Life Happens

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  

          Some folks spend years trying to find out what God’s will for them is. Well, here is part of it. There are two words that stand out to me – all circumstances. That is difficult to do most of the time. It is only when we spend time with God and allow ourselves to grow spiritually that we come to that place. Thanking God for a trying or even life changing set of circumstances can tend to be the last thing we would do, but all things happen for a reason and God is mindful of everything that touches us. He will see us through any and all circumstances.

          I believe it is when we take the time to rejoice, pray and give thanks for said circumstances we find peace. It’s the kind that scripture refers to as the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). God is watching and is only a prayer away. Rejoicing and giving thanks in spite of what is happening to us is a sign that spiritual maturity is taking hold and is changing us. It is then that we can be an example to those around us. It doesn’t mean we don’t feel the weight and pain associated with our circumstance; it means that we recognize in our heart and mind that God is truly in control and nothing will happen to us that He will not enable us to endure. He didn’t take us this far to leave us. He loves us and wants us to grow in grace and knowledge. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

·       Philippians 4:6-8 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.…”

Becoming Spiritually Mature

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”- Ephesians 4:32

          We all have a tendency to say and do things we regret. There are times we wish we could hit rewind and have it to do all over again. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. It is in the maturation process of our spirit man that we begin to shed these ungodly habits. And that is exactly what they are; very bad habits. Things that we have allowed ourselves to think, say and do that have become ingrown in our psyche and in our daily routine. We must break the cycle. We can by lifting it up to God regularly and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us the better way to handle ourselves as followers of Christ. We must allow God to progressively work in us so that we are proper ambassadors for Him.

          This is not an instantaneous event, but rather something we grow into as we walk with Christ, but first we must have the desire to change. Our salvation and resulting indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the start. Now we must allow Him to guide and direct us. We can ignore the Spirit’s leading without question, we are not robots, but don’t beat yourselves up about it. Learn and grow at the feet of God and submit to His ways. He knows what He’s doing and knows what He wants you to do for the Kingdom. It must all be for His glory and not our own. Everything in life takes time; even your spiritual maturation. Surrender to His will for you and you will be amazed at the results. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Seeking the Lord

“Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways.”- Psalm 119:2-3

            What does it mean to seek God with all your heart? The Psalmist is not speaking of something that takes place externally. He is speaking of an obedience that comes from the deepest of faith in our Lord. When we speak of the heart, we are involving our intellect, our will and our emotions. It is in a manner of speaking an act of worship by our whole being. We would be doing what is expected of us … to keep God’s statutes and walk in His ways. To not do so as a follower of Christ would make our life a foolish endeavor; a colossal waste of our time. Christ didn’t die for us to play church. He also didn’t die for us to limply drag ourselves thru life in defeat. To seek Him brings a positive disposition, along with peace and joy in our hearts.

                  We live in perilous times, but we must never forget that God is still and always will be in full control.

There is a reason that all the evil is being unleashed upon us. God is allowing it for it is all part of His grand plan. We have nothing to fear if we are seeking Him with all our heart and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Regardless of what happens to any of us, God knows what He’s doing. It’s time to take an unwavering stand for the Lord. We need to raise up our voices in prayer and praise for the end may be nearer than we think, and only God and His children will be left standing in the end. Lord, we bless and praise your name for you are worthy of all praise, glory and honor. Amen. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Sources: NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible; NKJV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition; Reformation Study Bible; Bible Gateway.

The Works of God

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”- Ecclesiastes 11:5

          God, who is the Maker of all things, is so far above us in intellect and power that it’s impossible to comprehend all that He is let alone all He can do. Solomon, in all his wisdom, describes two things in this world that we cannot see or understand: the path of the wind and a fetus formed in a mother’s womb. They are both cause for wonder, yet we don’t understand the magnitude of what is taking place. If we would only spend time marveling at His creation and give Him praise for who He is, but instead we fritter away our days with things that seem important to us at the time, yet in the eternal scheme of things are, in fact, very trivial. 

          God does as He chooses because He knows us intimately; much better than we know ourselves. He knows what we need and readily provides it. He looks after us as a shepherd looks after his flock. He protects us and seeks to guide us into spiritual prosperity, yet all we can seem to think about is prosperity of a monetary ilk. We seek to grab the leader’s staff and take control when any control at all is impossible without Almighty God giving it to us. Someday we will understand as we are understood; until that day, let us take the time to truly marvel at His majesty and be awe struck by His power and might. He loves us unconditionally, and that, in spite of ourselves. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Our Mighty Warrior God

“On that day they will say to Jerusalem, ‘Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.’”- Zephaniah 3:16-17

          There are folks in this world who seem to think that those who profess Christ are just weak-willed individuals who are in need of a crutch to make it through this life. They obviously know nothing about God. The Lord God Almighty is a warrior who protects His own and before Whom all shall bow someday. Followers of Christ have nothing to fear, for their Lord and Savior is ever mindful of their circumstances and is ready to intercede on our behalf. If you are in a difficult situation today, know that God has His ever-watching eye on you and is orchestrating circumstances all around you to enable you to win the day. 

          Christians aren’t weak-kneed people who need to be propped up, we are people who have the guts to step out of their comfort zone and believe in the unseen. We have placed our faith and trust in a Deity whom we believe exists. Non-believers do not have the courage to believe in what they cannot see with their own eyes and understanding. Living for God is not for the weak or faint hearted. It is an exhilarating ride through life that enables you to do things you never dreamed of. “Do not let your hands hang limp”; raise them high to the risen Lord and glorify His name, for He is worthy of all praise. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Infinite Love

“… from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”- Psalm 103:17-18

          Simply put, the Psalmist is saying that God’s love for His own has no end and it directed towards those who respect and revere Him with awe. Those who call themselves Christians must keep His covenant and obey His word. It is all laid out for us; all we need to do is embrace it and live it with His help. We have to be careful with the word fear here. We aren’t to be afraid of God, but rather in awe of His might and power. Those outside the family of God should be very afraid, but those who strive to please God and live according to His precepts have absolutely nothing whatsoever to fear.

pre•cept n. 1. A rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct.

          “… a course of action or conduct”; God’s Word has it all spelled out. Our righteousness is secured through the actions of Christ on the cross at Calvary. The love of God is an amazing thing, if it is fair to even call it a thing. The love of God induces an emotion from us, or at least it should, that gives birth to reassurance and hope. Regardless of our situation or circumstance, God’s love remains the same; the one true constant in a world of inconsistency. Serve God with your whole heart. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Leave the details to the Lord. He knows us better than we know ourselves and knows every need that we have. He is our Heavenly Father. He loves us, now and forever. If you find that no one in this life loves you and I’m talking tangible love and not just lip service, know that the Creator of your beating heart loves you more than you could ever comprehend. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Being Spiritually Fit

“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Some of us spend an inordinate amount of time working our bodies as if we would live forever in this present state. The simple reality of it is that from the moment we are born our bodies start an unalterable move toward death. We can eat better foods and live our lives in a healthy state or conversely, eat and drink ourselves into a state far less desirable. In the end we shall all die. However, for the Christian, there is the hope of eternal glory that awaits them.

We must as believers allow our eyes of faith to see that which others cannot as we move through this life God has given us. A fit body is a very good thing, but being spiritually fit is far more important, for it has eternal implications. As we seek and serve God in our everyday lives, we are being renewed each day. The troubles we encounter are nothing compared to what awaits us on the other side. Be of good cheer, God loves you unconditionally and shall lead you through the potholes of life. This world is temporal … “a chasing after the wind”. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* Ecclesiastes 1:14, 17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 6:9.

Accountability

“… we will all give an account of ourselves to God.”- Romans 14:12

          We have been given such a wonderful gift. It’s called life. Some embrace it & live; others neglect or abuse it & waste away. What we do in this life that we’ve been given matters to God. He created us to worship Him & to live for Him that we might receive the multitude of blessings He provides for His creation. We so readily get drawn onto tangent paths which take us places that appear to be good but turn out bad. We will stand before God someday. What will He say about our life? Notice I asked what He will say to us, not what will We say to Him. I truly don’t believe we will be saying anything, just listening, perhaps some of us for the first time. 

         We need to remember that we have been called to serve. We serve a merciful God. He is slow to anger and abounding in mercy. Someday we will have the privilege of standing before Him. What will He say to us? Did we stand for Him? Did we live for Him? Did we live for others or did we live our lives solely for ourselves? A glorious life can be diminished by simply living for oneself rather than for others. God is watching, not to swat us into submission, but rather to protect & guide us into all truth. We should avail ourselves of all He has to offer us. We can look at His creation with new eyes and see the beauty in it, rather than the dysfunction. We are beautiful in God’s sight and a blessing to Him. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 ac•count•a•ble adj. responsible to someone for one’s conduct; answerable.

The Mind of God

“Who can fathom the mind of the Lord or instruct the Lord as his counselor?”- Isaiah 40:13  

          While I have known people in my life who thought they knew everything, in reality, they did not (but don’t tell them). Our Heavenly Father is the only one who is truly omniscient. It is one of His three main attributes; omnipresent and omnipotent being the other two. We can neither know, nor comprehend the mind of God. While it is said that we only use 10% of our brain capacity, it could be surmised and generally accepted as true that God uses 100% of His capacity to think. Our intellect pales in comparison to His. There is nothing on this created globe that can compare to Him. 

          I mention this for the following reason: if God knows everything, it stands to reason that He knows where you are at this very second and what you are doing as well. If God knows everything, then it also stands to reason that He knows your every thought before you think it, word before you say it and action before you do it. Both scary and comforting at the same time; it all depends on what you are thinking, saying or doing at that moment in time. Give yourself over to the Almighty Jehovah God, Creator of the Universe and man’s first breath. He loves you and seeks to bless you. You have nothing to fear if you are right with Him.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*Omniscient means “having total knowledge; knowing everything.”

What Awaits Us ...

 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” - Romans 8:18

          The suffering spoken of in Romans is the suffering done for preaching the gospel of Christ. Any suffering cannot be dismissed lightly, however, any suffering done for Christ’s sake is nothing compared to the glory & wonder of heaven that awaits all believers. No matter how bad our life may be, there is always someone who has it worse. Our goal is not to focus on the pain, but rather on the outcome. 

          Physical pain, mental stress & strain, emotional roller coaster rides are all things we are forced to deal with & endure, perhaps not for the cause of Christ, but they are real nonetheless & cause us to suffer. My friends, you can be sure of this - nothing in this world compares to that which awaits us in heaven. If heaven is anything like it is depicted in scripture & anything like the God we serve, then it is going to be one unbelievable place. God knows what He’s doing. Our sufferings are only for a time & shall pass. We must continue to exercise our faith and trust Him who made us. Christians don’t have pristine, perfect lives. We stumble and fall; if we get cut, we bleed just like anyone else. We are flawed & broken, but we have a future that rivals anything Hollywood can conjure up. Our hope outshines any suffering we must endure this side of heaven. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Trust God!

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid?”- Psalm 56:4 

          David wrote this regarding men who were in pursuit of him with the desire to kill him. He was aware that mortal men can only kill his body, but never take his soul from him, nor his faith and trust in God. However, the words above as they stand should shine like a beacon into our hearts, for while men are likely not in pursuit of us, there are many things we tend to fear in this life. If we are a follower of Christ, we have put our trust in the One who gave us life. As we have walked with Him, we have realized that He can be trusted and that His word is true. There is nothing to fear. 

          When I say there is nothing to fear, I do not say it lightly. We allow worry into our lives regarding things we have no control over and that worry turns to fret which gives birth to full blown fear. If we truly believe in God then what do we believe in Him for, fluffy clouds and sunny days? We can believe in Him for everything. When we speak to Him, He hears us. When we are in trouble, He saves us. We only need to ask. Some have trouble asking for anything, thinking that given enough time they will figure it out and provide their own solution. Wouldn’t it be so much better to ask and receive from the source Who knows the right solution instead of playing a guessing game? God can be trusted; His word is absolutely true, and we have absolutely nothing at all to fear in this life. Trust God!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Time Waits for No Man

“A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by …”- Psalm 90:4 

          Time; it seems like such a precious commodity to us. We rush to and fro as if our lives depended on it. We travel on our highways as if we are in death race, darting from lane to lane. Where is everyone going in such a hurry? We live as if someone has placed an hourglass in front of us and our time is running out. It is the opposite with Almighty God. Apparently, according to the Psalmist, time means nothing to God; a thousand years goes by like nothing. When we compare our own longevity to a thousand years it is like a single drop of water in the ocean. When each day is like a thousand years patience is required. Perhaps this is why God is so patient with His creation, because He knows He has as much time as is necessary to accomplish His will for each of us. He is the creator of time so He can do as He pleases without fear of time running out for, He determines when the clock stops.

          Of course, just because God controls time, this in no way means that we should be careless with the time that has been given us. Once a single minute has passed it is gone; irretrievable. Our time spent each day should be thoughtfully laid out. We should make the best use of our time so as not to waste it frivolously. Matthew 6:34 tells us not to worry about tomorrow … live in the present; deal with today. Tomorrow will come soon enough so slow down. Enjoy the life God has given you. That’s right; whether we believe it or not, God gave us the time we have each day. How will we spend it? We can’t horde it like some material possession. As stated, once it’s gone, it’s gone. What have we done for Christ today? Have we blessed another or lived only to bless ourselves? Stop looking at your watch and relax; take a deep breath and live … for God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Being Spiritually Fine-Tuned

“David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, ‘Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.’”- 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

          The Lord God is over all things. Here David is claiming just that. David knew his God & God knew David. He was considered the apple of God’s eye _{(Psalm 17:7-9)} & a man after God’s own heart _{(Acts 13:22)}. David was flawed just like you & I, yet those things could still be said of him. God is over all for He has made all things. The beauty that surrounds us testifies to His creativity. We too are beautiful. We were made in His image & are unique in that not one of us is the same. Even identical twins have differences. Everything that we have is because of God. Anything that has a true value is from Him. If we are a true believer, then our soul is His & our spirit can be attuned to Him. 

          It's a shame that we become too busy to fine tune our spirit relationship with our Heavenly Father, yet He patiently waits for us to get our collective acts together. We should recognize & not ignore who our freedom comes from & who our savior truly is. It would take a monumental effort to secure a meeting with the President of the United States, but we can meet with the Creator of the entire universe any time of the day or night. Its’ really up to us how close we choose to get to Him. God is waiting for us to make time for Him. What would our lives be like if He hadn’t made time for us? Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Joy in the Midst of Chaos

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”- Habakkuk 3:17-18 

          Habakkuk is praying to Jehovah God in the third chapter as he sees Him trample his enemies underfoot. Habakkuk is awestruck by the power displayed & the vengeance brought against his enemies. In the end of the prayer Habakkuk is resolute as he states that no matter what may happen to him, he will rejoice in the Lord. Habakkuk sees the ferocious way that God repays evil done against His children & recognizes that only God can deliver him from his calamity. He humbly acknowledges that God is the one who is over all & shall provide for & sustain him.

          If we were in the same situation, how would we act? No food, no job, no money to pay bills … what is going on? God was mindful of Habakkuk & He is mindful of us as well. We are not in danger of anything other than the discomfort of having our routine disrupted. Habakkuk, being a prophet, was targeted & in danger of death from enemies that rose up against the people of God continually throughout the Old Testament. In all three chapters of Habakkuk, the overriding theme is that the just shall live by faith. It is faith that leads to trust & as believers we need to know we can trust God. It is a conscious decision we must make; do we trust God or not? If we do, then we should understand two things; that nothing is impossible for God & that His timing rarely syncs up with ours. God’s will is beginning to unfold right in your midst. Your prayers are in the process of being answered. Seek His will for your life & then praise God from whom all blessings flow. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Our Guide & Advocate

“After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him. Then a voice from heaven said, “‘This is my Son, whom I love—my Son with whom I am pleased.’” - Matthew 3:16-17 (GOD’S WORD Translation) 

            Here we see our Heavenly Father proclaiming that Jesus is His Son. The dove coming down from the heavens to Him is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. In our day, the dove is used most commonly in non-Christian circles as a symbol of peace, often times with an olive branch in its mouth. While Jesus is the embodiment of peace, it is the Holy Spirit that is paramount in this case and not the ever elusive ‘peace’. The Holy Spirit is given to us as a guide and advocate. He is readily available to us at all times and resides within us if we have received salvation. The gift of the Spirit is secondary to salvation of course, but He is most necessary in our walk with Christ. Going it alone in this life is like going out of your house without clothing. It is like going into battle without a weapon. We certainly wouldn’t do that, so why do we go about our business without a second thought given to our greatest helper?

            There is a second lesson in these two verses for us and that is the issue of baptism. It is a public proclamation of the change that has taken place in our life. We are to follow Jesus’ example in baptism, which is symbolic of the old nature dying and the new nature rising up from a watering grave to live on. It is done in the name of the Triune God; the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Obedience is sought by our God. It’s the least we can do in response to what has been done for us, don’t you think?  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

One Day All Shall Bow

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

                  Jesus, who is God in the flesh, came to earth to play out the Father’s plan for the salvation of mankind. When He died on the cross He went to hell & back, thus defeating Satan. Therefore, through His actions, Christ has clear dominion over all regions of the earth. All who exist in heaven, on earth & in hell shall one day kneel & declare Jesus Christ Lord. God’s plans are never thwarted. Don’t forget, He is all-powerful, all-knowing & in all places at one time by His Spirit. There is no one else in existence who can say that. And there is also no one in creation who can challenge Him. There are those who fancy themselves as something special. Their arrogance makes them feel almost godlike in a way, but even they will be compelled to bow before Christ on that appointed day.

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

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Child-like Faith

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, & do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”- Matthew 19:14 

            Children are a wonderful blessing from God. They are remarkable creations. As they grow, they begin to look to us for sustenance & assistance. They start to rely on us & trust us. Trust is synonymous with faith & it’s there that our comparison lies; we are to have faith & trust in God the same way a small child has faith & trust in their parents. We take care of our children; God takes care of us. Logic has nothing to do with it. Finances & cool calculations have nothing to do with it either. It’s not anything we have to figure out; it’s simply learning to rely on God for everything. It’s more difficult for an individual who wasn’t brought up in a home where their parents have faith in God. 

                  We grow up learning to question anything & everything we don’t understand. Faith in God isn’t something that is all that easy to understand in the beginning. Sometimes it never makes a whole lot of sense to us, because believing in an unseen spirit can be challenging. In spite of that obstacle, we are to trust God without hesitation the way a small child does his parents.         

                  The kingdom of heaven is made up of those who have readily & unhesitatingly received & believed in the unseen God. While there is an element of mystery to it all, becoming comfortable in our faith erases that. Eventually it’s not mysterious at all as we rely more & more on the maker of the heavens. It strikes me as odd that some folks would rather bash faith as something for the weak minded, instead of seriously considering it as an alternative to the way they are living. Selfish, self-absorbed people who have no intention of letting go of the power & control they THINK they have over their own lives are the ones who ridicule what they cannot understand. Little do they realize they actually have no power or control over anything. We all must understand what the kingdom of heaven truly is: a place where evil cannot dwell & faith, trust, peace & mercy reside. It takes seeing it through the eyes of a child to understand. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries      

Rid Yourself of These Things

“Rid yourselves of all malice & all deceit, hypocrisy, envy & slander of ever kind.”- 1 Peter 2

                  God, in His infinite wisdom, has given us an entire book which chronicles the history of the Hebrew nation; their rejection of Christ as their Messiah & the grafting in of the gentiles as recipients of the precious gift of salvation that was originally meant for God’s chosen people, the Jews.  In its pages we, as believers in Christ, are instructed regarding many important topics. Perhaps one that is most important are those negative attributes listed in our headline verse. They are particularly important to avoid because they can be so incredibly devious & destructive both within & outside the body of Christ.

                  We are to rid ourselves of these heinous  character flaws without question. We are still human & therefore prone to exhibit these flaws from time to time. It takes a conscience effort to rid ourselves of such behavior patterns. Life can be cruel & those in it are the ones who are administering the cruelty. We must not lash out in anger. We must not be two-faced. We must not wish ill upon them or anyone for that matter. It’s a battle that we will face so often at times that it will seem continuous. We must embrace Christ, so we become all God intends us to be in this life. Without Christ in our lives, we will succumb to the temptation of living out each & every one of those negative personality traits & will be miserable in the process. Surrender your will to God. Only He can save us from ourselves. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Definitions:
Malice: A desire to harm others or see others suffer; extreme ill will; spiteful.Deceit: The act of falsification; misrepresentation.

Living by Faith

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”- Romans 1:17 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”- Hebrews 11:1 

          Why is having faith important? To not have faith is to believe only what you can see, taste and touch for yourself. To not have faith is to be like ‘Doubting’ Thomas who wouldn’t believe Christ was alive from the dead until he could touch where the nails had entered His hands and where the spear had pierced His side (John 20:19-31). We are being asked as Christians to believe in the unseen. The world says, “seeing is believing”; Christians say, “not seeing we believe anyway”. It must seem strange to non-believers that those who believe place their trust in something or someone they cannot sit down and have a conversation with. Believing such a thing defies logic. Even the fact that a man would willingly die for another man is illogical. Who would do such a thing? It boggles the mind of believers and non-believers alike. Yet we are not being asked to understand it; there is nothing to figure out. Belief and trust is what we are being asked to embrace; belief in an unseen deity who exists in an unseen spiritual realm. 

          Once we let go of our sensibilities and consider the possibilities of such a thing actually being true, we open ourselves up to God’s Spirit, who can expand our vision and ignite the ember that resides within us all. Once we give God the chance to change us from the inside out, we will never be the same. Everything looks different; we begin to see things we never saw before. We see things through spiritual eyes. 

          We are not just asked to belief but also to rely on God. Believing is one thing but allowing God to guide and direct you is quite another. As we begin to know God better through reading and hearing the word preached, we start to embark on a wonderful journey. We need to be Christ centered in our thinking and our actions. It’s a growing process that never ends. If we allow God to do His work in us it will be impossible to remain the same as we once were. 

          We are seen by God as righteous through our acceptance of the forgiveness freely given. Our righteousness was born out of our faith to believe the unseen. A heavy price was paid for our redemption. A price we were and still are unable to pay. We must live our lives soberly, enjoying it, but not abusing it. In the end our lives speak volumes to those all around us. Make your life count for the kingdom. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Immeasurable Power of God

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”- Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

                  Since there is nothing on this earth that could possibly compare to the power & majesty of Almighty God, I think most followers of Christ underestimate what He is able to do. According to His Word, it seems clear that there is NOTHING He cannot do either for us or against our enemies. Compared to God our mental faculties are rather puny. We cannot even in our wildest imaginings understand all that our Lord is capable of. He does as He so chooses & everything is does is orchestrated for His children’s ultimate good.

                  If we have dedicated our lives to follow Him, then that power that flows from God is within us. We don’t take advantage of it because we don’t realize it’s there. Now this doesn’t mean we are all superheroes with limitless power. That would no doubt bring catastrophic results due to man’s ego, self-centeredness & penchant for making poor decisions. What we do is to be to the glory of God alone & for the advancement of His kingdom. We are to act humbly, with kindness, mercy & compassion towards all. There is no room for personal agendas or a self-serving attitude.

                  The glory of Christ & His church is meant to be carried on throughout all generations. God’s Kingdom is eternal. It’s like the fabled ‘Never-Ending Story’ … it just goes on & on forever. And forever is a very long time. Study God’s Word to find out all that He can do & stand on His promises that we might live without fear in a world that breeds chaos. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

God Preserves Us

“Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.” – Psalm 138: 6-8 NIV

                                    “A song of praise for God’s saving help against threatening foes—understood by many to have been originally on the lips of a king.” * There is no question that God is to be lifted high for he is the creator of all things. If you choose to believe that then these verses above should be an encouragement to you. The Lord sees us wherever we are and even though we may stand and walk in the very middle of a troubled spot the Lord will keep us safe from harm. ‘To preserve’ is to keep from injury, peril and/or harm. In other words, God will protect us. I don’t know that this means we can purposely walk straight into trouble, such as a riot, a battle or some death-defying situation. I believe it means more like we are going about our business and find ourselves in the midst of trouble. Perhaps that trouble finds us, rather than we seek out trouble. 

                  Scripture tells us that God is to us like a strong tower and a mighty fortress. Think about that for a moment. A tower is a either a building or part of a building that is exceptionally high in proportion to its width and length. Therefore, the Lord sits high above our enemies with us behind its’ walls.  A fortress is a building with stone walls anywhere from 4 to 8 feet thick with us inside. Needless to say, we are protected by our Lord regardless of our circumstances.

                  The love of God is endless for it “endures forever”. The cry is for him not to forsake his children, who are “the works of (his) hands”. This is an especially pertinent and encouraging word for us today, for there now exists in our country a large amount of chaotic turbulence that is meant to bring fear and doubt to the people of this land. For those who unequivocally believe in God, his word and his ability to save, forgive, guide and protect, this is great news. It reestablishes the truth against any doubts you may have. Don’t allow your faith and trust in God to waver. He is our rock, the one bastion of truth in a sea of lies and misinformation. Trust God above all others. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*NIV Bible Study Notes

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 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.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Christ life ... don't just speak it, LIVE IT!

God's Word is Eternal

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” – Matthew 24:35 NIV

            Scripture throughout is clear, God’s word is flawless & eternal. It’s easy for some to point a finger saying they believe the Bible is simply another book or that it is not infallible. Believe what you choose but be very careful with your decision. There will come a day when it will be too late to change your mind. 

For what it’s worth, I’ve served the Lord for 41 years & I have never known the Word of God to ever be proven false or flawed in any way. Jesus declares in our headline verse that all else will disappear from our sight, but God’s Word will never, ever pass away. Someday there will be a new heaven & earth*, meaning the current state of affairs will no longer exist. Those groups that seem to be in control & moving forward will all be smote by the mighty hand of God at the appointed time. Just because it has yet to happen doesn’t mean it won’t. It’s all related to what we choose to believe.

God’s Word was given to us as a tool to instruct, encourage, inspire, not to mention bring us peace & hope. There is power in His Word. God cannot be defeated. When Christ died on Calvary’s Hill the devil thought he had won … until 3 days later Christ was raised from the dead, thus conquering death & the grave for all time. If we ever had a trusted word to believe in it is the Word of God. Believe it, receive it & live its teachings. And pray for our President, Vice-President, the cabinet, the Congress, churches throughout the world, missionaries that they & we might lift up Jesus name like never before so God will move against the forces of evil that appear to be forging ahead against what is righteous & good in this world. Through the power of our collective prayers Satan shall gain no further ground. We must rebuke the devil in Jesus name & keep rebuking him and his demons continuously. I’ve read the back of the book & we win. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

*“… in keeping with his promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” – 2 Peter 3:13 NIV

We're a Blessed Nation

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”- Psalm 33:12a

            The people of His inheritance is Israel, however, because of their rejection of Christ, the door was opened for gentiles to receive God’s grace and mercy. This great country of ours was founded on such principles. Sadly, the influence of Satan has permeated much of our landscape. Being given a free will to choose allows us to do as we please. The positive side of that is that when we choose to serve God we do so willingly without coercion. We don’t have to follow the ways of God, but we can. The United States of America was and is great because its’ people as a whole are great. There are still millions of Americans who love this country and believe strongly in God. 

            This nation is currently on a path of destruction. Poor decisions and poor leadership have taken us here. We can rise up as one nation under God again, but it will take the commitment of believers to pray each day that our nation might rise up as a beacon for God among the nations. Freedom is not, nor was it ever free. It was bought with a price. Let us not be reckless, but strong in the face of adversity. May God’s perfect will be done for our great nation. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Word for the Day