Thoughts from a Random Mind

Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Jesus, who is God, came to earth to play out the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind. When He died on the cross He went to sheol* or hades, and back, thus defeating Satan. Therefore, He came from the Father’s right hand, went below, and rose up to heaven again giving Jesus / God clear dominion of all regions. All who exist in heaven, on earth and in hell shall one day kneel and declare Him Lord. God’s plans are never thwarted. Don’t forget, He is all-powerful, all-knowing and in all places at one time by His Spirit. There is no one else in existence who can say that. And there is no one in creation who can challenge Him. There are those who fancy themselves as gods or at least it seems that way by their words and actions, but even they will be compelled to bow before Christ on that appointed day.

            This should be an encouragement to all believers. That shall be the final victory proving once and for all that no one in all creation can resist bowing down to the Lord Jesus Christ. God shall receive all glory as is due Him. No one shall steal His thunder on that day. We, as believers, must live lives worthy of the grace He has freely given to us. The mercy He has shown in the face of our unbridled impudence is truly remarkable. The restraint God shows in light of the fact that He could obliterate us with one finger is evidence of His great and unwavering love for His children. Kneeling before Christ one day will be a privilege and an honor, for we do so in our hearts now; then we can do it in His presence. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* The abode of the dead ... not hell which would be considered the final punishment for the unsaved and is known as the “Lake of Fire”. Unquenchable fire for all eternity. 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Isaiah 57:1-2 New Living Translation

“Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.”

            Sin promotes great evil. We are seeing this with our own eyes today. God knows the future and it stands to reason that he may desire to save certain ones of his children from the excessive evil that is coming. Perhaps the rapture of the church will rescue us all from this, in the meantime, we are to live godly lives according to the instructions given in God’s Word. 

                  I’m sure we all know someone, whether it be man, woman, or child, that has died prematurely. It becomes a heavy weight on our heart as we utter the ‘why’ question. Why did they have to die? Why them? Why not a drug lord, pedophile, or adulterer? There are so many evil people who do horrible things just because they feel they can. Why not one of them? 

God mourns the loss of those of his children who have met death prematurely. We are allowed to question God. He’s not afraid of our doubts or questions at all. He also may not give us the answers we seek. The Christian walk can be treacherous, but in the end is rewarding. Those who die before their time will enjoy the glories of heaven sooner than we will and that’s a wonderful blessing. Our heartache comes from the fact that they are no longer with us. Death is part of the circle of life. Everyone dies at one time or another. God has his reasons why some die before others. 

I experienced this type of situation prior to my conversion when my mother’s mother had to attend my mom’s wake. My mother died of pancreatic cancer at 57 years of age. I wasn’t yet a believer, so as you can imagine I was filled with the ‘why’ question … a tragedy that caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting it. My grandmother broke down and sobbed. The thought of outliving her daughter was too much grief for her to bear. She was inconsolable. So was I. I didn’t know what to think or do. It was hard, so I know even those who know the peace of Christ still struggle with premature death. 

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

 

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t (Jesus) leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until He finds it?”- Luke 15:4 (NIV) 
          Jesus is referred to in scripture as the Great Shepherd. As depicted in Luke 15:4, a shepherd will seek high and low to find the one sheep from his flock that has wandered off. Those under his care are safe, but the one that is lost is in great danger. Jesus shed His own blood to save those lost and dying souls who don’t know Him as well as those who have embraced “the gift” of salvation. 
          We need to start seeing those around us with Jesus eyes. We don’t need to see them as if they are somehow less than us because they are unable to see the truth right in front of them. No, just as Christ showed us mercy in OUR ignorance, we must also see all others with that same type of mercy. We see some pretty interesting looking people out there in this wacky world of ours. We need to look past the outer shell and see that they too have a beating heart in need of love, patience, grace, and forgiveness. Just because we believe in Christ doesn’t make us any better than anyone else. We need to see people as God sees them and display His love, patience, mercy, and grace for them all. 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

 

“Be still, and know that I am God; …”- Psalm 46:10 

          In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of each day stands God. We don’t notice Him because He is not in the hustle and bustle. We veer around Him and never even see Him standing in our midst. God is not in the chaos, but rather in the stillness. We see Him when we take the time to quiet ourselves. We feel Him when we sit by the ocean and soak in the sights and sounds of the incoming waves. We sense His presence in the woods or by a babbling brook. We know Him by spending time with Him. It’s not in talking to Him that we experience His true nature, but rather in the listening. Talking comes easily to most but listening and actually hearing something or someone is an acquired skill for us. 

          We play our music loud, our TV’s blare away and conversations with others go on and on and all the while God is there. The Creator of the Universe is quietly observing, patiently waiting for us to notice Him. It’s not when we are ‘vegging out’ or ‘chilling’ that we find God, for it takes a conscience effort to see, hear and feel Him. When we take the time, when we literally seize time by the throat and slow down even for a few moments and make a concerted effort to experience God that we will know He truly is the great and awesome I AM THAT I AM, the Almighty Jehovah God. He is our provider and sustainer. He wishes to meet with us regularly because He loves us and desires our company. He doesn’t need it, but rather desires it. What an incredible thought! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

PONDER THIS …

(A branch of the “Thoughts from a Random Mind” tree)

 

Today’s question:  If you were accused of being a follower of Jesus Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Notice I didn’t say “If you were accused of being a Christian …”. Some people believe being an American is synonymous with being a Christian.  Not so. Some people believe if they go to church every time the doors are open and give some money that makes them a Christian. Not so. There are some folks who believe if they read a few verses in the Bible every day that makes them a Christian. Wrong again. Those are all things a Christian does, but that alone will never make you a Christian. Our belief needs to and should go much deeper than that.

To be a follower of Christ doesn’t elevate you above those who simply call themselves a Christian. Please don’t misunderstand me. It’s just that there are so many people who don’t take their faith seriously enough. A Christian should be a follower of Christ. They should do the things a Christian is supposed to do, such as pray, read God’s Word regularly, go to church ... let’s stop there. Paul has something to say about going to church.

“And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,…” – Hebrews 10:24-26.

We go to church because we want to, not because we have to, because technically we don’t. We have a free will. We can do as we please, but be careful, because as Paul tells his Corinthian brothers, “Yes, do as you please, but not all things we do are constructive or beneficial to us.” (paraphrase from 1 Corinthians 10:23) What we are supposed to be doing is imitating Christ. The title Christian came from Antioch and was actually meant as an insult, as in “Oh there go those ‘little Christs’ again”. But it stuck and just as the ‘Christians’ of that day, we wear that title with pride. Sadly, because of some of the heinous things that have been done in Christs name down thru the ages, there is now a stigma attached to that title. We need to show the world thru our lifestyle, that a follower of Christ is someone to follow and listen to. We have the truth, which is diametrically opposed to what the world is selling. Ponder these things … and 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

Proverbs 19:11- “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

                  Solomon is said to be the wisest man to ever walk the earth. God gave him his wisdom because of his unselfish request; for the wisdom and knowledge to rule the people of Israel justly and without malice, with wisdom and discernment. ^{[1 Kings 3:1-15]}This so impressed the Lord that he gave him both what he asked for and the riches and material wealth he didn’t ask for. Solomon’s heart was after God. His words in the Book of Proverbs should be heeded because of his God given wisdom.

                  Patience is a godly trait that can be given in great measure if asked for. That is not to say that non-Christians can’t be patient, but believers in Christ often face a different type of trial or set of circumstances that will tear at the undercarriage of their faith if allowed. It’s at those times that we are to be as the prophet Isaiah declares: “Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” ^{[Isaiah 50:7]}. In this case Isaiah was speaking of the Messiah. Setting his face like flint means he will not shrink back from His mission, despite severe suffering, opposition, and humiliation. He also never held any offence against his perpetrators. 

Christ’s patience was impeccable and worthy of being emulated. In the face of many obstacles, we need to embrace the contemporary phrase; “Get on your knees and fight like a man.” It is thru prayer that mountains can be moved. The wise man will recognize that patience and not impudence is the route to take with those who would seek to incite you to say or do something unbecoming of a Christian. If you are lacking wisdom, seek it thru prayer. The Holy Spirit will dispense it as he wills to help us exhibit more Christ-like behavior. Patience thru wisdom is a key lesson for a believer to learn this side of heaven. God is in control, and he absolutely knows what he’s doing. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Proverbs 1:5 “…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…”.

Proverbs 14:29 “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”

Proverbs 16:32 “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.”

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”  

         God gave up His only Son for our sin, the ultimate sacrifice, the worthy for the unworthy.  The incredible thing about it is that one drop of Christ’s blood cleanses all sin.  The pure and spotless Lamb of God laid down His own life for all of mankind.  What an unbelievable event in the annals of time.  Knowing we were worthy of being cast into hell’s lake of fire for all eternity God willingly offered His Son to not just cover but erase our transgressions for all time. Still, even with this amazing truth available men choose not to believe it.  That fact alone is testament to the notion that mankind is incapable of reasoning out rational scenarios.  We fight for our right to live as we choose never being able to see the big picture.  God isn’t trying to trick man into serving Him.  He is freely offering us a pardon.  He is offering to remove the death sentence we were born with and replace it with eternal life.  The only catch is we must ask for it and as with any gift, receive it.

          The “things” Paul is speaking of here are not whatever we desire, but rather all the things we need in this life to survive.  God has promised to provide for and sustain us throughout this life if we will allow Him to.  So many Christians give their lives to the Lord and then take it back only to struggle with things they shouldn’t have to wrestle with.  God is faithful and more than worthy of all praise.  He has provided a way to escape our just punishment and will provide a life filled with blessings if we allow Him to. Surrender your will over to your loving Heavenly Father.  You will not be cheated.  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

Romans 8:1-2 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”

            There is a distinct reason why there was and is no condemnation for those who are truly saved. That reason is simply this: the blood of Christ dissolved the Old Testament Law by fulfilling it once for all for all time. Our guilt due to our sinful disobedience to God’s standard for living has been removed. That is because the punishment that was meant for us was taken on by Christ, the sinless godman who willingly took our beatings and allowed himself to be crucified on a cross of wood. Is that what your Christianity means to you? It should. 

Salvation wasn’t free, there was a gruesome cost that was paid in full by someone who never sinned. That should mean something very specific to us. We are free of our sin debt because of one man’s actions. What does he mean to you? Or do you go about your life with nary a thought to the sacrifice made for your soul. How tragic that would be.

The Law pointed out sin, but the sacrifices made never erased it, only covered it up. The controlling power of sin only produces death. The controlling power of the Holy Spirit produces life, and abundant life at that. We stand now not as condemned men*, but free men, not only now but for all eternity. We must keep this in mind when we live our lives. Christ dying for our sins is no small thing. It is the thing that should mean most to the believer. Serving God isn’t a chore, but a joy or at least it should be. Let your life be worship to our God. Seek his face consistently and lift him up for he is more than worthy of our worship, honor, and praise. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: NIV Study Bible Notes

* The word ‘men’ is used as a generic term to represent all of humanity: men, women & children.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

John 14:23 “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’”

         Saying you ‘know’ Jesus isn’t the same as loving him and ‘loving’ him isn’t the same as obeying him. Just as faith should lead to trust, ‘knowing’ should lead to loving which should lead to ‘obeying’ the Lord. His standard for living is clearly mapped out in scripture, but to live it you must read it and know it. How can you live it if you don’t read and know it? Saying you don’t understand it to read it is no excuse, because if you ask, the Holy Spirit will enable you to understand what the Bible is saying. 

                  John MacArthur* has a clear and insightful statement regarding loving and obeying God: “true saving faith is manifest by works produced by God in the transforming, regenerating power of the Spirit. Those works are expressions of the love which the Spirit pours into the believer’s heart.” ^[1] In other words, living God’s word produces faith-works by the Holy Spirit within you. Your obedience is what causes you to deepen your relationship with him. Your obedience is to be a habitual practice as evidenced by our love for Christ and the Father.

                  “Obedience is not, however, the condition of God's love for humans but the proof of their realization of his love and of their love for him.” ^[2] Not only can nothing separate us from the love of God, but there are no conditions placed upon that love. ^{[Romans 8:38-39]} It is in loving God that we obey him thus allowing us to realize our ultimate goal, which is eternity with him in heaven. God is just, fair, and merciful so I do not know what becomes of those who choose not to know him deeper or obey his word. That is above me and left in God’s hands. He is the judge, not any of us. I suppose the question then would be, why wouldn’t someone who said they loved God NOT at least attempt to know and obey his word? It’s a mystery to me. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries 

Resources: www.biblegateway.com; 

[1] John MacArthur Study Bible, 2^nd Edition.

[2] Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament

* John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and president of The Master's College & Seminary.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

2 Corinthians 10:12 “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

          Those in society who deem themselves good find themselves setting a standard to live by that is solely devised by themselves. They feel they have a firm grasp regarding what is good and what is evil and act according to those standards which they themselves have set. They never consider God, but rather feel no need to due to the supposed logical nature of their thinking. How could they possibly be wrong in their assessment? It makes sense to them and is something that they can live by without breaking a sweat. It is mind boggling how people can conjure up all sorts of ways to work their way to heaven in their own minds. They feel no need to trouble themselves with the untidy details of the crucifixion or the resurrection. That is for the weak minded. They believe in God; they just don’t feel the need a crutch to survive like some. Measuring ourselves by ourselves is like sailing close to a rocky shoreline at night without the aid of a lighthouse. They cannot see the reality of their danger without first surrendering their will. Only then do the blinders come off.

          We are supposed to compare ourselves to God so that we realize our current state. They have no idea how to direct their lives successfully by any standards other than our own contrived set of rules. Free will allows us all a choice. To follow a path of our own choosing is unwise. Some Christians even talk themselves into believing their own definition of good. If we would only let go of the wheel and let God take over. We are foolish to think we can do anything pleasing to God without knowing Christ for He made it clear in John 15:5 when He says emphatically “without me you can do nothing”. We are incapable of being consistently good according to God’s own word. 

 

Luke 18:19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good— except God alone."

 

Rom 3:12b "… there is no one who does good, not even one."

 

          Anything a believer does that would have any eternal implications or value must be done in conjunction with Christ, for without Him we are nothing. We can do our own thing or do God’s thing. It’s our choice. When we compare ourselves to Christ rather than ourselves, we see how far off the mark we truly are. God loves us and seeks to guide and direct us into blessing and fulfillment by His Spirit. We cannot achieve this on our own. 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

         While it is true that God wishes NONE to perish and be cast from his sight, sadly there will be those as described in the Book of Revelation that will reject God & the salvation he offers. We are to pray for our enemies and those who would persecute us. Having said that, rest assured that revenge is for the Lord to dole out and it will be administered in no small measure. Evil may be all around us, but the Holy Spirit shall protect us. Have faith and trust in God for his will shall come to fruition in the appointed time.

            I know there are many of you who may be questioning God with regards to why certain events have been allowed to take place in the world lately. My wife and I discussed this briefly the other evening. I’ve walked with the Lord since 1979 and I still don’t understand why God allows certain things to take place. My capacity to understand is infinitesimal compared to our Lords, which would explain my questions that appear to have no answers. Perhaps many of you feel the same way.

I have walked with God for too long and trusted him in all kinds of situations to turn my back on him now when I have serious questions regarding the “why” of things. I trust though I do not understand, because we are not asked to understand, only to trust. I’ve known folks who have turned their back on God due to their lack of understanding as to why certain things in the world have taken place. Like why some are killed unjustly, and others live to a ripe old age despite their sin. Like why infants contract deadly diseases and die without having a chance to live. Life is filled with far too many questions and we would spend the rest of our earthly lives seeking answers that cannot be found. The answers are in the mind of God. You either trust him or you do not. I do. How about you? Are you willing to serve a God who doesn’t explain his every action to you? You’ll have to or not bother believing in God at all. I apologize if that sounds harsh, I don’t mean it to, but frankly, if I understand anything about our Creator, he owes none of us any explanation as to what happens this side of heaven. This has been a little bit of a ramble, but I’m sorting thru some things in my own mind and thought you might benefit from it somehow. Anyway, my faith is strong, and my trust is unshakable. Trusting without understanding can be difficult, but only if you let it be. I am confident that all will make sense in the end. However, things will transpire as God wills it whether I believe or accept it or not. As the saying goes: “Time waits for no man.” *Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*The entire quote goes like this: “The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” - Alice Morse Earle (1851-1911) [American Historian & Author]

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Living a Worthy Life

 

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” - Ephesians 4:1 _(NIV)

            Paul, writing from his prison cell, urges the Ephesians to live lives worthy of the calling of Christ. He clarifies what he is referring to in the following verses … be gentle, be patient, be loving and be unified. He is speaking to the believers of his day. Today, we seem to be distracted by everything that comes our way. Living a life that is worthy of being called a Christian seems the furthest thing from our minds. We have so many other things that we have deemed more important that simply must be done.

            We can be just as effective as human beings in this life if we live our life worthy of Christ’s calling. We are His ambassadors; we represent Him everywhere we go and in everything we do. Are we making a good showing or misrepresenting the name of Christ by our words and deeds. God enables us to live for Him. Many believe living as a Christian is restrictive, but in fact nothing has ever been so liberating. God wants what is best for us always. Give your all to Him and see what happens. Until Christ’s Return, 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

 

Listening vs. Hearing

James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”  

         In this world there are listeners and hearers. A person can listen to someone speak all day long but not hear a thing they’re saying. What is being said becomes nothing more than a clanging cymbal as the message goes unheard.  Many a glowing sermon has been preached that has never been heard because of a sense of indifference.  To some just being in church seems to matter more than actually receiving any spiritual food.  We should be sponges, soaking up any spiritual knowledge we can, for to know Him is to trust Him and to trust Him will bring us to a place where worry less allowing blessings to flow more freely.

         We deceive ourselves into thinking we are okay with God just because we attend services, but all the services in the world will not change our heart or our mindset.  God is extremely patient with us, but don’t mistake His patience as a sign of weakness.  His patience is borne out of love for us, plus an understanding that we are frail and even on our best day will not measure up to His standards.  That is where His mercy and grace kicks in.  

We cannot live a life that is pleasing to God unless we follow the standard He’s set forth in scripture. In our imperfection we come to realize that our Lord’s patience allows for many mistakes as long as we are sincerely trying to please Him with our lives. Those things said to us will actually begin to be heard and if we let them, they will revolutionize our walk with God.  Listen, but also hear all that we are told from scripture that we may be a blessing to God and others.  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

 

In the Hands of God

Jeremiah 29:11-13 New Living Translation 

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’”

We make plans for our future so that we do not do without. We set up retirement funds so that we feel secure; however, the winds of change can make any plans seem unreliable. In the face of uncertainty we can know a security that remains constant because the giver of that security is constant. God has a future and a hope for all who seek Him with their whole heart. He will cause us to be prosperous (“even as our soul prospers” – 3 John 1:2) and keep us from harm. Prosperity in Christ may mean financial prosperity, but there are so many more important things than that in this life.  Spiritual prosperity enables us to be more like Christ in our daily walk.  The things of God cannot be purchased, but rather are there for the asking.  God freely gives blessings that lift up and encourage us as we strive to serve Him with our whole heart.

God’s plans do not fluctuate or fade away due to a lack of resources or contrary spirit. No, God keeps His promises; therefore, we can find peace in the fact that God will not let us perish or fall by the wayside. He is our Heavenly Father; the One who watches over us every moment of every day and knows what we need. Nothing escapes His gaze, and nothing shall take us down. If Allstate Insurance can boast that they are “The Good Hands People”, how much greater must it be to be in the hollow of God’s hands. 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

 

Like Father, Like Son

John 5:19 “Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’”

            This verse doesn’t reveal an inability in Christ, but rather is emphasizing the total unity of purpose and action of the Trinity. The very thing the Pharisees accused Jesus of was in reality what he was saying he was … God’s own Son. Being one with the Father enabled him to exhibit his Father’s characteristics and actions. In effect, Jesus is representing himself as the perfect Semitic son in that they are to emulate their father’s thoughts and actions.

As with Jehovah God, there is nothing Jesus cannot do. He was and is able to do things with the same power and authority as the Father. If Jesus did things apart from the Father that would make him autonomous or independent of any outside influences, namely God. Jesus voluntarily and willingly followed his Father’s example.

Jesus is unique in several areas; he has an uncommon sensitivity to God’s voice in that it is not affected by sin. He is also unique because he is God’s One and Only Son. It should be obvious that his uniqueness is capped by the fact that he alone can cleanse us of all our sin because his blood was spotless. No one else could ever say this.

It requires faith & trust to believe all this, but that is the nature of Christianity. Believing that which cannot be seen as if it can be. Once you reach that point your trust needs to allow you to live according to God’s life-giving standards. It can take courage with a lack of fear to accomplish this; that is what the Holy Spirit is there for. To guide and direct us all into godly living. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Reformation Study Bible; https://www.gills-exposition-of-the-bible/.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

How to Avoid Guilt

Psalm 19:12-13 _{New Living Translation}

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.” 

                  Knowing that believers can be constantly bombarded with temptation that leads to sin, we must know how to combat these potential sins. Some folks think they may have sinned out of ignorance, not knowing something said or done was sinful. Let me make one thing clear, you don’t need to walk thru life with guilt weighing you down. It’s a good thing that you are astute enough spiritually to recognize sin or at least question what is being said or done by you or someone else. 

You must have a heart after God to truly succeed in this life from a spiritual standpoint. Godly success looks nothing like worldly success. Worldly success showers accolades on mortal man for their wonderful achievement(s). Godly success breeds an attitude of humbleness in the face of what God is doing thru you.

David’s plea to God here is one that we should all embrace. You will stand before God untarnished by this world if you emulate Christ and seek to please God. * Those who regularly give in to the sins that lurk within them may need to fall on the mercy of God in the end, for repeated sin either shows spiritual weakness or a fraudulent redemption event. While guilt can be a means to salvation, for the believer it is a cross they need not bear. Ask God, as King David did, to cleanse you of all that is displeasing to him … both hidden and deliberate sins, that they do not grab a hold of and control your will and your heart. You are a child of God. Guilt need not eat you up. Be transparent with our Lord because he is aware of all things anyway. Do not be involved in the vain effort to conceal your sinful behavior, for God sees all and knows all. Come clean and ask for a deep cleaning of your soul and spirit. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

*  Clarification:  I am not saying emulating Christ and seeking to please God is necessary to be forgiven. Once saved we should be doing those things as a natural outcropping of our salvation. However, even after being redeemed some may tend to dabble in sin or experience a moment of spiritual weakness. These actions do not revoke your salvation ... the ultimate decision lies with God, who is the sole judge and jury in the end. His mercy and compassion is well documented in scripture. rk

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Having a Humble Spirit

 

Psalm 149:4 “For the Lord takes delight in his people; He crowns the humble with victory.”

 

          Arrogance* is an unattractive characteristic that many people display. They think they are above it all and see themselves as superior in either intellect or economic status (or both). They do not mingle with those they deem lesser then themselves by choice. Because of arrogance, people become judge and jury over the socioeconomic status of all who are around them. They determine who is worthy of their association and who is not. It is an unseemly trait that is all too common in society today. God doesn’t honor such an attitude, nor does it please Him. Seeing themselves as higher than most of society, they wouldn’t waste their time believing in an unseen god, since they would see no need for him. That is frighteningly sad, for their own attitude is the affliction that will take them down. They cannot see that their thoughts, words, and deeds are self-centered. They have reached the pinnacle of self-absorption and yet are unaware that from this lofty position can come a mighty fall and it will come. Why are people like this? Is it insecurity? Is it being spoiled at a young age? Is it a borderline mental illness? Perhaps a little of all that, but nonetheless, it is displeasing to the Lord and needs to be purged.

          A humble* spirit is quite the opposite. Humble folks are not at all arrogant, but rather submissive to another, in the Christian’s case, God. The humble person seeks to please and places others before themselves. Since faith is required to please God ^{(Hebrews 11:6)}, we must first believe and place our trust in the unseen deity, namely, Almighty God. Once we learn how to live for Christ, we slowly develop a spirit of humbleness and humility. 

Arrogant people view those that are humble as weak and on occasion will take advantage of them. Arrogance doesn’t consider the feelings of anyone but themselves, while those that are humble consider the feelings of others before themselves. It is the humble individual who pleases God and not the arrogant for it is not all about ME, but rather about God and others. If we believe that God provides and sustains those whom He loves, then we should have no concerns, and submission ought to come fairly easy. The arrogant person believes that he alone provides and sustains for himself without any outside assistance. What a shock they will receive on the last day when they will be required to bow before Almighty God and profess Him as Lord. Do for others with a spirit of humbleness and humility and God will crown you with victory. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*ar•ro•gant 1: exaggerating or disposed to exaggerate one's own worth or importance often by an overbearing manner; 2: showing an offensive attitude of superiority: proceeding from or characterized by arrogance.

*hum•ble 1: not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive; 2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission. 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

God is Love

1 John 4:8 “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

1 John 4:16 “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” 

Is it true that all the attributes said of ‘love’ in 1 Corinthians 13 are also character traits of God? I believe they are. So, isn’t it possible that God’s name could replace the word ‘love’ in that portion of scripture and describe the many wonderful attributes of our Lord? I believe so.

Let’s have a look …

 

            “(God) is patient, (God) is kind. (He) doesn’t envy, doesn’t boast and isn’t proud. (God) doesn’t dishonor others, isn’t self-seeking, isn’t easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. (God) doesn’t delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (God) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (God) never fails.”

 

            Kinda cool, huh? The words are interchangeable. Not only do you have a crystal-clear definition of love, but you also have a crystal-clear picture of what Almighty God is like and in turn, what we are to be like. Take the hint, imitate 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

 

God in the Midst of Tragedy. 

 

“In the midst of tragedies, every promise of God is still true. Tragedy does not remove God or change God. He remains ^{(Hebrews 13:8)}. When God says, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you,’ ^{(Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5)}, He means this, and He never changes. Such promises of God are for such times as tragedy.

Some feel that if God is really a God of Love, He would not permit any tragedies. Not so! Sin causes tragedy. Sin is real and brings death ^{(Romans 6:23)}. In the midst of all sin does to disrupt and destroy life as God intended, He has provided a way for dealing with sin and its consequences. His own presence through the death, resurrection and ascension of His Son has provided totally. His Grace is sufficient, always ^{(2 Corinthians 12:9)}.

The Apostle Paul, out of the depth of His life experiences, could boldly proclaim: ‘Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.’ ^{(Romans 5:20b)}. Paul also knew the incredible effect of sin on all creation, so that through nature death and destruction could prevail: ‘For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now’^{(Romans 8:22)}. We are experiencing the awesome reality of this all over the world in our day.

To leave the reality of sin, and its effects, out of our reasoning in the midst of tragedies would be foolish. It also would distort the Truth of God, creating confusion and unnecessary pain and suffering. God remains prefect love in the midst of tragedy, and His presence can and will transform everything –- if we let Him.

As a pastor, I’ve seen God’s presence and truths set people free and transform entire situations. We have been experiencing many tragedies in recent months. We need to choose to believe God and let Him affect us –- in His perfect love! We must not let the world bring their claims against God or put us into their mold of thinking about God in the midst of tragedies. We are not intimidated by the world’s lack of knowledge about God. We have been given the Truth by God, in His Word, and we must share His Truth with our world boldly and confidently.”

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: https://blackaby.org/where-is-god-in-the-midst-of-tragedies/

It was written on November 30^th, 2000, by Reverend Henry T. Blackaby of Blackaby International Ministries. 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Finishing the Lord’s Assignment

 

“I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.” “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”– Acts 20:21, 24 NLT

 

            The Greeks listed above would be representative of Gentiles worldwide. There are two groups of people in God’s creation, Jews and Gentiles or non-Jews. Paul’s zeal was fueled by one message: a person’s repentance by virtue of God’s saving grace thru Christ Jesus. I can assure you that nothing this side of heaven is worth more than sharing the truth of the gospel.

            We’re all different, made that way by God himself. I don’t happen to be a great orator like the Apostles Paul or Peter, but I write very well, by virtue of the gift of writing God has bestowed upon me. Some are evangelistic; still others exhibit a healthy, pure disposition of mercy and grace. God uses whom he chooses, the weak to display his strength, the stubborn to display his patience, the headstrong to display his compassion and mercy. Serving God doesn’t necessarily present you with recognition, fun, money, or success; however, Paul didn’t consider worldly success something he needed to achieve. Since the Lord provides for us anything and everything we’ll ever need in this life, we need not strive for anything but obedience to Christ.

            Paul loves to tell others of God’s wonderful grace, his undeserved favor. That favor initiates a single-mindedness that allows us to focus on the one great task given to us by God … spreading the gospel. If you are a true believer in Christ you will have a desire to do what you can to expand God’s kingdom. Be like Paul, the most prolific missionary known to man. Without the Lord you can’t do anything of eternal value, with the Lord nothing is impossible! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

In His Name & for His glory

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 

Faith Replaces the Law 

Galatians 3:23-25 “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So, the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” 

 

          The Galatians had fallen back into living by the Law of Moses and not by the faith they had originally embraced. Paul is not overly pleased with them. In the beginning of chapter three he first calls them “foolish”, then asks them who had “bewitched” them into clinging once again to the Law over faith. Paul likens living under the Law as being held in custody of a guardian. This was necessary in God’s economy until faith in Christ was introduced to man. ^{(As a side note, when I refer to God’s economy, I am referring to anything and everything that falls under the control of Almighty God, which would happen to be all of creation.)}

          Justification came in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of a virgin, lived among us and died a criminal’s death in our place. That death erased our sins, not just covered them as the Old Testament blood sacrifices did each year. Christ’s death cleansed us once for all time. Do we still sin? Yes! Is forgiveness still available to the contrite heart? Yes!! Are we living under the guardianship of the Mosaic Law? No, we are not. Christ’s death freed us from the Law forever. This is seen in the tearing of the veil that separates the Holy of Holies from the Most Holy Place in the Jewish Temple ^{(Matthew 27:51)}. That represented our open access to God. No longer were we required to go through a High Priest, but rather could approach God ourselves due to the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross. We are now able to have a personal relationship with God directly. This fact may mean more to a Jew who receives Christ as their Messiah, then a gentile who never had the Law to live by, however, we can still embrace this gift of freedom by making ourselves aware of what the Jews were required to do previously. Many Jews still live by the Mosaic Law to this day, not realizing that their Messiah had come. 

          A relationship with God, which may have once seemed impossible, was made possible by a single death. God dwelling within us in the form of His Holy Spirit, made possible by a single act of love. Christ’s death on a wooden cross shall stand for all time as the most selfless act of love and mercy known to man and yet millions reject that act each day. There is no other hope of redemption. Without forgiveness, sin goes unpaid, and all hope vanishes. Living for God gives life, freedom, and hope for all our tomorrows. 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

 

Dining With Sinners

 

“But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious ^[1] sinner,” they grumbled.” – ^{Luke 19:7 NLT}

 

          This is the story of Zacchaeus, a Jewish tax collector for the Roman Government. He was not welcome in common social circles and despised by the general populous for as the text says, Zacchaeus was a “notorious sinner”.He was short in physical stature, so when Jesus came to town and was walking by, he scrambled up a nearby tree to catch a glimpse of this supposed Messiah. When Jesus spied Zacchaeus up in the tree, He told him to come down for He would be coming to his house for a meal. The crowd, no doubt predominately Jewish, was not happy with Jesus’ choice.

          Our chosen verse is interesting because it tells us Jesus decided to dine with an ungodly man and his family. Jesus could have chosen anyone in the crowd, but he chose to call out a man that was despised and despicable. This shines a light on Luke 5:31-32, where Jesus said: “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

            The verse also shows us the predetermined nature of this tax collector. Zacchaeus was a Jew who was employed by the governing body (the Romans), who were Gentiles, a group that was despised by the Jews. For this reason Zacchaeus was doubly hated. They judged him by what job he had without knowing the man at all. 

            Have you ever shunned someone because of externals, without knowing them? I sure have. Trust me, God knows everything about us … therefore He knows this too. Nothing we think, say, or do shocks or surprises the Lord. We don’t need to be concerned with the external appearance of anyone. Our goal is to be Christ-like in this life. We will fail in this endeavor more times than not. Perfection happens to be unattainable this side of heaven; however, that should never be a reason NOT to strive for it.  Pray for the spiritual ability to see others just as God sees them. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries 

 

[1] Notorious - widely and unfavorably known; disreputable; infamous.