What's New?

Good Monday Morning to you.
Let me say a special Happy Birthday to Queen Elizabeth today. I do not believe she reads my blog as I have only one reader in Great Britian, but who knows? Can you guess which country comes in second after the United States for Monday Morning With Pastor Vic readers? Believe it or not it is China. When I got that report I was both surprised and happy. Back in April of 1972 when I answered the call to preach, I never dreamed I’d proclaim the Gospel to an international audience. I was happy preaching wherever I could in the Cincinnati area. That was before laptops and the internet in homes. Today, I can sit in my house in Southwest Florida, type something, and it has a world-wide audience with the potential to reach millions. Can you imagine what the Apostle Paul could have done with the internet available to him? What Paul could not do, we can do for him, and it’s my privilege to do so. Let me also say thank you to readers in Canada, Denmark, and Australia. Tell me where you are! Go down to the comments section and let me know what country you are in or which of our United States you call home.
Below are the sermon notes used Sunday Morning 9/26/10. Feel free to use them for your personal Bible study. Let me know if I can help!

What’s New?
Rev.21:5
By Victor Cooper
9/23,24,25/10

I. We are given a new birth. Read John 3:3-7
A. Jesus emphasized the new birth is a must.
1. One cannot see the Kingdom of God without it! v5
` 2. Nicodemus realized he cannot make it happen. V4
3. Remember, Jesus says He makes all things new. The new birth is a gift of grace.
a. Grace is receiving from God that which you do not deserve.

II. We are given a new nature. Read 2 Cor.5:17
Bible Knowledge Commentary--- The new life of devotion to Christ means that one has new attitudes and actions.
A. The sin nature is gone; not replaced --- gone!
B. Remember, “I make all things new.”
C. Survey: Can you go 15 minutes without sinning?
D. If you have a new nature, you should be able to. Sin is not automatic, it’s a choice.


III. You have a new Master. Read John 8:selected
A. v34,44a,47 Sinners serve the devil --- he is their master.
B. Many times in the NT Jesus is referred as Master and Lord.
C. Satan is the old master but remember, “I make all things new.” Jesus is the new Master.

IV. We are a new instrument. Read Isaiah 41:15,16
A. A new instrument whereas before none existed.
B. An instrument for God.
C. An instrument empowered by God.
D. An instrument guaranteed to succeed.

Later this week October sets in. This year certainly has rushed past at lightning speed! I set a goal for this page of 250 readers by Halloween. We are nowhere near that. Can you help me? Would you be willing to E-mail everybody in your address book and ask them to subscribe? Pleeeease? Tell them to go to www.preachercooper.com and hit the subscribe button over on the right hand side of the page. Tell them it is free and they can unsubscribe at anytime if they should ever wish. I really appreciate it and I will never take for granted the God given privilege I have of having you as a reader. My life’s Scripture passage is from Jeremiah chapter one. It says, “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” I do not take these verses arrogantly or lightly. I try to fulfill them. Thank you for your prayers. Bess and I pray for you our readers as well. If you ever have any specific prayer concerns, feel free to leave them in the comments section by clicking on the word “comments” at the bottom of this article, or E-mail me at www.preachercooper@hotmail.com. Have a good, healthy, and safe week, and I’ll see you nest Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!

Welcome To Autumn!!!

Good Monday Morning to you,

Can you believe autumn has arrived. It seems like only yesterday spring had sprung and we were celebrating Memorial Day. Now, Labor Day has passed and we are gearing toward Thanksgiving and Christmas. The stores here are already promoting those “two big days.” In southwest Florida, autumn is a nice time of the year. We have a three season climate: warm, hot, and sweltering. We paid for our abnormally cold winter with a sweltering summer. With the coming of the fall season, though, our temps will moderate and be very pleasant. Come on down if you can. If you’re a full timer like my family and me, you will be happy to see the humid temperatures settle down into the comfortable range.

Yesterday at Church I preached a message called, “Spiritually Injured.” We examined three people who were spiritually injured by ----------- the Lord. You heard right, spiritually injured by the Lord. Jonah, Elijah, and Peter were injured because they were told them something they never thought they would hear fall from the lips of God. So what were they told, how were they injured, and what was the final outcome? In the next paragraph is the full set of sermon notes that you can use to study this for yourselves.

Spiritually Injured
Various Scriptures
September 18, 19, 2010
By Victor Cooper

I. Jonah
A. What The Lord said. Jonah 1: 2  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
B. Why he was injured. Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, was Israel’s most hated enemy. Jonah figured the Lord was more interested in their destruction than their deliverance.
C. How Jonah responded. V3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa…
` D. The Lord’s reply. V4  But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. v17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
E. What Jonah learned. 3:10  And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
1. God forgave repentant Jonah,
and
2. God forgave repentant Nineveh.
F. How Jonah grew through the experience. 4:9  And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
1. He did not so far as we know recover from the injury.
a. In this verse he actually smart mouths God!

II. Elijah
A. What The Lord said. 1 Kings 19: 11,12  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
B. Why he was injured. To Elijah, a still small voice was not the same powerful God that consumed the prophets of Baal and that he needed to deliver him from the threats of Jezebel.
C. How Elijah responded.
1. He had already ran to hide in the wilderness.
2. He tells God in V 14 I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
D. The Lord’s reply. V15  And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
E. What Elijah learned. V18  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

III. Peter
A. What The Lord said. Luke 22:31-34  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
B. Why he was injured. Jesus told Peter he was not as loyal as he thought he was and that his faith was weak.
C. How Peter responded. Matthew 26:69- 72  Now Peter sat ` without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
  D. The Lord’s reply. Luke 22:61  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

E. What Peter learned. —Smith's Bible Dictionary The time and manner of the apostle's martyrdom are less certain. According to the early writers, he suffered at or about the same time with Paul, and in the Neronian persecution, a.d. 67, 68. All agree that he was crucified. Origen says that Peter felt himself to be unworthy to be put to death in the same manner as his Master, and was therefore, at his own request, crucified with his head downward.

Conclusion: Have you suffered a spiritual injury due to something the Lord has told you? Remember, the Lord never sets out to hurt or injure you, but to help you and to use you in service for Him. Even though you might not understand, believe what He tells you and obey His words. You’ll be the better for it!

I hope the sermon notes are a blessing to you and that they help with your Christian walk. Remember, if you ever have any questions or comments, I’m as close as your keyboard or phone. I do so love hearing from you.

Last week I talked about the St. John’s River in Florida and how it ran backward. I told you there was another that did the exact same thing. The answer is The Nile River in Egypt; it also flows backward. Many things to my good friend Michelle in Illinois who went to the time and effort to give me a list of several rivers that follow a weird course. Thanks Michelle and Randy!

Have a really great week and stay safe and healthy. I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Hallelujah!!!

Good Monday Morning to you!

Did you have a good week? I sure did. For the first time in a long time I was able to get away from everything and relax. We went up to our friends, The Middletons, for some “down time.” It was nice to just sit around and talk. We also took a boat ride on the St. John’s River. The St. John’s is one of only two rivers that flow backward. It flows from south to north. All the others in the northern hemisphere flow from north to south. Do you know the name of the other backward flowing river? If you’d like to guess, e-mail me at preachercooper@hotmail.com. There is no prize for knowing the right answer --- just knowing it is prize enough. Hint: it too is home to both gators and crocs. Next week I’ll reveal the name of this second river.

Did I also mention that the car ran just fine. Lately I’ve been burning 93 octane in it and it runs much smoother and quieter. It costs me about $2.35 more for a tank-full, but I believe I’m getting better mileage. All things considered, I think the extra money is well spent.

Yesterday I preached Psalm 106:1-5. This Psalm begins and ends with the phrase “Praise ye the LORD.” It only takes one Hebrew word to express that phrase. That Hebrew word is “hallelujah.” The Psalm begins and ends with hallelujah, but in the body of it is a long list of many of Israel’s past sins. Notice that even with the many sins recounted, it can still end with hallelujah. Verse one says, “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Like the beginning of this Psalm, when we trust Christ and are born again, our new life starts with a hallelujah. However, life, things, pressures, and come-what-may gets in the way and just like Israel, a long list of our shortcomings and flat out sins can be listed. But child of God, do not despair for, “… His mercy endureth forever." Do you know what mercy is? Mercy and grace might be two sides of a single coin, but they are not the same. Allow me to give you a quick lesson in Theology. Mercy is not receiving from God that which you deserve. The Bible says we have sinned, and sin has a price: death. Here, death is not cessation of life, but eternal separation from God. When God saves a sinner, He gives them a new life and a new nature. Mercy says, “You deserve eternal punishment, but you shall not receive it.” That gives your first, “hallelujah!”

Because His mercy endures forever, your life will end just as the Psalm does, with a hallelujah. Even though there are the “mess-ups” in between, a believer’s life will end just as it started --- with a hallelujah. Here’s another lesson in Theology; receiving the first hallelujah guarantees the last one --- it’s automatic. Why? Because “His mercy endures forever!” A-men!! Hallelujah!!! It gives you a new respect for that word, doesn’t it?

If you have not trusted Christ as your Lord and have not received that first hallelujah, please contact me. You can e-mail me or feel free to call; I’d love to share the blessings of mercy with you. If you are a believer, but you seem to be adding to that “laundry list” of sins, you too are encouraged to contact me; perhaps I can help. I’d love the opportunity to try.

Be sure to encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to visit Monday Morning With Pastor Vic. Maybe this blog will be a blessing to them as well. I hope so. Have a good and a safe week, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Christ onboard the vessel

Monday Morning With Pastor Vic 9/6/10

Good Monday Morning to you. I do hope you have had a good week since we met last Monday. I also need to say Happy Labor day to you. Do you have plans for the day? Whatever your day holds, I hope you enjoy the day and stay safe in doing so. I had a very good week last week --- several blessings came my way. As you know I had to put my car in the shop yet again. Carl fixed it, and I went Tuesday afternoon to get it. I was telling Carl about the new Church, and he said somebody there must really love me. He said they came in and paid my bill. He did not (or would not) say who did it and no one is owning up to it. I made my thank yous in Church and just hope the generous party heard it. It was a real blessing to Bess and me. If you did it and are reading this, again my sincere thanks.

I received another blessing just after Church. My son, Kevin, before he left out on his trip, said for me to be careful with the riding mower and watch the incoming water line out behind the house. I told him I was a grown man and was quite capable of watching what I was doing and that I would not hit the water line. I hit the water line! From 6:00pm Saturday, until 2:00pm Sunday we had no water at the Cooper home. We used the hurricane water to bathe with standing at the sink. It wasn’t too bad, but much thanks goes out to Norman Mooney who came over and made a quick repair. I am so grateful for Christian friends who love their Pastor and who could help get the ox out of our ditch this past Lord’s day.

We had several visitors at our services today. Today was only our second service and the Holy Spirit’s presence was so real. I have not experienced this kind of freedom in my preaching in a long, long time.

This morning I preached the message, “Together In The Boat.” The sermon examined the fact that not only were the disciples together with one another in the boat, but they were also together with Jesus. We all experience storms in our lives, but just as the disciples were safe because Jesus was with them, we, too are safe if He is traveling with us. Is Jesus traveling in your boat? If not, He is waiting for you to invite Him onboard. If you need help with that, please feel free to speak to me. You can E-mail, or telephone me if you’d like. If the Lord Jesus is not onboard with you, I believe I’d get my boat to shore and not launch out again until He was with me.

Have a great week and I’ll look forward to seeing you again next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.