Experiencing Love

“For those who haven't experienced this love, the good news is that it's available to all. John 1:12 promises, ‘But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.’ This love isn't earned – it's freely given to all who receive Christ in faith.” *

                  Those who HAVE experienced God’s love, we understand that we were created to be loved by Almighty God. All He asks is that we love Him in return. We're called to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to let that love overflow to others around us.

            The sad part about all this is that though is love is available to all, so few seek it out. It’s as if it seems too good to be true. It’s seems so farfetched that some are simply not willing to believe it. Life has mesmerized them into thinking that their life is what it has become and nothing aside from a miracle can change their situation. The equally sad part to that is that the miracle they seek is in the form of money... lots and lots of money. They say money makes the world go round. They also say regarding money; easy come, easy go. People can burn thru money faster than a Formula One race car running in the Indy 500. I know, I’ve had money before. The more money you have the more you are tempted to spend. 

            The Love of God is special because no conditions are placed upon it and nothing can ever chase it away. No matter what you think, say, or do, it cannot cause God to stop loving you. I believe we can disappoint God with our actions at times, but that’s just my opinion and not a hard, cold bible based fact. Once saved you are His child and though plenty of earthly parents treat their children poorly, it’s not at all like that with God. He can be trusted to take care of any one of us, not because I want Him to, or just because I say so; because the Bible is littered with statements from either God Himself, or His messengers, the prophets telling us about His undying, unwavering, unconditional love for His creation. Find me a Bible verse that disproves this. You will not find any. They do not exist. God’s love for us is “yea and amen”. "Yea" signifies a resounding "yes," affirming that God's promises are certain and will be fulfilled. "Amen" means "so be it", serving as an expression of agreement and affirmation, confirming the truth and reliability of God's Word. 

            More than nearly anything else, you can rely on God’s love for you. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 the following: ^“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” That is exactly the way God treats us all.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

·      The portion in red at the top is from a sermon called “The True Meaning of Christmas: A Love That Transforms”, December 22nd, 2024, by Pastor Paul Boekell.   

My Letter to Non-Believers ...

“Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.  It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.”- 1 Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT

            It’s become pretty apparent that you want to come up with your own plan of salvation, which can be completely understood and acceptable to you. The Gospel message is too far out, too mysterious, too otherworldly. You can’t possibly grasp the message in all its simplicity. You must have to do something to earn it. There must be something spectacular that needs to take place. In reality what must be done is to lay your own life down and take second stage to an unseen deity. It boggles the mind. So what if this unseen deity isn’t real? Apparently you have to be able to experience it with your senses for it to be real. The fact is that either there is a God or there is not. To believe or not believe is a choice each individual must make. To not make a choice is to make one. By avoiding the topic you have made a choice. But are you willing to stake your own personal afterlife on it? There are two ways this can go. You will die and be either buried or cremated and that will be your last conscious thought forever. Or your spirit will be resurrected on the last day to face God’s judgment. It’s either one way or the other. Man thinks there has to be other options. There simply has to be. To be placed in the same category as rapists and murderers just because you reject the reality of Jesus Christ and his blood bought forgiveness from all sin simply isn’t fair. You reason that you’ve been a good person for the most part; however, God’s response to that is, “You were good by who’s standard, your own? No one is good except God.” The world has a myriad of questions, but faith isn’t based on facts or even answers to questions, because once answered there is always another question. As with God’s conversation with Job, God says to us, “Now I will speak, and you will listen.” Why? Because we simply do not know … anything. The information we have amassed is useless in the face of eternity.  So to you I say, let down your guard and accept the possibility that there truly is a God and that he loves you more than you could ever imagine. His desire is that you willingly serve him so you can enter into a peaceful existence that will last throughout eternity. Just do it. You will try anything else to find something, even though you don’t even know what that ‘thing’ is. You just want to be happy, at peace. You are either willing to release control and submit to a God who knows you better than you know yourself or you aren’t. Let go. For once in your life trust something that makes no logical, human sense. One word from God can change your situation forever. He means you no harm, only good. It starts with a simple step taken, an acceptance that you might be wrong about this whole God thing. Won’t you consider receiving Christ into your heart and life today? A choice must be made one way or the other. You will have to live with your choices, make them good, sound choices not based on what you think you know but what you place your faith and hope in the future in. Do as you must, but know that this decision will have eternal ramifications. May God’s perfect will for your life be done. 

In His Name & for His Glory.

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Why Do We Celebrate Christ’s Birth on December 25th?

Galatians 4:4-5 teaches, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

When was Jesus born? The truth of the matter is that we have no idea what the exact date of Jesus’ birth was. No clue. Sure, there are hypotheses, conjecture, theories, but no actual hard cold facts based on actual evidence that shows when Jesus was born. 

Historically speaking December 25^th coincided with a pagan festival celebrating the Roman god Saturn and the winter solstice. The church at that time offered believers a Christian alternative to the pagan festivities; so although the date of Christ’s birth isn’t found in the Bible, it’s not wrong for us to remember Christ’s birth on December 25th. The fact that he was born is far more important than the exact day it took place.

December 25 has become more and more acceptable as the birth date of Jesus. However, some argue that the birth occurred in some other season, such as in the fall. Followers of this theory claim that the Judean winters were too cold for shepherds to be watching their flocks by night. In the end, the timing of any of this is pretty impossible to prove, yet ultimately, it doesn’t matter.

Theological scholars believe Christ’s birth could have been somewhere between 6 & 4 BC. One thing is clear: if God felt it was important for us to know the exact date of the Savior’s birth, He certainly would have told us in His Word. The Gospel of Luke gives very specific details about the event, even down to what the baby was wearing– “swaddling clothes”—and where He slept— “in a manger” (Luke 2:12). These details are important because they speak of His nature and character, meek and lowly. But the exact date of His birth has no significance whatsoever, which may be why God chose not to mention it.

The fact is that He was born, He came into the world to atone for our sins, He was resurrected to eternal life, and He’s alive today. This is what we should celebrate, as we are told in the Old Testament in such passages as Zechariah 2:10: “‘Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,’ declares the LORD.” Further, the angel that announced the birth to the shepherds brought “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). Surely here is the cause for celebration every day, not just once a year.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resources: Billy Graham Ministries; www.gotquestions.org

 

My Christmas Message to you...

 I have no problem mentioning Christ at Christmas time.  To me it is not Happy Holidays or Season’s Greetings … it is Merry CHRISTmas!!

So MERRY CHRISTMAS and may God bless you with every blessing He has apportioned for you.

And may you have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year in the Biblical sense … that you prosper even as your soul prospers.  For without the grace, mercy, peace, wisdom and guidance of Christ in our lives, where would we be?  I shudder to think of how my life would have turned out if I hadn’t heeded the call of God’s Holy Spirit over 40 years ago.  Reflect on how your life has been blessed.  Don’t focus on anything that you didn’t get or that didn’t happen. Focus on the things that God had a hand in and realize that He is your provider and sustainer.  Without Him we are nothing.  And to think the story all began for us gentiles with a heaven sent baby who grew up obeying his parents and his Heavenly Father. He freely ministered to those in need around him and brought healing indiscriminately. When the time was right, preordained by the Father, the little baby, now fully grown and in his 30’s willingly suffered the horrors of a crucifixion to pay a price we could never afford.  His birth, life and death were God’s plan to save us all.  Do you trust Him today?  Notice, I am not asking if you are a Christian, I am asking you … are you trusting Him in your life?  

Our gracious Heavenly Father, help us to refocus our spiritual eyes on that which is important to us … You.  Let us quiet ourselves regularly and follow the leading of Your Spirit. Fill us with Your peace and let us truly be salt and light to those around us who do not know You.  We know You are our Provider and Sustainer, so we ask nothing material for ourselves, simply that our lives are a blessing to You.  Help us understand that it is NOT about us.  Gifts are nice, but let us never lose sight of Your gift of salvation, for it is truly more valuable than anything on this earth.  We ask all this in the name of Your Son, Jesus, who is without hesitation the reason for the season … amen.

God bless and WALK WITH THE KING EACH DAY AND BE A BLESSING!!!

RL Keller

Advent Season – Love 4

“... we were made to be loved by God and to love Him in return. We're called to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to let that love overflow to others around us.” *

As we approach this Christmas Day, let's challenge ourselves to look beyond the surface-level celebrations and contemplate the true "why" behind it all. Let's take time to ponder God's love, to worship in response to that love, and to allow it to transform us from the inside out.

Understanding all that God is and what He has done for mankind, in spite of our indifference and lack of respect, makes the Advent Season mean a whole lot more to us as individuals. We each have our own thoughts, desires, hopes and dreams. Do they involve a relationship with our Creator? Do we look both inward and upward to find our full potential as believers in Christ? We should be doing that because our life becomes somewhat meaningless without Christ at the center of all we think, say, and do. As Christians we are to become a reflection of God’s love, kindness, and mercy as we go about our day. He should be interwoven into the fabric of our life so much so that people can see something in us that inspires them to become a better version of themselves. We can make an impact on those we encounter each day by attempting to replicate Christ’s behavior. Sure, we’ll fail, but that is no reason to stop trying. The Holy Spirit will help you if you listen for His inner voice that wants to lead you.

Tomorrow is Christmas Day. It comes quickly and is over in a flash. The celebratory nature of the holiday makes it a fun family oriented time for most folks. But then there are those who have broken homes, those who suffer abuse, some debilitating illness, or severe depression at this time of year. What about them? Do you know someone like that? Have you reached out and touched them with the love of Christ? Have you offered or sought out forgiveness for something said or done either to you or by you? Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to BE JESUS to someone. It’s not all about you. It never has been and it never will be. It’s about God and what we do with Him. It’s about forgiveness offered and accepted. It’s about eternal life with your Creator God. And it all started 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. 

Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing. Look for my special Christmas message tomorrow and enjoy your holiday! Glory to God in the highest, and peace and good will to all men.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

·       The portion in red at the top is from a sermon called “The True Meaning of Christmas: A Love That Transforms”, December 22nd, 2024, by Pastor Paul Boekell.   

Advent Season – Love 3

1 John 4:19 reminds us, "We love because he first loved us." When we truly experience God's love, it changes us. It casts out fear and replaces it with love – love for God and love for others. This is how people recognize true disciples of Jesus, not by their doctrine or good deeds, but by their love for one another (John 13:34-35). *

            Once again I tap into the sermon of Pastor Boekell. Let’s take a look at John 13:34-35 (NLT) and expound on it, shall we? 

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

In a world where hate is on the rise, love wins out. Love always wins out. Loving acts are far more impactful than hateful acts. Hate breeds resentment, anger, and retaliatory thoughts and actions. Love, on the other hand, quells anger and defuses resentment. Even when hate appears on the surface to win over love, the power of love enters into the hateful mindset and changes it eventually to see thru loving eyes. It may not always happen that way, but considering where the very nature of love comes from, it stands to reason that love is far more powerful than hate. The visual results of hate are plain to see as it destroys that which surrounds it; however, love constructs positive, lasting feelings of peace and contentment. That is something hate can never do.

Hate stems from a level of fear, but love blossoms from a root of divinity, in that it originates with God. God IS love. His very nature is based on a foundation of love. Love isn’t something that He created, it’s something that He IS. It’s not an easy thing to comprehend, but it IS something you can feel. True love is found in God, yet millions of people, hell bent on disrupting God’s plan for mankind, seeks to destroy all vestiges of true love.

History cannot be changed. What happened 2000 years ago cannot be erased. Christ was born, lived, and died for you and no amount of hate can ever change that. Do you believe that this Advent Season? Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

·       The portion in red at the top is from a sermon called “The True Meaning of Christmas: A Love That Transforms”, December 22nd, 2024, by Pastor Paul Boekell.   

Advent Season – Love 2

1 John 3:16 tells us, "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us." In Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we see the fullest expression of God's love – a love so great that no cost was too high. *

            How do you recognize love in people? Is it not in the way they treat others? It seems to me that being a loving person can be seen by the way others act. Words are cheap, but actions tell a person’s true story. 

            God revealed His love for us by putting it on display for all to see. That is how to ensure that the love is seen with ones own eyes. Telling someone you love them is all well and good, but showing them makes it real. 

            Making promises is great, but following thru on those promises establishes a base line by which people can know you in a personal way. God can be trusted because everything that He promises in scripture has come to pass up to this point in time, therefore the base line established is that He can be trusted. So if He says He loves you, and He has, all you have to do and look to Christ to see the evidence regarding that love.

            During this Advent Season, make sure your focus is on the love of God and how He feels about you, rather than becoming fixated those things we receive or the things we do not yet have. God sent His only Son to live among us and die in our place; the ultimate act of love. Never lose sight of that.

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

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

·       The portion in red at the top is from a sermon called “The True Meaning of Christmas: A Love That Transforms”, December 22nd, 2024, by Pastor Paul Boekell.