Childlike Faith

John 1:10-12 “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … .”

 

          Jesus of Nazareth came into the world two thousand years ago and the people of the day didn’t have any idea who He was. He came as the Messiah to the Jews, and they rejected Him, seeking a warrior king to defeat the Romans. But there were those who did accept Jesus and as a result received something far more important than just knowing Him; they received redemption, freedom from all sin. Their slate was clean. They got a do over as we would put it. The people of the day that realized He was something more than just a mere man were compelled to follow Him. They were His flock and He was their shepherd. He taught them the things of God and while they may not have understood all that He said to them, they saw the miracles He performed with their own eyes. He was either a liar, a crazy man or He was exactly who He said He was – the Son of God. The people were fascinated by Him as He calmly flowed in and around them speaking of love, peace, mercy and forgiveness. 

          If you had the chance to become a child again, would you? With all the responsibilities that we take on and the heavy weight of some of them, we may think we’d love to be a little child again. Carefree, lighthearted, not a care in the world. When Jesus ushers us into His family saying that we are now the children of God that is not exactly what he means. We obviously don’t become little children again, but rather should display some of the characteristics of little children; wonder, astonishment, trust, belief, love, respect, faith. The faith children have is simplistic and unquestioning. It is the type of faith a believer is to have.

 

Matthew 18:1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child, whom he placed among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”

 

          Life can be so simple, yet we tend to make it so complicated. The more things we attach ourselves to the more complex things become. We should consider shedding our attachments and simplify our lives. Keep Christ the main focal point and strive to become as little children with regards to our belief in God. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Be a Light

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

          When I read this verse of scripture it makes me think of lighthouses. They come in various shapes and sizes, yet it appears that most are cylindrical or more correctly, conical (have a cone-like shape). The reason for this shape is that it allows the fierce winds that can tend to buffet a coast to flow freely around it. The light it emits is to guide the navigators of the seas, so they don't crash upon the rocks. Some are used to guide them through water inlets as well. They are no longer used much because of the expense of upkeep and the emergence of modern technology, however, still dot coastlines throughout the world as a reminder of days gone by. 

          As Christians, we are to be lights set upon a hill. We are also to not allow our lights to be extinguished. The message we carry is of great importance to the world. Just like an extinguished lighthouse beacon can spell doom for seafaring sailors, so an ineffective Christian can spell doom to those in need of redemption. Each individual makes contact with some that no one else have access to. We have association with people who respect us and listen to what we have to say. We are not to hide our light under a bushel, ignoring the needs of others. We must feed our spirit man so that our light burns bright as the noon day sun. 

          Lighthouses are majestic in appearance and of great value in that they represent a part of our history as a civilization. We, as believers, are invaluable to God who made us. We represent His handiwork and are a part of a spiritual history that has stood the test of time. We need to be proud of our heritage as Christians and strive to do the work of God and be His hand extended where He places us. Don’t extinguish the light that is within you, let it shine out for all to see. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

light•house 1: a structure (as a tower) with a powerful light that gives a continuous or intermittent signal to navigators.

 

Word for the Day

 

Word for the Day

 

God's Good Work

Philippians 1:6 “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

            As believers in Christ, we can be confident in our future. God isn’t going anywhere. That which has begun within us shall continue until the 2nd Coming of Christ. This should be encouraging to us. God isn’t going to give up on us. No matter what silly mistakes we make or how many times we ignore His instruction. His patience is shown throughout scripture. Patience is a characteristic born out of love. If we truly love someone, we will give them a lot of latitude when it comes to their conduct. God is no different. His good work in us is representative of the sanctification process that began once we accepted Christ into our hearts. Notice I said process. 

Sanctification* is both instantaneous and progressive. Instantaneous because at the moment we are forgiven we are seen by God through the blood of Christ making us, in His eyes, totally sanctified. Progressive because in reality the process of being made holy and set apart takes our whole lives. God has a purpose and plan to use each one of us in some form or fashion. Just as the High Priest sanctifies that which is used to make an offering suitable to present to God, so God sanctifies us that we might be used for His glory. So based on this verse in Philippians, we could say that we are a work in progress. Until Jesus appears in the clouds to take us home with Him, we are to be seeking instruction and serving our Heavenly Father; but we buck at that. We don’t want to miss out on anything perceived to be fun. Christians are not to be sitting in a darkened room with a lone candle burning studying scripture all day long. We are to get out and mingle with the masses. Rub elbows with those the world has cast aside. We are being set apart for God’s use. It’s a serious responsibility we have, yet a small price to pay for a clean slate. It is a price we can ill afford to pay. We owe our lives to the payer of our debt, Jesus Christ, who will continue to sharpen us as we allow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* sanc•ti•fi•ca•tion 1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use. Consecration is also a word that can be used  

    for this process; a setting apart for God’s use.

The Unconditional Love of God

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

                  Nelson Rockefeller once said, “Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love.”  1 John 4:8 says, “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:16 says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” It stands to reason that the most powerful force would be identified with the most powerful being.  God is All-Powerful, as in Omnipotent! There is no greater power in existence than the power God has. The power of LOVE is far-reaching and eternal because God is eternal and is everywhere at one time. Therefore, there is an aura of love that exists everywhere. Sometimes it is concealed by the emergence of evil, but the potential for love to burst forth is always there.

                  So, our verses for today point out that nothing in existence can pry us from God’s far-reaching love. He HAS and WILL always love us. He may not like what we think, say or do all the time, but it won’t keep him from loving us. God loved us before we were conceived in our mother’s womb.  

                  I thought of something today … I know God loves me unconditionally and always will. You know why? Because if my wife can love me unconditionally despite the inane and silly things I say and do at times, I know that God has an even greater capacity to love me without conditions being placed upon that love. I also love my wife with an abiding and unconditional love; she is a great lady!

Do you feel that way about your spouse? Do you understand that you are loved by your Maker and nothing will ever change that? Believe it … embrace it as a fact. YOU ARE LOVED!! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Sin Sacrifice

Romans 3:22b-24 “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Ecclesiastes 7:20 “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”

1 John 1:8-9 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

 

          It’s true, we are sinners. We always have been. Even after our sins are washed clean by the blood of Christ, we still sin. We must accept this as fact to truly understand what Christ has done for us, for without Christ we would simply live and die in our sinful state with no hope of redemption. Think about what Christ has done. Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God, but also God Himself as part of the Triune Godhead (Father, Son & Holy Spirit). He stepped down from His throne, became man and willingly went to a criminal’s death on a cross for you and me. There are none righteous … NONE. If we don’t believe that then we are deceiving ourselves. We cannot save ourselves. We are unable to pay the sin debt owed to Almighty God. Our hearts are dark and wracked with evil. Left to our own devices we would crawl back to sin like a dog returns to its’ vomit. We need a savior, and we have one. 

          Jesus Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice for all mankind. He bore our sins and the weight of them was excruciating. His temporary separation from the Father was agonizing. He went to hell and came back with the keys to death and the grave. His resurrection completed God’s plan for the redemption of all creation. However, some feel they aren’t in need of forgiveness. They say Christianity is for the weak-willed, the feeble minded. It’s for those who cannot pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and make it on their own in this life. Some folks believe in anything but that which can truly set them free. Our free will to choose allows that. What a sad day it will be when Christ comes, and millions are left behind because they refused to see what was laid out right in front of them. Search your heart and ask God to reveal Himself to you, for He doesn’t wish that any perish, but that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). The clock is ticking. 

          For the believer, your sin has been removed. Your sin debt has been paid in full. Rejoice in the fact that God’s love is so great and unending that He bought you with His own blood to redeem you from yourselves. We can do nothing without Christ, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Word for the Day

 

The Hand of God

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear ^[1], for I am with you; do not be dismayed ^[2], for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

          What encouragement the second portion of this verse should provide to us in our most critical times, when fear and dismay tend to kick in. We are essentially told we have no need to feel anxious, concerned, or alarmed. We are told to not lose our courage or resolve. In the face of so many disheartening events that could potentially come at us, we are told that our Heavenly Father will strengthen us and help us; He will lift us up and be our salvation in our most desperate times. Sometimes our worst enemy is ourselves. We overreact to those things that we see or perceive to be a reality. Our adrenaline kicks in and our emotions are quickly off to the races. We no longer need to be engaged in that. We should take a deep breath, exhale slowly and know in our spirit that God sees what is happening and has things under control. We may get buffeted about, but we will also come out stronger in our faith if we rely on God to help us.

           The Bible gives God human characteristics, in this case a hand. Now God is a spirit so He cannot have a hand, but so we can visualize Him and the assistance He will give us, we see it in scripture as something we can relate to, a hand. When people help one another, they “give them a hand”. So, we can see in our minds eye the figurative righteous right hand of God helping us in our most critical time of need. It helps us see it a lot better than just telling us God will help us. God loves each and every one of us and wishes to help us succeed in this life for Him. True success is not measured in monetary or materialistic terms. It is measured by character and how we utilize the things God has given us. Everything we have is on loan to us: our bodies, our lives, our money, and our families. God gave them to us. We are to treat them with the same respect we are to show God Himself. We have nothing to fear in this life. The only thing we should fear is God and even that fear is found in our reverence and awe of Him, not being afraid of Him. He knows our current circumstances and will help us in our times of need. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] fear - 1: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger 2: anxious concern 3: profound reverence and awe especially toward God 4: reason for alarm: danger.

^[2] dis•may - 1: to cause to lose courage or resolution (because of alarm or fear) 2: upset, perturbed.

Don't be Anxious

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

                  Wouldn’t it be great to never worry about anything ever again? Paul tells us in verse 6 that instead of worrying, we should pray with thanksgiving in our hearts. This is sound advice. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God; however, it’s important to learn to listen also. The only time we learn something new is when we are NOT talking. When we begin to become anxious about anything at all, we need to go to the Lord in prayer.

                  Why do we worry or become anxious? Not knowing how a given situation will turn out is one reason. Feeling out of control is another. I’ve experienced that second one myself thru the years. I tend to feel claustrophobic in a traffic jam or on a boat, train, or plane. The reason? I’m not in control of those situations. Whenever it would happen, I’d panic. This hasn’t happened in a while, but I know the feeling all too well. It’s just like when Peter panicked as he walked on water. The surrounding circumstances drew his attention away from the Lord. The key is what we are focusing on. Peter took his eyes off Jesus and suddenly became aware of the raging storm all around him. He lost his focus. It’s a matter of occupying your mind. 

                  God’s peace, which the world knows nothing of, will place a shield of protection around your heart and mind. It sounds other worldly and frankly, it is. It comes from God himself and is administered by his Holy Spirit. So instead of freaking out, throw your life temporarily into neutral and enjoy the presence of God thru his peace. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

The Righteous & the Wicked

Psalm 1:6 “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”

                  God delights in the way of the righteous, for they live according to his statutes. The righteous man leads a happy life, though he will have to endure a certain level of pain and suffering during the course of that life. At those times God is still watching and allowing his Holy Spirit to guide us. The righteous man is only righteous in God’s eyes because he has surrendered his will to his Maker. This action is one of obedience and that obedience is seen as righteousness.

                  “Righteousness will be ours if we are careful to follow every one of these commands* before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us”. ^{(Deut. 6: 25 CSB)}

            God watches over and protects those who are his. Those who are NOT his he lets go their own way. Out of ignorance they shun or ignore the word of God in favor of doing those things that seem right to them. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” It’s pretty simple really … God knows, and we do not; hence our necessity to follow his directives. 

                  We see much evil being wrought on our nation by men and women in power who are hell bent on forcing their satanic will on the masses. According to scripture, their actions will lead to their demise. God will never allow injustice to go on forever. When the time is right that which is satanic shall fall and great will its fall be. Trust the Lord. He is fully aware of the current happenings in the world. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries
* This is Moses speaking to the people of Israel regarding following the Ten Commandments.

Doing What is Good

3 John 1:11 “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

                  That which is evil is contrary to the very nature and will of Almighty God. The consequences of doing evil are almost always destructive, at times even deadly. Instead, copy the kindness and mercy of God in thought, word, and deed. Imitate the behavior of Christ. If you do this, you will show that you are a child of God. 

A believer in God displays the his grace, the strength of Christ and the assistance of the Spirit. Without these we would be unable to do good things according to the will of God. Those who do that which is displeasing to the Lord need to have the attitude of Job when he said, “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” ^{[Job 42:6]} Isaiah, upon seeing God, says “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” ^{[Isaiah 6:5]} Like Job, the prophet Isaiah knew he was unworthy to be in God’s presence. And they were considered righteous men. Those who practice evil are doomed and don’t even know it.

In addition to doing good, one must not hinder those others from doing good. This is sinful behavior and is displeasing to our Lord. Let’s make one thing clear, Jesus said only God is good, not himself nor anyone else. ^{[Mark 10:18]} So I must assume that those who are good are of God and not separated from him. Non-believers can do what would be considered ‘good’ deeds, but only God knows their true heart’s motivation. Many in this world do good for the recognition it brings them. Pride and arrogance come before a tremendous fall. It is those who surrender their own will in favor of God’s that will be deemed good, righteous, and holy in the end. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Resource: John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Word for the Day

 

The Word of God

Psalm 119:33-37 “Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

 

           While this is considered by many to be one of David’s Psalms for structural and content reasons, his name doesn’t appear in the beginning as the author, so it is generally considered one of the “orphan psalms”. It is the longest chapter in the Bible at 176 verses and has long been read for its’ inspiration.

          The writer implores God to teach him His ways. Key words are littered through these four verses: teach me, give me understanding, direct me, turn my heart, and turn my eyes. The writer is asking God to act on his behalf for a specific reason; he wants to follow God’s decrees, keep His laws, and not turn toward selfish gain or worthless things. How badly do we all need to pray this for ourselves? I know I have stumbled badly throughout my walk with God and need to commit these verses to memory and then live them. Saying these words and following through are two completely different things. Our world is filled with distractions that draw us away from the things of God. We become so easily entangled with obligations and chores, leaving little time to seek God. It is in God that we find what we are truly looking for and need so badly: peace, contentment, comfort, love, forgiveness, mercy. These are found in no one else.

          Once we get into the word of God and allow it to speak to us, it will change our perspective on things. Sure, we must tend to things during the day, but we needn’t allow those things to dictate our lives. Within the Bible lies a wide variety of truth, inspiration, wisdom, encouragement, and guidance to last a lifetime. Let God into your daily life. Seek His face and pray for others. Watch God work as you rely a little more on Him each day.

 

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

          The word of God can speak to the human heart like nothing else can. It’s God’s instruction manual for life. Let it minister to you in the deepest part of your heart. Allow your spirit to connect with the Spirit of God and feed on His wisdom. His word will give you strength and encouragement even in your darkest hour. God is with you wherever you go ^{(Joshua 1:9)}. He will not forsake or abandon you ^{(Deuteronomy 31:6)}. God can be relied upon, just like His word, to take you in life where you need to go for His glory.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Believing in the Unseen

Romans 1:17 “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.’”

 

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

          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 are 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

Thoughts from a Random Mind

A rather simplistic illustration danced thru my mind at work today. I would venture a guess that most people around the world have debt that they have accrued over time that they will need to eventually pay back. Debt can be looked at several different ways; here are 2 of them: “An obligation … to pay something to someone else”. (ex. A student may be burdened with debt from attending school by virtue of a financial loan. He or she would be obligated to repay that loan.) Also, “a moral or legal obligation to make reparations (payments) or undergo punishment for committing an offense; as with a criminal repaying his debt to society.”

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

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

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

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

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

Word for the Day

 

The Debt

 Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” 

            A whole lot of people struggle with credit card debt, but at least that debt can be paid down slowly and eliminated. We carry a debt that we cannot pay and that is the debt owed to God for our sin. According to God we were dead in our sins. For those of us who accepted His gracious gift of forgiveness through salvation as afforded to us by the blood Christ shed on Calvary’s cross, we are no longer dead but rather alive. The ember that exists in everyone has been fanned into a flame by God’s Holy Spirit and we are now free from the shackles our sin held us in. The debt has been removed, paid in its’ entirety. A big PAID IN FULL has been stamped on our account.

 

Psalm 103:12 “… as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

            The sins that we have committed, when forgiven, are never remembered against us again. In Micah, the prophet speaks of God having compassion on the Israelites, hurling their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). It has been lyrically referred to as the “sea of forgetfulness” *. Now God doesn’t forget our sins, for that would constitute a flaw in Him, but rather chooses to not remember them against us. He doesn’t hold our sins that have been covered in Christ’s blood against us ever again. We have been justified, which simply put means, “just as if I’d never sinned”. What joyous news! However, we mustn’t allow His grace to become a cheap thing to us by living as we please after our debt has been removed. We should feel compelled to praise Him and live according to His precepts, for no one else can pay our debt.

            Treating the debt as if it doesn’t exist, thus negating the payment necessary in our own minds creates a façade that everything is well with us when nothing could be further from the truth. Just as the creditors will come knocking on your door for that credit card debt that goes unpaid, so God will require payment someday. Don’t miss the chance of a lifetime to live for Him who paid the debt you could never in a million years pay yourself. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* Phrase taken from the song “Sea of Forgetfulness” by Seven Day Jesus.

The Exalted Christ

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

 

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

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

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Honoring God

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

 

            These verses are part of Moses’ second of three sermons or speeches given to the Israelites just prior to their entering into the Promised Land of Canaan. What can we take from these verses for ourselves today? If a person is of a mind to believe that God exists and that His written Word, the Bible, is true, then it isn’t that big of a stretch to see that abilities we have are God-given. Yet some of us end up choosing to believe at some point that we have accomplished things by the might of our own hands and the use of our own intellect. We must remember two very important things in this life that God has given us: 1) we are not greater than the One Who made us; 2) any wealth we acquire is on loan to us and not really ours at all.

            We are to remember the Lord in our daily comings and goings. We are to honor Him with our lives. We are to seek His counsel regarding matters that concern us or those we love. We are to always remember than what we produce in this life is to help sustain us yet is to also be dispersed liberally to those in need around us, for God is JEHOVAH-jireh, our provider - we shall not lack anything we need. 

There is no sin in acquiring wealth, it is in the hording of it that sin resides. Our ability to learn and function with the information we have acquired has been given to us by God. Don’t be fooled into thinking that we are self-made men, thus cutting God out of the equation altogether. Stand in awe of His greatness and give Him praise for all He has done. While we think we know so very much, in reality we know nothing compared to the vast and unending knowledge of our Creator. Acknowledge His greatness, for those who embrace their own perceived greatness shall find that it very well may be their own demise. It doesn’t have to be that way, for inherent in our praise of Him lies our reverence for Him. Live a life worthy of His honor. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

* pronounced  jah-hoe’-vah  j-eye-rah

The Good Work of God

Philippians 1:6 “… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

            As believers in Christ, we can be confident in our future. God isn’t going anywhere. That which has begun within us shall continue on until the 2nd Coming of Christ. This should be encouraging to us. God isn’t going to give up on us. No matter what silly mistakes we make or how many times we ignore His instruction. His patience is shown throughout scripture. Patience is a characteristic born out of love. If you truly love someone, you will give them a lot of latitude when it comes to their conduct. God is no different. His good work in us is representative of the sanctification process that began once we accepted Christ into our hearts. Notice I said process. 

 

            sanc•ti•fi•ca•tion - 1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use.*

 

            Sanctification is both instantaneous and progressive. Instantaneous because at the moment we are forgiven we are seen by God through the blood of Christ making us, in His eyes, totally sanctified. Progressive, because in reality the process of being made holy and set apart takes our whole lives. God has a purpose and plan to use each one of us in some form or fashion. Just as the High Priest sanctifies that which is used to make an offering suitable to present to God, so God sanctifies us that we might be used for His glory. So based on this verse in Philippians, we could say that we are a work in progress. Until Jesus appears in the clouds to take us home with Him, we are to be seeking instruction and serving our Heavenly Father; but we buck at that. We don’t want to miss out on anything perceived to be fun. Christians are not to be sitting in a darkened room with a lone candle burning studying scripture all day long. We are to get out and mingle with the masses. Rub elbows with those the world has cast aside. We are being set apart for God’s use. We have a serious responsibility, yet it is a small price to pay for the forgiven purchased for us. It’s a price we can ill afford. We owe our lives to the payer of our debt, Jesus Christ, who will continue to sharpen us as we allow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Word for the Day

 

God's Love ...

Psalm 136:26* ^{[Contemporary English Version (CEV)]}

“Praise God in heaven! God’s love never fails.”

 

We have nothing this side of heaven to compare with his indescribable, unconditional, eternal love. With our finite minds, we are incapable of comprehending all that God is or what He can do. Could there possibly be anything He is not able to do for us? If there was, He couldn’t be who He says He is; an all-powerful, all-knowing God who is everywhere at all times. For a people who struggle with things they cannot see, touch or taste for themselves, it is nearly impossible to fathom. If you truly believe in God, then you must believe His word is true and accept it for what it says. You can have questions, but in the end, after your questions and doubts have been quenched, you will find it is all true. 

There is no situation He cannot pull you out of, no problem He cannot help you solve, no where you can go that He is not already there. He isn’t a genie in a bottle who grants your every desire, he is Almighty God, the creator of the universe, who loves His creation and is there to oversee all that transpires.

            We tend as a people to focus on all the things we perceive God has not done. We grow impatient when things do not go as we think they should. We tend to be a selfish, self-absorbed people who have a bad tendency to only think of ourselves, yet God loves us. He understands us. He knows us through and through. There is nothing we can say or do to cause Him to change His mind about us. We are His children, and just like a parent will always love his or her own child no matter what, God shall always love us … unconditionally. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

* The 2^nd portion of each of the 26 verses in Psalm 136 end with “God’s love never fails”. It says that because God’s love DOES never fail.

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Independence Day is an important day in our history. It represents the day the inhabitants of the new world broke free from the tyranny of Great Britain. A lot of blood was spilled during the Revolutionary War and in every war since that time. All the wars were to preserve freedom and / or thwart the efforts of an oppressive despot who sought to rule the world. Many men and women lost their lives on foreign soil. May it never, ever be in vain.

There is another Independence Day, and it is of the spiritual variety. The day you gave your heart, soul and spirit over to Almighty God in exchange for freedom from all the sins you had either knowingly or unknowingly committed your entire life. If you are born again, you are free from sin and bound for heaven. No one this side of heaven had to shed any blood to attain this freedom, it was willingly done for us all by God’s Son, Jesus Christ. So happy belated National Independence Day and if you are a believer in Christ, happy Spiritual Independence Day. May God bless you and yours now and forevermore. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing. 

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Thoughts from a Random Mind

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

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

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

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

Word for the Day