(Deuteronomy 9:24; 1 Samuel 15:23)
Dealing every day on the Internet and every night on the TV program with people who choose to live in rebellion to God and His Word, it is sad how satan has so blinded people with his lies that they live in wanton ignorance regarding what awaits them the moment they die. They think by believing there is no God or that God will not judge them, they can live their lives any way they want, being accountable to nobody. The fact is, God WILL hold each person accountable whether they like it or not!
The reality is, people hate someone telling them what to do. That rebellious nature is evident in children, and is something most people deal with throughout their entire life no matter how old they get. That sin nature all men are born with breeds rebellion against authority. The authority of your parents. The authority of your teachers. The authority of the law. THE AUTHORITY OF GOD!!! Man by his very nature does not like being subject to ANY authority.
This is why parents have so many problems with their children. Children by nature rebel against their parents and only do what they want. This is why so many teens and young adults end up hurting, damaging, even destroying their lives at such a young age. Since they are older, they have more freedom to exercise their rebellion by drinking, doing drugs, having sex, not doing well in school, polluting their minds with porn, horrible music, becoming preoccupied with death and the dark side of life. Satan has an endless array of traps out there for teens and young adults to fall into when they want to rebel.
Of course, as people get older, their rebellion does not cease, and often increases. Adults make the choice to break the law, get involved in illicit sexual affairs of every kind in and out of marriage, "escape" through drugs, alcohol, gambling, and a whole host of other addictions that people become enslaved to, not to mention just living in such a selfish way that others get hurt through their choices. Even those in their golden years still live in rebellion in a multitude of ways.
The point I am making today is that because of the sin nature we are all born with, living our lives in rebellion is "natural" and something we all must fight all the time. The reality is, most people choose NOT to fight their rebellion, giving in to their natural desires to do what they want, when they want, and how they want, regardless of the consequences. So many simply choose to just give in to their rebellious nature and don't even care what the consequences of that rebellion will be.
Of course, this includes a persons spiritual life as well. The first sin was the sin of pride, satan deciding that he wanted to be God. It was an act of rebellion for God's creation to try and supplant the Creator. God created man with free will. The free will to obey Him or the free will to rebel against Him. Man had ONE RULE to follow in the Garden, ONE! Sadly for us and all mankind, Adam decided to rebel against the one rule God gave him, and thus sin entered into the human condition, and as a byproduct of sin, that rebellious nature we all fight.
Because of man's broken relationship with God his Creator, his rebellion extended to his spiritual life as well. He no longer honored and revered God, but saw God as the "rule maker." Man, of course, not wanting to follow any rules, found it easier to simply act like God didn't exist. God gave man His Word so His creation would know how to live this life in victory. Again, man had no desire to follow anyone's rules, even God's, so he quickly dismissed God's Book.
THE ETERNAL MISTAKE MEN MAKE IS THIS. YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS LIFE ACTING LIKE GOD DOESN'T EXIST SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW GOD'S RULES, BUT WHAT SATAN FORGETS TO TELL YOU IS THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL DIE AND AT THAT MOMENT GUESS WHAT? YOU WILL BE STANDING BEFORE GOD YOUR CREATOR TO BE JUDGED! YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY GOD WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!
I love you and care about you so much. Here is what I learned as a child, as a young adult, as a grown man, and still learn every day about rebellion, IT COSTS! There is always a huge price to pay when we choose to live in rebellion to our parents, to our teachers, to the law, to anyone in authority over us, and especially to God! REBELLION IS NOT FREE!
One of the things that drives me every day is knowing that those who are living their lives in rebellion to God, living their lives without Christ, will die at any moment and be judged by God for their sins and cast into hell for all eternity. THAT IS THE REAL FATE OF MEN WHO DIE WITHOUT JESUS! This is not a game. Death is final and there are no second chances. Those who die without Christ are destined to spend eternity in a place created for satan and the fallen angels who followed him. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS NOT A SPANKING, OR BEING GROUNDED, OR BEING EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL, OR BEING PUT IN JAIL...IT IS FOR ETERNITY!!!
I am saddened by those I encounter every day who have decided to listen to the lies of satan that there is no God, or that they can live however they want and God doesn't care. Saddened by those who listen to the lies of satan that the Bible is not God's Word, thinking if they deny what that Book is, they don't have to follow it. Saddened by those who have been so blinded by the lies of satan they can't even begin to comprehend the fact that the moment they die they will be standing before God their Creator to be judged. Saddened because I know those who buy into these lies will be spending all eternity in hell!
I will be praying for you today. If you are one of those people who is living in rebellion to God, to the Truth of His Word, refusing to accept Christ as your Savior, please hear this plea today. There is a very real God who created you and loves you so much. He is also a God of judgment. He has given you a way to find an everlasting relationship with Him if you will only surrender you heart and life to His Son Jesus who died for your sins. Please, take a moment and watch this video clip. If you do not know with 100% certainty that if you died in he next 30 seconds you will be forever with God your Creator, you MUST watch this clip! http://www.liveprayer.com/altarcall.cfm
Because of the sin nature we are born with, we all have to fight rebellion our entire life, in all areas of our life. That is why having a relationship with Christ is so critical. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling every Believer that we have the strength to live our lives in OBEDIENCE, not rebellion. I will be praying for you today as you follow the Lord each day and live your life in obedience. There will come a moment for each of us when this life is over, and at that moment we will be standing before God. GOD WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Garbage In, Garbage Out
DAILY DEVOTIONAL
(Proverbs 2:11)
There is a familiar saying in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out".
How perfectly that saying can be used in regard to the things we see and hear each day. Let me ask you a question. Would you take a steak, rub it all over the floor, and than eat it? Or how about taking a glass that has been in the garage or basement for a year, and filling it up with water and drinking it? Or what about picking a tomato out of a garden and eating it without washing the dirt off of it?
I am sure by now you have to be thinking I must be losing it, that I really can't be serious. The fact is, we would never think about doing these things, eating and drinking things that are dirty and not clean. Yet, consciously or subconsciously we do that every single day by what we allow ourselves to see and hear.
For those who have been reading my Devotionals for a while know, I try to teach balance. We live in a very real world, and have to put our faith in context with living in this world. We will NEVER be able to live apart from the sinfulness that infests every part of life. Over the years, sin has crept into every element of life and that is a reality we must not only deal with but never lose sight of. While we can never be totally immune from the sin that infects our world, we can take measures to minimize our exposure to it. We can be diligent to guard ourselves from it. We must always be careful about letting sin into our life.
Today's Devotional is a warning that should not be taken lightly. It is a trumpet call to stop, and pay attention to what God is trying to say to you this day. DO NOT IGNORE THIS WARNING. How we think, how we act, are manifestations of what we are exposed to in this life. What we see and what we hear go into our "computers" (brain) and become elements in our thought process, and ultimately in our actions.
If you think for a second that what you listen to, and what you watch does not have a bearing in how you think and act, you are sadly mistaken. The Bible talks about the renewing of our mind. This is literally talking about reprogramming our "computer". Deleting all of the garbage and useless information we have stored up, and replacing it with Godly, inspirational content. Just like the saying "garbage in, garbage out" is true, so is "God in, God out."
I love you, and care about you so much. You really do mean much to me. It is no accident God has brought us together for this season. I pray today that you will heed this warning. Be aware of what things you allow yourself to hear and see. Understand the harmful affect so much of the world can have on your life if you allow it in. I am not saying don't go to the movies again,or ever watch TV, or never read a non-Christian book or magazine, or only listen to Christian music.
What I am saying is think before you listen to a CD, think before you start reading a book, think before you watch a TV program, think before you go to a movie. Simply ask yourself if this is content you want to input into your "computer," and what purpose it will serve.
Be careful, because the enemy is the great justifier. John 8:44 says he is a liar, the father of lies. He will tell you that it is okay, that it is just entertainment, it is just harmless fun. Remember, what you allow yourself to hear and see WILL be part of you. Just like you are careful about what you eat and drink, be equally as concerned about what you see and hear!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:
bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
(Proverbs 2:11)
There is a familiar saying in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out".
How perfectly that saying can be used in regard to the things we see and hear each day. Let me ask you a question. Would you take a steak, rub it all over the floor, and than eat it? Or how about taking a glass that has been in the garage or basement for a year, and filling it up with water and drinking it? Or what about picking a tomato out of a garden and eating it without washing the dirt off of it?
I am sure by now you have to be thinking I must be losing it, that I really can't be serious. The fact is, we would never think about doing these things, eating and drinking things that are dirty and not clean. Yet, consciously or subconsciously we do that every single day by what we allow ourselves to see and hear.
For those who have been reading my Devotionals for a while know, I try to teach balance. We live in a very real world, and have to put our faith in context with living in this world. We will NEVER be able to live apart from the sinfulness that infests every part of life. Over the years, sin has crept into every element of life and that is a reality we must not only deal with but never lose sight of. While we can never be totally immune from the sin that infects our world, we can take measures to minimize our exposure to it. We can be diligent to guard ourselves from it. We must always be careful about letting sin into our life.
Today's Devotional is a warning that should not be taken lightly. It is a trumpet call to stop, and pay attention to what God is trying to say to you this day. DO NOT IGNORE THIS WARNING. How we think, how we act, are manifestations of what we are exposed to in this life. What we see and what we hear go into our "computers" (brain) and become elements in our thought process, and ultimately in our actions.
If you think for a second that what you listen to, and what you watch does not have a bearing in how you think and act, you are sadly mistaken. The Bible talks about the renewing of our mind. This is literally talking about reprogramming our "computer". Deleting all of the garbage and useless information we have stored up, and replacing it with Godly, inspirational content. Just like the saying "garbage in, garbage out" is true, so is "God in, God out."
I love you, and care about you so much. You really do mean much to me. It is no accident God has brought us together for this season. I pray today that you will heed this warning. Be aware of what things you allow yourself to hear and see. Understand the harmful affect so much of the world can have on your life if you allow it in. I am not saying don't go to the movies again,or ever watch TV, or never read a non-Christian book or magazine, or only listen to Christian music.
What I am saying is think before you listen to a CD, think before you start reading a book, think before you watch a TV program, think before you go to a movie. Simply ask yourself if this is content you want to input into your "computer," and what purpose it will serve.
Be careful, because the enemy is the great justifier. John 8:44 says he is a liar, the father of lies. He will tell you that it is okay, that it is just entertainment, it is just harmless fun. Remember, what you allow yourself to hear and see WILL be part of you. Just like you are careful about what you eat and drink, be equally as concerned about what you see and hear!
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:
bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
I Believe
For those unfamiliar with Bluegrass, I want to introduce Dailey & Vincent. Although they have been performing for many years, we just 'discovered' them recently. They are more than just Bluegrass, they are more than just gospel, they are gifted in a way that very few have been to spread love, laughter, and such profound truths about God, family, love, and self.
Treat yourself. Sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy a moment with Dailey & Vincent. You will be glad you did.
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; and where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-2
Do you believe?
May the Lord bless you.
Treat yourself. Sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy a moment with Dailey & Vincent. You will be glad you did.
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; and where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-2
Do you believe?
May the Lord bless you.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Salvation Roulette
(Romans 6:1-18)
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? These are two questions I get asked often from both Christians and non-Christians. Many non-Christians are looking for an "angle" with God. Those Christians see people living this way and think it is unfair,especially when they are living a life of obedience to God. Today, I want to look at the answers to these questions to help the non-Christian realize that you can't play games with God, and for the Christian to understand that God's grace is available to everyone.
Why not sin and just ask God to forgive you afterwards? Sadly, this is a far-too-common mindset, especially among Christians. They are faced with the opportunity to sin and the knowledge that God will forgive them actually motivates them to give in to sin. Of course, satan is there encouraging this perverted thought process, telling the person to, "Go ahead and sin, you know God will forgive you." Some look at the promise of God's forgiveness as a license to sin.
First of all, will God forgive you? Absolutely. God is not a liar. If you repent and ask Him to, He will forgive you, but listen to me carefully. God knows your heart! Never forget that consequences ALWAYS follow sin, just like blessings ALWAYS follow obedience. Will God forgive you if you repent and are serious? Yes. However, that does not stop whatever consequences there may be from your sin. As I share with you often, sin costs. It costs much more than you ever expected to pay. So yes,God will forgive you when ask Him,but what you are doing by sinning is opening up your life to whatever consequences there may be from your sin.
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? This is what I call "salvation roulette." Can a person live their life in complete rebellion to God and His word, and then right before they die accept Christ and be saved and spend eternity in Heaven? ABSOLUTELY! That thief on the cross lived his life without Christ and it was with his last breaths that he came to know Jesus. Some may think this is a great plan. Live your life however you want and in those last moments accept Christ and God's free gift of everlasting life with Him. Only one problem. You may never get that chance!
How many people die instantly in a car accident or some other accident? How many people die of a heart attack or suffer some other health issue where they are incapacitated? People die daily as victims of crime, in natural disasters, in every way imaginable. Those people never had the opportunity to accept Christ in their last breath and if they were living their lives apart from Him, are separated from God their Creator for all eternity. No my friend, you are playing with your eternal soul when you take on the mindset that you will simply live your life your way and right before you die accept Jesus.
Now many people who love the Lord and do their very best to follow Him each day, get enraged when they see people living a life of debauchery and in their last moments accept Jesus. They feel like they have been "cheated" in some way. This is exactly what happened to the brother of the Prodigal Son. He became infuriated with his father that his brother, who chose to live in complete rebellion to his father, was given royal treatment when he returned home. He felt like he got cheated, like it wasn't fair.
First, never forget, NONE of us are worthy of God's love or His promise of everlasting life. NONE OF US! We are all saved by faith and GOD'S GRACE, His unmerited favor that we did nothing to earn. As I stated earlier,consequences follow sin and blessings follow obedience. The person who lived their life apart from God has had to suffer the consequences of their rebellion throughout their life. Without the Lord they never knew the peace, the joy, the abundance that this life offers. Their rebellion kept them from fully achieving God's plan and purpose for their life. Sadly, their rebellion throughout their life kept them from knowing the fullness of God's love.
The person who does follow the Lord throughout their life has enjoyed God's blessings, even in the midst of the trials and tribulations we all face in this world. That person has lived knowing God's love as well as His peace, His joy, and enjoyed the abundant life Christ spoke of. The person who follows Christ in their life also has the blessing of allowing God to use their life for His plan and purpose. Never forget, serving and glorifying the Lord is our purpose in this life. I can assure you that a person who follows Christ throughout their life enjoys a full and rich journey that those without Christ will never know.
I love you and care about you so much. So many people are deceived by satan into thinking that they can simply sin against God and than go ask Him to forgive them. The fact is, they can. What satan conveniently forgets to tell you is that you now have to pay a price for that sin. Oh yes, God WILL forgive you, but that does not stop you from having to deal with the consequences of your sin. You can't sin and not pay a price and often that price is so much greater than you ever imagined it would be.
The other lie of satan so many buy into is that you can live your life however you want and at the last moment, accept Jesus and God's free gift of everlasting life. The fact is, you can. However, you are playing games with your everlasting soul since you may never have the opportunity to confess Christ as your Savior and you will die in your sin and be lost for all eternity. That is why the Bible proclaims, "Today is the day of salvation." Even if you do have the opportunity to accept Christ at the very end, you have sadly forfeited the peace, the joy, and abundance this life can offer by not having Christ in your life earlier. In essence, your life has been wasted.
I will be praying for you today. Praying that you will not fall for either of these lies of satan. Satan wants to destroy you, God wants you to have the very best. Destruction comes when you listen to and follow satan, blessings come when you listen to and follow Jesus. Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey me." We prove our lives for Christ through our obedience, faithfully serving and following Him every day. Instead of looking for ways to sin, and live in rebellion to God, look for ways to serve Him and bring glory to His name in how you live your lives each day.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you willdie one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? These are two questions I get asked often from both Christians and non-Christians. Many non-Christians are looking for an "angle" with God. Those Christians see people living this way and think it is unfair,especially when they are living a life of obedience to God. Today, I want to look at the answers to these questions to help the non-Christian realize that you can't play games with God, and for the Christian to understand that God's grace is available to everyone.
Why not sin and just ask God to forgive you afterwards? Sadly, this is a far-too-common mindset, especially among Christians. They are faced with the opportunity to sin and the knowledge that God will forgive them actually motivates them to give in to sin. Of course, satan is there encouraging this perverted thought process, telling the person to, "Go ahead and sin, you know God will forgive you." Some look at the promise of God's forgiveness as a license to sin.
First of all, will God forgive you? Absolutely. God is not a liar. If you repent and ask Him to, He will forgive you, but listen to me carefully. God knows your heart! Never forget that consequences ALWAYS follow sin, just like blessings ALWAYS follow obedience. Will God forgive you if you repent and are serious? Yes. However, that does not stop whatever consequences there may be from your sin. As I share with you often, sin costs. It costs much more than you ever expected to pay. So yes,God will forgive you when ask Him,but what you are doing by sinning is opening up your life to whatever consequences there may be from your sin.
Why not live however you want and simply accept Christ right before you die? This is what I call "salvation roulette." Can a person live their life in complete rebellion to God and His word, and then right before they die accept Christ and be saved and spend eternity in Heaven? ABSOLUTELY! That thief on the cross lived his life without Christ and it was with his last breaths that he came to know Jesus. Some may think this is a great plan. Live your life however you want and in those last moments accept Christ and God's free gift of everlasting life with Him. Only one problem. You may never get that chance!
How many people die instantly in a car accident or some other accident? How many people die of a heart attack or suffer some other health issue where they are incapacitated? People die daily as victims of crime, in natural disasters, in every way imaginable. Those people never had the opportunity to accept Christ in their last breath and if they were living their lives apart from Him, are separated from God their Creator for all eternity. No my friend, you are playing with your eternal soul when you take on the mindset that you will simply live your life your way and right before you die accept Jesus.
Now many people who love the Lord and do their very best to follow Him each day, get enraged when they see people living a life of debauchery and in their last moments accept Jesus. They feel like they have been "cheated" in some way. This is exactly what happened to the brother of the Prodigal Son. He became infuriated with his father that his brother, who chose to live in complete rebellion to his father, was given royal treatment when he returned home. He felt like he got cheated, like it wasn't fair.
First, never forget, NONE of us are worthy of God's love or His promise of everlasting life. NONE OF US! We are all saved by faith and GOD'S GRACE, His unmerited favor that we did nothing to earn. As I stated earlier,consequences follow sin and blessings follow obedience. The person who lived their life apart from God has had to suffer the consequences of their rebellion throughout their life. Without the Lord they never knew the peace, the joy, the abundance that this life offers. Their rebellion kept them from fully achieving God's plan and purpose for their life. Sadly, their rebellion throughout their life kept them from knowing the fullness of God's love.
The person who does follow the Lord throughout their life has enjoyed God's blessings, even in the midst of the trials and tribulations we all face in this world. That person has lived knowing God's love as well as His peace, His joy, and enjoyed the abundant life Christ spoke of. The person who follows Christ in their life also has the blessing of allowing God to use their life for His plan and purpose. Never forget, serving and glorifying the Lord is our purpose in this life. I can assure you that a person who follows Christ throughout their life enjoys a full and rich journey that those without Christ will never know.
I love you and care about you so much. So many people are deceived by satan into thinking that they can simply sin against God and than go ask Him to forgive them. The fact is, they can. What satan conveniently forgets to tell you is that you now have to pay a price for that sin. Oh yes, God WILL forgive you, but that does not stop you from having to deal with the consequences of your sin. You can't sin and not pay a price and often that price is so much greater than you ever imagined it would be.
The other lie of satan so many buy into is that you can live your life however you want and at the last moment, accept Jesus and God's free gift of everlasting life. The fact is, you can. However, you are playing games with your everlasting soul since you may never have the opportunity to confess Christ as your Savior and you will die in your sin and be lost for all eternity. That is why the Bible proclaims, "Today is the day of salvation." Even if you do have the opportunity to accept Christ at the very end, you have sadly forfeited the peace, the joy, and abundance this life can offer by not having Christ in your life earlier. In essence, your life has been wasted.
I will be praying for you today. Praying that you will not fall for either of these lies of satan. Satan wants to destroy you, God wants you to have the very best. Destruction comes when you listen to and follow satan, blessings come when you listen to and follow Jesus. Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey me." We prove our lives for Christ through our obedience, faithfully serving and following Him every day. Instead of looking for ways to sin, and live in rebellion to God, look for ways to serve Him and bring glory to His name in how you live your lives each day.
In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller
If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at:bkeller@liveprayer.com
***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you willdie one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm
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