Word for the Day

Not of This World

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”- Romans 12:2New Living Translation 

         There is a process that takes place once we surrender our lives over to the Lordship of Christ. It’s learning how to turn from the world system and lean on the one who created us. It’s a spiritual transformation that takes place and it’s not instantaneous, but rather progressive. We can, if we are willing, learn something new from the Lord each and every day. We must allow ourselves to be in tune with him in the spirit. This can be tough considering the constant pull from the opposition. The devil desires nothing more than for you to be useless for God’s kingdom. But we know that will not happen. Satan is a toothless lion, a defeated foe. There is nothing the devil can do to God’s children unless the Lord allows it to take place for his specific purposes.

            Take notice of the phrase “changing the way you think”. Once saved you begin to see things thru a different set of eyes. You begin to see things from a godly perspective. The things of the world are revealed for what they truly are, nothing of any substance. Having your own way isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The resources you have at your disposal pale in comparison to the arsenal of resources that God has at his disposal. The world offers cheap baubles that easily disintegrate into dust. The things of God are now and forevermore. 

            There is absolutely nothing the world could ever offer you that could match the glory and majesty that isGod. Even the world itself is temporal, replaced in time by “a new heaven & a new earth”. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it sure will be awesome to find out. Understand the world system for what it is and make a daily conscious effort to turn from it into the arms of the Lord. Only he cares what happens to you after you pass on from this life. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Nothing to Fear

“In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”-Psalm 56:4 _NIV 

            “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’ ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’ Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’ The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.’ Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.”- Job 1:8-12 _NIV 
            There are some basic things that a believer needs to digest and understand. One is that God is the Creator of all things … ALL things. Meaning that there is nothing greater than Him … NOTHING. If you are able to fully understand this basic truth, then the second “thing” becomes easier to understand. As depicted in Job, there is nothing your enemy can do to you without God allowing it … NOTHING. When God tells us throughout scripture to “Fear not … “, He is saying this to us with the above facts in mind. It’s like He’s saying to us:“I have created everything you see and everything you cannot see … there is nothing that has been created that I did not create. Nothing happens within my creation that I have not caused or allowed to take place. Therefore, you have absolutely nothing to fear for I am with you all the time in the person of my Holy Spirit and will keep you from harm.”
            God has foreordained all that HAS taken place, all that IS taking place now and all that WILL take place in the future. To say it’s not so would mean that God isn’t in ultimate control of His own Creation.  1) That doesn’t make any sense and 2) that would be a lie.  
            Man wears himself out seeking ways to get what he wants as if there were no God at all. The scripture addresses this in Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25 _(NIV)where both say, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Many times the creation thinks itself more intelligent and pragmatic then the Creator Himself. This stems from the simple notion that man does not want to be rules over by anyone, but rather be free to do as they please. Understand this, God’s path is the only way to heaven. Belief in anything else is a pathway to destruction. Trust in God; fear no one but Him (fear as in revere with awe); seek His wisdom and guidance; follow wherever He leads, for to do anything else is accepting something less than the best. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Word for the Day

Word for the Day

Word for the Day

Word for the Day

Doin’ What’s Right

“And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” – Deuteronomy 6:6-7 New Living Translation 

            Deuteronomy is the account of Moses leading the people of Israel up to the Promised Land of Canaan. In it Moses gives two lengthy speeches reminding his people what God had done for them. He also encourages them to rededicate their lives to Jehovah.  The verses above appear in his 2^ndspeech _{(Deuteronomy 4:44-29:1)}where Moses lays out principles for Godly living. The speech happens to take place on the east side of the River Jordan, in view of Canaan.           

            The portion of verses that tell the Israelites to repeat God’s commands to their children is representative of that area. To instill principles regarding moral values & wisdom in their youth was the practice of many nations in Bible Times, not just the Jews. The core values God desires for us to follow are found one place and one place only … the Word of God. So when you don’t make time to read God’s word you are shirking your responsibility to learn how to live God’s way.  It won’t happen thru osmosis; in other words, we won’t absorb God’s word like a plant absorbs water. We need to determine to make a concerted effort to feed on his nourishing word so as to grow spiritually.

            God’s standard for living should be most important to us as believers, more important than families and/or friends. God desires to fellowship with us on a consistent basis. Don’t be like the Israelites and squander opportunity after opportunity to draw close to him.  Verse 18 of this same chapter tells us this: “Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you.” Don’t put off what you know you need to do. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Resource:The Life Application Study Bible; www.biblegateway.com.

Fervent Prayer

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails (accomplishes) much.”- James 5:16b NKJV

            Fervent 1: exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling: zealous.

            Here’s a question for you: Do you think God needs us to pray, or is the act of praying for our benefit? Let’s start the answer by saying this … if God needed us to pray, then that implies that He is unaware of something. God is omniscient, as in having total knowledge. No man can boast of such knowledge.  God is omnipresent, as in being present everywhere at the same time. No man can boast of such ability. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is NO; God, who is everywhere at the same time and who knows all things, does not, in fact, need us to pray. However, He requires us to pray for our benefit. If problems were solved without uttering a word, or if diseases were healed without consideration to the source of the healing, knowing the makeup of man, don’t you think he would begin to believe he was doing these things all by himself? We ask God because we need to ask God for our own encouragement and edification … so our faith can be built up. Believing in someone or something that cannot be seen is difficult enough at times. Praying to a specific unseen entity can look like you’re talking to yourself until the answer arrives. Then we can know that we had nothing to do with its arrival. We asked the unseen God to accomplish something for us and it is done. We must understand that it is done on His timetable and not our own. However, who can honestly say that the answer did not come exactly when it was needed. It is safe to say we could not have orchestrated that by ourselves. Our best efforts pale in comparison to the glory that is God.

            This is one of the distinct problems non-believers, whether atheist or agnostic, have with the existence of a supreme celestial being … the creature is not in control of creation. They want to live and let live. They want to make up their own minds. They want to answer to no one. But everyone answers to someone, no matter what they may believe.

            So pray. Ask your Heavenly Father, who shall not withhold any good thing from you. Don’t waste your time asking for frivolous things. Ask for meaningful things. You know the difference. In all cases ask for the will of God to be manifest in your life. You cannot lose with that kind of prayer, because the all-seeing, all-knowing God of heaven and earth knows what’s best for you and knows exactly when you are in need of it. Therefore, while God does not need us to pray, he requires us to pray for our own benefit. Seek the face of God continually and then praise him for the answers that are coming, whatever and whenever that might be.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Save Me

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?-      Matt. 14:28-31 NKJV

                  Did you ever wonder why bad things happen to you?  Circumstances of this nature happen to good and bad people all the time. Just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean nothing bad will ever happen to you? It’s not the circumstances you find yourself in, but rather how you react to those circumstances. 

            Take Peter, for instance. Seeing Jesus coming towards the disciples in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, he asked Jesus to command him to come to him on the water. At that moment Peter’s faith was sky high. He was focused on Jesus and nothing else. Once he was actually on the water it was a different story. What changed? Had Jesus changed?  No. Had the circumstances changed? Yes. But more importantly, Peter changed. Circumstances change all the time. In a moment’s time your life can be turned upside down. It wasn’t the changing circumstances that caused Peter to begin to sink; it was his reaction to those changes. 

            There are a couple key phrases in this passage of Scripture. One is “when he (Peter) saw the wind, he was afraid.”  It wasn’t just the wind, but what the wind caused. Imagine this scene. Whipping wind, lapping waves, distracting noise … all those things caused Peter’s focus to shift from Jesus to what was going on around him.  He panicked and began to sink in the water. Now pay close attention … the second key phrase is this: “’Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” In an instant he was saved from his dire circumstances.

            Now before you assume from this passage that God always plucks us out of difficult situations immediately, hear this: God has a will for you. He uses situations and circumstances to teach you. When things don’t go your way, don’t ask “Why me Lord?” but rather “What would you have me learn from this?” It’s a progressive thing. You may not react this way the first time, or perhaps not even the 10^th time you find yourself in difficult circumstances, but know this; God either causes or allows everything that happens in the universe He created.  Do you not think He is in complete control of His creation? Your circumstances are meant to teach you how to be just a little more like Jesus each day. He loves us that much. Trust me when I tell you that someday you will look at a painfully difficult situation square on and not even flinch, but rather say “Lord, mold me and make me more like You through this.” You don’t necessarily need to be plucked out of a given situation. Maybe you just need to set your jaw and engage your faith and trust in Almighty God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Be Ignorant No Longer

“… for we were born only yesterday and know nothing and our days on earth are but a shadow.”-Job 8:9

Ignorant: lacking education or knowledge; unaware or uninformed.

            Have you ever thought about how quickly your life has flown by? I have lived on this earth a little over 64 years and I can’t believe how quickly it has gone. As we live our lives we encounter many things that give us pause, many things that cause us sorrow and many things that bring us joy. We are in control of our own emotions. Each one of us is a unique individual with gifts and characteristics placed there by our Heavenly Father at birth. However, one thing we must realize is that we are ignorant. 

            When it comes to the ways of God we are ignorant. We are as a grain of sand on the immense beach of life. In the general scheme of things we are incredibly insignificant, yet we have been made significant by God through His Son and what was done on Calvary’s cross. Our enemy of our soul would love us to believe that we are still insignificant … unimportant … without value. Any creation of God has high value. Our ignorance now lies in how we treat those around us.

            Make no mistake about it we are still ignorant. Free will allows us to choose the path we take, the way we act and react to situations … but regardless of our choices, there are always those nagging consequences. We were created by God to serve Him and Him alone. Our lives should be a reflection of His grace and mercy, yet how often they are a reflection of our bad choices. 

            The amazing thing about the above verse is that God knows us. He knows we are ignorant. Do not misunderstand the word. It doesn’t mean that we are stupid, far from it. It means we are “unaware or uninformed.” It’s because we aren’t students of His word. Think about a topic that you are well versed in. Why do you know so much about that? You weren’t born with that knowledge. You studied. You read. You acquainted yourself with facts and reference guides. In time you became well versed on this topic, whether self-proclaimed or proclaimed by others. Do you think knowing and understanding the ways of God would come to you any differently? To remain in ignorance is a shame and unnecessary. We hold the key that unlocks a treasure trove of wonders and they are in one book … the Bible. As we prayerfully read and seek understanding our ignorance will fade away, turning to knowledge. We will never know it all, but that is no reason not to strive for it.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!  rlkeller

God’s Gift

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”-Luke 11:13

                  No matter how good or bad a father may be to his family, he is typically capable of giving good gifts to his wife and children. At times it is guilt driven, at times, driven by love, although perhaps fleetingly. There are many good fathers in the world today who treat their families according to God’s principles. There are far too many bad fathers who don’t even pretend to know or love God and treat their families accordingly. 

            With this as a backdrop, think about your Heavenly Father who is perfect. He doesn’t favor one individual over another … ever. He cherishes and cares for us because we are His, He created us, He cares dearly for us and has promised to provide for and sustain us without hesitation.  If our earthly fathers can give us good gifts, how much greater are the gifts provided by our Heavenly Father? We should not expect trivial or temporal things from God, for what we receive will be of an eternal nature and will affect us in much more important and lasting ways. These gifts given will affect our character and make us a more Godly individual, if we allow them. Yes, we can pass it off, as we do the tie or dress shirt that we get as gifts, but that is only because we do not realize the importance of what has been given. That stems from our lack of relationship with our God. We were created to fellowship with God. We were created to worship Him. In spite of all our faults and failings, God still loves us without condition. God is infinitely patient and kind, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. His gifts to us are not trifles, but gifts of eternal value that are to be embraced and used for His glory. 

            Don’t focus on the gifts of this world, for they will rot and decay as sure as our own fleshly bodies will someday. Focus on God Himself and His indescribable gifts, which equip us for the journey down the narrow path that leads to heaven. It is God’s desire for all men to be redeemed and experience His mercy and grace. Do not pass up the opportunity to take His gift and apply it to your life. God loves you more than you could ever comprehend, in spite of yourself. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Do You Truly Know God?

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”- John 15:5

“As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”- 

Luke 6:47-49

            Do you involve God in all your important life altering decisions? You should. Why? You should because God knows you intimately. He knows you far better than you even know yourself.  I have long understood that anything that I do for God would not take place without the assistance of His Holy Spirit. When Jesus says in John 15:5 “apart from me you can do nothing” I take that quite literally with one stipulation. I believe he is speaking of the things we do for the Lord. I honestly believe that any good thing people see in me is due to the presence of God in my life. Without that I would be nothing of any consequence. Oh, I would exist, but I would be on my own. What a lonely place to be, but I doknow God and He knows me. 

            The portion of scripture above from Luke has always intrigued me. It causes us to pause and reflect on our life. It causes us to ponder our belief system. It causes us to question what our foundational beliefs truly are. Do we simply go to church on Sunday morning and announce to the world that we believe in God or do we have a relationship with the Almighty Living God that is a vibrant and living thing? What is your life built on? What do you believe? It’s an important question to ask yourself. Your eternal destination depends on your answer. This life is not purely by happenstance. It’s by design. If your life is not what it should be or could be, whose fault is it?  Do you feel the fault is God’s? Why? Is it because He didn’t bless you beyond your wildest dreams? Is it because you prayed to Him that you would win the lottery and you didn’t so now you don’t believe in Him anymore? What is your belief in God based on, fact or conjecture? Are you believing what you are told or seeking the truth on your own? You shouldn’t even believe a word I have written without checking things out for yourself.  What do you believe and why do you believe it? It’s important to know. You can ask God to reveal Himself to you and speak to your heart whether you have a relationship with Him or not. What are you afraid of? Talk to God the way you talk to a friend. He’s there. He’s always listening and He loves you more than you could ever even begin to comprehend. Nothing this side of heaven even remotely comes close to the love God has for you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

It’s a Matter of the Heart

“Examine me, God! Look at my heart! Put me to the test! Know my anxious thoughts! Look to see if there is any idolatrous way in me, then lead me on the eternal path!”- Psalm 139:23-24 CEB

“… you, the righteous God, are the one who examines hearts and minds.”- Psalm 7:9b CEB

                  We may fool the entire world with our words and actions, but God looks us squarely in the heart and sees our true self. He knows our motives and every errant thought that crosses our minds. He looks intently at our heart and not at our outward appearance. He cares little what we may look like, for He Himself created us.  God simply wants what is best for us and will always lead us towards that very thing. We may choose to strain against the leash, but we do it to our own discredit. Those who have something to hide may shudder at the mention of these scriptures, because that would mean that they cannot get away with anything, at least not forever. Those who have been lied about or cheated can take solace in the fact that God knows all about it and will require payment for evil when the time comes. Those that believe and are faithful in their walk with God can know that He is watching and knows all that is transpiring in their lives. 

            May we be a people striving to be like Christ each day so we can with boldness say along with the Psalmist, “Examine me, God! Look at my heart!” To be more like Christ, we must embrace faith in the living God and immerse ourselves in Him every chance we get. We must meet our daily obligations; however, Christ should be the motivating factor in all we think, say and do. The righteousness that we have received in exchange for the debt Christ paid for us hangs on us like a garment. Our minds and hearts are being transformed slowly each day, if and when we allow it. To not allow this transformation is to deny His Lordship and remain in control of our own lives. That is something we nearly always live to regret, for we have no idea what life is all about. We live in the moment and seek instant gratification; so how on earth could we possibly know what is best for us. God steers us toward that which is beneficial. Open your mind and heart to God and allow Him to infiltrate your life. There is no doubt He knows you better than you know yourself. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 40

Be a Comforter

“May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the compassionate Father and God of all comfort. He’s the one who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves received from God.”-2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Common English Bible

                  We live in a“me first” society where selfishness and self-absorption reign supreme. God stands alone as the one bastion of selflessness. He reaches into the lives of those in need when called upon to bring peace to the restless soul and comfort in the midst of pain. There is a significant reason for His actions. It is these actions we are to emulate in a lost and dying world.  It is by those actions the world will see that there isa God and that He doescare. Mere words are insufficient and tend to be meaningless. Unless they are followed up by corresponding action they carry no weight. Seriously, how many times have we told someone we would pray for them and forgotten? How much more powerful is it to stop right where you are and pray for them immediately? Who cares what people around you may think, God is at work. Comfort is God’s way of touching lives. People can see God in others when they provide comfort. God gives us comfort in our distress so we might be able to empathize with the plight of others and be God’s hand extended to offer solace. 

            Being selfless is not an easy thing to be. In a selfish world, selflessness is all but ignored. Except for Christians who seek to be such, it would not exist at all. Don’t give up, surrender.  Surrendering to God will change you in ways you never expected. He will turn your world upside down if you let Him. Allow the same comfort and peace that God has given you, and give it to those around you. Comfort is a by-product of love. We seek to comfort those we care about the most. Once we have that down, we can branch out and provide comfort to those we do not know. That is where the real blessings flow. Anyone can provide comfort and assistance to those they know, but provide it to total strangers and God can reveal Himself through you. Be a comforter; allow yourself to be used by God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

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This ends the Lenten Devotionals. 

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 38

Seeing Desires Change

“… we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”- 2 Thessalonians 1:11

                  What a wonderful thing to pray for another person.  What a great thing to desire to do good and have those good deeds be prompted by your faith in God. Too many people in this world, I fear, are unfamiliar with who God truly is and what He desires for them. Our Heavenly Father isn’t about rules and regulations. Some folks think being a Christian involves a bunch of don’ts. Don’t lie, don’t curse, don’t cheat, don’t steal; don’t … don’t … don’t. They never take the time to get to know Him, for if they did they would realize that it isn’t about things you can’t do, but rather things that you will want to do that will benefit you, bless you and others.

            It’s as if the word “blessing”is a bad word to some people. They view the religious of the world as restrictive people, bound up in their rules. True believers are some of the freest people you will ever meet. The things they don’t do they don’t do because they no longer have a desire to do them, not because they are not allowed. It’s notall about religion … it is about relationship. When you become a Christian you are entering into a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. You live in accordance to the Ten Commandments not because you are required to, but because your life has changed and you feel compelled to live according to God’s standards for living.

            When you become a true believer with your sins removed, God begins to work in you. The external is irrelevant. God judges the heart of a man, not how he looks on the outside. God begins to change us on the inside. Our desires change. The better we come to know Him, the more we will understand what He asks of us. Once we know what He is asking us to do, we will begin to comprehend that those things are good for us. We will benefit in this life far more by serving God than by serving ourselves. I know that from walking with Him for over 40 years. When I went my own way I struggled and suffered by my own hand. I made wrong decisions and paid the price for my ignorance. It wasn’t God’s fault, but my own. When I sought His will in my life, things always worked out within the parameters of His perfect will and timing. There is nothing boring about God. Seek God’s face and see what He has in store for you.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 37

Allow God to Change You

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”-Psalm 86:5

                  This statement comes from a King who had led less than a stellar life. King David is a perfect example of how we fall into temptation and when it goes unchecked, into sin and yet is still loved by God. He is called in scripture the apple of God’s eye _{(Psalm 17:8)}.  How is this possible for a man who slept with another man’s wife and then had the woman’s husband killed?  Only with God is this possible. Oh, there were consequences for David’s actions to be sure; dire consequences, but God’s love for him never waned. The infant son born of Bathsheba died causing much grief and sorrow in David’s heart. In the end he knew he had sinned through a visit from Nathan the Prophet. Our actions always lead to consequences of one sort or another. Through it all God’s love for us never changes.

            God forgives without hesitation and his love is without condition, but he is not a genie in a bottle, nor is he one who winks at our sin. Forgiveness isn’t some redemptive blanket that is cast over all of mankind simply at the mention of his name.  Notice that the last six words in the above verse are “to all who call to you.” Forgiveness comes when we ask him to forgive our sin(s). It isn’t that we ask him, it’s that we ask him with a sincere and sorrowful heart.  We must come to him and confess that which he already knows. It must be done with a high level of humility, for it can be embarrassing, but it is meant to build character in us. The asking is designed to cause a change in us.

            In the end we realize that God hasn’t changed, nor will He ever, but rather we have changed. We begin to see things differently. We begin to marvel at the love God has for us. We begin to understand that the love that is defined in 1^st Corinthians 13 really represents the love God has for us. It is pretty astounding when you think about it. With all the incredibly stupid things we say and do in our lives, God still loves us. His aim is to make us whole. His aim is to change us for the better. We must surrender to His correction, allowing him to change us from the inside out. Only then will we grow and become all God knows we can be, an individual living for Him and others instead of solely for ourselves.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 36

God’s Peace

“Don’t be anxious about anything; rather bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.”- Philippians 4:6-7 Common English Bible

                  When reality stares us directly in the face it can be difficult not to be anxious, yet Paul tells the Philippians not to be anxious about anything. Bring it up to God, says Paul. What do we receive first and foremost when we pray … peace.  At times it can be instantaneous, other times it may not hit us until later when we notice that we are not anxious anymore. Can we thwart God’s peace?  I believe so if we continue to feed our fears rather than drink in the cool water of life through His word or through prayer and praise. Many handle stress by cussing and fussing or taking it out on someone else.  Many others make themselves numb to their surroundings thru drink or drugs. The only problem with that approach is that the fears and problems will still be there when we wake up the next morning. Whenever we allow God’s peace to take over the problems will still be there but they will no longer have a hold on us. 

                  God provides us with all we need to survive this life. We must tap into it regularly. We wouldn’t get very far with an empty tank of gas in our car; neither would we get very far spiritually if we didn’t feed our spirit. It must be a routine … regular, like clockwork. It matters not whether it is morning, noon or night, just that we do it. Read a devotional and ponder its meaning for today. Read a portion of scripture and roll it over in your mind, thinking of all its meanings. Don’t say you don’t have time, make time. Even five minutes is better than no minutes. You wouldn’t think of going through an entire day without eating or drinking something. We need to hydrate our spirits too. This stuff doesn’t just happen on its own. Just like an athlete doesn’t become an expert at his sport by being a couch potato, we will never be a useful soldier for God without putting in the time and effort to become one.

                  I’m not here to tell you that I never get anxious. I am speaking to myself as I write this just as much as I am speaking to the masses. I used to fret about things quite frequently as a matter of fact. I do know how to combat it … I pray. I rebuke the devil and all his demons in Jesus’ name and ask the Lord to calm me down. The situation is what it is; it isn’t going to disappear. The thing about it is that you will never walk through it alone. “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff they protect me.”_{(Psalm 23:4 CEB)} Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 35

Bearing Burdens

“Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.”- Galatians 6:2 Common English Bible

                                    We all have burdens that we carry. How much easier would our burdens be to carry if we had assistance? God provides assistance in the form of brothers and sisters in Christ. I also believe that He might send an angel to assist you, depending on the situation. What do you think Jesus would do if He were confronted with an individual whose burden was too difficult for him/her to bear alone? Based on the Gospels, I’d say it was a no brainer that He would reach out and lend a hand to lighten that person’s load. We are called to do likewise. We are given the tools needed to accomplish this as well. God never leaves us out on a limb by ourselves. He is always there to provide help when it is required. 

                  Some people we encounter are nice folks, some are gruff and unappreciative, but either way, we are not to judge by appearances or attitude, for God didn’t judge us that way. He overlooked our faults, failings and character flaws and chose to love us regardless of any of that. Is it not interesting that we have such a hard time doing the same for others.

                  We are a work in progress. When we stop reading scripture and seeking the face of God on a daily basis it is like a construction crew walking off a building site. The construction of the edifice stops. For us to grow spiritually, we must continue to feed our spirit man sustenance through the written and spoken word. Make wise choices regarding what we listen to and read. Make sure it glorifies God. If not, we are feeding garbage into our brain. If we are truly to be more like Jesus, we must feast on the word of God. How else can our faith and trust in God increase?

                  Understand that carrying each other’s burdens is not getting to heaven by works. It is rather living our lives as Christ would have … being His hand extended because it is the right thing to do, not so that we can earn a place in heaven. Nothing but the blood of Christ can purchase that for us.  In the end, we are to do what we do for the glory of God, because our relationship with Him and our understanding of what He has done for us compels us to do nothing less. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 34

Non-Conformity

“Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.”- Psalm 4:3

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”- Romans 12:2

“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.”-1 Peter 1:14

                  Sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive. When you receive Christ for the forgiveness of sins, you are then and forever more seen by God as being totally justified and sanctified; holy in His sight by virtue of the blood of Christ with which you are now cleansed. It is a process because we must live out our lives on this earth, which is an unholy place. We are tainted by it, influenced by it and need God’s help to make it through. To be holy would be to be perfect and sinless and we are not. We sin every day in some way or another.

                  According to His Word, God has set us apart to do a good work on His behalf. We are to be strangers in a strange land. We are to be non-conformists, swimming upstream against the social norm. We are just passing through on our way to glory. We have a mission, which I fear too many Christians do not realize. Our lives should entail more than just being blessed and seeking material opulence, all the while praising God for all His many blessings as we go. We are called to minister His grace and mercy to those around us. We are in a unique position in that each of us have access to people that might otherwise never even consider the importance of a relationship with God. If not for us they might simply think we are born, we live and we die … period. 

                  Let’s get one thing very clear here … I am not speaking of becoming religious or even spiritual … I am speaking about a very personal and specific relationship with Almighty God.  Knowing God intimately on a relational basis is going to take a lot more than just attending church. It will take work and time. If we are not going to conform to this world and to the evil desires that once ensnared us, we must truly know God. 

                  Let me ask you, what does God mean to you? Do you know Him well enough to know His plan for you? Do you know Him well enough to tell others about Him? We are to be set apart. We should feel uncomfortable in this world. This world is not what it appears to be. It’s all smoke and mirrors. Temptations abound. We can get duped into old habits and fooled into making God less important in our lives by virtue of the “things”we spend our time on.  Do not be fooled any longer. God loves you and is patient as we learn our lessons, but there will come a day when time will be no more and we’ll stand before our King. People don’t like to hear about the judgment of God, but it’s a real thing.  If you are His child, live like it, to the best of your ability.   When you take a tumble, get up and dust yourself off and move on.  If your walk with God is suspect, look deep inside and make a self-evaluation.  If we aren’t God’s hand extended to a lost and dying world then who will be?  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 33

Leave the Past Behind

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”-Isaiah 43:18-19

                  We all have a tendency to dwell on the past. We can’t change one thing about it, yet we replay it in our minds as if we could. It’s no benefit to us except to help prevent us from making the same mistakes we’ve made in the past. We should heed the warnings from our past, for if we don’t learn from our mistakes we will continue to make the same ones again and again.

            God tells us to forget the past; don’t dwell on it. When you woke up this morning you were given a fresh 24 hours to do something good for yourself and for your fellow man. God has a will for each and every one of us. His will is being laid out daily before us. Man’s ways are nothing like God’s ways. He makes a way where there is no way. God moves on men’s hearts and whispers thoughts into their minds via the Holy Spirit. He creates unlikely scenarios which only make sense to the righteous and unfolds His plans to perfection. Will we see it, only if we are looking for it. It all lies in the level of faith and trust we have in our Heavenly Father.

            The past is unchanging … it stands as a testament to what we have done. It doesn’t have to have any pronounced effect on what we will do going forward. Today is a new day. God is doing a new thing constantly. We must know Him to partake in what He is doing. Then we must grow in our knowledge and trust of Him. Once we do that we will begin to see things differently. Seeing life through the eyes of faith is a wonderful thing. Obstacles no longer seem like obstacles at all, but rather challenges. There is nothing this life can throw at us that God cannot see us through. The things God gives are priceless in value, unlike the things of this world which are here today and gone tomorrow. If you rely on God for all things, you will find that He truly is doing new things all the time and will do something completely different and new just for you if necessary. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 31

The Shepherd

“I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me. I know My Father as My Father knows Me. I give My life for the sheep.”- John 10:14-15 NLV

                  A shepherd is an individual who leads, directs, guards and protects with his own life the flock of animals he has been given charge over. In this case, the animals happen to be sheep. It’s interesting that God would use sheep to represent humans. What do we know about sheep? They are dumb as a post. They follow whoever leads them wherever they lead them. They wander off and get stuck in a thicket, or a ravine, or a ditch and the shepherd must come to its aid. Whether we would like to admit it or not, we are very much like sheep. Sheep readily recognize the voice of their shepherd, however, are prone to let their curiosity get the better of them. When predators close in, the shepherd is there to fend them off. When a thicket or ditch becomes a sheep’s destination, the shepherd will literally leave the entire flock to go in search of that one that is missing. 

            I believe man’s first problem when it comes to God is their seeming inability to admit that they need help from anyone, let alone some unseen deity. They believe this to their own eventual peril, for it is this “unseen deity” and onlyHim, who offer forgiveness and hope. There is nothing on this earth, no matter how grandiose, that can forgive sins or offer hope of a better tomorrow. God alone freely offers this in exchange for our surrender.  

            Just as the shepherd would literally give his life to protect his flock, so Christ did  give His own life for the salvation of mankind. For those who have embraced salvation, we know His voice. Out of this knowing, emerge faith and trust, reliance and hope. We cling to promises, such as “I am the same yesterday, today and forever”_{(Hebrews 13:8)} and “Fear not, for I am with you”. _{(Isaiah 41:10)}  As we familiarize ourselves with His nature and the multitude of promises He has laid out in scripture, we begin to see why complete reliance and trust in Him is necessary to experience the full range of blessings He has prepared for His children. He guides and directs us into the greenest of pastures for our own sake. To receive all Christ has for us, we must surrender … for without complete surrender, we are blinded by everything this world represents and prone to being led down a path that may lead to our destruction.  Focus on the Lord.  Seek Him.  Strive to know Him.  He will honor that request and as a result your life will never be the same. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 30

Yielding to God

“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.”- Job 22:21-23

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”-3 John 1:2  NKJV

                  Yielding to God seems like it would be easy, but it can be very difficult if you have a mind to do something or go somewhere that is contrary to His word and potentially, His will for you. The prosperity you receive from God is more far reaching than how the world sees prosperity. It can be wealth, but in God’s economy, the prosperity of your soul is far more important than all the riches this world offers.  Following His instructions requires knowing those instructions. His word acts as a guide book. We wouldn’t buy a new car without making sure it had a manual in the glove box to give us the key information needed to operate the vehicle. The Bible was given to man to provide a variety of functions: it’s a history book, a book of parables, a rule book, a book of life lessons and so much more. How many times does it gather dust on a coffee table or bookshelf? The more we read His word, the more we will know His word and as a result the better we will know its author. 

                  Walking with God provides peace in your spirit. God is not a tough task master. He doesn’t desire that we should struggle each and every day with choices that are clearly decided for us in scripture. If something is wrong, it is universally wrong and not just wrong in certain circumstances.  The same is true if something is right. Scripture teaches us that in God “there is no shadow of turning”_{(James 1:17)}. He is perfect. He doesn’t change His mind. His instructions are pure and holy and true at all times and applicable in all situations. To achieve the peace and prosperity that the Bible speaks of in Job, we must first surrender to the will of God. Nothing He commands us to do is harmful to us. Although things may not have gone the way you wished they would have, can you honestly say you would be better off on your own? Can you see the future? Do you know all that will transpire in your life as an outcome of the choices you make? The answer to those questions is not just “no”, but a resounding “NO!”. God always knows what’s best.  He makes a way of escape from our temptations.  He provides everything we need to be content in this life. Now we need to simply fall back on our faith and trust in Him to see us through any and all obstacles as we seek to serve Him.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 29

You Are a Blessing

 “… I will bless you … And you shall be a blessing.”- Genesis 12:2 NKJV

                  God is speaking to Abram; it is before God changed his name to Abraham. Abram meant“exalted father”; Abraham meant “father of a multitude”for God was going to bless him beyond measure. His promise to Abram was that He would make his descendants as plentiful as there were stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). What a wonderful promise. 

I would like to focus on the words shown above. Have you ever wanted to be a blessing to someone, but didn’t know how? I have. I learned some time ago that I was not to take the blessing given to me by my Heavenly Father and keep it to myself. I was to share it in whatever way I could.  I am here to tell you that if you are blessed of God, you will be a blessing. I have gone so far as to pray thusly: “Lord, I ask that you would bless me abundantly, not just so that I am blessed, but so that I may bless others.” I am not bragging about that. It was just something that I felt in my heart was the right thing to do, something I felt was ordained by God and something that I felt would be pleasing to Him. 

                  If we truly believe that our Heavenly Father is our provider and sustainer in this life, that all things come through His providential hand in one way or another, then why would we want to accumulate it and keep it all to ourselves? We are to disperse it and touch other lives with it. It might be financial or material in nature or it might be a simple kindness or word of encouragement or edification, it doesn’t matter. If God is in it, it will be a blessing to someone. We will be God’s hand extended. 

                  Those words in Genesis 12:2 stood out to me in a special way. Several years ago I found myself in a transitional period in my life. Many changes had occurred, not all for the good and yet I sit here a blessed man. I recognize that what I no longer have I didn’t need and that which I have, although meager by comparison, is more than enough. I don’t bemoan my situation; I revel in my God Who has His loving hand upon me this very moment and is working on my behalf to bless me, that I may be a blessing to those around me. 

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”_{(John 15:5 NKJV)}

I honestly believe that without the blessing of God in my life and the inspiration and direction of His Holy Spirit, I would be incapable of doing anything of true eternal value in this life. When I say we should reach out a hand of blessing to all those around us, I say it recognizing that it is what God is moving upon me to do. Surrender your inhibitions and fears to God and be used by Him to bless others with the immense blessings He has given you. Spend some time thinking of all the blessings you have that can be attributed to your Heavenly Father and then thank Him for them and spread them around. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 28

Tomorrow

“God called the light ‘day’, and the darkness he called ‘night’. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”- Genesis 1:5

            I’m happy to report to you that no matter what has happened to you today, there’s always another day … a new day; a clean slate day; a day where everything is fresh and bright and yesterday is history. I believe all things happen for a reason. I believe God is aware of everything that happens in His universe; every single thing. I believe that God is in ultimate control of all things because, simply put, if He were not, He couldn’t possibly be who He says He is. The scriptures are clear; He is all-knowing, all-seeing and all-powerful. How can a created being know more, see more and be stronger than its creator? It’d be impossible.

            Every negative event in my life has come with a lesson attached to it. It was my job to be quiet and attentive so that I might determine what God was trying to teach me. So many believers spend their time griping and complaining about the terrible events that have befallen them, when they could be learning how to be more like their Heavenly Father. I’ve spent my fair share of time belly aching about this or that and have gotten quite angry at times as well, I’m embarrassed to admit. Fortunately, once the dust settled, I allowed myself to calm down and it was then that I was able to seek God regarding the matter. 

            We live in a broken and sin sick world. Bad things happen to good people all the time; but good people are able to rise above the chaos of this world, thanks to the peace that God provides. Unfortunately, because we are not perfect, we will stumble and fall many more times throughout the remainder of our lives. If we learn our lessons well we will not have a repeat performance in the future. 

            Have you done something you feel is unforgivable? Are you involved in something you know you shouldn’t be? There’s hope for you my friend. There is peace to be found, but it can only be found in one place … in the arms of God. He casts no stones. He offers a free pardon. All He asks in exchange is your surrender to His will. It’s both the hardest thing you will ever have to do and the easiest as well.  Once you realize that it’s not all about you, but that there is something and someone that is much bigger than you, it becomes easy to surrender. You cannot defeat the enemy alone, but with Christ you can be victorious in all things each and every day; so always remember tomorrow is a new day. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL - Day 27

Making the Impossible Possible

“Jesus replied,‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’”- Luke 18:27

                         Impossible - not able to occur, exist, or be done

                  Possible - able to be done; within the power or capacity of someone or something                  

                  In the gospel of Luke an incident occurs regarding a wealthy young ruler who approaches Jesus and asks Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give it to the poor, then follow Him. This saddened the rich young ruler for his wealth was very great. He went away the same as he had come. Forgiveness isn’t something that can be purchased or bartered. It requires faith and a surrendering of your will. The disciples were surprised by Jesus’ words and asked Him who could possibly enter in the kingdom of God if not someone such as the rich young ruler? That is the context in which we find the above verse of scripture. Giving up everything seems extreme, but if the Lord requires it of us, then we must obey. Money can’t remove our problems, nor can it bring us lasting contentment. Money tends to brings more problems than it solves and whatever we have never seems to be enough. This is why the Bible says in Matthew 6:24 that we can’t serve two masters. It has to be one or the other. 

Perhaps you’re in a situation that looks extremely difficult.  Maybe to the human eye there is no way it can be accomplished.  It’s at that point we must remember God doesn’t see things the way we do. He is the great I AM. He existed before creation.  He created everything we can see all around us. Is there anything that could be impossible for Him?  The mere question itself flies directly in the face of God’s very nature.

                  Doesn’t it seem strange, even preposterous, that we would place our trust in temporal things and not even consider giving credence to the maker of all things?  It’s all tied to what we place our faith in.

“… without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”_{(Hebrews 11:6)}     

                  Trust in God.  Believe in Him to do that which seems totally illogical and impossible. He can do as He wishes at any time for time is irrelevant to Him.  Scripture says “a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day” to God. _{(2 Pet. 3:8)}  That which seems impossible, is possible with God.  You can count on it. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller