The Sea of Forgetfulness

“If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, … who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.”- Psalm 130:3-4 

          God doesn’t give us a ‘wink and a nod’ when it comes to sin. He also doesn’t keep a list of our transgressions should we seek forgiveness. Psalm 103:12 tells us that God removes our sin from us as far as the east is from the west and remembers it against us no longer. Is this a flaw in His character? Does God have a faulty memory? No, my friends, that's not the case at all. God chooses, in His great mercy to never hold our past sins against us ever again. When we ask Him to forgive our transgressions with a sincere and sorrowful heart, He is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9). He places them all in the Sea of Forgetfulness, never to bring them up again. The enemy of our soul reminds us constantly of our past indiscretions, but not our Lord. Any condemnation that is heaped upon us needs to be recognized for what it is. The enemy would have us be ineffective for the Lord; however, be encouraged, for God loves you and we stand completely and totally forgiveness in His sight. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Following God's Decrees

“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.  Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.  They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.” - Psalm 119:1-3

A person of integrity is one who adheres to a strict, unwavering moral and ethical code. A Christian needs to be that type of person.  One who follows the decrees of the Lord.  One who keeps themselves unspoiled by the world.  One who is continuously sincere in their intentions.  A person who keeps the truth of God tucked in his heart and lives by it.  Too many people today base their faith on being a good, kind person, yet has never seen the need to surrender their will completely over to Jesus Christ. 

The person who searches for God will search for Him not with their minds, but with their hearts.  The spiritual pilgrimage they embark on will enable them to find true happiness and contentment.  There is no other way to heaven but by the narrow path God lays before each redeemed soul.  We must not compromise our faith with evil, for then we make His grace and mercy a cheap thing. 

We must take the time to learn of the character of the Lord and then, with the help of the Holy Spirit within, must begin to imitate what we have learned.  The world needs an infusion of truth and they are more likely to listen if we show them the love of Christ, rather than simply talk about it.  Be Christ to those around you.  Especially in this day and age when Christianity is mocked and ridiculed as a sham.  Now more than ever we must be Christ to our world. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources:  The American Heritage Dictionary; The Matthew Henry Bible Commentary and The Reformation Study Bible.

God's Favor

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father (and the Lord Jesus Christ*).” - Colossians 1:2b 

This is a common greeting the Apostle Paul started his letters with. What a kind & lovely thing to say to someone. God’s grace is His undeserved favor. His grace is transforming. It matures us and leads us deeper into the intimacy of our relationship with Christ. 

The fact of the matter is that God’s favor is ever upon us if we have received Christ and are striving to live for Him. As we draw closer to God, we will find that we are at peace more and more when facing trying situations. If God is for us what set of circumstances can defeat us ^{(Romans 8:31)}? The bare bones fact is that nothing can defeat us unless we allow it to because God’s favor is upon us. Live for God and be at peace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

We Are Blessed

“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” - Psalm 119:1-2

     A blessed person is defined as one who is endowed with divine favor and protection. Jesus used this term in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-8). Have you ever thought of yourself as blessed? 

     These first two verses in the longest Psalm (176 verses) reveal the conditional nature of being blessed. If you walk blameless according to the law of the Lord, you are blessed. You have to know His statutes to walk in them; therefore, drawing closer to God and knowing His word are prerequisites to walking blameless. We aren’t blameless in a literal sense, but rather seen as blameless similar to the way we are seen by God as totally righteous once cleansed of our sins. We aren’t literally righteous, but flawed individuals who must work out our salvation throughout our lives. Seeking Him with all our hearts is a perfect place to start. God desires that we seek Him and equally desires that we enter into an intimate, personal relationship with Him. It’s never too late to start. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thanksgiving Message

            In a year with so much uncertainty, we can be most certain that our God is still on His throne and in control of all things. The events that are taking place must because they are all part of God’s eternal plan. We can also be certain that our needs shall be met, and we shall be blessed beyond measure by the mighty hand of God Himself. Material goods are necessary in many cases, but the peace and hope the Lord provides is always far more important than any materials we receive. 

            While we can and should be grateful each day of the year for God’s providence toward His children, Thanksgiving is a day during the year when we are to stop, bow our heads in reverence and thank God for all His wonderful blessings. If nothing else, we can be thankful for another day when we are still above ground and breathing. May God bless you all with His greatest blessings this day and each day in the future.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

 

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

During the holiday season I usually make the time to write on “needs v. wants”. When we were little, we wanted everything we saw. Having had children of my own, two girls to be exact, I happen to know that the things they HAD to have are virtually ignored a few short weeks or months later. And if you spoil your kids the way we did they would have had an overabundance of toys in all shapes and sizes. They didn’t need any of them, but they sure wanted them. Especially if their friends had one. Nothing wrong with buying your kids toys, but honestly, we do tend to overdo it.

Now scripture tells us God will meet our every NEED ^[1]; not necessarily our wants. Scripture also tells us God will give us the desires of our heart ^[2]. Now that thought requires some clarification. I placed as a footnote Psalm 37:3-5 that tells us we are to trust in the Lord & do good and commit our way to Him & trust Him. So, you can see that being given our hearts desire is a conditional promise. It stands to reason that the desires of your heart will line up with God’s desire for you if you draw near to Him & immerse yourself in His word. That means you can forget about praying for a shiny new BMW or Mercedes. Having one isn’t the problem, going in debt to own one is a fool’s errand.

As an adult follower of Christ, make sure you don’t get your needs and your wants confused. God knows what you need and never shortchanges His children. On that you can fully rely. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

^[1] Philippians 4:19 (NLT) “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

^[2] Psalm 37:3-5 (NLT) “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will do it.…”

(NLT) – New Living Translation

God Has a Plan

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”- Jeremiah 29:11 ^(NIV) 

Life is full of ups and downs. From one day to the next we do not know what it will bring. Good news? Bad news? Death? Tragedy? Exhilarating joy? Trouble? It is a mixed bag at best and can be frustrating at times. For the believer, life is equally perplexing. Just because we know Christ doesn’t make us exempt from this world’s issues. We are told to live IN the world but not be OF it. Christians bleed if they are cut; they suffer and become upset at circumstances that engage us. While it is true that we must endure trials throughout our Christian walk, we have words like the scripture up above to bolster our faith and encourage us. 

God has plans for us. His perfect will entails more than just us praising and worshipping him. He wants to use us. He has given each of us gifts, talents, and tools to use for His glory. We are to speak His word to those who would receive it. He has a plan for each one of us and His plans won’t bring about our ruin. Never. His plans for us are only for our good. His plans will only benefit us. They may come with their fair share of heartache and disappointment, but it is all by design to build our character and make our faith strong. What God desires from us is unflagging devotion, not the kind that wilts in the heat of the first trial we encounter. 

The devil can’t compete with what God offers us, for God is a giver, but Satan is a taker. The only things Satan gives us are evil, ungodly, despicable things that perhaps look appealing on the surface, but under the attractive covering is rotten, decaying garbage. He is a stealer and a destroyer. God on the other hand, builds and creates and blesses and heals. The only plans Satan has for you are to spend all of eternity in HIS kingdom, hell.  God’s plans are pure and wholesome, righteous and just. There is nothing false or unsavory about them. They are individualized as well. God has a plan for YOU. Seek His face consistently to see what He has in store for you. God wants you to succeed. He wants you to be victorious. It’s His desire for you to be “prosperous, even as your soul prospers”. He wants you to see your future through the eyes of hope. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Our Unchanging God

 “… It’s good for me to be near God. I have taken my refuge* in you, my LORD God, so I can talk all about your works!”- Psalm 73:28 (CEB)

Everyone has troubles from time to time. It’s part of life. Sometimes our troubles seem to overwhelm us, like waves on a storm-tossed sea. Think of the apprehension Peter must have felt when asked by Jesus to get out of the boat the disciples were in and come walk to Him. Raging seas all around him; the wind was whipping up the waves. We are not talking about a placid surface Peter was being asked to climb onto. He had the faith to make the initial step, but once on the surface of the water he became distracted by his surroundings. Think about how his apprehension must have changed to terror when he started to sink. His faith wasn’t enough to keep him afloat, however, it is important to note that Jesus was there instantly to take his hand, they were immediately back in the boat and the winds became still.^[1] Christ will never leave us nor forsake us.^[2] Never. The ever-watchful eye of God is aware of all our comings and goings and will not let us fall unless we insist on it through our own ignorance and arrogance.

God is our refuge in time of trouble. He is our shelter, our comforter, our one and only true source of help in this crazy, mixed up world we live in. God is the only One who never changes. He is the model of consistency. He is always the same. God can be relied upon. That is why He and He alone can be trusted to take care of us and deliver us from calamity. Stay close to God. Surrender your entire life to Him today. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

* REFUGE - Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship; A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.

[1] Matthew 14:29-33 Common English Bible (CEB)

[2] Psalm 37:28 Common English Bible (CEB)

A Message for Fools

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:18 ^(NIV) 

To the believer, those who have embraced the cross and all that it stands for, the thought of the message associated with it being foolish is preposterous. The scales have fallen off our eyes and we can see the truth for what it is. I can tell you that before I accepted Christ the whole concept of accepting Him and living for God was ridiculous to me and I grew up in a Presbyterian church (which doesn’t speak very highly for that particular church). It should be easy for believers to see and understand why non-Christians would find our faith to be foolish; a crutch for WEAK people to lean on. 

What about us would compel them to change their mind? Is there anything? That is why it is imperative that we strive to BE LIKE CHRIST in our daily lives. In and of ourselves there is nothing that would cause anyone to change their opinion about anything, let alone a faith-based decision as important as this one. We must let Christ use us as a conduit; a vehicle that will carry those around us to the foot of the cross where they might see what we saw when we gave our life away. Let God use you to save the world or at least a little piece of it anyway. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

The Potter

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.”- Isaiah 64:8 ^(NASB)  

          Here in Isaiah, the prophet is comparing God to “our” potter, for He made us lovingly by His own hands. He knew us before we were even a twinkle in our parents’ eye and formed us in our mother’s womb. He knows the beginning from the end and knows us intimately. This verse of scripture reminds us that we are not our own. We were created by a higher power. We were all created with a free will. If we were not, then we would be required to serve God, as if He were a tyrannical dictator, but that’s not the case. Free will causes us to worship and serve God out of a desire that wells up within us. When we begin to understand all that He has done for us, we feel compelled to love and worship Him. This leads us to trust Him by faith. 

Scripture tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” ^{[Psalm 139:14]}.  Deep inside us we know there is something or someone much greater than we are. Man is more inclined to believe just about anything, but not that, for then they would have to DO something with that knowledge, and they would rather live as they choose. If they could only see things as God sees them and know what God knows, but that would negate the need for faith and faith is required to know God.

If you were to watch a potter mold a piece of clay into something beautiful, you will notice the painstaking care with which the potter molds and shapes the piece. He is proud of his work as he fires it in the kiln (oven). He displays it for all to see when it is completed. So does God. We are His prized creations. We mustn’t disappoint Him by the way we live. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The God Who Cares

“‘I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.’” - Luke 12:4-7

          Here we see several things in play. First off, Jesus refers to those listening as his friends. Secondly, He says to fear him who can throw you into hell. Thirdly, He reveals the intimacy with which our Heavenly Father knows each of us. I would certainly want to be counted as a friend to Jesus. Being His enemy on the last day would be a fearsome thing for a Lake of Fire awaits those foolish enough to turn away from God. To not believe that in no way alters its reality. To fear God means to treat Him with reverence and awe rather than being scared of Him. Otherwise, why would He tell us NOT to be afraid two verses later. 

          Let’s look at the last verse of our text: “the very hairs of your head are all numbered”. For those who wonder if God truly cares about the minor details of our lives, you need to understand that nothing escapes His gaze. Let me take the liberty of restating this truth: God knows us so well that He has every cell in our bodies counted. Our earthly parents know us so well that they knew our likes and dislikes, our habits and our tendencies while we were growing up. Why would God, who created us in the first place, be any different? We can rest assured that our lives, when given over to God, shall be well taken care of. Even when it seems as though the train has run off the tracks, God is still in complete control and will provide assistance to us at the perfect moment in time that will be to our greatest benefit and His greatest glory. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Rich Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

In Step with God

“Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on his law day and night. They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3 

          If you look up the word ‘blessed’ it says endowed with divine favor and protection. Those who are children of God, who have received the forgiveness of God through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ, are blessed. We are called to live lives that fall in line with the standards set by our Heavenly Father. We are also recipients of His limitless grace. Grace is favor we do not deserve on our own; it is given to us in spite of ourselves and our natural inclinations. It is as the Holy Spirit of God begins to make interior alterations to us that our natural inclinations change, slowly making us more like our Heavenly Father. We no longer have the same desires we once had. We no longer wish to ‘walk in step’ with non-believers. Slowly we become more conscience of His presence in our lives. We begin to make decisions based on how God sees things. 

          There was a time in my life when I would pass by believers as they lifted their hands up in worship to God and laugh, thinking of them as blind sheep who looked ridiculous as I headed to the college campus newspaper office to put the final touches on a sports article for that week’s edition. Sometime later, after I gave my heart to the Lord, I was in there with them lifting up my hands in worship to the attainable God. We are largely unaware of what we need in our lives. We don’t realize that everything begins and ends with Almighty God. We don’t understand and we never will, yet our allegiance is necessary. It is a small price to pay but we still have our free will intact and may leave the comfort and security of His care at any time. Grasping what Christ went through for you and me helps us pledge our allegiance for without the blood of Christ, we would be lost in our sins with no hope of redemption. While we are not being asked to literally meditate on the law of God day and night to the exclusion of all else, we are to read and know His laws and precepts for in them is life and right living; living that brings joy, peace, hope and fulfillment. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Our Creator God

 “…the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”– Psalm 95:3-5 

“The 95th Psalm asserts Jehovah's Godhead, and his power over all nature, and exhorts his people to serve him.”

Only 11 verses long, Psalm 95 is meant to encourage the people of God that He is all powerful and above all the supposed gods concocted by the neighboring nations. Evolution is an unproven theory, while the history of Jehovah God is chronicled for all to see. Atheists, agnostics and the like demand proof of God’s existence, yet none shall be given for proof requires your senses and that is not faith. Faith is required to believe in that which you cannot experience with your senses. It is a choice we must all make. If we choose to place our faith in the One true unseen God, then everything that touches Him is open to us. His word becomes alive to us. Faith leads to trust which when combined with patience and perseverance leads to hope. 

          This Psalm of David announces his faithful acceptance that God Himself created all things. The seas and the dry lands were formed by His own hands. Surely, He can control them if He created them and I believe He can. I also believe He allows certain events to take place for His own reasons. These reasons cannot be known and at times seem cruel; however, in the end the purposes of God are borne out and those left standing are those who have faithfully trusted in Him.

Our lives are not always the way we would like them. Many times our circumstances are of our own making, though at times they are not. We aren’t called to trust and obey only in good times, for often when we are going through good times, we barely acknowledge God at all. It’s as if we only need Him when times are tough, but nothing could be further from the truth. We need God for the very air we breathe. He is our provider and sustainer. Even when things are good, God still mans the wheel of our ship. When trouble finds us, we need look no further than within our own heart, soul and spirit to find evidence that God is present during each moment of each day in the person of His Holy Spirit. He wishes for us to know Him intimately, not just in times of calamity. As we consciously decide to serve God at all times, we see His hands of mercy at work in our lives; the same hands that created all things. Take comfort in these things. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Invoking the Name of Christ

“… his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that can be invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” – Ephesians 1:19-21 

          To ‘invoke’ is to call upon a deity or spirit in prayer. Scripture is essentially telling us that no other name that can be called upon for inspiration or assistance is any higher or has more authority than the name of Christ. Sadly, millions of people today either don’t even believe in God, let alone Jesus Christ. Millions more see him as nothing more than just another moral teacher or prophet. Scripture tells a different story and within that story is the truth that God is powerful. As example, with great exerted force God raised Christ from the dead, thus defeating death and the grave. This is a foreshadowing of what is to come, when the dead shall rise first than all those who are living and remain shall rise to meet Christ in the air ^{(1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)}. 

          This is the same power that is at our disposal to do great and mighty things for God. We don’t invoke the name of Christ often enough. In this day and age where challenges abound, we can call of the name of Jesus to provide peace in the midst of life’s storms. We can call on His name for whatever we need as long as it is within the parameters of God’s will. He has promised to provide for and sustain us ^{(Matthew 6:25-34)}. Any need we have shall be provided for. Is it always immediate? No, perhaps not, but we are instructed throughout scripture to have patience, for the Lord will never forsake or forget us. In the end, we will realize that our help came just as promised exactly when it was needed the most; many times, from an unexpected source.

          Christ has power and authority over all things as given to Him by the Father. There is nothing that can befall us that He cannot rectify. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. Nothing escapes His gaze, and nothing is impossible for Him. When we invoke the name of Christ, we can know that we will be taken care of for He has authority and dominion over all creation. It is simply a matter of faith and trust. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Thoughts from a Random Mind

                  It’s interesting to me that those things we desire are almost always bright, shiny and new (unless of course you’re into antiques like me). God specializes in those individuals that have had the luster worn off. He takes the two-wheel trike and makes it like new. He knocks the rust off and makes it shine again. He mends the broken wheel so it becomes whole again. He takes those things the world casts off and restores its value. No matter who you are, where you’ve been, what you’ve done or who you’ve done it to, God loves you as if you were sinless, because once forgiven you are. You’ve been given a mulligan, a do over, a second chance. 

                  When the disciples asked Jesus how many times they were to forgive, offering the suggestion of forgiving someone 7x, Christ said “No, 7 x 70 times.” ^{[Matthew 18:21-22]} The Rabbis of the day taught the people to forgive 3x, so I suppose Peter thought he was being generous by suggesting 7x. Jesus use of 7x70 is symbolic of how we are not to even bother keeping track of the number of times we forgive someone. As long as the individual is truly repentant, we are to forgive as often as they ask. This gives us a real solid example of how God forgives. He keeps no record of wrongs ^{[1 Corinthians 13:5]}. 

                  We are broken; each and every one of us. If you don’t believe that you are only kidding yourself. Scripture is very clear … “we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory”^{[Romans 3:23]}. We are sinners saved by the undeserved favor of God. We are blessed. Why? Because even though God doesn’t need any one of us to accomplish his purposes, he has chosen to use us. We’ve gone from the refuse pile of life (in the world’s estimation) to being an ambassador to the King of Kings. 

                  Think about all the Kings this world has seen come and go; some good, godly men, some wicked, ungodly men. Almighty God is the King over all the Kings that ever existed. No one is like our God. He is subservient to no one. He needs no one’s permission to do what he does. He has more power than 100 atom bombs or even a 1,000. There is nothing he cannot do and nothing he will not do for his children, of which I am one (and if you are redeemed, you are too). 

                  You are no longer broken, so stop thinking you are. You are no longer flawed. The enemy wants you to think you are worthless because you continue to struggle with sin, but God defeated Satan and we are the beneficiaries of that victory. Rebuke the devil and all his demons in the mighty name of Jesus Christ and move forward. You are of tremendous value to God. Believe it and live like it. It has nothing to do with what you’ve said or done. Christ is the salve on your wounded, bleeding heart. God loves you and will never stop loving you no matter what ANYONE else thinks or says. Lift up your head. Look heavenward for your redemption draws near. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

To the Holy People of Colossae

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.”- Colossians 1:9-10 New Living Translation

                  The Apostle Paul is writing to the “holy people at Colossae”. He refers to them as “faithful”, undoubtedly to God’s Word and godly living. The reason for the letter is to combat errors in the church and show that Christ is sufficient to meet all the needs of the Colossian believers. 

            Would that it may be said of us that our lives always honor and please the Lord. The only way to honor God is to obey his word; to follow his statutes as written down by spirit-led men. To please the Lord, one must strive for perfection, even though none of us will ever attain it. Although there’s no sin that Christ’s blood cannot cleanse, no dabbling in sin is acceptable to God. The Colossians were beginning to embrace the teaching that something else was needed to keep them holy and whole. This letter reaffirms Christ’s absolute supremacy over all and sole sufficiency for mankind.

            One final point I’d like to make is that even though Paul praised the Colossian believers, they still had areas that needed cleaning up. There are no perfect Christians. We’re all flawed and broken. Every last one of us. Christ is the only One who can mend our brokenness and heal our flaws. We may have scars, but they will serve to remind us not of the pain, but the blessing of Christ’s touch. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Avoiding Worldliness

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world.”- 1 John 2:15-16 NLT

                  When we think of worldliness, we think of external behavior … like, who we hang with, where we go, what we like to do, but it is also on the inside because it begins in our hearts. The word ‘craving’ is a ‘burning desire’. Something that can consume us if we allow it to. It isn’t just a desire for physical pleasure, but a preoccupation with gratifying those physical pleasures. It isn’t just a desire for things, but a covetous attitude toward acquiring things … it’s called ‘materialism’. To covet to ‘long for’ or ‘thirst for’, as a desperately thirsty person longs for cool water.

                  It was all three of these areas that Satan, in serpent form, tempted Eve or when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. God places high value on self-control, a generous spirit and being a humble servant to others within and outside God’s family. The world is crazy inconsistent. Nothing ever stays the same for long. If you doubt that see how long until your Apple iPhone is outdated. 

                  The Kingdom of God espouses values that are important to us or at least they should be. When following the statutes of God we are also to seek spending time with sinners, while not allowing the world’s values to overshadow Kingdom values. Commit to turning your back to that which the worldly seek and desire. Remember, all things this side of heaven are temporal, “a chasing after the wind”. ^{[Ecclesiastes 1:14]} Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Isaiah 56:1

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you.’” – Isaiah 56:1 New Living Translation

                  Today we’re taking a look at the 1st verse of chapter 56 as transcribed by the prophet Isaiah. The setting is right after the Jews were released from captivity to go home and rebuild their Temple. Their exile was brought about by God as a punishment for their idolatry and general disobedience.  Vv. 6-8 reveal that God is not only blessing the chosen ones of Israel, but also foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord. Gentiles, we know, are grafted into God’s family because the Apostle Paul mentions it in Romans 11:11-24. 

                  It mattered not to God who sought salvation, for forgiveness was for all, however, God laid out a stipulation: you must “be just and fair to all”. Dealing fairly with others is considered being just or exhibiting justice. Salvation is not simply to have one’s sins washed away, it is designed to lead us to righteous living, for the world is watching with a jaundiced eye towards believers even now. God’s righteousness identifies with putting things right, not simply condemning them as wrong. That is an amazing thing about God. He’s all about instructing with compassion. He knows ‘we are but dust and to dust we shall return’ [Ecclesiastes 3:20]. 

                  Isaiah’s prophecies were to alert Israel & Judah regarding their responsibilities toward the coming kingdom, while expressing with certainty its arrival. We must pay close attention to their instructions, for we are part of the family as well and have equally important obligations to serve and obey our Lord. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources – New Bible Commentary; The Reformation Study Bible; MacArthur Study Bible & NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible

Forgiveness Available

“These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.” ^{[Isaiah 1:1]}

 

“Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me.”- Isaiah 1:2 ^{New Living Translation}

                  Isaiah prophesied at the time when the original nation of Israel was divided in to two kingdoms; Israel & Judah. Israel had been sinning against the Lord in great measure and Judah was heading in that direction. Thru Isaiah, God lays out the sins Israel has been guilty of. They were perverting justice, oppressing the poor, turning to idols instead of seeking their God and seeking military aid from heathen nations rather than turning to God for help. These were gross sins to the Lord and He let them know it. In spite of their many sins, the people could still have a special relationship with God, but sadly, they needed to suffer discipline and judgment to bring their restoration to fruition.

                  The first 15 verses tell what the Lord is anger at them about. They were even sacrificing children to false gods. Makes one think of abortion today. Although that is done largely out of convenience, like another method of birth control, it makes these viable humans nonessential and thus expendable. Could the judgment of our own nation be far away? 

                  The lesson to be learned here is that even though the Jews were living in disobedience, there was still hope for redemption. We see this in vv.16-19, where it starts out “Wash yourselves and be clean!” … “Give up your evil ways.” … “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.” This portion of scripture ends with this caveat: “But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Heed this word today. Are you living a rebellious existence right in front of God, thinking you may turn things around at any moment and come back into God’s good graces? Foolish thinking. We don’t know what will happen in the next moment and do not know what the next day will bring ^{[Proverbs 27:1]}. 

                  As a side note, Israel’s behavior is the very reason why God did not intend for them to have King’s like the other surrounding nations. The moral roller coaster ride Israel took throughout their existence bears out God’s concern. Redemption is available to all, but a change must occur that is representative of that change. We must emulate Christ in our daily walk. Plain and simply. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Avoid Habitual Sinners

“My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!”- Proverbs 1:10 New Living Translation

            A week or so ago I went over the first 7 verses of the first chapter of Proverbs. I was laying out the purpose for Proverbs as written in scripture. Verse 10 above acts like an introduction to the Proverbs themselves. Proverbs 1:8–9:18 features a parent’s approval of wisdom in the form of morally instructive addresses. These chapters prepare the reader for the actual proverbs that begin in 10:1ff.

                  The word ‘sinners’ being referenced in verse 10 is being used to describe non-believers who continually sin and do their best to persuade believers to come sin with them. The sins referred to in vv. 11-13 are used as illustrations of a grand time. Sin is prevalent in the world we live in, so the wisdom poured out in Proverbs would certainly apply to us today just as it did back in Solomon’s day. The old saying goes, ‘if sin wasn’t fun no one would do it’, but the fun is short-lived and the consequences that follow can be potentially disastrous.

                  Read what the footnote in The Life Application Study Bible says about sin: 

            “Sin is enticing because it offers a quick route to prosperity or pleasure and makes us feel like one of the crowd. But when we go along with others and refuse to listen to the truth, our own appetites become our masters, and we’ll do anything to satisfy them. Sin, even when attractive, is deadly. We must learn to make choices, not on the basis of flashy appeal or short-range pleasure, but in view of the long-range effects. Sometimes this means steering clear of people who want to entice us into activities that we know are wrong. We can’t be friendly with sin and expect our lives to remain unaffected.” I really can’t add anything to that. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries       

Resources:  MacArthur Study Bible; Life Application Study Bible

God's Gracious Gift

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”- Ephesians 2:8-9

          The grace of God is a remarkable thing. Unmerited favor; an undeserved gift. Receiving something from someone that you absolutely didn’t earn, nor deserve. We have been saved from our sin; as well as saved from ourselves and our own selfish, self-absorbed tendencies. How did this remarkable event take place? It can only happen through faith. We cannot buy grace. It isn’t neatly packaged and available at your local Wal-Mart. It starts with a spark that exists within us. It lies at our core. The Holy Spirit fans that spark until it’s a flame. We could never do this on our own. We need God to provide that spark. It’s implanted in the soul of every man. We cannot save ourselves. 

Some seem to think that if they are good enough, they can achieve heaven as if it were a prize in some game show. Not so. God extends the gift of grace to each of us. It’s sad to think that millions refuse to see that it is extended to them. It takes spiritual sight to see the gift. The Holy Spirit enables us to see the gift at the right moment in our lives when we are ready receive it. We cannot work our way to heaven. There would never be enough good deeds done that could pay the price needed to purchase our redemption. If there were who would determine the nature of the deed? What standard would be used? Eternity is what’s at stake here. The Bible is clear; unless our sins have been paid for our admission into heaven shall be denied. Jesus Christ holds the key to our redemption. His blood and His blood alone can purchase our forgiveness. As stated above, nothing we could ever do would be enough to save us. God knows that if we were able to achieve heaven by ourselves, we would take full credit and brag about it morning, noon and night. God certainly knows us far better than we know ourselves.        

          Hebrews 11:6 declares that without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith in the grace God has freely offered us. It isn’t automatic. We must ask God for His gracious gift of forgiveness. It takes a humble person to admit they are wrong and in need of cleansing, yet this is what is required. We must understand that there is no detergent that could ever make our souls as white as the blood of Christ. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Godly Transformation

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. 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 12:1-2 

          Paul was urging the Roman Christians to make their own bodies a living offering to God. ‘To urge’ is to earnestly recommend or encourage one to do something. It is a statement that is being made with sincere and intense conviction. The sacrificial system in place in the Old Testament and even in the new with the Pharisees and Sadducees (religious leaders in Jesus’ day) involved using dead animals without spot or defect to place on an altar. It was to be consumed with fire to atone for sin. 

Paul is speaking of a living sacrifice; the problem with living sacrifices are that they are constantly trying to climb off the altar. Being a living sacrifice involves being in tune with those things that are pleasing to God. Holy living is a foreign concept to most people in this day and age. We stand as sanctified and holy in the eyes of God due to our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. However, His desire for us is to live a life that is set apart for His use. We are to do that which is pleasing in His sight. We are to do that which lines up with His word. Many times, I think in the interest of comfort or convenience we make God an afterthought. At times I know I do. We know what we should do but hesitate because it would make our lives a little more complicated. The world has one way of doing things and God quite another. 

The renewing of our minds comes from reading His word, not reading into it what we want it to say but reading it with an open heart and mind. It’s good to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts regarding that which God wants us to know. Putting God’s word into practice requires being obedient to that which we know we are being asked to do. We don’t want to be put to the test and found lacking, yet we don’t fully consider that until it is too late. The compassion and understanding of God is limitless; however, there comes a time in each believer’s life when they must allow themselves to be fully transformed by God. In light of His incredible mercy it’s truly the least we can do. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

 Is God intolerant? 

 

I was thinking about this a bit today. VP candidate Kamala Harris spewed hatred re: the Christian church and their pastors saying basically that they were dangerous to society because they spread intolerance, prejudice and hatred. It caused me to ask the question, “Is God intolerant?” I mean, it must be God who’s intolerant, not the pastors. They are just preaching and teaching from God’s Word. 

I believe I can answer that question. Yes, God IS intolerant, but what is he intolerant of? Sin. Let’s be more specific – they are summed up in Proverbs 6:16–19 ^{(The Amplified Bible)}

 

·       “These six things the Lord hates; indeed, seven are repulsive to Him: A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that creates wicked plans, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], and one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.”

 

                  Here’s another hot button topic … yep, I will not sidestep it. And it is out of love and respect that I do not. The LGBQ community. Does God hate gays? No. Neither should we. However, having said that the Bible does tell us quite clearly that homosexuality is a sin. The following is taken from the website ‘www.gotquestions.org/does-God-hate-gays.html’…

 

·       “The Bible consistently tells us that homosexuality is a sin (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). Romans 1:26-27 teaches explicitly that homosexuality is a result of a continual rebellion against God. When people continue in disbelief, the Bible tells us that God “gives them over,” allowing them to experience their sinful desires and the resulting consequences. First Corinthians 6:9 proclaims that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God. Homosexuality is immoral and unnatural. It is a disruption of the “natural order” and, more importantly, of God’s view of sexuality.”

 

This doesn’t mean they are vile creatures. It means they are misguided and ignorant of the real truth. That may sound arrogant, but it isn’t meant to. I share what is in my heart. God loves all in his creation … all. He doesn’t like everything we think, say and do. Some of us know better, some do not, but regardless, if the Spirit of God dwells within you you will not sin. ^{(1 John 3:6 Amplified Bible)} With God there is consistency and order. There is justice and compassion. There is peace and hope. Without God there is nothing more than a cacophony of noise that amounts to nothing. In the end it is God who sorts everything out. God makes the final judgment. He is the one who knows all and will mete out justice as only he can.

 

·       1 John 3:6 - “No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him.”

 

I trust this writing has been received in the spirit with which it has been given. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries