Journaling

Here are some thoughts from my personal journal. When you come to the Scriptures ask what does this have to do with me? Don't waste the hard times. King David wrote Psalms 57, and 142 from a cave. The Bible in 50 words God made, Adam bit, Noah arked, Abraham split, Joseph ruled, Jacob fooled, Bush talked, Moses balked, Pharaoh plagued, People walked, Sea divided, tablets guided, Promise landed, Saul freaked, David peeked, Prophet warned, Jesus born, God walked, Love talked, Anger crucified, Hope died, Love rose, Spirit flamed, Word spread, God remained. Knowledge ties the past to the present and wisdom ties the present to the future. Have you ever been confussed between being grieved in spirit and irritated in the flesh. Joyfulness similes away all the wrinkles on a child's attitude. Gentleness is looking past the hardness of a face and seeing a delicate spirit on the inside. Often the outward gruffness of a person is as self-made shield to protect a wounded and hurting spirit. It is also a cry for understanding. "If you are suffering from a bad man's injustice, forgive him lest there be two bad men." St Augustine. Here is a bedrock principle of deception-it never comes as it is, is always uses a pleasant disguise. This deception can originate from a king (II Kings 18:29), a false god (Isaiah 37:10), or one's own heart (Jeremiah 49:16). Sin always causes fear. Ask Adam, Moses, or Peter. You become like what you hate. Prayer is never a substitute for repentance. There are a number of promises in the Bible about God not hearing prayers. Prayer is not a filabuster. You can suffer without sinning, but you can't sin without suffering. The goodness of God ought to lead us to repentance not independence. Outside of the subject of love, materialism is spoken of most in the Scriptures. Some people are tempted to surrender just a token sin or some minor fault, while allowing the main problems to remain entrenched and well hidden. Evil thoughts are the source of evil actions. When the Scriptures talk about an evil eye they are referring to stinginess, having a grudging attitude that another should have more than I do. Jesus promise "I will make you fishers of men." The condition "Follow Me." People need a sense of God's abiding presence upon them. A person filled with the Holy Spirit will have a deep sense of eternal values. The goal of God is not just that man in his sorrows is made happy but that man in his rebellion is made obedient. Without love for the truth, no area of our lives can be corrected. The enemy's lie enters our minds in whispers, not shouts; it walks in darkness, not light. When we harbor sin the light becomes darkness. Satan has a legal access given to him by God, to dwell in the domain of darkness, (II Corinthians 10:3-5). Before receiving the Holy Spirit the disciples were powerless. What we are is more important than what we say. In the race of doing God's will, are you in the front of the pack, one of the stragglers, or an onlooker? Why? Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.