The Beginning of Wisdom

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:20-21). Many times I have uttered the words "I wish I had known as a youth what I know now." May I take a little time to share some insights I have received from the Word and Godly men and women over the years. The Proverbs tells us listening to "The instruction of a father (4:1) will spare a child heartache and misery. The instruction we receive has a powerful influence on us in life. The Proverbs give us insight into life by stressing the importance of "Seven things the Lord hates" The sin of a "Proud look" (6:16-19) is where He begins. Of all the sins mentioned in the Bible pride naturally comes first, for it precedes all other sins (see Genesis 3:5). A smirk on the lips is a sure sign of pride in the heart. The sin of pride is the root of which all other sins are the fruit. All sin involves selfishness in some form or another. Pride consists essentially in sinful self esteem, delighting in the thought (typically false) of ones superiority over others. The other six deadly sins are manifestations of hatred against ones neighbor and four consist of displaying falseness and malice proceeding from the mouth. By not restraining our speech we can lose some of the effectiveness of our witness for Christ. We ought to be instruments of blessing to others. The older I get the less I talk and the more I listen. According to Ecclesiastes 5:3 we can detect the voice of a fool by his multitude of words. We all reveal our heart by what we say. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:23). Have you ever noticed you can evaluate yourself by taking note of the things people come and talk to you about? Are your ears receptacles for gossip and garbage? Jesus said "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things....by your words you will be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned" (Matthew 12:35,37). The things that we see and hear, especially if they are evil, are stored in our minds and are often used by Satan to tempt us to sin. I am learning to "Bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." If we refuse to control our thoughts, in time they will control us. I am learning that I can plan until the cows come home (I grew up on a farm), but if God isn't in it, it won't work. Life is getting too short to do anything but His will. Every morning I turn my life over to God and tell Him its His His world, its His plan, I am His child and I will do what He wants. The Lord is teaching me that prayer accomplishes more than any thing I can do. Preaching may touch the heart of men, but prayer moves the hand of God. I believe the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man still accomplishes a great deal. I used to come to the end of my rope and tie a knot and hang on. Then I took over, and came up with my own plans. Lately the Lord has been saying "Forget the knot, let go and I will catch you." He is God and I am not. His purposes still stand, and He still "Works all things together for good to them who love Him." Thanks for listening to a guy who is perhaps to soon old and too late smart. I thank God that I am His and He is mine. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Importance of Friendship

"A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24). One important subject the Proverbs deals with is the subject of friendship. A good way to translate the first half of the above verse is "Some companions are good only for idle talk."The second half of the verse tells us that "The friend who sticks closer than a brother is the kind of friend to seek and to be." Any other kind of friend or friendship is not reliable. To say a "Friend loves at all times" means there is no "Time out" in friendship. Faithfulness in the time of need, is the idea. A statement I have heard many times is "He was a fair weather friend." This describes the fact that friends are easy to find when things are going well. The true measure of friendship is how well they stick when things are not going well. The Greek Old Testament of Proverbs 17:17 reads "A friend will be there for you in every kind of time." The thrust of the verse states the purpose of life is not to achieve personal fulfillment but to be in a meaningful relationship with someone else. This means "Foul weather friends" are the only ones worth having. How do you know they are "Foul weather friends"? They stick around in foul weather. Even more important a "Foul weather friend" is the only kind worth being. One of the tragedies of modern life is the way we move to new cities or new churches or new jobs and abandon the people that made our lives meaningful in the previous place. We lose a vital function of a long time friend, namely a friend finding the best in you and nurturing you in personal growth. A true friend will also point out our blind spots. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." An important principle is knowing when it is appropriate and when it is not appropriate to "Dump" on a friend. Sometimes sensitivity to our friend's problems will tell us that it is not time to share our problems with them, but time to help them carry their load. Both parties in a friendship need to seek that kind of sensitivity toward the other. In doing so they will find the own needs for friendship met and they will not damage the friendship they so intensely desire. God instructs us as to what kind of friends to choose but just as important He instructs us as to what kind of friend to be. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church ministry.

Who Ownes You

The subject of ownership is an interesting one. Ask a stranger, who owns the new car he's just stepped out of, he will say with pride it's mine. But is it really? Truth be known, it probably belongs to the bank and he is paying a monthly fee to use it. Does it really belong to the bank? As Bible believers we know everything belongs to the Lord. He is the Creator and sustainer of all things. There is Theological truth, and then there is the "Truth" we practice in daily life, what we really believe comes out in daily living. Who do we really belong to. We can only answer that question by asking ourselves "Who are we living for?" Many will, in an honest moment say they are living for self. Self interests take precedence over everything. The Lord may get some attention on Sunday Morning, or during a crisis, or illness. However in the general flow of life, He is kept in the background. Pau tells us “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8. Abraham is an example of a man of faith who knew he belonged to the Lord, God, Almighty. God came to him and said "Follow Me." Abraham (Abram) before God changed his name, followed "Not knowing where he was going." Every place Abraham pitched his tent he built an altar. Why? Because he worshiped the Lord. Who owns us? "We are bought with a price." The Lord owns us. That means God takes responsibility for that which is His. The Lord feeds us, heals us, gives us strength, wisdom, understanding, friends, family and so much more. He is the one who smiles upon us, He lifts up our heads when we are down cast, He is our encouragement, He always loves and accepts us, He never leaves us alone. As we "Present our bodies as a living sacrifice." He accepts our offering as an reasonable act of spiritual worship. Today lets rejoice in the knowledge that we belong to Jesus.