The Brazen Serpent

Please read Numbers 21:1-10. In this passage we read an interesting verse. "The souls of the people were greatly discouraged because of the way." Simply put, those who follow the Lord because they know it is right, but don't love the Lord, are going to become weary. Dissatisfaction often leads to rebellion. When our hearts are not satisfied with the Lord they will wander elsewhere. Note three important facts from this passage of Scripture. First, the peoples sin, it was three fold. It was against God Himself. We speak against God when we grumble about His providence. Things like income, health, material things, circumstances. We grumble by refusing to submit to His working in our lives. We grumble when we show more sympathy for the world than for Christ's Kingdom. We grumble when we prefer the satisfaction of the flesh over spiritual growth. We sin when we speak against the servant of God. They spoke against Moses. Those who hate Christ, hate His people. Christ's blessing falls upon us because of our identity with Him, so do his reproaches. We sin when we complain about the provision of God. They didn't like the "Light bread." This refers to the manna the Lord provided for them on a daily basis. Christ is the Bread for the world, however the world despises Him as light bread, only fit for the elderly and children. Many, from a heart of pride, treat Christ as not being sufficient from them, thus they despise the provision of the grace of God. Second, their sorrow. This sorrow works repentance and it is seen in their confession. "We have sinned because we have spoken against the Lord." True sorrow will lead to true confession. The sinner must realize that his sin is against the Lord. King David said "Against you and you alone have I sinned." When we see this fact, confession comes easy and natural. Failure to confess sin, proves that in some way we despise the Lord. This passage of Scriptures says we must repent and then we will make petition unto the Lord. The despised servant now becomes the intercessor. In the evil day they sent for Daniel, because they knew he would pray. Stephen also made intercession for those who stoned him to death. When people are conscious of personal guilt they are aware of the need of a mediator (Note I Timothy 2:5). Third, their salvation was divinely appointed. The Lord said "Make a serpent." This could not have been suggested by man. We have too much man made religion. For man to try to save himself is like a condemned criminal inventing a plan that would set aside the law and justify himself. Those bitten by a serpent are healed through another form of serpent. The plan is Divinely suitable. The brass serpent is set upon a pole so everyone that looks will live. The serpent was raised up for everyone that had been bitten. This brass object was placed within reach of all. The same eyes that could see the tents and hills could see the serpent (note Isaiah 45:22). For us, Christ has been lifted up high above all others, as the Savior of all. The serpent was Divinely effectual, there was no healing power in the serpent. Anyone, who looked, lived. It didn't matter how many serpents had bitten him, or how rich or poor he was, the promise was the same. He was to look and live. Today the time is short and the situation is desperate. Christ is coming and souls are dying. Don't delay in telling others about Christ. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Kingdom Living

"Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place" (Psalm 51:6). In this Psalm David came under powerful conviction of sin. As a result he poured out his soul to God in prayer pleading for mercy and grace. David's sin of adultery and murder had been weighing heavily on his soul. True repentance of sin leads one to healing and restored fellowship with the Lord. He realized that only God could restore him. God heard his cry for pardon and granted him forgiveness and reconciliation. David realized his sin was committed against God. This realization brought great sorrow and shame. To sin willfully is to deny the Lord, for one must push Him out of their mind in order to do evil. Every sinner who returns to the Lord desires God's truth in their inner man. God gives wisdom and discernment to the repentant. Only the Lord can give grace to overcome the power of our old corrupt nature. Then we can "Walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." In 1923 the following individuals were the most powerful men in the world. They ruled the world of finance and money. Please take special note of the end of their lives. Charles Schwab, president of the largest steel company in America. Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company. Howard Hopson, president of the largest gas company. Arthur Cutten, the great wheat speculator. Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange. Albert Fall, Secretary of Interior in President Harding's cabinet. Jesse Livermore, the great "bear" on Wall Street. Ivan Krueger, head of the world's greatest monopoly. Leon Fraser, president of the Bank of International Settlements. These men were "movers and shakers," of their day, the kind many people envy and wish to emulate. Yet something went terribly wrong with these men's lives. Twenty-five years later: Charles Schwab, went bankrupt. Samuel Insull, died in foreign land penniless and a fugitive from justice. Howard Hopson was insane. Arthur Cutten, was insolvent and died abroad. Richard Whitney had just been released from Sing-Sing prison. Albert Fall had just been pardoned from prison and died at home, broke. Jesse Livermore committed suicide. Ivan Krueger committed suicide. Leon Fraser committed suicide. Each of these individuals had a melt down in their inner lives. It began in their minds and hearts. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." The inner man is where life's battles are won or lost. "Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life." Ask the Lord daily to give you the strength to live a life of integrity and honesty. He is the source of strength for Kingdom living. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Power of Forgiveness

The message God gave the world is the promise of forgiveness. The fall of man brought sin into the human race and it brought God's curse on the earth. Death and decay became standard fare. Struggle and sweat is now the lot of man. However "Where sin abounds grace does much more abound." David rejoiced when he penned, "If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared." (Psalm 130:3-4). The truth is when we come to the cross the record of our sin is wiped away, it is blotted out, gone. I have been forgiven, stand forgiven and will remain forever forgiven because of the blood of Christ. I believe the Evangelical Church has the message of grace in salvation down pat. We preach that by grace through faith is the only way to get to heaven. We would scorn any teaching that added anything to the Gospel. We also are quite accurate on grace getting us to heaven. When a believer dies we assure his or her loved ones that this saint went into the arms of Jesus because of the grace of God. However, I have a lot of evidence that we don't always do so well in between salvation and heaven concerning the message of grace. One of the first things we do to a new convert is to tell them how to dress, act, live, think, talk, who to hang out with, where to go, how often to read the Bible etc. I remember many years ago I led a man to Christ who had waist length hair and huge hoop earrings. He came to church and a couple of weeks later asked to be baptized. I baptized him with waist length hair and hoop earrings. He had an insatiable hunger for the Scriptures. He told all of his friends about Jesus. In time, he took out the hoop earrings and replaced them with crosses. One Sunday he came to church with short hair and the earrings were gone. Nobody said a word to him about these external things. How he looked did not make the man, what was in his heart did. He later told me that he believed the Lord was telling him his witness would be greater if he dressed more like others around him. Early in his Christian life he grabbed hold of grace. Do you really believe you have been forgiven. You and Jesus can work on your sinful habits and tendencies together, and the process is much easier when you know you have been forgiven. There is a positional holiness which we have in Christ. There is a practical holiness that is worked out in our lives as we walk in the Spirit. The Bible tells us as we "walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." Have you accepted God's forgiveness? Do you believe you have been forgiven? Do you live a life that extends forgiveness to others? Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.