Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

In His name & for His glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

            

Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

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

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

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

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

In His name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

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Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

In His Name and for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Am I a Church Drop-Out?

 

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

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

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

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries