The True and Living God

“I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God” (Isaiah 43:11-12). I remember as a freshman in Bible College reading an article, written by an ungodly individual, that was critical of the Christian faith. He said the Christian faith is "Nothing more than a psychological crutch." My response was how dare he attack my God and my faith. Then it dawned on me, he had not experienced the power and grace of God that comes through the new birth. The above verse does bring to mind the question, Is belief in God something for the weak, a childish gullibility, a way of side stepping reality? From [Freud’s] perspective, God is merely a creation of the human mind, a projection emanating from human need and desire rather than a distinct reality or being that exists independently of the human mind. Freud’s notion of God acting as an idealized father figure for humans, providing a cushion from the harshness of the real world and a comforting friend in the midst of life’s troubles, reduces God to a human construct. Indeed, for Freud, God is made in humanity’s own image and is the “ultimate wish-fulfillment”; God does not actually exist but is merely the creation of humanity’s imagination and desire for a loving father figure. Can we as believers respond to this? Is God really able to be explained away so easily by one aspect of psychology? The answer is a resounding no. As the song writer stated "He lives, He lives, I know my Savior lives, for He lives within my heart." Our verses for today reminds us we are here as witnesses to "Declare the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light" (I Peter 2). Unlike the blind unbeliever we are recipients of God's blessings. We are the people who anticipate His mighty deliverance yet to come. How dare we remain silent? There is no place for discouragement or retreat in our lives. To be discouraged is to lack courage. No believer has the luxury of discouragement, for we are in a battle for truth. Jesus Christ is our Commander and Chief, and He won the battle for us back at Calvary. Thus we fight from victory, rather than for victory. The same God who made the corpse of Jesus our living Lord is the same God Who is mighty to save. Being a witness of the living God, ought to humble us. Jacob was humbled when God touched his thigh, he was renamed Israel and walked with a limp the rest of his life. We ought to beware of any Christian leader who does not walk with a limp. Sometimes God orders circumstances into our lives to develop humility and create greater dependence upon Him. It is because God works greater through weakness than strength. The truth is we can get humility voluntarily or involuntarily. Its much easier if we get it voluntarily. "God gives more grace to the humble" one way or the other we'll get it. For God commissions humble, trusting, witnesses to do His Kingdom work. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Prayer as Worship

Many people do not pray. The self-sufficient do not pray, they merely talk to themselves. The self-satisfied will not pray, they have no knowledge of their need. The self-righteous cannot pray; they have no basis on which to approach God. In contrast note the words of the Psalmist “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,”- Psalm 95:6-7. Psalm 95 is a model for approaching God in prayer. It begins with praise and thanksgiving. The apostle Paul seldom mentioned prayer in the New Testament without conveying an attitude filled with gratitude. "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers" (Ephesians 1:16) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). The Bible speaks of three levels of communicating with God in prayer. Each level is saturated with praise and thanksgiving. At the beginning of our Christian walk, we tend to make prayer lists and present our requests to God. There is certainly nothing wrong with this. The leaves of my first Bible are filled with hand written prayer requests. James 4:2-3 says, "You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." David expands this point by saying, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened" (Psalm 66:18). We come to the Lord with confession, praise, worship and petition. We will struggle in prayer if we do not get beyond level one. This is the level at which the communication is only one way. The second level of prayer is a level of personal and two way communication. Have you ever tried to build a relationship when you did all the talking? Prayer is the language of our relationship with our heavenly Father. We need to hear His voice as we personally and humbly approach Him. The word hear means to listen so as to obey. Knowing God's ways leads to His rest. There is no rest in a hardened heart. "Learn from me and you shall find rest in your souls" (Matthew 11:29). God's prayer list will probably not be the same as ours. The first items on God's list are issues that concern our relationship with Him. So if there are unresolved moral issues that we have never confessed to God, rest assured they will be at the top of His list. That is why the psalmist cautions us not to harden our hearts. We should actively deal with whatever comes to our minds during prayer. There is nothing we can't talk to God about because He already knows the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. When prayer becomes personal, we begin to pray more. Intercessory prayer, the third level of prayer, then becomes possible. There is a great need for true intercessors. Intercessors are Christians who are intimate enough with God to hear His voice and obey. Intercessors hear from God, sense the burden to pray and continue in prayer until the burden lifts. Seldom, if ever, is intercessory prayer undertaken in public. Intercessors usually pray in the privacy of their homes. often late at night, sometimes praying through the night. God accomplishes much of His work through these dear saints who know how to intercede for others. I believe God wants us all to intercede on behalf of one another. Consider asking the Lord to "teach you to pray." Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Be thankful - stop complaining

  I AM THANKFUL:  FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
 BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.


 Live well, Laugh often, & Love with all of your heart! 

Romans 8:28