What Are You Looking At

The following passage pictures David walking toward the temple for the purpose of worship. As he walks he looks to Mount Zion and thinks of the Lord. This inspires him to pen these words. “[A song of ascents.] I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”- Psalm 121:1-2. Help implies someone doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Our help does come from the Lord! That's David's view of life expressed in this passage. The Psalmist draws our attention to the God who never tires of being our Keeper. He doesn't sleep and He never grows weary of watching over His children. Like the Psalmist, the Lord often gives us opportunity to express, both to ourselves and to others, our faith in a God who is actually intervening in our affairs. We needn't live out our lives resigned to fatalism. Our thoughts don't have to be disturbed by anything that would even hint of God being oblivious to our needs and trials. God is present and He acts on our behalf. I have a friend who was cheated out of a great deal of money (several million dollars). The fact that he was cheated by a close friend made the wounding a great deal more difficult to bear. I have seen him go from praising the Lord for His goodness to being despondent and on the verge of suicide. The only way he can deal with having been brought to the brink of abject poverty is to focus on the Lord and His faithfulness. For us as believers the promises of the Word begins to live when we begin living the Word. David reminds us the Lord is "The maker of heaven and earth." The God who is powerful enough to create is able to wisely distribute that which belongs to Him. This Psalm calls us to actively put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Messiah is all that David pictures Him to be in Psalm 121, and He is a great deal more. Will you trust Him with everything today? Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Who Cares for the Elderly

"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”- Isaiah 46:4. We live in a time of genuine economic instability. Every day I read of major companies being in financial trouble. With the present rate of inflation many who live on fixed incomes are feeling the pinch. I have a friend, who is a few years older than I am, he has stated he has two fears as he approaches his "Golden years." The first fear is dying from an extended, extremely painful, illness and the second is that he might out live his material resources. God answers these questions when He says "I am he who will sustain you." I frequently approach the Lord in prayer on the basis of son-ship. My prayer might go as follows "Father, you created me and saved me, you have promised to provide for my needs and take care of me. I have a really big need right now, and I am asking you to take care of me by providing for me according to your will." I believe the Lord delights in answering prayer. The answer (He always answers) makes sense, is practical and leaves no doubt that it came from Him in answer to prayer. Faith works itself out in praying rather than in scheming. The Lord has promised to "carry us." and "rescue us." I believe He does this through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, an active member of the Godhead who indwells every believer. I am aware that we as Christians tend to ignore Him and His working in our lives. He came to guide us, why would we ignore our Guide. I don't have any direct Scriptural command to pray to Him, but I am commanded to "grieve not the Holy Spirit." and I am to "quench not the Holy Spirit." These commands imply relationship, and the Holy Spirit is a relational member of the Godhead. As we read the Scriptures the Holy Spirit teaches us and illumines the Word in our minds and hearts. The truth is the Lord will indwell us by the Holy Spirit until we draw our last breath and go home to be with our Father in heaven. When I was young we would sing "every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before."I do know this, every day brings me one day closer to home. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Importance Of Wisdom

Someone defined wisdom as the right use of knowledge. Our world is replete with knowledge but painfully short on wisdom. The book of Proverbs is filled with wise sayings. We read "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Prov. 1"7). Many are those who simply grow old rather than growing wise. The Word of God is filled with wisdom for it gives us the thoughts of God. One may be wise and young or it's possible to be foolish and old. God gives wisdom to us as we seek Him and learn His ways. There is practical wisdom that comes by living life according to God's principles. Recently my 19 year old son traveled to Ice Land, he went alone and proceeded to make friends in every town he visited. He got caught in an ice storm in the mountains and lived in a tent for two days until the danger passed. He has a lot of practical wisdom along with a lot of fortitude for trying new things. However he left his (really my) car in a church parking lot while he was gone. He parked it with the emergency brake on. When he returned the right rear brake had rusted and when he tried to drive the car the wheel slid. Backing the vehicle up did not break it loose. Good old dad had the car towed to his drive way and spent an hour beating on the brake drum to get it loose. My wife reminded me our son is only 19. Which reminded me that God said I am dust and that I have feet of clay. However God is my Father and He takes care of me, and is there to help me when I lack wisdom and make poor choices. God is the God of Providence. The word providence comes from two Greek words. One means to see (video) and the other means before hand (pro). Thus the Lord sees to it before hand. He already has it worked out, knowing what we need before we ask Him. That is why He said "Before you call I will answer you." How many times do we fret over circumstances when God has seen to it already. The Scriptured tell us that "Our Lord is an ever present help in the time of need." The Hebrew language carries the idea of "in the nick of time". I believe wisdom grows best in the soil of trust, it is always wise to trust the Lord. The Word tells us "We have the mind of Christ." The mind of Christ is a peaceful mind, it is also a pure mind, a purposeful mind, a single mind, and a disciplined mind. Our minds are renewed as we saturate them with the wisdom of God. David said because he meditated on the Scriptures he was "Wiser than all his teachers." The Word of God is "Able to make us wise unto salvation." Abraham Lincoln said "Many times I am driven to my knees because the wisdom of those around me seems insufficient for the the day." One may be intelligent but not wise. Martin Luther said "If we educated our youth apart from the truth of the Scriptures we will create clever devils." Where are you getting your "Wisdom" from. There are many wells, drink from the one that is not polluted. "If the ax is dull and it's edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but wisdom will bring success" (Eccl 10:10). Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling appointments, and local church meetings.