Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I am concerned that I might be becoming a bit cynical as I simply don’t trust people anymore. Not even believers in Christ. That’s not a good way to be, and I admit that freely. 

Some churches aren’t all that friendly. It seems like one big clique where newcomers aren’t welcome. That’s my perception of the situation, therefore, that is the reality I am faced with. 

Now I don’t know anyone’s back story and I don’t know their heart. God does. I feel like I’m different than most Christians. Not better than, just different. I’m wired different. I may take my walk with the Lord TOO seriously; but is that even possible? I don’t know. 

The Holy Spirit fills me with thoughts that I rush to type out. I have virtually no one to sit down and talk to about the things of the Lord. I have one or two brethren I can email, but no one to sit and break down scripture with. I am walking fine line between spending time in the Word and spending time with my wife. 

            Maybe some of you are experiencing some of the same thoughts and/or feelings. I consult the Lord and seek His wisdom and guidance. His leadership via the Spirit is impeccable and totally reliable. But we must tune in to the spirit of God to feel His presence in a real way. I need to refocus on the Lord and take my eyes off others who for some odd reason annoy me. I am been seeking and failing to see people the way God sees them, but I continue trying. I will come out the victor in the end because I trust God and love Him too much to allow my apparent cynicism to overtake me. May God be praised now and forever!

            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

My relationship with Jesus Christ means EVERYTHING to me!! I’m painfully human; possibly the least perfect person I know. I struggle with my humanity, temptations, and selfish behavior. I strive to be more selfless and a lot more like Jesus each day. 

            There are days when I do or say dumb things and out of frustration ask the Lord out loud, “Lord, why do you even bother with me?” Even though I ask that question, I already know the answer. Scripture tells us in Romans 5:8, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” But even more to the point, 1 John 4:19 tells us, “We love (God), because He first loved us.” God loved us before we were born. He knit our members together in our mother’s womb. 

Without Christ in my life I am nothing. While I know that isn’t literally true, it’s the way I feel. Each day when I wake up, I know who I am and whose I am. I know I am loved with the greatest exhibition of love the world will ever see. Christ’s death on the cross was a living example of the type of love God had & still has for His creation. That means EVERYTHING to me. Someone who accepts me for who I truly am, without the slightest inclination to change me other than helping me grow closer to Him. I honestly do not know how anyone is able to exist in this sin-sick and dying world without the Lord. 

I am grateful for all that has been done for me. I believe in and implicitly trust the Lord to do all that His word declares He will do for those who walk with Him. What does Christ mean 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

One of the reasons people turn to atheism may be because of the large number of believers whose actions do not line up with the words they say. You can literally say just about anything, but if the party you’re speaking to doesn’t see your life as a contradiction to the secular society we live in, then you are misrepresenting the gospel you say you believe in.

Life can be very rough and unforgiving, but if you at least attempt to walk as Jesus walked, you may just find that the roughness smooths out and forgiveness appears. God’s love doesn’t ever wane. It is exhibited to us without any conditions placed upon it.  But how can a dying world see that love exhibited if our spiritual life is just spinning its wheels in the mud? They can’t, that’s the point. It just galvanizes for them their reason to NOT believe in God. 

We mustn’t give the naysayers a reason to not believe. Having said that, I understand all too well that unbelievers will typically find a reason, any reason, not to if they don’t have a mind to believe. Autonomy is the key. Every man, woman, and child doesn’t like to have to follow rules, especially rules given by someone they cannot see. It boggles the mind how many people and/or things folks will place their faith in pretty much ANYTHING other than God. Yet they insist they can tow this load called life alone without help from what they seem to think is a mythical god out of some crazy fairytale. God gives man the right to think that way, because He desires willing followers. No one is forced to serve the Lord. To some it is restrictive, to others an honor. Which one are 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

Want means to desire, wish for, or need something. As a noun, it refers to a deficiency, or lack of something.

Need is typically defined as essential requirements for survival, well-being, or the functioning of a system. They are often distinguished from wants, which are desires or aspirations. Needs can be physiological (like food, water, shelter) or psychological (like belonging, self-esteem, or self-actualization).

                  I think a lot of times we confuse in our mind just what a ‘want’ and a ‘need’ are. I purposely laid out definitions of the two words on the outset of this post to clear up any misunderstanding. There happens to be many things in this life that we want, but do we need them? I would like an inground pool in my back yard, but I don’t need it. Now I’m in no way saying that it would be wrong to buy yourself a pool. I just use this example to show what can be a stark difference between wanting and needing something. I think that just may be a big reason why so many people are mired in deep debt financially. Because we impulsively purchase something, perhaps expensive, perhaps not, with your credit card. 

                  That little demon called credit allows us to buy things we may not be able to afford, never thinking when buying that we’ll have to pay back that money with interest tacked on. We got what we wanted, but did we really need it? Even every small item you buy all adds up until before you know it you are $1,000 in debt. Compound that by having multiple methods of expending credit and you’ve begun to create your very own debt monster.

                  As followers and representatives of Christ, we are to emulate Him and in doing so end up shifting our focus on our needs, rather than our wants. I cannot even begin to tell you how many items I felt I had to have throughout my life that ended up being pushed aside with a numbing amount of disinterest shortly after I received it/them. So reflect on the difference of wanting and/or needing something and find that your greatest needs have been met by the Lord and your wants in most cases were inconsequential. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I’ve been pretty transparent about my profane flareups, usually when I get frustrated by something that isn’t going well, like a repair project or something of that nature. I am painfully human; I know it ... God does too. 

Well today it happened again. I bought a cordless tool that required very minor assembly. There was a ‘U’ shaped, compressible safety handle that had to be attached. It came with a 4” or so long screw that went thru the handle to stabilize it. The handle had to be secure, or the tool wouldn’t work. I am very prone to misplacing things. It’s been a problem my entire life, without exaggeration. Well, I misplaced that screw. Had no earthly idea what happened to it. It could be anywhere. I started with my cussing under my breath and berating myself. I looked EVERYWHERE. I looked in things, under things, everywhere I had been. I was beginning to flip out a bit. In the midst of this mini-meltdown I stopped, asked the Lord to forgive my outburst and asked Him to PLEASE help me find the screw. Minutes later I began berating myself. I freely acknowledge that this is a horrible way to act for ANYONE, but it should have NO PLACE in the life of a follower of Christ. I opted to use Flex-Seal glue to affix the safety handle, having given up looking for the screw. I put the tool away in the shed, and continued to call myself names. Pretty childish behavior, which I readily admit. Admitting to myself defeat and intending to move on, I went back out front to put away my water bottle and the box the tool came in. It just so happens that I looked in the box again and lo and behold, there was the screw. I was humbled. I knew all over again that God really did love me and though He doesn’t want me to react that way to my difficulties or frustrations, He will give assistance when asked. I don’t understand (and probably never will) WHY God loves me, but THAT’S what unconditional love is. He was kind enough to answer my prayer in spite of my infantile behavior. I embarrass myself every time I overreact in an inappropriate way and end up apologizing for my words and actions to my Heavenly Father. May He never give up on me ... I know He never will. I strive to be the best version of myself each day. With the Holy Spirit’s help, someday I’ll make it. Pleasing God is more important than pleasing myself.

            I don’t know if anyone can relate to this. Take heart my brethren, God’s love and patience is far greater than our greatest weakness and His forgiveness is always available for those who ask for 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

“For (God) has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:14
                  Did you ever see yourself as needing to be rescued? We are born into darkness until we see the light. It is only when we accept the light into our lives that we become rescued from darkness, death, and destruction. What have we more specifically been rescued from is a life of sin, outside the family of God and his influence. The scripture says of us that we have been born twice and will only die once; our 2^nd birth being spiritual in nature. This 2^nd birth negates a 2^nd physical death for our spirit never dies.

                  If you read the text from verse 9 you can see that Paul asks God to fill those in his presence with “all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives”. There are two things shown to us here: 1 – God will give us those things we need to live a life worthy of Him if we ask for them and 2 – His Holy Spirit is the conduit by which these things are given to us. 

                  Without Christ, our life is under the domination or control of darkness, which permeates this world. It is cloaked so it is not easily seen by the naked eye, but with the eye of the Spirit, is seen plainly. We have been rescued from this world that we are IN yet no longer OF. This world embraces many things that are blatantly evil and easy to spot. However, the enemy works overtime to come up with ways to deceive those who would strive to avoid such things. We need the full Armor of God (Ephesians 6:13) to combat such an evil attack. 
                  Be wary of the darkness that surrounds you but rejoice in the light that resides within you. God has you covered with His righteousness. You are safe. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

RESCUE defined: 1. To set free, as from danger or imprisonment; save; 2. An act of rescuing; deliverance.

DOMINION defined: A territory or sphere of influence or control; a realm.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”

Proverbs 30:5 (NIV)

                  Whatever you read in scripture is perfect and without mistake. The foot notes, commentary comments or interpretive inclusions are not, for they are written by man. There are not many gods, there is only one God. He stands alone. No one can rival Him. There’s no one who can replace God and anyone who tries fails.  You see it is God who is flawless, not any mere mortal. It is God in whom we can take refuge and not any of the Superheroes who have graced the cinematic screen. Who else can raise the dead, heal the sick and forgive every sin you’ve ever committed? No one but God Himself. 

                  What cinematic Superheroes do for us is put a face and body to an entity that is good and righteous and wholesome and capable of defeating evil. All this and special CGI effects to boot. But alas, it is fiction, as in not real. Even the actors and actresses who play the Superheroes are in need of what God offers to all. And even if the characters they played WERE real and COULD do all the things they can do in movies, they would STILL need the forgiveness God offers, because they cannot save themselves. No one ever could. So, go forth today knowing that the Word of God is true and that HE is the shield that protects you from all that the enemy dispenses against you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries