Thoughts from a Random Mind

Last night I believe the Lord allowed me to feel the heaviness his heart feels regarding all that is transpiring in the world at this time. The rampant sin without question breaks his heart. The unnecessary loss of life grieves him. I felt a great heaviness in my spirit and in my heart. I reflected on all the gross sin that is taking place worldwide with all the corruption, lies, crimes against humanity and needless death and became despondent. It isn’t God’s will for this to take place, but the free will that man has been afforded has unfortunately led to this. God is not surprised by all this, but I believe it hurts his heart all the same. I suppose it would be somewhat like how a loving parent feels when one of their children becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol. I never experienced that myself, but sometimes you don’t have to experience something to be able to have empathy. May God’s mercy flood our planet in such a way that millions of folks turn from their evil ways and embrace the gospel of Christ and in so doing have a fresh start at really living. Amen.

As always, till 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

A rather simplistic illustration danced thru my mind at work today. I would venture a guess that most people around the world have debt that they have accrued over time that they will need to eventually pay back. Debt can be looked a couple different ways: “An obligation … to pay something to someone else”. (ex. A student may be burdened with debt from attending school by virtue of a financial loan. He or she would be obligated to repay that loan.) Also, “a moral or legal obligation to make reparations (payments) or undergo punishment for committing an offense; as with a criminal repaying his debt to society.”

            In the spiritual realm there is another type of debt that people are accruing. It’s sin by virtue of disobeying God’s Word. The Lord is not a hard task master. He is our benevolent, patient, loving Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ was sent to this earth to pay off our spiritual debt with his own blood. That would be like a total stranger tapping into their own resources to pay off your credit card debt. I wonder why it is that folks would leap at that offer but ignore having their sin debt removed. That begs the question, is it more important to have financial freedom or spiritual freedom? 

            The answer is simple. Those having their financial debt paid in full will still die in their sins. Those having their spiritual debt paid in full will live with the Lord forever. If you don’t receive a pass (so to speak) to get into heaven, you are saying whether you realize it or not, that you would rather go to hell.  You see, God sends no one to hell … the result of man’s rejection of Jesus’ spiritual payment voids out their opportunity to spend eternity in heaven. Sound boring … hmmm, but what about if you compare it to Sulphur smoke and fire, pitch darkness and a chorus of moans and groans from all who now regret their decision. Sorry, no 2^nd chances. 

            Christianity is at its core a personal, intimate relationship with the One who made you. It is also a way of living. I assure you, there is nothing this world has to offer that can beat that. We’re not all goodie-two shoes. We’re human just like you. We make a myriad of mistakes yet receive forgiveness from God when we ask for it. We aren’t expected to be perfect, just make a spirit-led effort to live and behave like our role model, Jesus Christ. Don’t believe the lies, a future with Satan will not go well for you. He only wants to torture you and watch you burn, yet never die for all eternity. 

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

This has been a written warning by Richard Keller of Bread of Life Ministries.

If you know someone who would benefit from reading this, please pass it on & be ready to pray for and support them because they will no doubt have many questions. rk

Thoughts from a Random Mind

What does it mean to be incorruptible? It means you are “incapable of being bribed or morally corrupted”. What does the root word ‘corrupt’ mean? “To change from good to bad in morals, manners, or actions.” People without morals or ethics are easily corrupted and will do just about anything, for instance, for money or sex. Almighty God is incorruptible, and his children are expected to be the same. I believe it all comes down to what you are feeding your inner man. If you are constantly feeding your spirit man, you will flourish in the things of the Lord, but if you are feeding from the trough of the world, you will shrivel and die spiritually and the consequences you will pay for what takes place on that path will not be to your liking at all.

Strive to be incorruptible as your father in heaven is incorruptible. Feast on the riches that lie in his word. Let them and his Holy Spirit guide you thru this life and you will be blessed. Your life won’t be perfect, without trials and/or tribulations, but the Lord will be with you each moment of every day. Be incorruptible in all your dealings. It is what is expected of a child of God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Note: Definitions come from Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

There’s a phrase that says, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground”. Perhaps you’re familiar with it. Let’s break it down ever so slightly. An idle mind - let me put this in terms of a vehicle. Wherever you happen to be, in your own driveway, at a stop light, anywhere really, if your car is running, but not moving, then at that moment, your car is “idling”. It isn’t going forward or backward; it is sitting still yet the engine is running. Your mind, like your car’s engine, is in what could be referred to as a passive state. 

40 years ago, the United Negro Student Fund had a successful ad campaign that stated, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” A true statement. They claim that when you retire you should keep your mind active, or you will grow despondent & depressed. Not remaining mentally active can shorten your life. 

A Christian need to keep his or her mind active with the things of the Lord or their faith will begin to fade. Like a person who deprives themselves of protein or water, their faith will slip into doubt. They will begin to question things that they used to accept as true. The enemy will take full advantage of passive Christians, nudging them in directions that could likely compromise their witness. Don’t allow it. Stay strong in your faith. Feed your spirit man or woman daily to ward off the fiery darts of Satan. Stay out of the devil’s playground by keeping your mind active in the things of the kingdom of God. 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

Did you know that even the strongest believer in Christ can still feel lost at times? I don’t mean lost as in still needing salvation; I mean empty inside. I see it as a trick of the enemy, for we are never alone and are unconditionally loved. Perhaps it has something to do with our seeming inability to make a difference in this world. But wait, who says you’re not having a positive impact on everyone you encounter each day. You know all the folks that regularly gravitate toward you at school or work or at social gatherings? Don’t flatter yourself, it’s not you per se, it’s the presence of the Holy Spirit within you. What God has placed within you attracts people to you. This is why we must realize and acknowledge that God is in us working to do his will in this world whether we feel it or not. We never need to feel empty or alone because that feeling isn’t from the Lord who is merciful and compassionate … whose lovingkindness knows no end. We have no earthly reason to be ‘down in the mouth’ as the saying goes. Walking around with a distant, disengaged, detached look in our eyes. The enemy tries everything within his realm of influence to cause us to stumble. He can only do to God’s children what God allows for his own purposes and our own spiritual growth. Shake off the ‘woe is me’ attitude and rise to the level of spiritual maturity God intends for you. Feel empty no longer, in Jesus’ name, amen.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts From a Random Mind

            So, as it was in the days of Noah shall it once again be, only the next time it will be a consuming fire and not a flood. Noah was mocked. Not one person on the earth listened to him and believed. They scoffed at the coming of God’s judgment against mankind. ^{[Matthew 24:37-39]} Rain? What was rain? Scripture tells us the ground was nourished from water bubbling up from under the ground. It had never come down from the sky before. ^{[Genesis 2:5-6]} Flood waters? This has never taken place in their world, but this is what God promised was coming. Once it began to rain the people panicked, wanting desperately to enter the tremendous ark Noah had built, but alas, he had closed and sealed the mighty door and was given instructions by God not to open it again until the floodwaters had subsided, and the land was dry again. The people’s unbelief was their eternal undoing.

            Fast forward to today. There are millions of people who still scoff, ridicule and disbelieve the message God is sending out. There will come a day when the time for repentance will be gone forever. Time as we know it will be no more. A reckoning will take place where God will separate the wheat from the chafe. The warning signs are all around if you take the time to look. If you don’t believe in God’s existence you better be right. That is in no way a threat, but it is a promise. Sin cannot abide in the presence of Almighty God. Those who are still filthy with their own sin will have to bear the cost on their own with no hope of reprieve or redemption. God will not change his mind. Man has laughed off their need for forgiveness for too many years. The time will come and when it does it will come quickly. There will be no time to repent on that day. I don’t have to experience it to know that having to face God’s wrath would be a fearsome thing. Nothing will stop God’s judgment once it begins. 

            God’s Son was sent for the sole purpose of paying the price owed for all of mankind’s sins. He was real … a figure in our history. He walked on the earth for 33 years and ministered for 3 of those years. Christ will return in all his glory and evil will have had its day. Scripture tells us “no man knows the day or the hour” of Christ’s Return. This is why man must not wait … repent NOW and be ready for the 2^nd Coming of Christ. Don’t fritter your time away on trivial, meaningless endeavors. Surrender your life to the One who created you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing. 

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

NOTE: This posting is meant for those who need to hear it. It may not be you, but it may be someone you know. If you feel so led, forward this to whoever you feel may need to read it. Sin is serious business, but forgiveness is real and available to all. If you’re the one who needs to read this, know that God doesn’t wish that any would go to hell. This is why his own Son Jesus Christ came to earth in the first place. He loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love. Amen. RLK

Thoughts from a Random Mind

               With all the instability and chaos in the world today, life can become very stressful. Those in charge are pushing fear in an effort to destabilize things even more. It is for times such as these that we have faith. We who believe in God trust him, so fear and doubt shouldn’t come into play. There is nothing this world can do to us that God is not already aware of. 

The Lord is allowing all that is currently transpiring for his own purposes. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” ^{[Hebrews 4:13 NIV]} Evil shall not triumph. God has already won.  If you have dedicated your life to knowing and serving God, then you are in a prime position to defeat the enemy who is quite literally already defeated. Push him over and he will fall.                   

As believers in Christ, we have nothing to fear. Feed your spirit with God’s word for it is sharper than a double-edged sword ^[1].  It’s why we read and retain his word. It is a powerful weapon against the enemy. God armor is sized to fit us all perfectly. ^{[Ephesians 6:10–18]} As his children we stand protected, so march forward in the name of Christ and watch the enemy flee. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

^[1] Hebrews 4:12 NIV - “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.”

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            We all have fathers. Some are good, some are not. Some are attentive, some are indifferent. Some are supportive, some are not at all. My father felt his obligations and responsibilities ended when I left for college. In all the years I knew him he never called me on the phone. Once out of the house he took very little interest in me. It was sad, but I had been conditioned to expect nothing, so I wasn’t hurt. It’s a mantra I still recite to this day regarding my two AWOL adult daughters. Expect little to nothing and you won’t get hurt.

            This brings me to my Heavenly Father, who has a keen interest in me. He represents everything we wish our earthly fathers could become. Perhaps that’s too lofty an ideal to aspire to, considering how pitiful we are in all aspects of life compared to our Maker. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no shadow of turning with him. God is faithful and trustworthy. He cannot lie, being the epitome of truth. What earthly fathers could be, God is.

            After a lifetime of selfish ambivalence, in his final couple years of life, my father finally looked at me and said, “You know, you’re a good son. I love you.” Hearing those words was like winning the lottery. After all the years of disinterest he finally made everything alright by saying those simple words. I suppose it was all I needed … somewhere within his stern German exterior he loved me, and he cared. 

            I believe my Father did the best he could. He didn’t get saved until the waning hours of his life, but he made it. In reality God shows us, thru the actions of his Son, that his love for us is matchless. Christ died that we might be free to live in peace and love one another.  

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

Focus – To concentrate all your attention or energy on something; to concentrate.

It can be said you are “drawing a bead on” something or “zeroing in on” something.

It is the “center” of your attention. 

We tend to fix our focus on many different things throughout life and God isn’t always one of them. We largely focus on problematic circumstances. Even though we are instructed to worry about nothing we focus on and over think our problems and the fixing of them. Why do we lose sight of God when we need him the most? He hasn’t gone anywhere. We’re the ones who moved, from Faith Lane to Doubt Drive. Our focus becomes blurred. Our troubles look more like insurmountable mountains instead of what they truly are, mere obstacles to be overcome … with the help of God. What is your focus locked in on? 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

I heard a statement the other day that I had not heard before. “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.” Taking this statement at face value I can certainly understand why anyone would want to go to heaven. I don’t believe the old adage regarding being ‘afraid of the unknown’ applies here. I think that’s because people want to believe there is nothing to fear in heaven. The thing folks need to fear comes before heaven. Facing God with a less than perfect life when you have not sought forgiveness for your sins should be something that scares you to death.  I think people are more afraid of dying alone than simply dying. That whole Covid deal had people living thru that nightmare. Tragic. 

Heaven is said to be a wonderful place. More wonderful than we could ever imagine. In fact, our pastor just said last Sunday during the service “Where your imagination ends is where heaven begins.” I think people would like to live their life on earth and without any pain or sickness just wake up one morning and ‘poof’ be in heaven. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. Only God knows when our time is up on this earth. We are not told our future because it negates our need for faith and trust. 

Christ didn’t die for us so we could ignore what he had done and mosey along our way. Two different people in our lives have said they’re “just going to live their lives one day at a time and make the best decisions they can.” The old live and let live gig. Ignorance is bliss. Take things as they come. All instead of trusting God to guide and direct, to protect and sustain. Why read the Bible, my life is just fine the way it is. Some folks don’t want to become a “Christian” because they feel they would then HAVE to go to church. They couldn’t have any fun anymore, which translates to not being able to do whatever in the world they want to with no repercussions or consequences. But NO ONE can avoid consequences, whether they believe in God or not. Have you seriously considered your options going forward? Heaven or hell, it’s your choice. Choose wisely. 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

At times we can be very hard on ourselves. We want to be pleasing to God yet make an error in judgment and let it beat us about the head relentlessly. The enemy doesn’t have to do anything to us because we’re doing the work for him. God seeks from us a contrite ^{[sorrowful, remorseful]} heart regarding our sinful condition. If we display it before him then forgiveness can be ours for the asking. But once forgiven there are many of us that still can’t believe it’s all as simple as that. Surely there must be a flogging due, a verbal chastisement coming. No, God doesn’t work that way. Even if you’ve known the Lord for over 40 years like me and feel you should have known better than to think, say or do that thing you did, forgiveness is still can be yours just for the asking.

            In the 3^rd of the original Star Wars movies Luke Skywalker, who had found out Darth Vader is his father at the conclusion of the 2^ndmovie, said something rather poignant. Vader had done a multitude of evil things, but towards the end of the movie in one climactic scene Luke could still say to him, “I can see the good in you, Father.” Our Heavenly Father can see the good in us, no matter what we may think of ourselves. He sees the good in us because it was placed there by the Creator himself and is enhanced by his Holy Spirit. Don’t beat yourself up any longer. Instead bask in the peace and mercy of the unconditional forgiveness that has been afforded us. 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

            There is no doubt God forgives, but can we forgive ourselves? I think there are times in a Christians life when we find it difficult to accept God’s forgiveness because we simply cannot forgive our own sins. They weigh heavy on us and bind us up. God’s love is completely unconditional … that simply means he places no conditions on his love or forgiveness. If you ask the Lord for forgiveness with a sincere heart, regretting what you have done, regardless of what it is, you shall be forgiven. There is nothing this side of heaven to compare this type of love to. I believe that is why we have difficulty forgiving ourselves. Not to mention the fact that the enemy will continue to throw it back up in our collective faces as long as we don’t reconcile ourselves to the fact that we are the only one keeping peace from ruling over the entire situation. Let the things that encumber you GO! Release it from your grasp in Jesus name. You don’t have to live with regret. Although regret reveals a level of sincerity from the deepest recesses of your heart and mind, you no longer have to carry that with you. Turn it over to God so he can get rid of it. Allow the Holy Spirit to do a cleansing work in you. If you’ve sought it, forgiveness is yours. Live in the freedom that God’s loving forgiveness provides. Amen. 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

I recently had someone tell me they were “hanging up their faith” for a while. That it was too difficult to live up to the lofty standards that God has set up for us to follow. The final statement, in my humble opinion, borders on the irrational. He said that “if God was going to cast people out of his presence just because of the life they have lived or the decisions they’ve made than he would be a tyrant and must be stopped.” We aren’t talking about a Universal despot who can actually be defeated with the right collection of calculated moves. We’re talking about the Creator of the Universe and man’s first breath. He cannot and should not be stopped. The writer of the email doesn’t get it. You can’t go into a relationship with Christ half way. It’s all or nothing. You do it willingly, not forcibly.  

A person who isn’t all in on their Christianity is asking for outside forces to compete for his or her attention, which has the potential to turn out very bad for them. It is then that confusion begins. They begin to question their beliefs and entertain a softer approach to heaven. There is no other way to heaven but thru the blood of Christ. How do you think all the cults started. With one person claiming to have a new revelation from God. There is no new revelation from God. There is the Bible, which Christians believe to be the inerrant Word of God. Instead of looking for problems in the text, perhaps it would be better to ask the Lord to show you the truth in His Word. 

All this is your choice. God provides for us a free will to make decisions on our future. With regards to God, we should make an informed decision, not one based on what others say, but what our research shows us. Christianity is NOT just “I believe” and go on as if nothing has happened to you. Your belief should trigger a willingness to follow Christ, just as His disciples did. We are to become like Jesus in our thoughts, words, & deeds. Be honest with yourself and recognize that discipleship takes discipline. We must train ourselves to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, for this leading will undoubtedly produce over time moral & spiritual improvement. 

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries