what good is it to lose your very soul in the process. The time spent chasing after temporal things would have been better spent seeking eternity, for it is in the things that shall NOT pass away that true satisfaction is found. 

            The world scoffs at Christians. ‘Look at all you are missing’, they say. ‘Only the weak-minded need Jesus’, they say, ‘He’s nothing more than a crutch.’ They don’t understand. Perhaps they never will. Christians find hope and peace and true freedom in their relationship with God. It has nothing to do with religion; it is an intimate, personal relationship with our Creator. So, while the world chases after the unattainable, we shall continue to seek God and gain far more in the process than those in the world shall ever possess. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Word of God

Psalm 119:33-37 “Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

           While this is considered by many to be one of David’s Psalms for structural and content reasons, his name doesn’t appear in the beginning as the author, so it is generally considered one of the “orphan psalms”. It is the longest chapter in the Bible at 176 verses and has long been read for its’ inspiration.

          The writer implores God to teach him His ways. Key words are littered through these four verses: teach me, give me understanding, direct me, turn my heart, and turn my eyes. The writer is asking God to act on his behalf for a specific reason; he wants to follow God’s decrees, keep His laws, and not turn toward selfish gain or worthless things. How badly do we all need to pray this for ourselves? I know I have stumbled badly throughout my walk with God and need to commit these verses to memory and then live them. Saying these words and following through are two completely different things. Our world is filled with distractions that draw us away from the things of God. We become so easily entangled with obligations and chores, leaving little time to seek God. It is in God that we find what we are truly looking for and need so badly: peace, contentment, comfort, love, forgiveness, mercy. These are found in no one else.

          Once we get into the word of God and allow it to speak to us, it will change our perspective on things. Sure, we must tend to things during the day, but we needn’t allow those things to dictate our lives. Within the Bible lies a wide variety of truth, inspiration, wisdom, encouragement, and guidance to last a lifetime. Let God into your daily life. Seek His face and pray for others. Watch God work as you rely a little more on Him each day.

 

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

          The word of God can speak to the human heart like nothing else can. It’s God’s instruction manual for life. Let it minister to you in the deepest part of your heart and soul. Allow your spirit to connect with the Spirit of God and feed on His wisdom. His word will give you strength and encouragement even in your darkest hour. God is with you wherever you go ^{(Joshua 1:9)}. He will not forsake or abandon you ^{(Deuteronomy 31:6)}. God can be relied upon, just like His word, to take you in life where you need to go for His glory.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Visible Image of God

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation …”. - Colossians 1:15

            If Colossae existed today, it would be in the southern section of modern-day Turkey. The issue in this church was the infiltration of some believers who were attempting to combine elements of paganism and secular philosophy with Christian doctrine. Paul wrote to combat these errors and show that Christ alone is more than sufficient to meet all a believers’ needs than anything outside God’s standards. This letter was written in approximately 60 AD.

                  The first sentence in verse 15 speaks directly to the divine nature of Christ. Not only is Christ equal to God ^{[Philippians 2:6]}, but ISGod ^{[John 10:30, 38; 12:45; 14:1-11]} by virtue of the saying that he is “the visible image of the invisible God”. Jesus “is and was and is to come”. He was the most intimate part of creation in that he existed prior to there being anything in existence. There is nothing our Lord cannot do for us and is in complete control of everything he has created.

                  Paul spent a good portion of his letter emphasizing that our focus must be on Christ as our sole provider and sustainer. We must also focus on God’s word and not another person’s perception of what God meant with what he said. The standard we must follow is God’s word and his word alone. Worldly philosophies and conjecture re: Christianity will only confuse you, not draw you any closer to God. Draw close to God. Rid yourself of worldly habits that can quickly turn into sin. Praise the Lord with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Praise his name without ceasing, for this is what we are called to do. Until next time walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries 

The Unconditional Love of God

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”- Romans 8:38-39

                  Nelson Rockefeller once said, “Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love.”  1 John 4:8 says, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:16 says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” It stands to reason that the most powerful force would be identified with the most powerful being.  God is All-Powerful, as in Omnipotent! There is no greater power in existence than the power God has. The power of LOVE is far-reaching and eternal because God is eternal and is everywhere at one time. Therefore, there is an aura of love that exists everywhere. Sometimes it is concealed by the emergence of evil, but the potential for love to burst forth is always there.

                  So, our verses for today point out that nothing in existence can pry us from God’s far-reaching love. He HAS and WILLalways love us. He may not like what we think, say, or do all the time, but it won’t keep him from loving us. God loved us before we were conceived in our mother’s womb.  

                  I thought of something today … I know God loves me unconditionally and always will. You know why? Because if my wife can love me unconditionally despite the inane and silly things I say and do at times, I know that God has an even greater capacity to love me without conditions being placed upon that love. I also love my wife with an abiding and unconditional love; she is a great lady!

Do you feel that way about your spouse? Do you understand that you are loved by your Maker, and nothing will ever change that? Believe it … embrace it as a fact. YOU ARE LOVED!! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Death of Lazarus

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Terrible Day of the Lord

“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”- 2 Peter 3:10 ^NLT

            Scripture tells us that no one knows the hour or the day when the Lord shall return. ^{[Matthew 24:36]} Only the Father knows. Believers in Christ should be anticipating his return as if it were going to be today. Non-believers, who live their lives outside of God’s family, are too busy with other things they deem essential to their lives. That is precisely why they will have no idea what is coming and thus will not be prepared.

                  Knowing that the earth will be burned up, why wouldn’t we place our confidence in that which is lasting and eternal? Being bound to the earth, with its valueless treasures and frivolous pursuits is a sure death sentence. God knows all this which is why his patience with mankind is long suffering. He knows the stubborn ways of man. He knows their rebellious nature. But he loves them just the same and gives them every opportunity to receive forgiveness for their sins.

                  I have said on multiple occasions that we must assess our walk, not compared to anyone else on this earth, but to God himself. Just because perfection is unattainable doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be our goal in this life. Believers should ask themselves this important question: Do I spend more of my time piling up possessions or striving to develop a Christlike character? Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

What is love anyway?

 

Prior to becoming a Christian I really wasn’t sure how to define ‘love’. I knew it wasn’t ‘sex’, although I believed ‘sex’ to be a pleasant byproduct of ‘love’. I wasn’t told about the ‘birds and the bees’ by either of my parents.  I was left to figure it out for myself.  This produced many awkward encounters with girls while in college.  Guys like to speak of their ‘conquests’ when they are together.  Girls like to talk about how ‘hot’ this or that guy is.  It doesn’t appear to be any different today from when I was a teenager, which was some 55 years ago.  Except now ‘sex’ is in your face pretty much everywhere you turn.

The devil has dumbed down society, anesthetizing people as to what is right & what is wrong.  Those that live for themselves find that ‘anything goes’ works just fine for them.  Those who attempt to follow a certain moral and ethical standard of living, such as the Bible, are ridiculed; the notion being that we are robbing ourselves of untold pleasures by doing so.  

We all need some sort of standard to follow, something that guides and advise us when we don’t know what to say or do.  Many ascribe to the idea “if it feels good do it”.   This is selfish at its core and will only feed a person’s desires for so long until certain sameness creeps into it and they become hungry for something more.   Unbridled emotions when left unchecked will lead you to places you never intended to go.  By the time you’ve realized what you’ve done, the consequences of your words and actions may have already buried you. 

It doesn’t have to be that way.  God never intended it to be.  Once we come to the realization that surrender isn’t always a bad thing, we can finally begin to live.  Without God we are only going through the motions.  With God we have the opportunity to be all God intended us to be in the first place.  When we surrender to the will of God, there is no telling what we can accomplish in His name.

Love is much deeper than just having deep affection for someone. We can love ice cream, but it isn’t the same type of love that is involved in loving God or someone of the opposite gender. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Suffering Servant

“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.” – Isaiah 52:13-15

            These verses give us a glimpse of Jesus prior to his appearance on earth. He is “the Suffering Servant” from scripture, for he suffered greatly to fulfill God’s salvation plan, set in motion at the dawning of time. When you read these verses visualize what he must have looked like based on the description given. 

                  It’s curious to me that most of the cinematic portrayals of Jesus of Nazareth were of a strikingly handsome man. They would cast white skinned British actors and the like to be Jesus and while the movies themselves were pretty good, Jesus physical appearance was flawed. I think the 2016 Christian movie “Risen” shows Jesus as he could have looked. He was nothing special to look at appearance wise. Very middle Eastern in skin tone and physical appearance. He blended into his surroundings physically, but was very different in his thoughts, words and actions. People were compelled to listen and follow him because he spoke of love, kindness, mercy and compassion to your fellow man. The Holy Spirit was working on people’s hearts. Jesus gave them hope for a better tomorrow, something the religious leaders of the day did not.

                  The verses above refer to the time when Jesus was being beaten & tortured by the Roman soldiers. Rome was polytheistic society; therefore the soldiers would have believed in a multitude of gods, such as, Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva or perhaps no god at all. It was part of their culture. The soldiers were brutes who enjoyed exerting their will against others, so beating Jesus was no doubt sport for them. When all was said and done, once Jesus hung on the cross and the sky turned black, all were left to wonder just who this man Jesus was. When a bolt of lightning cracked thru the sky causing the temple curtain to be torn from top to bottom, giving men open access to Almighty God, there was little question to many just who Jesus Christ truly was. His resurrection and the spreading of the gospel message shook the world at that time to its core. Was he the Son of God as it had been said? You bet he was, and his sacrificial death bought all of us our freedom from the bondage of sin. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

When is a sin no longer a sin?

 

                  Many people have this strange notion that just because they can’t imagine a loving God judging sin, it must not truly be wrong to do. There are so many wrong things people do without a moment’s hesitation. I suppose they think they can just ask God to forgive them and that will make it alright. 

While not a “Christian”, Adolf Hitler had strong feelings about a supreme deity and how His will must be followed. It is said Hitler’s genocide against Jews was his “sacred” mission. That certainly didn’t make it right, for a sin is a sin is a sin. 

The LGBTQ community clings to verses such as “all who call upon the Lord shall be saved”, sidestepping the verses in both the Old & New Testament that declare their lifestyle a sin. We now find that they have their own churches, their own ministers and go thru all the motions of being a believer, but do not alter their lifestyle. Who said that was alright? Scripture is very clear; sin cannot abide in God’s presence. So how is their life acceptable to God? Sadly, it’s not. Our responsibility is to love and pray for those who live a life that is contrary to God’s truth; NEVER to judge, or shun. 

As I have said before in my writings, man desires to be autonomous.  They also desire to make themselves a God they can accept on their own terms. The creature trying to become greater than the creator. That’s simply not how it works. If you doubt me, read scripture. Don’t pick and choose verses that seem to support your way of thinking; read all of it asking God to reveal to you the truth. Have an open mind and open heart to the truth according to the Word of God. 

God isn’t an Ogre or tyrant; He is the loving creator of man. He died, in the form of His Son, to save mankind from their sin … all of them. Just like germs are not acceptable in a sterile environment, so sin is not acceptable in God’s presence. Don’t cherry pick certain verses and base your entire belief system on those handpicked scriptures; read the whole book. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?

            I was reading some comments re: why people refuse to believe in God / Christ? The site I visited was “Quora”, which poses a question & anyone can respond. The first person who chimed in was an atheist, who apparently found it amusing that anyone would believe in a book that was fraught with errors & contradictions. He says that it’s “just a book”. Just because someone says God wrote it doesn’t mean He did. 

                  The thing that non-believers never get is that having faith has absolutely nothing to do with proof. Is there such a thing as “absolute truth”? I suppose there are some things that are absolutely true, like the sky being up & the ocean being wet. But technically, & now I am admittedly knit-picking, how do we know our accepted definition of ‘up’ & ‘wet’ is correct? How would we know? Whether something is right or wrong becomes interpretive & relative to each person. My definition of ‘normal’ is relative to what I see & how I see it. What I’ve learned in my life has everything to do with how I interpret things. But what of the things I’ve learned? How would I know if they were true or false? It’s based on the belief system I have developed up to this point in my life. 

                  Everyone has faith in something, but what exactly IS faith? The Bible defines it for us: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” ^{[Hebrews 11:1 NIV]} Martin Luther King, Jr said this of faith: “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines it thusly: “a strong or unshakeable belief in something, especially without proof or evidence.”

                  Faith is not based on sight. Faith doesn’t require evidence, as in proof. There is no proof to be found. Faith is based on choice. We all have a “free-will choice” to believe in God. A person doesn’t HAVE to believe in God. No one says he does. So now they need to either accept or reject the reality of sin. If a person doesn’t believe in sin then how do they explain the proliferation of evil. What makes man evil? What makes them good? Who defines what is evil and what is good? Wouldn’t those definitions have to be universally true? Who would be qualified to define such things? Can it be man? If you DO believe in the existence of God, then could the creation truly know more than its’ Creator? 

                  Does Christianity seem pretty implausible on the surface? Without reading it ... without giving it a chance to speak to you, I can believe that it would sound pretty wild. But that is what faith is for. 

Every choice we make in life comes with consequences. The decision we make will more times than not dictate what the consequences will be. You can go thru life not believing there is a God, because you have that right. What you may not realize is the GOD GAVE YOU THAT RIGHT. There are consequences associated with the decision to dispel the notion that there IS indeed a higher power that exists in spirit form that loves His creation, in fact, loved it so much that to remedy our problem of disobedience He came to live with us to 1) show us HOW to live, 2) be a loving example to follow, and 3) die in our place so that we might live. 

Now you can laugh it off and say Christianity is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard, or you can investigate on your own to see what it’s all about. Your choice. If Christians are all wrong in what they believe and there is no God, then we’ll all die and rot in the ground, never having another conscience thought, thus never knowing if there is a God or not. BUT if Christians are correct in what they believe, those outside the family of God will know of His existence for all eternity. At that point ones fate has been sealed. There will no longer be redemption available for the wayward soul. Your fate is sealed, and YOU were the one who made that decision. God loves you and died for you. Won’t you choose to live for Him. The alternative is eternal and irreversible. 

Ask God to reveal Himself to you thru His Holy Spirit and until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Doing What is Good

 

3 John 1:11 “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

                  That which is evil is contrary to the very nature and will of Almighty God. The consequences of doing evil are almost always destructive, at times even deadly. Instead, copy the kindness and mercy of God in thought, word, and deed. Imitate the behavior of Christ. If you do this, you will show that you are a child of God. 

A believer in God displays his grace, with the strength of Christ and the assistance of the Spirit. Without these we would be unable to do good things according to the will of God. Those who do that which is displeasing to the Lord need to have the attitude of Job when he said, “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” ^{[Job 42:6]} Isaiah, upon seeing God, says “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” ^{[Isaiah 6:5]} Like Job, the prophet Isaiah knew he was unworthy to be in God’s presence. And they were considered righteous men. Those who practice evil are doomed and don’t even know it.

In addition to doing good, one must not hinder those others from doing good. This is sinful behavior and is displeasing to our Lord. Let’s make one thing clear, Jesus said only God is good, not himself or anyone else. ^{[Mark 10:18]} So I must assume that those who are good are of God and not separated from him. Non-believers can do what would be considered ‘good’ deeds, but only God knows their true heart’s motivation. Many in this world do good for the recognition it brings them. Pride and arrogance come before a tremendous fall. It is those who surrender their own will in favor of God’s that will be deemed good, righteous, and holy in the end. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Be a Non-Conformist

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”- Romans 12:2 
          The world is a peculiar place. It’s the enemy’s domain where he rules and reigns. Things look so enticing here. We grasp at things that appear to be so lovely only to find out that they are simply not what they appear to be or perhaps not there at all. 
          During our lifetime we tend to open ourselves up to all sorts of pain and misfortune as a result of some of our decisions. This is what happens when God isn’t involved in the decision-making process. God allows us to stumble because we’ve insisted in having our way. We haven’t asked for pain and havoc in our lives, per se, but we HAVE by grasping at something that is not ours for the taking; something that wasn’t sanctioned by the Lord. 
          Those of us who tend to be self-destructive in nature seem to be drawn to situations where pain is inflicted on us. We resolutely accept that we deserve our pain and move on … sullen and downcast, we become nearly useless for the kingdom. We must not allow the enemy a foothold. If we are not a child of God, such poor decisions could potentially start a downward spiral that will take us where we never intended to go.
          Renew your mind through the reading of scripture, proper associations, prayer, involvement in Godly endeavors. You see, if you fill your mind AND your time with such things, you will not give yourself time to entertain such supposed worldly treasures. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministry

Thoughts from a Random Mind

What does hope look like? It can look like pristine lake, free from agitation. It can look like a cloudless blue sky. It can look like a newborn child. Hope is what we all are looking for and desperately need. Hope comes in a person, the only one who can freely provide forgiveness. Freedom from sin provides a person with hope for a better tomorrow. Hope introduces that person to peace. Peace when fully realized can provide long lasting contentment and satisfaction. A sense of serenity fills our soul. Hope, peace, serenity all allow us to be at rest in our body and in our mind. Hope. We all need it. 

In a spiritual context, hope can be seen as the cross; a symbol of sacrifice and redemption. To know that your life can turn 180 degrees from its current position can absolutely give a person a sense of calmness and hope. Calmness right now and hope for their future. Find hope in Jesus Christ, the only hope for civilization. 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

Let’s face it, deconstruction is nothing more than the gospel being misunderstood, which has raised doctrinal questions in a person’s mind. Instead of taking a deep dive into the true meaning of things, folks find that it messes with their sensibilities, making them uncomfortable. People want to understand before they are ‘all in’ on pretty much everything and Christianity is no different. But all things in scripture aren’t understandable. Some things make no sense. But is that a reason to throw out the whole belief system; just because you don’t agree with something or don’t understand?

             People can be very lazy when it comes to research of this magnitude, but researching non-essential information like how many World Series the New York Yankees have won is much more to your liking. While I’m a long time Yankee fan, I realize that spiritual truths far outweigh the trivial things in life. Just because you don’t understand how Jesus could be both God the Father & God the Son is no reason to conclude that Jesus wasn’t divine and part of the Trinity, which the Bible clearly says He is.

Some folks deconstruct their faith because they find it hard to accept the concept of heaven and hell and who goes where at the end of their physical life. They want a religion that is more palatable, like a medium rare steak. Easy to chew and easy to swallow. Something like “God is love & I don’t believe anyone should go to hell.” So they have talked themselves into accepting and believing that everyone goes to heaven because God is loving and kind. All the while never accounting for any sort of judgment. They accept the mantra that everyone is basically good, which contradicts the scriptures, never considering the problem that presents itself with that line of thinking. How do you define ‘good’? Who should define what ‘good’ is? There are inerrant problems that come up from these types of questions arise.

Don’t let the fact that there is evil in the world cause you to wonder if there really is a ‘God’. If all your prayers aren’t answered right away, don’t start to dismiss the notion of a supreme being who cares for you. And lastly, don’t go looking for reasons why God doesn’t exist, but rather seek reasons why the Bible is true and logical. Look at your research from a positive perspective and not a negative one. The Lord isn’t the least bit apprehensive regarding any doubts or questions you may have about scripture as a whole or the deity of Christ. He knows you and will teach you what you seek to know so as to wipe out any confusion. Have an open mind & ask Him clearly and succinctly for the truth regarding things that make no sense to you. 

            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

Misconception - It is an “incorrect conception; false opinion; misunderstanding”. That word came to me this morning when I woke up. It feels like society at-large has a huge misconception regarding what Christianity truly is. To add to the confusion there are some “Christian” churches and groups that seemingly misinterpret scripture which makes them stand out and draw much of the publics attention. 

Some churches keep to themselves and practice their faith without any fanfare. Others are more community minded and want people to know who they are and why there are there. Just as there are mega differences in personality, so too there are mega differences in the personality of churches. Typically churches will take on the personality of its pastor. Having said that I would like to think that their core beliefs are pretty much the same.

Christians seem to be hated in some quarters due to the misconception I defined in the beginning. Man’s desire to remain autonomous fuels their disdain for Christians and their beliefs. Some believers evangelize too aggressively and turn people off in a major way.

They are only doing what they feel called by God to do. We are commissioned to spread the gospel message of Jesus Christ; however, the free will the Lord gave all of mankind allows nonbelievers to remain nonbelievers if they so desire. 

         For the nonbeliever life can become somewhat of a crap shoot as they navigate thru the high and lows of their existence. Some heed the call of God and follow, some try to buck the system by walking the other way. If you want to believe there is no God, you have that right, but don’t disparage those who do believe.

         Don’t hate or shun that which you don’t understand. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I believe most believers in Christ are making a concerted effort to imitate our Lord in the most positive way so as to SHOW others how a Christian is supposed to act without saying much. We are to be non-judgmental; no haters, but lovers of God’s creation. We are to be kind, compassionate, and merciful. We are to pray for others with the belief that God will intervene in any given situation. 

         So please don’t base a false opinion on a misunderstanding. Either seek to understand as best you can or walk away. All believers in Christ are NOT the same. Each of us are uniquely created by our Heavenly Father, with no two being the same. It is said that even identical twins have some differences, so please don’t lump us all together based on a bad encounter with one. God loves all of His creation, but forces His will on no one. We shouldn’t be forceful either. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Definition from the American Heritage Dictionary.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            Think about the situation you’re in right now. Is it troublesome? Is it depressing or frustrating? Have you ever considered how much worse your situation could be? Instead of wondering why God allowed that particular situation to take place, have you ever considered what God could be doing right now to keep it from being worse? 

            A Christian’s walk isn’t going to be a cakewalk. No one ever said it would be. But if you consider your trials and tribulations as lessons that you can learn, that changes the perspective of things, does it not? It really has a lot to do with the way we look at things. Instead of saying “not again”, or “why do these things keep happening”, maybe you could say to God, “Okay, what is it that you’d like me to learn from this?”

            Jeremiah 29:11 ^NLT says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Because evil exists in the world, bad things happen to good people. Matthew 5:45b ^NLT says, “For (God) gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

            Those two verses tell us something important. One thing is that besides salvation itself, we are really no different than a nonbeliever. Therefore, we are not spared from bad things happening to us. We are better than no one. That is why we should never compare ourselves to others. They are flawed and broken just like us. We must compare ourselves to the one true standard, Almighty God. When we do that we realize that without Christ we have nothing of any eternal value. Jeremiah tells us that God has our ultimate good all planned out for us. That doesn’t translate into wealth, or perfect health. It applies to our spiritual entity. When we leave this earth we will be taking NOTHING with us. I’m not insinuating that we shouldn’t waste our money or time on nice things or entertaining endeavors. Perhaps we should weigh the actual value of something before we invest our time and / or money into it.

In the end you should always consult the Lord, seeking His will in the matter. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Ministries

Thoughts From a Random Mind

I have a question for you. If you’re a Christian, have you ever thought where’d you be if you didn’t know the Lord? If it wasn’t for the love of God, we would be lost and probably not even know it.

I think about my life at times. Where would I be if I HAD been accepted at the Military Academy at West Point, NY? Would I have been deployed & killed in action? Who would I have married? Where would I have lived? Would I have gotten saved? Or have things worked out in my life just as they were supposed to? I will never know all that, but I look at how things are now, and I acknowledge mistakes made. The difficulties I find myself in are my own fault and not God’s. I suppose it was because I didn’t consult the Lord regarding those things. He knows the ins and outs of things. He knows the future from the past and everything in between. But mankind always thinks they have a clear understanding of what they should do, never realizing that they haven’t got a clue.

While there’s no harm in reflecting on the past, don’t allow yourself to get mired there. Like quicksand it will drag you down. Reflection can be therapeutic if you allow yourself to learn from past miscues and mistakes. Rely on the Lord for all things. He only has what’s best for you in mind. 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

 

In a world where persecution is on the rise worldwide, followers of Christ must be strong in their faith. To accomplish this they need to feed their spirit man/woman. Reading God’s Word, fixating on Christ whenever possible to strengthen their spiritual resolve, always remembering the price He paid for our freedom from sin. 

Would you be willing to die for someone else? Honestly, aside for my wife, I’m not sure how I would feel about that. Although Jesus asked the Father to take “this cup” of suffering from him; nevertheless, He desired the will of the Father over His own will. He knew what had to be done and exactly why it had to take place.

You may rest assured that even if the whole world turns its back on you, God will never abandon you … EVER. Children of God are filled with His Spirit, who leads, guides, protects, and advocates for them. We are literally NEVER alone. Regardless of where we are or where we go, God is with us.

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 certain segments of society that have a major problem with Christianity. Perhaps it’s because someone tried to force-feed the gospel to them or used a heavy-handed approach in their presentation. Maybe they came from an environment that was godless. Regardless of the reason why, some see Christians as people who are trying to infiltrate the entire of civilization with their beliefs. I understand that this whole heaven or hell deal can be a very hard pill to swallow. If you are ignorant of what religious groups beliefs are you’re liable to fall into the trap of disliking or possibly even hating something you simply don’t understand. 

            While Christians ARE trying to spread the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ far and wide, as a rule, we are not trying to rule the world in an effort to control those who don’t agree with us. I wonder if part of our problem is that some believers are too “in your face” with their evangelistic endeavors. I mean, do as you feel led by the spirit, but show mercy and kindness and not intolerance and distain. God gives His creation the right to not agree with us and also the right to walk their own way. Now we believe that is a pathway away from God, but as the old saying goes, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink”. We aren’t supposed to scare people into receiving Christ. We are to reason with people, while listening to their doubts and questions and attempt to answer them in a polite and respectful way. “Turn or burn!” in my estimation, is NO WAY to present the gospel.

            Now there are some folks who actually speak out against organized religion, saying it evil and controlling. These folks are known as “anti-Theists”. It seems to me that they would be the restrictive ones, for they have a philosophical position that actively opposes belief in God or gods; however, goes beyond simple atheism (the lack of belief in a god) by actively critiquing and sometimes even advocating for the dismantling of (all) religious belief systems and institutions. This would be doing exactly what Christians are accused of doing; forcing their ideology on others. Sounds downright communistic. They can’t just disagree and not believe as we believe, they have a need to totally irradicate any and all belief in ANY God / gods. That way they wouldn’t have to think about heaven or hell or sin or judgment. They can just live and let live, according to THEIR rules, set up with their own prejudices and preconceived ideas.

            Christianity lays man’s guilty status before them, revealing to them their sin and people are very uncomfortable with that. They don’t want to feel forced to make any type of decision, especially one that involves “religion”. I honestly think we should let our lives be our witness, rather than what we say. As the saying goes, “Talk is cheap ... actions speak louder than words.” We needn’t talk about living for Jesus. We really need to just do it. Learn about Jesus, then attempt to replicate His behavior. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries