Thoughts from a Random Mind

Following Jesus is what a believer does or at least is supposed to do. The Oxford Dictionary lists “following” to mean: “to follow somebody or something to come or go after or behind somebody in order to watch where they go and what they do.” This falls in line with imitating Christ, which should be our aim. 

The world is an unforgiving place, filled with temptations that wish to drag us off the path God has shown us. Our faith and trust in God is continuously tested to see how serious we are about serving God no matter what befalls us. The devil promises all the things that we think we want to make our life more pleasurable, but scripture is clear, the devil is a liar and the father of all lies. He’s like what the world calls a “pathological” liar. He cannot be trusted even for a split second. That’s all it takes to fall by the wayside. Although our enemy has many tools in his bag that can batter us about, he will never be as powerful as Almighty God. 

Following Satan is a fool’s errand that promises you things that you don’t truly need and even if you can have them, you cannot keep them. Some of the supposedly GREAT things this world can offer us are meaningless from an eternal perspective. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: American Heritage Dictionary

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

“For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb.”- Psalm 139:13 AMP

 

         God knew you before you were born. He knows the moment when you were conceived. In every phase of development, from that moment on, He is there. The human embryo is not the result of a biological accident. God is aware of the union of the sperm and the egg and the attachment of the embryo to the uterine lining and the development of human life. God formed the inward parts and arranged the genetic structure. God knows about that human life and loves that human life from the very moment of conception.

         In every cell of your body there is enough information to re-create your adult person as if no other cell were necessary. And every time that cell divides in the process of your growth, all the information contained in each cell is part of the division. Someone has reasoned that if all of the instructions in the DNA of one cell were written out, it would take a thousand six-hundred-page books to put all that information down. And God put it in a cell that no one can see without magnification. And it’s in a cell of your body. God did it so you would have an identity. You are unique. You are individually precious to God. 

         So if you ever think you have little to no value, think again. God created you just the way you are and found it to be good. You may not stack up to this world’s criteria for success, but to your Heavenly Father you have infinite value and are loved unconditionally.

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

 

Christianity is likened to a GREAT EXCHANGE. In exchange for freedom from all past sins we receive never-ending life with our Creator. The only thing He asks of us it to strive to become like Jesus and propagate His Kingdom by telling others what He did for you. Now THAT is a great exchange. As great as that is there are many believers that never quite grasp what is required of them. They don’t seek to grow and have turned off their connection to the Holy Spirit within. They grow weary of church and opt for an easier path that runs parallel to the narrow path established by God. The easier path shirks responsibility and makes multiple excuses for not attending church or bible study. They have become complacent. The zeal they once had is all but gone. It has become too easy to forget the price that was paid for your freedom.

                Christ died so that we might LIVE. His path is the right path that will go thru valleys, dangerous places and come to rest on the mountain top. Our work as Christians is not finished until we leave this earth. Don’t allow complacency to rule over you. Seek the peace that passes all human understanding. Ask for wisdom and guidance from the person of the Holy Spirit within you. Shed your questions and lack of understanding for it has no meaning … the operative word here is TRUST. It is an outcropping of FAITH. Believing in God alone without any forward movement is a waste of valuable time. Put feet to your faith. Don’t allow yourself to become sedentary … MOVE.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

         The first thing I think of when I see the word FRAGILE is something made out of glass. I don’t think most people think of themselves as being fragile but based on our society and how emotionally charged everything currently seems to be, mankind has in many cases become emotionally fragile. Our world thinks putting on a tough façade will get you thru life better than being passionate and caring. Those are two traits that are generally viewed as weak by some sectors of society. 

         There definitely is a fragility to life. The circle of life involves being born, living a certain number of years, and then dying. We are physically fragile when we are little children and physically, mentally, and emotionally fragile the older we get.  It’s part of life. We cannot escape this never-ending cycle. Once born we begin to die a little bit each day until we pass on. Perhaps a morose thought, but is it not true?

As we become older we begin to ponder those things that we consider to be most important to us. We attempt to spend more time with loved ones. When either sick or injured we tend to become more aware than ever just how fragile life truly is. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Everything we have in this world could be taken away in an instant. Still, we often believe we have some amount of control over our lives. Overwhelming fear invades when reality confronts us, leaving us frantically grasping for control we do not have. The harder we work to hold it together; the more fear threatens to enslave us. Life Is Fragile: Make time for what matters and let go of what doesn’t. 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

 

            According to the Word of God, fluctuations from what God set in place are forbidden. Christ died for all peoples; however, sin cannot abide in his presence. So in spite of the fact that the LBGTQ community has their own churches and ministers and profess to love God, are they in fact loving the same God that we are? The answer to that is ‘no’. Nowhere in scripture does the Lord recant on his statements in the Old & New Testaments regarding homosexuality. (See scriptures below) So who changed the rules? God? Absolutely not! Man? Without question. Wherever you look on TV, in the movies, at school or work, you find gays, lesbians and transgender individuals more prevalent. Media in general, the great propaganda machine that it is, has injected our movies and TV shows with LBGTQ members and even show the non-members how to treat them. Example: On The Good Doctor a while back we saw the son of an ER doctor wearing a tee shirt sporting the words “Life is Better as a Female”. That was the set up for you to find out that the son plans to have a gender change. The dad, of course, is supposed to have no issue with this. In the end he embraces his son telling him he loves him. We are being trained how to treat those we “don’t understand”. 

            I am not advocating hate or disassociation with such individuals, but let’s not lose sight of what we believe to be the truth. Much of the world is willing to believe in a loving God, but that’s where our similarities end. We’ve invested a lot of time to find out the entire picture about God. We aren’t perfect and neither is our knowledge of spiritual or biblical things, but we know enough to know that there is judgment coming to those who do as they please and not what pleases God. I’m not God and therefore I’m not the eternal judge of all things. I treat members of the LBGTQ community like anyone else, however, like the Lord, I am disappointed by their life choice and saddened about the condition of their soul. If true believers are right, their end will be far different than their beginning. 

I suppose I should add this: this issue is a very complex one that should be left to God. There is no doubt that God loves all of His creation, even when they sin. You certainly don’t have to agree with me on this, but at least pray that God’s perfect will is done in all things. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Romans 1:27 “In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. “

 

Matthew 19:4-6 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh‘? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

 

Leviticus 18:22-24 “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”

 

Leviticus 20:13 “If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death.”

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 “Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.”

 

(This is not an exhaustive look on this topic. It is simply what God laid on my heart to share with you today.)

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

            When you are concerned that you are not living your life for Christ the best you are able you should rejoice. The fact that you care at all is testament to your relationship with God. The Spirit gently convicts and reveals to us areas that need cleaning up. It’s our responsibility to listen for him, listen to him and act accordingly. Too many believers think things are just fine and do not ever take a spiritual inventory of themselves. Those folks are foolish, for one day we will stand before the Mercy Seat of Christ to give an account of the life we lived for him. If you are continuously conscience of your thoughts, words and actions you are on the right path that leads to heaven. So rejoice for you are greatly favored by God. 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

 

            During this time when anxiety runs high and stress rules the day we need to work at remaining calm and displaying kindness whenever possible. It’s so easy to let your emotions boil over and lose our temper, lashing out at an innocent party for no significant reason other than you lost control of your emotions and over-reacted. Although I have been doing much better lately, I have historically been known to overreact. I believe I’ve learned my lesson. 

            Learning a life lesson from God is an interesting thing. The Lord teaches us a variety of lessons as a means of acquiring better behavioral characteristics. For example, if we ask for patience, we don’t receive it ‘poof’ just like that. You can be sure you will find yourself in one or a series of situations that will require patience. If we are attentive, we will learn our lesson well, if we are not, we will go thru the lesson again in a different form or fashion. The Lord is a God of variety. He will provide lessons in many ways. The Lord is gracious and kind and will only teach you what you are or will be in need of. It would amaze you if you could see a video of your life and witness all the life lessons you have lived through.

One way to exemplify Christ to the masses is to be kind, which should be our goal, yet this takes patience and lots of it. Lean on the Lord and become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s moving in your life. It’s not difficult for the individual who wants to please God and glorify Him with your life.

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 interesting to me how close the comparison is to taking care of your physical body and taking care of your spirit man.  What are the consequences associated with not feeding your spirit man / woman? Well, what would be the consequences from not eating anything for days, weeks or ever? You’d starve, wouldn’t you? Malnourished. It is a necessity of life; we must nourish our bodies to live. We must also nourish our spirit to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

            I would venture to say that most of us waste a lot of time each day. It’s a common malady. We allow ourselves to become bored with our lives and either do nothing or seek some adventure to make our lives seem a little more complete. Most of the things we do are innocent enough, but we also may be setting ourselves up for a stumble. Life is only boring if we allow it to be so. Every moment doesn’t have to be a scintillating adventure filled with fun, fireworks, and frolic. There are serious moments along with lighthearted moments with lots of emotionally neutral events in between. 

            Everyday is a day when our spirit must be fed in one manner or another. Listening to Christian music can feed our spirit.  Reading scripture, whether a verse, a portion or a chapter will feed your spirit. Studying God’s Word in detail using reference works to supplement your feeding is good. Watching wholesome, inspirational, faith-based movies will inspire and feed your spirit. 

            Once you give your heart to Christ, it is YOUR responsibility to feed yourself. It’s all a part of the growth process every believer needs to go thru. Once a Christian you should begin to see things differently. Circumstances begin to change in your mind even though in reality they stay the same. Your tiny seed of faith is beginning to grow, but just like a seed you plant in a field, you must cultivate it. Without the barest of attention the seed with shrivel and die. Water it, fertilize it, weed, continue this process to grow strong, healthy, crops. It is no different with our spirit man.  Without cultivation growth will not take place. We must make the decision to feed or not feed our spirit man. Consequences follow our decision, no matter what it is. It’s imperative to make wise, godly decisions. The only way that is possible is by feeding your spirit man.

            Scripture tells us we must draw close to God, and he will draw close to us … He loved us first, but because of his love our decision must be to draw close to him continuously. This shouldn’t take place ever once in a while. Just as God’s word tells us to pray without ceasing, we must continuously seek the fellowship of God.

The world has nothing of eternal value to offer us; therefore we should quit dabbling in the things of the world and plunge into the things of God. It’s similar to having your body become overheated. If you have a pool you would plunge into the water to cool off and become refreshed. Wrap your mind around the mental picture this provides for you. To not plunge in will lead you to dehydration and heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

             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

 

            Someone I know at work said she wasn’t happy in her marriage and is planning to divorce her husband. Another employee told me she asked the unhappy lady, “if you can’t be happy in your marriage then why are you staying married?” So now apparently our marriages must be driven by happiness? I guess now it has nothing to do with commitment or patience or selflessness or humility. Apparently it has nothing to do with working things out.  Selfishness can be very destructive.  It is an “I-me-mine” world. This particular woman felt she had a right to be happy. But her happiness was based on doing fun things and going fun places with someone who accepted her exactly the way she was. While we need to accept people the way they are because we have no right to change them, I believe it’s very important for people to make a personal assessment of their life and lifestyle to find out why they aren’t happy. Maybe their expectations are unrealistic. Some folks think they know what will make them happy, only to find out when they tap into that ‘thing’, person or place that when the dust settles at the end of the day their situation is no different then it was before; perhaps even worse based on decisions they’ve either made or not made. The thing that people should really be seeking is not fun, which can be fleeting, but peace, contentment and satisfaction. These things reside in the heart of a man or woman. These things come from God. People need to stop rushing toward the temporal fun and pleasures of this world and look at their life from an eternal perspective. This is done in the spirit and involves a personal relationship with Almighty God.  Without that can mortal man ever be truly happy? 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

 

         How do you bring hope to someone who is suffering? An elderly security guard at my workplace lost his wife yesterday after she had gone thru a lengthy illness. He doesn’t strike me as a ‘religious’ man. He has been pretty shook up these last several weeks, understandably so and though prayer was offered a number of weeks ago it seemed to bring no consolation. His supervisor broke the news to me this morning and based on how he had been acting I must know he was home alone suffering with his grief. 

         There are times when the biggest blessing can come from that which is not said. There is a story about Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a dear friend of Sir Winston Churchill, regarding his visit to Churchill who at the time was near death. Eisenhower came, pulled up a chair, held Churchill’s hand and never said a single word. What he did for his friend may have offered more comfort than any words could have. 

         When it comes to those in distress, some sort of physical contact (if you feel it is warranted and acceptable to the individual) and/or a silent prayer for peace and comfort for them and wisdom and discernment for you is a very good place to begin. Words are not always necessary, since in reality nothing can truly be said to alleviate their pain. Supporting those in dire need means more than we can know. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

We are bombarded with stimuli nearly every waking moment of every day.  How, as believers in Christ, can we be victorious in our battle to be quiet before the Lord. Something that tends to work for me is to close my eyes, no matter where I am, and focus on all the sounds around me. Slowly I dismiss each sound until I am hearing virtually nothing. I’m tuned out so I can tune in, if you know what I mean. I then try to shift my focus onto the spirit. It doesn’t always work for me because I am easily distracted, but I’ve been working on it for years so I’m slowly improving in my efforts to tune in to the Lord. Perhaps there is something you can do that works for you. God wishes to minister to us, guide us and grant us peace in even the most trying times. Cultivating a peaceful spirit is a benefit to focusing on the peace giver. Make the effort to spend time in Christ’s presence by adjusting your focus and concentrating on the silence amidst the chaos. Until next time, walk with the King today and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

            I see the word “Resist” on clothing items and more recently, on lapel pins. Resist what? It seems that the subliminal message that is being sent is to “resist all authority”. We see those words on t-shirts from the OBEY line of clothing. Clenched fist, resist. As a Christian we are called to resist a whole different set of issues. We are called to resist temptation. We are called to resist sinning. To resist passing judgment. To resist all ungodliness.  These are things that are worth resisting. Resisting authority can lead to anarchy, which, it would seem, is what some progressive, free thinking people are looking for. Buck the system. Live and let live. Leave me to live as I choose and I will do the same for you. What standard are they living by? They have no standard. It becomes individualized. Everyone has his or her own idea of what is right and wrong. No absolutes. We serve a God of absolutes. He is consistent. He is unchanging. His standards, found in the Bible, are the bedrock of Christendom. Rules to follow which lead to peace, contentment and joy in spite of our circumstances. There is forgiveness offered for those who seek it. There is a call to allegiance and being his representative in a dark and sinful world. The opposite of resistance is surrender and that is what Christianity really is. Surrender to that which is fair and right and just. Farewell to selfishness and hate. Resist no more, surrender and fall into the loving arms of Christ. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!  

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I think where many Christians go wrong is that we look at the exterior of others & see what we consider to be bad or unhealthy behavior & we judge them, many times verbalizing that judgement. We say things like: “You shouldn’t gossip”,” You shouldn’t smoke”, “You shouldn’t live with someone outside of marriage”, “You shouldn’t drink or do drugs or have illicit sex with strangers” … Reflect on your life prior to your conversion. What were you like? How did you speak to or treat others? We are very quick to judge & there in lies a serious problem for Christians. We haven’t been called by God to judge others.  We are viewed as judgmental people who are hypocrites by the world. In my estimation speaking to others about Christ shouldn’t come with criticism. How did Christ look upon you prior to salvation? If all were judged by God for our thoughts, words and/or actions who on earth could stand? We all, myself included, need to ask the Lord to help us see others the way He does. Perhaps then we will begin to stop judging others. It’s not their gossiping or smoking or drinking or any other thing that they do that will keep them separated from God. It’s their rejection of Christ. They may not verbalize their rejection, but as the saying goes “actions speak louder than words”. If someone lives a selfish lifestyle that leaves no room for the Lord, they have rejected Christ. By the same token, if a believer lives a lifestyle that leaves no room to spiritual growth they are taking God’s grace for granted.  Before we speak to others we should examine ourselves to see if we measure up to Christ. We are no better or worse than anyone else … we are simply forgiven. 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 brevity of life can hit you like a punch in the gut at times. Our lives are like a wisp of air, which dissipates into the winds of time. One never knows on what day or at what time we will take our last breath. Several years ago I found out that a 56 year old co-worker died in his sleep over the weekend. Although he was a smoker, he didn’t seem to be in poor health at all. When I lived in Texas a short time ago I knew a co-worker who was up in a tree in his yard cutting down limbs. He lost his balance and fell, landing squarely on the crown of his head. He was pronounced brain dead at the hospital.  While living in NC back in the ‘90’s, I had a co-worker who was doing nothing more than starting his lawn mower. While pulling the starter cord he lost his balance and fell backward hitting the base of his skull squarely on the bumper of his parked car. He died instantly. 

            These examples all prove one basic fact of life; we have no control over the longevity of our lives. We could literally be here today and gone tomorrow. It is a very sobering thought to not know when your life will end. It makes our eternal destination go from being an after thought to a more important, more immediate concern. 

            Where will you spend eternity? Do you believe there is a God? If not, are you sure? If you do, have you allowed that belief to change your life? If you haven’t don’t you think it deserves some consideration? We all have a choice to make. We can go about our lives either believing or disbelieving in God. That is our choice. We can also decide to enter into an intimate, personal relationship with God or we can keep at a distance and not allow him to forgive us of all our misdeeds and make the changes necessary to re-create our life. It’s our choice. You hold the key to your future in your hand. What will you do with it?  

            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 Not Me

            I’m not a prophet, nor am I a preacher … I am a writer. I use words to convey thoughts to those who would read what I have written. I’m no one special. I am to God, and I am to my wife, but I’m nobody of any consequence. Yet God has chosen me to present a message to those who need to hear it. Everything I write isn’t awesome or inspiring or even encouraging, but I believe it’s what I’ve been called to do. So I write … words … one after the other until I feel I am finished saying what I feel led to say.

            Some days I have nothing to say. Some days I feel what I have written is blah. That is usually the day someone emails me to say it was just what they needed to hear at that particular moment. 

            My message is pretty basic … love God, read his word, commit to serve him and do everything in your power to imitate Christ each day. I say this because it’s NOT all about you and it’s not about me. It’s about God IN you and me. It’s about letting him take the wheel. It’s about being Christ to others. It’s about steering the accolades for anything you might do that blesses another directly to God. I’ve said this before in my life and I say it again now: Anything anyone ever sees in me that is good, kind, generous, loving, selfless isn’t me at all. Left to my own devices I would be a wretch of the worst sort. No, it’s not me; it’s my Lord at work in me. Is he working in you? 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

            Why do babies suffer and die? Why do good people suffer and die? It is a nearly impossible question to answer, because God doesn’t explain his actions. People walk away from God because they cannot wrap their mind around the ‘why’ of it. At the risk of being trite I hold my tongue. I can repeat the typical reasons that are spit out to a hurting public, but I refrain because I truly don’t know. I don’t have all the answers and God isn’t interested at this time in providing them. It seems to fall under the category of either, “I will talk, says the Lord, and you will listen” or “I will ask the questions, and you will answer.”  God was like that with Job. There are times in scripture when apparently the one asking the questions either has no right to ask or can ask but will not receive an answer. None of this has anything to do with having faith. Believing doesn’t require understanding; neither does it need facts to substantiate our faith. Call it blind faith if you want, but it is what it is. We cannot change events in time, nor can we solve all the world’s problems. All we can do is trust God at his word. Sometimes that is much easier than it seems. 

            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

Edification

            To edify is to build someone else up. It can involve encouragement, compassion, kindness, and prayer. Far too often both Christians and non-believers spend their time knocking people down to lift themselves up. It is many times tied to ones ego and self-image. If someone grew up in a home that was toxic edification would have been pretty much impossible to find. That person will carry that negativity into adulthood where it will be spewed upon anyone and everyone arbitrarily, as they deem necessary.

            The recipient of the verbal onslaught is damaged psychologically and emotionally. It is only the well-adjusted, mentally and emotionally stable person that can withstand these sort of attacks and not have it cause irreputable damage. The main point though is were these attacks necessary.

            Regardless of what justification is used to shut down opposition to this negative behavior, it is wrong in God’s sight. Those that haven’t received Christ into their life have an excuse for such behavior. They simply don’t know any better. It is behavior that has been programmed into their minds by their parents, friends, etc. And it will not stop until they have a desire to stop it.

            Christians who act out in such a way will use some of the same justifications as the unsaved, but they should really know better than to act that way. Nowhere in Scripture does it tell us that the antithesis of edification is alright. Followers of Christ are to emulate Him and He doesn’t act that way. There is no justification acceptable to Almighty God that makes it okay either. As believers we are to exhibit loving kindness to all humanity, regardless of their race, religion, color, and so on. If you have any doubts as to how to act in a given situation, seek God thru His Word and find your answer. The answers are there if you are determined to find them.

            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

Faith will lead a person to salvation. Salvation will expunge all sin, as in remove it as if it never happened. Without past sins you are able to grow spiritually over time. Perseverance is essential to the spiritual maturation process. A stick-to-it attitude so that when opposition comes you are stable enough in your faith to push thru to the other side of it.

            Let’s face it. Who wouldn’t want to glide thru life with no obstacles or problems. That’s a la-la land take on life. Things don’t work that way in real life. Some folks walk away from their faith when things get too hot and hairy. The Christian talking heads say those folks may not have been truly saved. That’s not for me to say, but you do have to wonder how committed some folks are to drawing closer to God. 

            Understanding exactly who God is in relation to the world you live in is an important piece of the perseverance puzzle. The only way to know that is to rely on the Word of God to reveal it to you. There has to be a dedication to reading AND grasping the significance of each verse read.  Understanding who God is, who we are in relation to Him, and what He wants from us should be a lifelong pursuit for each believer. Dig in your heals and let the Bible expedition begin.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries 

James 1:3-4 NIV – “…you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

                  It’s an unfortunate reality that if one church or one believer or denomination does something that goes against the flow of society, ALL Christians are painted with the same brush. If that person or group acts like this or that then ALL Christians must be that way or feel that way. That is NOT TRUE. Christians are human, just like non-believers. Cut us and we bleed.  We make mistakes with the best of ‘em.  

                  So when I see Christianity stereo-typed in a subtle way on a Lifetime movie, I bristle. The movie showed the family in church, establishing the fact that they are Christians, I suppose. So the issue in the movie, in a nutshell, is that their teenage daughter (16-ish) has romantic feelings for girls. Her parents suspect she’s with a boy, grill her on what the heck is going on with her, because she’s been AWOL. Staying over at her significant others place over night on occasion. The daughter, to keep her parents from assuming she’s sleeping with a boy, blurts out that she likes girls. The parents are shocked to say the least. Her mother shouts, “NO YOU DON’T!” The daughter says yes she does, and both parents are visibly distraught over this news. In a rage, her mother screams for her to “GET OUT!!” So her parents kicked her out of their house over this. 

                  I was very sad to see the parents reaction. Now I’m a believer in Christ. Have been for over 40 years. I understand that homosexuality is a hot button, highly controversial topic and I can’t say that it would please me to find out that type of news from one of my daughters, but to reject your daughter rather than love them through this situation is just plain wrong. It’s not biblical at all. 

                  Do I believe homosexuality is a sin? Yes, I do. The lifestyle. God LOVES all of His creation and as His children, we are to love them as well. Love and respect all peoples; and I do. The LGBTQ are just like any other societal group. I’ve known many in my life through work and have treated them like I would anyone else. I don’t believe God made people to be gay. I believe that the enemy has placed unnatural desires within the hearts and minds of a multitude of people throughout the world.

                  I don’t happen to believe that there are big and little sins. The condition of one’s heart tells the Lord where they stand on issues. To practice a gay lifestyle is no worse than murder, robbery, selling or taking drugs .... But to shun your own child over this particular issue, is not what a Christian should do. And ALL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT ALIKE. Having homosexual inclinations but never acting on them is different and THAT is between that person and God. I do not pretend to know what the right answer is here, but I do have my thoughts based on how I believe scripture should be interpreted. 

                  It’s a complicated issue, without a doubt, but telling someone they are going to hell or even implying that is so wrong. People go to hell for their rejection of Christ. Period.  But I don’t believe a person can claim to be a follower of Christ and live a life of sin. 

                  Having said all this, I’d like to end with this. God is the only One who knows the content and motive of a person’s heart. We do not. I do not. So I refuse to judge those who disagree with my take of following Christ, and I also refuse to judge those who live in sin. It is between them and God. Christ died for them and wishes for them to renounce their sin and come into the light of His forgiveness and love. That is an individual’s choice. 

                  The media will never stop trying to make Christianity something that it is not. And a lot of people will never darken the door of a church because of the lies told about religion. Many others are simply not interested in accepting Jesus into their life. Fine. That also is an individual’s choice. Just understand that if Christianity is true and accurate, then those who simply don’t want to will end up apart from God forever. Am I right, am I wrong? Only God knows, but I am trying to be fair in my assessment of things and elevate, not denigrate

                  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

What exactly is “normal”? One definition is: “Conforming with, adhering to, or constituting a norm, standard, pattern, level, or type; typical.” Is normal a universal word; can it be defined the same in any and all situations? Or is it a subjective word; subjective meaning: “Based on a given person's experience, understanding, and feelings; personal or individual.”

I think it should be pretty obvious what the correct answer is. My definition of normal may be totally different than anyone else’s. I would venture to say that the vast majority of people in the world today would have differing meanings for the word “normal”.

I consider myself to be a relatively “normal” person based on God’s own assessment of mankind. I even line up pretty favorably to the societal meaning of “normal”. If I disagree with another person, who is right and who is wrong? Does it matter? Saying something is your opinion apparently gives you some sort of immunity for saying you’re wrong. 

So is being a Christian normal? Does it matter? Are all Christians weird? That’s easy. Of course not. Someone who believes different than you isn’t weird, they’re just different than you. 

Frankly, I’d rather not be labeled as “normal”. I want to be different than other folks. They may think I’m weird, but I’m just different than them. My likes and dislikes are different. What I watch and/or read is different. How I spend my spare time is different.  Fellow Christians, don’t strive to be “normal”, strive to be the absolute best version of yourself. How is that possible? Follow God’s lead. Read His word. Talk and listen to God. He knows how to reconstruct you from the inside out. Trust the Lord and seek His perfect will for your life. That’s not normal and that’s not weird; that’s exactly what God wants from you. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Note: Both definitions listed in this post are from the American Heritage Dictionary.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Are Christians Criminals?

                  Was Jesus arrested and tried like a criminal in a kangaroo court that was slanted against Him? Yes, He was. Why? The religious leaders of His day found Jesus to be a threat to their way of ruling the Jewish people. They were legalistic, Jesus was not. 

                  The Son of God was tried and found guilty on trumped-up charges. He was labelled a heretic; a criminal against God. So, if Jesus was found guilty of crimes against God, does that make those who follow Him criminals by association? If it was a crime to be a Christiann today, would there be enough evidence based on the way you live your life for you to be arrested? 

                  We may not be looked upon as criminals, but we ARE viewed by many as charlatans and purveyors of false teachings. We are viewed as being a few bricks short of a full load for believing in someone we cannot see. We are viewed as weird, while all we are is different. Scripture tells us this world is not our home; we’re simply passing through.  

                  If Christianity is considered such a threat to civilization, why aren’t all the other “religions” from various regions of the world as well? Christianity is targeted for one reason; it deals with topics that are unpopular to the masses, such as, sin, disobedience, judgment, and eternal damnation. 

                  Telling the truth doesn’t seem particularly popular, at least in some sections of society. Just because people don’t ascribe to the same belief system doesn’t make us wrong and them right. Yet, I find too many people who are willing to dismiss biblical teachings as erroneous without taking the time to do a heartfelt investigation into the matter. The fact of the matter is that many people simply don’t want to be bothered to look into the tenets of Christianity, since they’ve already determined it to be false.  Say you don’t believe in something and that removes it from your consideration. ‘Live and let live’ is their mantra. And you know what, if that’s the path they wish to travel, then so be it. 

Christians believe God gave all in His creation a free-will to live as they so choose. That way the ones who choose to accept Christ at His word and follow Him do it willingly. That also opens the door to the fact that God sends no one to hell. No He does not. People decide they just plain do not want to follow Jesus and that punches their ticket for a date in front of Almighty God. At that point your eternal destination has been determined and there is nothing you can do about it. 

I know that it sounds harsh ... serve God or go to hell, but in reality that is exactly what it is. I am compelled to share this fact because NOT TO would be like me walking past your house and it was on fire, and you’re asleep inside, yet I say nothing and just keep walking. I would imagine that fire would be a very nasty, terrifying way to die. You may not want to hear this, but the God you refuse to believe in by faith loves you enough to send His Son to die in your place to pay your sin debt. That’s like being convicted of murder and then getting a reprieve at the last possible moment.  

You can blow all this off if you want to. That’s your right. The Christian has absolutely nothing to lose by following Jesus. The non-believer has EVERYTHING to lose by making the reverse decision. Come embrace the love of God and find out what REALLY living 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

Can a dead man come back to life?

                  The answer to that is YES. First example is from the gospel of John 11:1–44.  Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had died. Jesus came and raised him from the dead to show those present the power of God.  The second example is Jesus Himself rising from the grave. There is also a third example. 

                  Do you realize that we are all walking, talking dead men and women prior to our conversion? When a person receives Christ into their heart and life their spirit is jump started.  We are no longer dead, but very much alive, spiritually speaking. Without the redemption provided by Jesus blood, we will die in our sinful state. 

                  The unredeemed soul is born once, but dies twice. He is born physically, but when he / she dies it is both their physical body and their spirit that dies. The redeemed soul is born twice, and dies once. They are born physically and when they receive salvation they are born spiritually. So when they die their body dies; however, their spirit lives on throughout eternity with its creator. Therefore, they are born twice, yet only die once.

                  Can a dead man come back to life? If that person has received Christ in their heart, then YES, they certainly can. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing. 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

The question of the day is the following: Can one become a Christian and deny the Trinity? My answer would have to be NO. Not believing in the Trinity would mean that you truly do not know WHO God is. You surely can SAY the name God, but do you understand His true nature? In that same vein, you couldn’t know & understand who Christ is. He is God in human flesh. 

                  The Incarnate Christ is critical to understanding the gospel. Read John 1:1-14 to achieve an understanding of who Christ truly was. To deny the Trinity is to deny the Incarnation of Christ and misunderstand the one true gospel.

                  This would be difficult for folks like Mormons and United Pentecostals (Jesus-Only Pentecostals). These folks believe in a type of MODALISM, where God is at times in the mode of the Father, or the mode of the Son or the mode of the spirit, but never all three at the same time. That would be considered a heretical view of the Trinity, making the group that disbelieves cultic with regards to this wrong view of the Trinity. This is because they would be denying the distinct Personhood of the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit.

                  At times folks question the virgin birth of Jesus. To question the virgin birth or even deny it is true therefore would be denying the deity of Christ & in turn also the Trinity. That type of person would reveal the fact that they truly do not understand the very nature of the gospel & therefore cannot truly be saved. I say that because it is Christ who has the power & authority to forgive sins. No normal man can possibly do that. It is therefore critical that a person who wishes to be saved must believe in the main tenets of the faith, which would be the Triune nature of God, the deified Christ, & the indwelling Holy Spirit. To not believe that then would lead to question their belief in the Bible. Unless they have never read it, they are denying the infallibility of God’s Word. 

                  What we believe or don’t believe is totally up to us as individuals. We choose what we believe. God made it that way because He wants willing followers, not ones who feel they MUST follow. There are those in society who would like nothing better than to erase God completely from man’s consciousness. All because they have decided that Christianity is false and should be stopped from spreading any further. Their misunderstanding has taken them off into the wrong direction, in my opinion.

                  Why is it that Christianity is the only “religion” that is attacked? Why are God & Jesus the only “religious” figures used as curse words? It wouldn’t be because it is the only “religion” that calls out sin and presents hell as the future dwelling place of those who refuse to believe in Christ as their Savior & Lord, would it? Of course it would. Christianity is the only belief system that points out man’s flaws and then provides a way of escape thru Christ’s blood. People today just want an “I’m Okay – You’re Okay” existence. Don’t trouble them with those things that are not proven to be real. God knows everyone isn’t going to buy into His plan for humanity, but the offer is there for the taking anyway. He is patient, giving every man, woman, and child the opportunity to be redeemed up until time is up and that time will come at some point that is known only to Almighty God. Believe as you choose. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: https://www.gty.org/library/questions/QA519/can-you-be-a-christian-and-deny-the-trinity; Grace to You Ministries.

We’re Truly a Blessed Nation

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”- Psalm 33:12a

            The people of His inheritance is Israel, however, because of their rejection of Christ, the door was opened for gentiles to receive God’s grace and mercy. This great country of ours was founded on such principles. Sadly, the influence of Satan has permeated much of our landscape. Being given a free will to choose allows us to do as we please. The positive side of that is that when we choose to serve God we do so willingly without coercion. We don’t have to follow the ways of God, but we can. The United States of America was and is great because its’ people as a whole are great. There are still millions of Americans who love this country and believe strongly in God. 

            This nation had been on a path of destruction. Poor decisions and poor leadership took us there. For us to rise up as one nation under God again it will take the commitment of believers to pray each day for our nation. Freedom is not, nor was it ever free. It was bought with a price. Let us not be reckless, but strong in the face of adversity. May God’s perfect will be done for our great nation. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!