Faith for the Family

“By faith Isaac invoked future blessing on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones” (Hebrews 11:20-23). Moving faith from theory to reality is an essential, yet tough, assignment. It’s so much easier to talk it than walk it! If we decide to implement faith, it’s not long before it begins to impact the roots of our existence: our homes. Note three realms of faith. First, there is faith for living and dying. We fight faith constantly. By nature, we resist trusting God. We would rather walk by sight, since that’s a lot more predictable. The problem is that walking by sight doesn’t please God. Faith is to be an everyday companion, not a weekend guest (II Corinthians 4:16-18; 5:7). The best place to exercise faith is in the home with the family. Second, the faith found in four homes (11:20-23). These verses give us four keyholes through which we can watch faith in progress. As we observe these examples, we need to pay attention to how the lines of faith were kept strong. The example found in Isaac’s faith (v.20). Isaac was dependent on the faith relationship that had been modeled for him by his father, Abraham, how he continued and preserved it in his relationship with his own sons, Jacob and Esau. The faith found in Jacob’s (v.21). This faith relationship here is grandfather to grandson. The example illustrated in Joseph’s faith (v.22). This faith relationship is from a brother to brothers. Moses’ parents’ faith (v.23). Also note (Exodus 2:10; 3:10). Third, faith exercised where we live. Since faith was never meant to remain a theoretical study, and since it is best learned within the home in conjunction with family relationships, there are two things we can do: Think of our homes as training bases, not holding tanks. Develop in our homes a contagious confidence in God, not a demoralizing determination to endure. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Love or Die

Please read I John 3:11-24. In this Epistle John keeps returning to the topics of love, obedience and truth. However each time he looks at these topics from a different point of view. In the fellowship section we are told that loving the brethren is a matter of light and darkness. If we do not love one another we cannot walk in the light, no matter how loud our profession might be. In the above section when it comes to the matter of love, there are four possible levels of relationship on which a person may live. I. The level of murder. This is the lowest level on which one may live. The devil was a murder from the beginning of his fallen career. Christians have heard from the beginning that they are to love one another. John emphasizes origins. Cain is an example of hatred. The real test is love for the brethren and here Cain failed. The difference between Cain's offering and Abel's was faith. Cain clearly rejected God's Word. God accepted Abel's offering. Rather than repent, Cain decided to destroy his brother. Centuries later, the Pharisees did the same thing to Jesus Christ. A hunter took refuge in a cave during a rainstorm. He was quite snug in the darkness. In time he found a flashlight in his gear and turned it on. to his horror he found the cave was filled with lizards and poisonous snakes. Darkness keeps the unsaved from seeing what is really going on in their lives and in the world around them. Murder is living on the lowest level of hatred and lies, surrounded by that old serpent Satan and all his demonic armies. II. Hatred. At this point you might be thinking "But I have never murdered anyone!" Jesus said hatred is the same as murder. The difference between level 1 and 2 is the outward act of taking life. The inward intent is the same. A visitor at the zoo was in the lion house. He said "They just look like big kittens." The zoo keeper answered "But, unlike the kittens, there is murder in their hearts." The question is not so much what did you do? The real question is what did you want to do? In God's sight hatred is the moral equivalent of murder. Of course your neighbor would rather you hate him than murder him. A murderer can become a Christian, but as a Christian he will not continue to murder. The Apostle Paul is an example of this truth. Hate is the normal experience of the unsaved. when the hateful heart opens to Jesus it becomes a loving heart. Evangelist John Wesley was robbed at gunpoint, Wesley shouted as the robber was leaving "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin." Months later, after Wesley preached a message in a town square, the same man came up to Wesley to confess that he had received Christ. He said "I would not get that scripture verse out of my mind." III. Indifference. Here is the real test of Christian love. Love is not simply failure to do evil to others. Love also involves doing good. Jesus did not simply talk about His love, He died to prove it. Self-preservation is the first law of physical life. There is self-sacrifice, this is the first law of spiritual life (I John 3:16). John simply asks us to help a brother in need. In these days of multiplied social agencies, it is easy for Christians to forget their obligations. For example an overwhelmed young mother who has trouble making time for devotions. Baby sitting for an hour may be of great help. In time the young mother could develop her devotional life so with the Lord's strength she would be able to handle life much better. IV. Christian love. John names three wonderful blessings that will come to the believer who practices Christian love. 1. Assurance. The Believers relationship with others affects his relationship with God. A condemning heart is one that robs a believer of peace. No Christian should treat sin lightly, but no Christian should be harder on himself than God is. Take for example Mary and Martha. Martha criticized both Mary and Jesus. But Jesus knew Mary's heart. 2. Answered prayer. A believer's relationship to the brethren cannot be divorced from his prayer life. A Christian who lives to please God will discover that God finds ways to please His child. "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your Heart" (Ps. 37:4). 3. Abiding-depends on our obeying God's Word and keeping our lives clean. The vine and the branches teaches us about producing fruit or the branch's (us) withers and dies. There are four levels on which a person may live. 1. Satanic level-practicing murder. 2. The hatred level, on this level a man is slowly killing himself. 3. The level of indifference-this is a believer living for self. 4. Christian love, this is a life of joy and liberty, a life of answered prayer. Dr. Spiz from New Your studied neglected children. He said some were slow in development, some died. It is even more so in the spiritual sense. In fact it is a matter of love or death. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church ministry.

The Need for Personal Holiness

I peter 1:14-16. "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. But as he which has called you is hold, so be holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be holy for I am holy." As the Apostle is writing the Holy Spirit draws his attention to Leviticus 11:44 and he writes on holiness. Yet there is a difference. Guided by the Holy Spirit he changed the imperative command "You shall be holy" into a loving appealing exhortation "Be holy." God is holy and He has made holiness the moral condition necessary to the health of his universe. Whatever is holy is healthy; evil is a moral sickness that must end ultimately in death. Note eight aspects of holiness. First, the dislike of holiness. A man once said "I do not believe in all this teaching abut holiness and Christ conformity. I am quite content to know that I am saved and on my way to Heaven." Dr. Stuart Holden answered the man in the following way "My friend that is hardly the proper criteria of judgment. You are satisfied to know that you are saved and going to Heaven. But is God satisfied? Is that what Christ died for?" The man was silent. Bishop Moule declared "The fully pardoned must long to be fully holy." I Thess. 4:3 "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification." Second. The need of holiness. Owen said "I do not understand how a man can be a true believer unto whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow, and trouble." The very fact that we are sinners shows a need for holiness. A Spirit filled believer will desire to be holy because God is holy. This is proof that we love the Lord Jesus Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is character, conduct and converts. Third, The definition of holiness. Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God. The holy person will endeavor to shun every known sin and to keep every Biblical commandment. A holy man will strive to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. It is complete conformity in all things great and small to the Holy will of God. Holiness us being one mind with God in all the judgments of the mind, in the feelings of the heart, and in all the outworking of life. Holiness is agreeing with God's estimate of things. Holiness is to have a conscience clean through the blood, and life guided by the Spirit through the Word. It is to have the power of Christ resting upon you, and to experience joy through the freedom He gives. Forth, the condition of holiness. Bishop Ryle said "We must be holy, because this is the only sound evidence that we have saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The condition of holiness is found in obedience to all known commands and desires of our Lord and obedience to God always leads to the blood of Christ (see I John 1:7). Fifth, the pattern of holiness. "As He" God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are the true pattern of Holiness. We are in the process of becoming. The Christian seeking holiness will become more and more like Jesus. Sixth, The imperative of holiness. There are many things in life which we can choose to do. God's wisdom leads us to devote ourselves to God in holiness. Without holiness on earth we shall never be prepared to enjoy heaven. Heaven is a holy place. Seventh, the field of holiness. We must be holy in conversation and conduct. Those who do not have a Christianity that sanctifies the small things in life do not have a Christianity that will sanctify the crises of life. Eight, the possibility of holiness. The very fact that God urges us to holiness is sufficient to settle the possibility of holiness. Holiness is wrapped up in Christ. Holiness is a gift and a process. It as a gift from God, in Christ, it is also a process to be worked out in daily life. God is holy with an absolute holiness that knows no degrees, this He cannot impart to His creatures. But there is a relative and contingent holiness which He shares with angels and seraphim in heaven and with redeemed men on earth as their preparation for heaven. This holiness God can and does impart to His children. Above all we must believe that God sees us perfect in His Son while He disciplines and chastens and purges us that we may be partakers of His holiness. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Things God Won't Ask

Things God Won't Ask: ~ God won't ask what kind of car you drove; He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation. ~ God won't ask the square footage of your house; He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home. ~ God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet; He'll ask how many you helped to clothe. ~ God won't ask what your highest salary was; He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it. ~ God won't ask what your job title was; He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability. ~ God won't ask how many friends you had; He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend. ~ God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived; He'll ask how you treated your neighbors. ~ God won't ask about the color of your skin; He'll ask about the content of your character. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Like Father, Like Son

Please read Ephesians 5:1-17. The word "Followers" in verse one is the word "Mimics," so that verse can be translated "Be Imitators of God as beloved children." This sets the theme for this section. Paul is simply arguing that children are like their parents, a fact that can be both encouraging and embarrassing to those of us who have children. Children probably learn more by watching and imitating than any other way. Since we are the children of God then we ought to imitate our Father. Note three ways in which we are to mimic our heavenly Father. First, we imitate our Father by walking in love. Paul gave several reasons why Christians ought to walk in love. One reasons is because we are God's child. "God is love" and it is logical that God's children will walk in love. I have seen malice and bitterness at both funerals and weddings. The old nature is basically selfish, and for this reason it builds walls and declares war. But the new nature is loving and therefore it builds bridges and proclaims peace. Another reason we because we are God's beloved child. God speaks of us the same way He spoke of Jesus Christ. We are born into a loving relationship with the Father that ought to result in our showing love to Him by the way we live. We were purchased with a great price. The idea behind "Sweet savor" is simply that the sacrifice is well pleasing to God. This does not suggest that God is pleased that sin demanded death, or that His Son had to die to save lost sinners. Rather, it indicates that the death of Christ satisfies the holy law of God and therefore is acceptable and pleasing to the Father. Second, we imitate the Father by walking as children of light. Paul gives three descriptions of believers that prove his point. We are saints. It is beneath the dignity of a saint to indulge in the sins that belong to the world of darkness. Verse three refers to "The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes." In verse four he warned against sins of the tongue. Two indications of a person's character are what makes him laugh and what makes him cry. We are kings. Paul makes it clear that people who persistently live in sin will not share in God's kingdom. In Paul's day, there were false Christians who argued that believers could live in sin and get away with it. God judges sin no matter where He finds it, and He does not want to find it in the life of one of His own children. A Christian is not sinless, but as he grows in the Lord he does sin less and less. We are light. To "Walk as children of light" means to live before the eyes of God, not hiding anything. It also means revealing God's light in our daily lives. By our character and conduct, we bring God's light into a dark world. Third, We imitate the father by walking in wisdom. Paul presented several reasons why we should be accurate and careful in our walk. The word "Circumspect" comes from two Latin words which mean "Looking around. The Greek word carries the idea of precision and accuracy. "See that you walk carefully with exactness" is the meaning. Doing so is a mark of wisdom. Only a fool drifts with the wind and tide. Someone said, "When the pilot does not know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind." Also life is short. Our English word opportunity comes from the Latin and means "Toward the port." It suggests a ship taking advantage of the wind and tide to arrive safely in the harbor. The brevity of life is a strong argument for making the best use of the opportunities God gives us. The days are evil. In Paul's time, this meant that Roman persecution was on the way. How foolish to waste opportunities to win the lost when soon those opportunities might be taken away by the advances of sin in society. If the days were evil when Paul wrote this letter, what must their condition be today? God has given us a mind. "Understanding" suggests using our minds to discover and do the will of God. Discovering God's will is not a mystical experience that rules out clear thinking. Learning His will involves gathering facts, examining them, weighing them, and praying for His wisdom. God does not want us simply to know His will, He wants us to understand and obey His will. God has a plan for our lives. The Christian can walk carefully and accurately because he knows what God wants Him to do. We imitate our Father by walking in love, light, and wisdom. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Spending Time Wisely

Ephesians 5:15,16 "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." What is the meaning of "Redeeming the time"? It cannot mean trying to recall the past. It does not mean dreaming about the future. Tomorrow is the day that never comes. Only today counts. Redeeming the time means to utilize the present. Redeem means to purchase, to keep from being lost or wasted. The word circumspectly means accurately, carefully, well. The wise person looks with care at all circumstances and opportunities and thus redeems the time. Look at four ways in which people are to redeem the time. First by trusting Christ as Savior while they have the opportunity. While God's mercy is yet extended to them. While Christ still offers grace and eternal life. while the gospel is still being preached. While the Holy Spirit is still pleading. While Christians may still pray and help. While God's promises are still open. Second by serving the Lord while you have the strength and vigor of youth. To detour Young people, Satan says: "Not now but later." "There's plenty of time. Have some time for yourself first." The evil one says "It's a hard path, not for young people." Instead of listening to Satan, obey God and redeem the time while your body is still strong. While your mind is still sharp. While you still possess inward energy and drive. Time passes quickly. If you are going to serve God later, you must begin now. Third, by leading your children to Christ and guiding them in the will of God. This is the responsibility of parents. Reach them while they are young and tender. Don't allow yourself to become too busy. Teach them while they are under your roof; pray with them while time is still on your side. Fourth, by getting the gospel to the unevangelized lands. This is God's time for world evangelization (see Acts 1:6-8). God is visiting the nations and taking out of them a people for His name. This is the age of grace for all of mankind. The doors to many countries are still open. The hearts of the people of the world are open as never before. This is a strategic hour, especiallly for Christians in North America. Each of us must ask will I act like a fool and waste time on worthless things, or will I be wise and redeem the time? Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Let's Walk the Walk

"That you may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that you may have lack of nothing" (I Thessalonians 4:12). True leadership involves walking the walk, seeing the fruit of walking the walk, and teaching other to walk the walk, and their seeing the fruit of their walk and their teaching others to do likewise. This is how discipleship works. This starts with the authenticity of our walk with the Lord as observed by men. We can be sure that the unbelieving world is watching our walk. We ought to be concerned how our living looks to those outside the body of Christ. They can't see our hearts, nor can they see the work of Calvary as its been applied to our account. What they can see and really want to see is authenticity, that is a walk that backs up our talk. Here God promises to provide our basic needs. Needs include food, clothing, shelter and the basic necessities of life. Part of an honest walk is honest work. Work is never a curse, but rather a real blessing. Work is one way we can use the gifts and talents the Lord has given us in a productive way. As the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, God is a worker (Isa. 40:28). Because we are created in the image of God we have been equipped with creativity and abilities. Work is part of how we experience true meaning in life. Work is certainly not the product of sin. Adam and Eve were given tasks to perform before the fall (Genesis 2:15). God uses our work as a way to serve others in many ways through providing goods and services that supply the needs of one another. The Lord promises to reward a good days work with a good nights sleep. Work is one way the Lord gives us to keep us out of trouble. He said "Let them that stole, steal no more, but rather work with their hands that they may have to give to those in need." God has provided a Model for our walk. We are to walk after the example of the Lord Jesus Christ (I John 2:6). We walk by abiding in Christ, Our walk includes walking in the Light, this means the confession of all known sin. We have a walk of rest in our union with Christ. We walk in the Spirit. We walk by faith, obedience and according to the truth of the Word. We are to walk in love. Love is illustrated in the story of the good Samaritan and commanded throughout the Bible. The standard for our love for one another is Christ's love for us. Love is a matter of having a purified inner being (I Peter 1:22). Agape love is the God given ability to love our enemies. Love means serving and doing, not just talking. It works itself out in mutual affection and respect, which places others above oneself. Love means we show sympathy to those who are suffering. Love leads us to pray for one another. Love is to be the motive behind everything we do as we minister to others in their need. Are you walking and living by the love standard? The world is watching. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Called to Mimic

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1). I remember seeing two Mime's perform. To my delight, I watched them communicate quite effectively without ever saying a word. A Mime is one who acts a part with gestures and actions. They don't use words, they use actions to express their message. The word "Imitators" in our verse means "Do as I do." What the Apostle is saying is "Don't talk about His love, walk in His love, live it, express it. Don't tell everybody you have it, show them that you have it. Do as God does. Mime. In other words, live it out before the world." This is a command calling for divine imitation to be our way of life. We are to "mimic" God's attitudes and actions through the power of the Holy Spirit. Mimes let their actions speak in place of their words. This doesn't mean that we are never to speak. It does mean that our actions give credibility to our words. Do you remember the old saw "What you do speaks so loud I can't hear what you say". I remember meeting an extremely over weight man who managed a health club. He was really pumped up about their exercise programs and he talked long about the health benefits made possible through membership in his club. I'm sure he has good management skills, he certainly was excited, however his physical condition did not make for good advertisement. Jesus gave us a similar charge in the Sermon on the Mount. He told us to "Love (as our lifestyle), our enemies and to pray (as a lifestyle) for those who persecute us so that we my be sons of our Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:44). As God's children we should be like our father, and love should meet love. We were born with Adam's depraved nature and we were fully deserving of the wrath of God. Now we are in Christ, empowered by His Spirit and motivated by a desire to walk in a manner pleasing to our new Father, God. (John 8:44). Imitation can be costly. In the early church, when a man gave his life to Christ, he often had to leave his job because it conflicted with his profession of faith. The same thing happened to F.W Charrington, the heir to a fortune made in the liquor industry. As Mr Charrington was walking by a tavern one night, he notice a woman waiting outside the door. A man, who was obviously her husband, came out, she tried to restrain him from going back in. With a savage blow of his fist, the man knocked her out. At which point he walked back into the bar, totally oblivious to his bleeding wife, who was lying on the street. Mr. Charrington looked at the name above the tavern door and saw it was his own. He said "with that one blow that man did not only knock his wife out, he also knocked me clean out of that business forever." He gave up the fortune he might have had. (From Morning Glory, July 26, 1993). Imitating Christ, can be costly in another way. Jesus told us that those who hated Him would also hate us. Some people hate Jesus because He is righteous and holy and they are not. His life exposes the corruption in their life. We are to be salt and light. Salt poured into an open wound will always bring a reaction. Light shining in darkness exposes what is going on in the dark. When we live like Christ we will receive some of the wrath of a world that hates righteousness. The Louvre in Paris is perhaps the most famous art museum in the world. It displays originals by such masters as Delacroix, Michelangelo, Rubens, da Vinci, Ingres, Vermeer, and many others. Since 1793, the Louver has encouraged aspiring artists to come and copy the masters. Some of our most famous modern artists have done that and have become better painters by copying the best the world has ever known. An article in the Smithsonian magazine tells about Amal Dagher, a 63 year old man who has been duplicating art at the Louvre for 30 years. Dagher remains in awe of the masters and continues to learn from them. He said, "If you're too satisfied with yourself, you can't improve." Like the Louver copyists, we'll never reach perfection before we get to heaven. Even so, we must resist the temptation to be satisfied with our present imitation of Jesus. We need to keep looking to Him, learning from Him, and asking for His help. To become like Christ we must learn from the Master. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Walking Humbly with God

In Micah 6:8 our Lord says "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do Justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God." the subject of humility is a difficult one in our world where personal pride rules the day. This outline is taken from Chuck Swindoll's book a life well lived. I would highly recommend this book. You may purchase it for just over $10.00 by going to www.amazon.com. The final chapter closes on this note, "A life well lived honors the Lord and inspires others, but it also produces rewards for the one who lives it. He then lists six of the rewards: -The sustained cultivation of exemplary character -The continued relief of a clear conscience -The personal delight of intimacy with the Almighty -The high privilege of being a mentor -The crowning reward of finishing well -A priceless, lingering legacy for those we love. I am going to attempt to expand each of these rewards. 1. The sustained cultivation of exemplary character. We are daily building what we are becoming. Someone said "We are not human beings as much as human becomings." We will be forever what we are becoming today. Each choice we make builds our character. Our walk with the Lord, is a huge factor, in considering what we will become. We are to become like Jesus.2. The continued relief of a clear conscience. Learning to ask forgiveness. Being quick to forgive. Bitterness grows in the soil of an unforgiving heart. Strive to quickly make things right with everyone you wrong. Being careful with the use of your tongue, check to be sure your attitude would glorify Jesus. Keep very short accounts with God. 3. The personal delight of intimacy with the Almighty. God created us that we might "Glorify Him and enjoy Him forever." Someone said that we glorify Him by enjoying Him forever. To walk in fellowship with the Lord is the greatest privilege we will ever have. I personally enjoy fellowship. My father is in his late 80's and if I call him and fail to visit with him at least an hour it, in his mind, doesn't really qualify as a call. Our Father in Heaven loves us and delights in our fellowship. He has His plan for our lives all worked out. He has never made a mistake and he never will. My personal experience has been that the closer I get the the Lord the greater the attack from the enemy. However, we are given strength in the time of attack, and there is no better place to remain than in fellowship with our Father.4. The high privilege of being a mentor. When we walk with the Lord others around us will follow. That is what discipleship is all about. We make disciples by teaching other to follow Christ. We teach them to obey all that Christ taught. Others use us as an example to follow. Paul said "Be followers of me, as I am a follower of Christ." Who is following you? How well are you doing as you seek to follow Christ? 5. The crowing reward of finishing well. Not all who begin the race well, finish well. I remember a young man in Bible College who bragged to all who would listen that he was going to be the next great evangelist of our time. He didn't last a full semester. Many go up like a rocket and come down like a rock. How often are we prone to distraction or discouragement. I have seen believers just plain quit because something in their life fell apart or didn't go the way they told God it should go. Let's determine that we will run and finish well. The words "Well done, good and faithful servant" coming from the lips of Jesus will more that make it worth while. Actually it's worth it all right now. 6. A priceless, lingering legacy for those we love. What are you leaving for those you love? Do those close to you delight in what the Lord has passed to them through you? I believe every family has a "Hush". There are things in all of our pasts that we would rather not be there. However God's grace is far greater than our past. Ask the Apostle Paul, the former Christian killer, about God's grace. His Epistles are full of writtings about the grace of God. What are you going to leave for others, that will help build lives, and the kingdom of God? What does the Lord want you to do today? Is there anything in your life He wants to help you change? Let's all strive to finish with a life well lived. Dr. Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.