How Goes Your Faith

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). Some years ago GM came out with a slogan concerning one of their vehicle lines. It stated "Buick, something to believe in." I had a Buick and let me tell you no amount of faith could have kept that thing running. Of course the slogan did not speak of Biblical faith. It was referring to Buick faith, which amounted to nothing more than hoping your Buick would last a little longer than the competitors brand. Actually our faith is no better than the object of our faith. The New Testament word for faith points to a personal commitment. The English word trust could be a better translation of the Greek word. Trust speaks of investment or commitment of oneself. The reality (objectively) of things hoped for lies in confident trust in God. This is quite different than the statement made by the little boy "Faith is believing things we know aren't true." Faith is our way of knowing that certain sure things that have not yet happened, will happen. How do we know these things are certain? Because God said so in His Word. Just as certain as Jesus came once, He will come again. Faith is living life on the assumption that what God said will happen. The faith life does not wait for human evidence or proof, but accepts (trusts) the Word of God as totally sufficient evidence. This kind of faith wins us the approval of God. In God's economy He adjusts the worldly statement "Seeing is believing" to "Believing is confident knowing, even when you cannot see, because the One who promised is faithful (reliable). We have a living faith that overcomes the difficulties of life, a faith that trusts in that which is hoped for (what God has promised in the Holy Scriptures). Able of old differed from his brother Cain in that he placed his complete trust in God and his unlimited mercy. He offered his (the correct) sacrifice in the spirit of faith. God rejected Cain's sacrifice because it was not brought from a trusting heart (thus the wrong sacrifice). That's why "Without faith it is impossible to please Him." Abraham was a man of faith. He obeyed God and left the land of Ur of the Chaldees and became a migrant, traveling in foreign lands. While he believed God had given him a land of promise he did not run ahead of God's timing and when he experienced hardship he never tried to go back to Ur. He never stopped his journey with God. He and his wife Sarah believed they would receive a promised son. In their old age, when they were both "Dead", in a reproductive sense, God gave them a son. Consider reading (Hebrews 11) the faith chapter. You will always find someone in that great chapter you can identify with. It could be Gideon who needed a sign that the Lord was truly with him. It might be the ones titled "Others" who were persecuted and mistreated. It could be Rahab and Samson, in spite of their missteps they both are listed in God's great hall of faith. Why are they commended? Because they committed themselves to God, they believed Him, they took Him at this Word and acted accordingly. Are you trusting the Lord today? If not, why not? Try spending some time with Christ in His Word "Faith comes by hearing and that by the Word of God." Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Heart Check Up

We all need an occasional check up. Here is a heart check up that might reveal some spiritual deficiency's. 1. Emotions, have you cried lately? Or have you really laughed? A healthy heart is fully aware of deep emotions, and can name them. 2. Moments, are you present or preoccupied? Ask your spouse, children, or friends if you're "All there" when you're with them. They can say whether your "Skimming key relationships. 3. People, do you resent phone calls and people seeking you out? Or do you see them as opportunities for ministry? If you're running for cover, trying to dodge people you're overextended. 4. Whispers, how long has it been since you heard the still, small voice of God? One of the first signs of a hardening heart is a deafened ear to the quiet promptings of God. As long as we are doing a check up, here are four categories of pride. 1. When I begin to assume responsibilities that belong to God. A. My protection. Psalm 18:2 B. To be critical or judgmental of others. God is the Judge. Romans 2:1-3. C. To take control of my life and situations. I Timothy 6:15; Proverbs 3:5-6. 2. Looking to someone or something to give me only what God can give. A. Worth, value, significance, acceptance. B. Because of the death of Jesus Christ, I have all these in Christ. Ephesians 1:3-6. 3. Holding on to things that rightly belong to God. A. My life, physical body, time, plans, secret desires. Romans 12:12; Galatians 2:20; colossians 3:2. B. Possessions, they belong to the Lord. If you think you own something, you don't own it, it owns you. 4. Neglecting or rejecting what God has clearly told me to do. James 4:6-10. Remember, to be prideful and half hearted is to get the worst of both worlds. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Where Is Your Refuge?

Do you have a place to hide? Where do you go when you are down, in need of someone to listen, depressed, hurt, angry or lonely? In other words when life gets really crumby where do you go? Do you run to drugs, alcohol, pornography, shopping, throwing a pity party, etc? Where do you go to escape? Do you have a place to hide? King David found the perfect place. “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:114. The song of old asked the question "Where can I go but to the Lord?" I can hide in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91). To be in the shadow implies closeness. Psalm 90 says "The Lord is our dwelling place from all generations." The birds have nests the fox have dens and we as God's children have Him. Jesus said He is the Vine and we are the branches, if we abide in Him we shall bear much fruit. Again the theme of closeness and dependency comes to the forefront. A teenage girl learned a lesson through babysitting. She was babysitting a young boy, 8 o'clock PM came around and it was bed time. He, like most young boys didn't want to go to bed. She picked him up and she said "He was as stiff as a board." She said "It's hard to hug a stiff kid." The next day she baby sat a young girl. This young girls parents were going out of town for the day, the teenage girl ran to their house right after the morning church service was over. The mother of this young girl apologized, and said their little daughter was in the back yard playing in a mud puddle. Clean clothes were laid out and the parents left. The little girl really loved her teenage babysitter, and when she saw this young woman, dressed in her Sunday finest, she ran to her with open arms and threw her arms around her. Now two young ladies had to change their clothes. The teenager said "It's a lot easier to hug a dirty kid than a still kid." So it is with God, it's easier for Him to deal with our sin than for Him to deal with our stiffness. Stiff Christians don't hang around with God, they are self sufficient. So where do you go when you are in need? Stiffness is a defense mechanism you don't need. Surrender to the Lord and hide in Him. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, seminars and local church meetings.