Another Virus Strikes Pastor Vic

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

I hope you are receiving this blog. Last week I had it written and ready to post when my computer was nailed by yet another virus. I had to make a trip back to the computer shop and spend another $95.00. This makes the second time in less than a month that my laptop has been in the shop. This time Act Computers of Cape Coral, installed a virus protection called Viper. It’s supposed to be reliable, so I’m praying for good results. I have heard many good comments about it. I’ll let you know. This week in the sermon notes part of the blog, I am putting last week’s notes in, and by mid week I will post yesterday’s notes in a special mid week edition.

In some blogs I tell you about my time as a boy growing up in Elmwood Place, and Norwood, both part of Greater Cincinnati. I remember one morning when I was a sixteen year old sophomore at Norwood High School. My homeroom teacher was a very nice lady named Mrs. Kalkbrenner. She taught typing and I only saw her for homeroom as I never (regrettably) took typing. The morning routine was the same at Norwood as it was in most other schools in 1970. First a warning bell would ring. That was the signal to go to your seat and be quiet. A few minutes later another bell would ring. We then stood for the playing of the national anthem, which came through the intercom speaker. The anthem would follow the second bell by less than 5 seconds. Our principal was a gentleman named Albert Gesselbracht. He was a fixture at Norwood High School. He had been there so long it was rumored he owned the place. Mr. Gesselbracht was well loved and respected by students, faculty and staff.

On one particular morning my mouth got me into trouble. (Imagine that!) The second bell had rung and we were waiting for the national anthem to begin. We waited, and waited, and waited. It seemed like we stood there for quite a while. Suddenly, before my brain could tell my mouth to be quiet, I blurted out, “Strike up the band Big Al!” Everyone in the room roared with laughter - except one person sitting right in front of me: Mrs. Kalkbrenner. The otherwise friendly smile left her face and she said, “Vic Cooper, I want to see you right here after school.” While some people do not share my quirky sense of humor, Mrs. Kalkbrenner did, but she could not admit it and remain professional. I know this because when I reported to her room after school, she looked at me , grinned, and told me to go on home.

I wish I could say that this was an isolated incident where my mouth over rode my brain, but alas, it was just one of many. My former marching band director, Mr. Richard White, could tell you some unbelievable tales, but I hope he doesn’t. I do not believe he will because he never once called my parents about my mouthy behavior. If he had, I would not be typing this letter today. Howard Cooper would have had a look of murder in his eyes and would have carried it out. Thank you Mr. White. He is now a friend on Facebook, and may very well be reading this blog. Mr. White was good to me, and I’m happy to still be able to communicate with him from time to time through social media.

A week ago at Friendship Harmony, I preached a message titled, Flexing Egyptian Muscle. From Exodus chapters 1 and 2, we saw where the new Pharaoh decided to oppress God’s people which is tantamount to declaring war on God. Several times God responded by slapping Pharaoh in a way and with words and Egyptian customs that he would understand. The problem was that Pharaoh was so consumed by his desire to eradicate the Hebrews, he did not even know he was being smacked around. The notes are below. I hope they are a blessing to you.

Flexing Egyptian Muscle ©
Selected from Exodus 1 and 2
By Victor Cooper
Oct. 18-19, 2013

Intro: “Not even the Hebrew God can withstand the might of Egypt.” Although this is not an exact known quote spoken by this Pharaoh, it does reflect his attitude. The Hebrews, who had been favored in Egypt, are now under the gun of oppression. Egypt decided to flex its mighty muscle against God’s people, and ultimately God.

I. The Egyptians could not remove God’s promise from His people.
A. Pharaoh declares war. Exodus 1:11
B. God responds. V.12a
1. God is reaffirming His covenant with Abraham. Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
2. Egypt could have received God’s blessing, but in stead they chose God’s curse
3. God’s promise to Abraham is everlasting. It is still relevant today.
Q. Do you pray for Israel and ask God to bless her?
C. The result: v12b

II. The Egyptians could not remove God’s provision from His people.
A. Pharaoh again declares war.. V.16
B. God responds. V.17
1. God’s response is through the faith of these midwives.
2. Pharaoh bought the baloney of the midwives. Exodus 1:19 (NLT)…"the Hebrew women are very strong. They have their babies so quickly that we cannot get there in time! They are not slow in giving birth like Egyptian women."
3. Hebrew women were no better at childbirth than was any other woman. It was that the midwives were purposely slow at responding to a call upon Hebrew women.
4. The Hebrew mothers had time to hide their boy babies.
5. The verse is a definite slap against the might of Egypt, and God blinded Pharaoh’s eyes to it. (“They are not slow in giving birth like Egyptian women.")

C. The result vv 20-21
1. The Hebrew population continued to grow.
2. God blessed the midwives with families.

III. The Egyptians could not remove God’s plan.
A. A third time Pharaoh declares war. V.22
1. Now Pharaoh makes his decree known publicly. What the midwives would not do, all of Egypt was ordered to do.
B. God responds. Exodus 2:1,2 The birth of Moses.
1. God’s plan was to use an adult Moses to deliver His people. This birth, which slipped through Pharaoh’s cracks, would one day devastate Egypt.
C. The result. vv6-10
1. Pharaoh’s daughter takes pity on the child, knowing the baby was Hebrew.
(a) How did she know the child was Hebrew? Egyptian parents did not circumcise. Hebrew parents did.
2. This was in direct defiance of her father’s decree. However, if anybody could get away with it, it was her.
3. Moses mother was asked to take care of him - with pay! (A slap on Pharaoh’s face.)
4. Moses was eventually moved into the palace and given an Egyptian name and raised as Egyptian royalty.
5. This passage is another slap at the might of Egypt.

Conclusion: God is still sovereign in this world today. Do you trust Him as such?



Pharaoh could have witnessed Egypt being blessed exponentially by God. Had he only blessed the people of God instead of cursing them, Egypt would have been mightier than even Pharaoh had dreamed possible. How about you? Are you seeking God’s blessings, or you at war with Him? Think about that. Contact me if I can be of spiritual guidance to you. E-mail me at fhbcsjc@gmail.com. I’m here for you.

Have a good and a safe week, and I’ll see you sometime this mid week with the notes from yesterday, and again next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Wisdom And Understanding

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

Let’s visit and chat for a while. I wish it could be possible to visit with each of you personally, but distance makes that impossible. We have readers all over the globe, and I would dearly love to visit your state or country. I’ll bet where you live is beautiful. God certainly made a wonderful planet we are all privileged to call home. I enjoy where He has put me, and I hope the same is true for you.

Before I go any further, several of you asked about the class I teach and what two questions I gave for a final. For those of you who might not remember, I gave my students three questions a week prior to the test. I directed them to study all three, because they would see two of those questions on the exam. They would not know which two, so it was imperative they study all three. On exam night, they would choose from one of those two and write an essay on it. Low and behold I had a student who studied only one question, and it was not the one I selected for the exam. Fortunately this is a good student who remembered the prior lessons and did well. The question I eliminated was the one about Alexander The Great. The other two, Assyria, and Babylon, were on the test. About half wrote on Assyria, and half wrote on Babylon. All of my students passed the class, the large majority with A’s. Those people really made the class enjoyable. This past semester was my rookie semester, and they made it so easy. It is truly an honor to have had people work so hard. Only once did I have to answer a, “But how do you know…?” with a, “Because I’m a professor, that’s how I know.” I still have one question to answer. The question came from my own daughter, Amanda, who is a psychology student through Liberty University in Virginia. Her question was a theological humdinger, so I’m looking into it.

Yesterday at Friendship Harmony was fantastic, but before I go any further, I want to say “Thank you” to our ladies. On the second Sunday of each month we have a carry in fellowship meal at the conclusion of our morning service. This month we had a soup, salad, and dessert supper. Wow!!! I believe the ladies of Friendship Harmony are some of the finest cooks around! The word “delicious” does not come close to describing the meals they fix and bring in. At Friendship Harmony you can feast both spiritually and physically. If you are ever in the area, stop by on a second Sunday of the month and see for yourself. Thank you to all of those who contribute to our monthly meals. Just so I don’t leave anyone out, somtime our men fix something as well. Thanks to everybody involved.

The message was on wisdom. I really enjoyed preaching this one. The notes are below, and the video should be available sometime on Tuesday. For those who might not know, it actually takes longer to upload the video than it does to preach. I am indebted to Jim and Gwen Cook for taking the time to see to it that you can watch the videos. This is their ministry and they do it so very well. You can see the videos at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. You you do NOT have to have a Facebook account to see the video. If you know of someone who cannot get to church, invite them to watch. Better yet, why not watch it with them. I’m sure they would enjoy your fellowship. Here is yesterday’s notes.

The Gift Of Wisdom ©
Proverbs 4:7
By Victor Cooper
10/11,12/13

Intro: A teacher once asked the assembled students, “Who can untie the gold bell under the neck of a tiger?”
None could answer. At this point ask the congregation.
Another teacher came into the class, and the first repeated the same question.
The visitor replied, “Let the one who tied the bell undo it.”

Intro: King Solomon is considered one of the wisest men who ever lived. In I Kings 3, and II Chronicles 1, we read that Solomon asked God for wisdom and understanding. God granted his request. That same wisdom is just as available to us today as it was to Solomon many centuries ago.

I. Our text verse teaches that wisdom and understanding can be achieved.
Note: Wisdom and understanding are often linked.
A. To get it one must see its worth and desire it.
Proverbs 8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
B. Getting wisdom brings its own rewards.
Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.


II. You can get wisdom by asking God for it.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
1. God gives it liberally. Bountifully; generously
“There is absolutely no reason for a Christian to not have wisdom and understanding.” Pastor Victor Cooper, 10/13/13



III. There is a wisdom to avoid. Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
A. Note what Solomon din NOT say. “Depart from evil. then fear the LORD.
1. That would be a works approach
2. You cannot depart from evil without first having a holy, reverential respect for the LORD!
B. Any wisdom which does not honor Christ must be avoided.
Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Conclusion: Wisdom is not to be hoarded, wisdom is to be used.
Illustration: Best Leave Rock On Snake’s Back
A large rock fell on the back of a snake one day, says an old fable. The snake called to a calf who was passing to remove it, but he refused. “If I take it off, you will bite me,” he said. “No,” replied the snake, “I will promise not to bite.”
The poor calf removed the rock and they went on together. “Now I am going to bite you,” said the snake. “But you promised not to,” the poor calf said. “I know, but it is my nature to bite and I cannot help it.”
They met a fox just then and the calf asked him to settle the dispute. He would not, unless he could see how the rock was placed on the snake.
Then the fox turned to the calf and said, “Now that the rock is on his back I think it is safest to leave it there.”

That little illustration definitely shows both wisdom and un derstanding. Understanding is using the wisdom you have. A wise man or woman will use it well.

Have a good upcoming week. Some of our winter friends are starting to filter back in, so if you plan to travel to Florida to see us, please be careful out on those roads. I want to see you arrive safely, and I hope to see all of you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Time For Finals!

Good Monday Morning To You!

I hope your past week was healthy and happy. As I told you a few months ago, I was asked to join the faculty at the Southwest Florida Bible Seminary in Port Charlotte, Florida. Our first semester ends today, and tonight my students will take their final exam. It is a one question exam, but it is an essay test. Last week I gave the class three questions to study. They were told that on exam night they would see two of them, and they were to pick one and answer it as thoroughly as possible. I told them that a short paragraph would not suffice, and that giving me too much information was better than handing in too little. I have good students, so I am expecting great answers from them. So that you can see what I am teaching, I have included the three questions. I cannot at this time divulge which two questions will be on the test, but this gives you an idea of what I taught this past semester.

1. Why did Philip and Alexander attack Persia? What led to Alexander’s success? Give 5 reasons for Persia’s fall. Discuss the make-up of Alexander’s army.

2. Was the Babylonian king supreme throughout the entire kingdom? If not, where was he, and where was he not. How did Babylonian government work. Why was it this way?.

3. What contributed to the apparent invincibility of the Assyrians? What made them so effective? What was capture and life like under Assyrian authority?

For semester two we will be looking at Egypt, Israel, and the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 of The Book Of The Revelation.

Yesterday was a good day at Friendship Harmony. The message was from Matthew 15:21-28. As I sometime do, I used no notes, so I have none to share. You can, however, view the video at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. It should be ready by late Monday or Tuesday morning. In the message we saw the proper way to approach Jesus. He is to be approached with faith, with humility, with perseverance, and with respect. Exercising these four things allowed Jesus to tell the woman, “Great is thy faith.” Would Jesus say that of you? If not, ask Him to help you --- He gladly will!

May God bless you this week, Have a good and a safe week. I want to see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!