Prayer request: Do you have any?

Good Monday Morning To You!!

I trust you have had a good week. My week was good, but my wife, Miss Bessie, has had a tough time. Last Sunday evening, I was out and she decided to stay home. After my visit, I decided to drop by Wal Mart to buy a shovel. I was surprised that our Wal Mart does not carry them. As I drove home, I had an uneasy feeling as I got closer. When I went up the steps onto the porch, I could hear moaning coming from inside. When I went in, I found Miss Bessie lying on the floor. She was in terrific pain from falling. The first question I asked her was, “Did you hit your head?” She told me she had not, but that she could not get up, nor could she reach the phone. When I asked her what had happened, she said she got up out of the chair, took one step, and went down. She hurt both her knees, her ribs, her shoulder, her hip and her wrist. She still hurts terribly. Last Tuesday she saw our orthopedic surgeon, Michael Jugan, who told her that he believes her hip was the culprit. Back in November of 2012 when he replaced her second knee, I remember him telling her then that her hip would soon need some attention. Last Tuesday he put her wrist in an “air cast,” which is what we used to call a removable brace. He wants her to wear it for a month. He also wants the other injuries to “settle down,” then he wants a more thorough exam of her hip. I ask you to keep her in your prayers.

May we at Friendship Harmony pray for you? Please feel free to share your prayer request with us. You can contact us at fhbcsjc@gmail.com. I will share your request on this blog so others can pray, but I will respect your privacy, and will not give out your name and location unless you give permission.

Yesterday was a very good day at Friendship Harmony. The service was uplifting, and we were blessed at the invitation to have a lady come and request membership in our church. I served as her pastor once before in another location, and I am so honored to have her with us. She studies her Bible faithfully, and she can ask some very deep and thought provoking questions during Sunday School. Her husband is ill, but possibly one day he can come also. His name is Larry, please pray for him.

The message title was, “I Will Extol Thee” from Psalm 145. The 10 minute version of the video should be ready to view on Tuesday morning. To see it go to www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Remember, you do not need a Facebook account to view the video. I do hope it is a blessing to you.

Have a good and a safe week, and remember, if you have any prayer requests, please share them with us at fhbcsjc@gmail.com. If you have any questions concerning Scriptures, you may use that E-mail as well. May the LORD bless you, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Re-Living The 50's

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

I’ve got to tell you about some new friends Miss Bessie and I met the other day. I’m talking about all the good people at the Starlight Diner on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, Florida. This new restaurant, which has only been open a week, is a 50’s themed diner where the atmosphere is as fun as the food is delicious. When you walk up to the front door, you are met by a life size statue of Elvis. As you enter, you hear the tunes of the 50’s and early 60’s. I could just imagine dropping my dime into the juke box and selecting Fats Domino, Dion and The Belmonts, and Chuck Berry. I found myself singing along with Little Richard as he sang Long Tall Sally. I would have crooned on, but then came the food. Wow!!! Delicious is not the right word. Not only was the quality of the food 5 star, but the serving sizes were very generous. They offer an extra patty of meat on the burgers, but just a single burger is thick, juicy, and as they said in the fifties, “the cat’s meow.” Their secret to success is simple: all the food is fresh. The burger meat was not pre-pressed and frozen, and the fries and chips were made from fresh cut, real live, honest to goodness potatoes. Along with many different burgers, there are other sandwiches, soups, salads, and of course no 50’s diner would be complete with out the Blue Plate Special. I can’t wait to try the meatloaf, and Miss Bessie has her eye on the liver and onions. They also serve breakfast, and have a nice kid’s menu. They are located at 1141 SW Pine Island Road, in the plaza across the street from the Bonefish Grill. Look for the Fitness Center, and the Starlight is located on the west side of the complex. There is plenty of parking, so if you’re anywhere near Cape Coral/Ft. Myers/ Pine Island, stop in and meet these folks. I promise you a great experience!

We had a good service at church yesterday. Fiddlin’ Bill sang for us, and with his easy going, sincere style, not only sang, but led us in worship. We sang, clapped, and sincerely enjoyed being a Christian. Christianity is not supposed to be a sour puss religion. It is to be enjoyed and celebrated. As you think of all the LORD has done for you, and ponder the promises He has made, you cannot help but to have joy in your heart which overflows into everyday life. As I told the congregation, if you ever find yourself down, depressed, or just plain blue, here are some words from the Book of the Revelation which, if you are a believer, should jump start your joy. If you are not saved, or are unsure, please contact me at fhbcsjc@gmail.com. I’d be happy to show you the way.

Rev. 21:1-5
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [2] And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. [4] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. [5] And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

I’m giving final exams at the Seminary tonight, so I guess I’d better head that way. I’ll let you know next week how the finals went, but I have an excellent class of students, so I fully expect to be impressed. Also I’d like to say thanks to all of you who prayed for me, called me, and e-contacted me while I was ill. I feel much better. Thank You!!!

Have a blessed and joyful week, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Attacked By An Alien: The Saga Continues

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

I was hoping by this week I would be feeling better after my bout with the virus. I had to miss church last week, and even though I was sick and had fever, I still felt guilty about being home. I’ll never understand how some people can be hit and miss in their church attendance and be satisfied with that. I wasn’t up to par yesterday, but the Lord saw me through. He gave me the voice to complete the message, but I’ve got to admit, I felt much worse than I let on. As bad as I feel, Miss Bessie feels much worse. She still has fever, a nagging cough, and according to Dr. Engle, “junk in her lungs.” With fever, she is still contagious, but I do not believe that I am. I don’t think I put anybody at risk yesterday, but I still kept my distance.

Again this week we made no TV recording. My voice was gone by the end of the message, and to re-preach it was not going to be possible. If you have missed any of the videos, or have not yet seen one, you can by going to www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. You do not have to have a Facebook account to watch the videos. I hope the videos are a blessing to you, and it is a great way to invite me into your home without having to feed me. If you ever do invite me over, I love meatloaf --- but that’s another story.

I hope you are feeling fine and do not catch this bug going around. My doctor told me that lots of people are down with it, and he said that just when you think you are getting better, it flips around and gets you again. This has been true in Miss Bessie’s and my case.

Stay well! Wash your hands often, and gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash several times a day. An old country doctor told me that. He said he did it and was never sick. There is probably a lot of truth in what Doc Freiden had to say!

I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Attacked By An Alien

Good Monday Morning to you!!!

Early Sunday Morning, about 4:00 am, I woke up fully covered, but freezing like I was laying on a hockey rink. If that wasn’t bad enough, I couldn’t catch my breath. You have never experienced fright as what you have when you cannot breathe. My first thought was my heart. In an action very uncharacteristic for me, I asked Miss Bessie to call 911. She called and they very quickly assured us that my heart was fine. With my chills, my body aches, and the fever, they thought I might have a bug that is going around. I made several visits to several hospitals last week, so I expect I picked up something in the hospital. Miss Bessie had spent 4 days in the hospital. But my symptoms were nothing like hers.

At this point I want to thank our associate Pastor, Bob Felber. I called Bob about 7:00 am, and he graciously agreed to fill the pulpit. Bob and I both understand the Biblical mandate we are under as preachers. 2 Tim. 4:2 says
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” I have been on both sides of that mandate as has Pastor Felber. In any event, it seemed so weird to be in bed on Sunday morning. Thank you to Bob for pinch hitting. I heard he knocked it out of the park. Thanks also to Bill Wolfe, Eleanor McDonnell, and the entire FHBC congregation for carrying on. I’m so proud of you!

Sitting here typing is physically draining, so I’d better get to bed. Rotten is the best way to describe how Vic and Bess both feel. Miss Bessie is still sick herself, so this will be interesting.

Pray for Miss Bessie and me when it goes well with you!!! May God bless you and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Braggin' On The Ladies!

Good Monday Morning To You!!

I hope you had a good week. Today I want to do a little bragging. I’m not talking about the arrogant, bad kind, but the kind that says how proud I am. Here at Friendship Harmony, we had two small groups this year: the Book of Zechariah study group led my dear friend and colleague, Rabbi Jim Pickens, and our Ladies Group. Allow me a moment to sing the praises of our Ladies Group. This group meets monthly for a luncheon, a devotion, and a time of fellowship and worship. After their meeting the other day my wife, Miss Bessie, came in and asked if the Ladies Group could sing a special at the next service. She said they had sung “The Old Rugged Cross” at their meeting and wanted to sing it for the upcoming church service. I certainly agreed, and yesterday they sang. It was absolutely fabulous. They were a real joy to hear and to watch. They had beautiful 3-part harmony, and joy radiated on their faces. They turned a good service into a great one. I want to thank our ladies for a job well done. Our Ladies Group meets year round, and I hope they will sing again for us soon.

Yesterday I preached message number two in the four part series, “Coming With His Coming.” As you might recall, the first message was “The Coming Day,” and yesterday was “The Coming Dawn.” From the moment I began preparing this message, until late Saturday night, I had to wrestle with the devil. He did not want that message preached. I love it when Satan acts up like that. It tells me I am right where God wants me to be, and that I am doing His will. Anyway, the devil is still fighting this message. I always post the notes, but for the moment I cannot find the memory stick where I stored them. When I find it, I will do a mid-week post. In the meanwhile, you can see this and other messages by going to www.youtube.com. From their homepage, type Friendship Harmony Baptist Church into the banner, hit enter, then scroll to the message you’d like to see.

Well, it’s the wee hours on Monday morning, and I’ve got an early day, so I guess I’d better close for now. Have a good week, and as always I’m so glad we can visit this way. Be sure to come by and see me on YouTube. I hope to see you there, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Pastor Vic's special gift!

Good Monday Morning to you.
Yesterday was Father’s day. It was a pretty good day with only one little glitch. I’ll talk about that in a minute. I was wished a happy day by all four of my kids. Jason and Michele are both home and saw to it I received good wishes. Amanda called me from her home in Arizona (the part not on fire) and my trucker son Kevin called me from Atlanta. It was cool hearing from everybody. Miss Bessie fixed me my favorite dinner. Turkey! I get a turkey dinner at lease three times a year: Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Father’s Day. Bess is trying to score points after she gave me a horrible gift. My good friend and our minister of music, Ken Birdsong, received from his wife a really nice shofar for his gift. He used it yesterday morning as our call to worship. My gift from my wife --- a badly botched haircut! That’s right; a messed up haircut. We have a set of clippers that are relatively new. When she attempted to use them, they would not cut. She eventually got out the old set, but could not find the guard. She decided to try anyway. This was where things went seriously wrong. She took more hair than a Comanche ever did. I look like Captain Picard on Star Trek. My daughter Michele said I favored Mr. Clean. She even posted a picture of me on her website. If you’d like to see it, go to www.bebe-chat.com and click on “blog.” It is hideous!!! My buddy Gene Middleton is going to love it! I’ve been wearing a baseball cap even around the house. I cannot be seen in public looking like this. I’m not a vain person, and I know my looks are more suited for radio than for television, but ridiculous is ridiculous. Go look at the picture and tell me what you think. Please please send up prayers for Miss Bessie --- she is going to need them. I will somehow be avenged. I do not know how or when, but she is definitely in the cross hairs of my sight. It will be sweet. Poor Miss Bessie. Poor Pastor Vic, shamed beyond belief.

Fathers Day at Friendship Harmony was really special. As I said, Ken Birdsong blew his new shofar to start our service, and Karen Fain and Margaret Birdsong sang a beautiful song. Their voices blended with really tight harmony. As a former traveling Southern Gospel singer, I know good harmony. I was really impressed with Karen and Margaret. It was a job well done. I preached a message titled Our Father Where Art Thou? Sometime it seems like God is nowhere to be found. When that is the case, what do you do? Below are the notes for your personal Bible study. You preachers and teachers may use them also. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Our Father, Where Art Thou?
Micah 7:7-8
By Victor Cooper
06/18/11

Intro: Have you ever felt like God was thousands of miles away from you? While theologically that is impossible, sometime that is how it seems. When that is the case, what do you do?

I. God is never unaware.
A. Nothing ever happens to a believer that hasn’t first filtered through the hands of God.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
B. What God allows, God watches.
Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

II. God is never “not there.”
A. Troubled as he was, Job knew it. Job 5:17-19 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
B. Paul, a man acquainted with trials, knew it. He testified, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;” 2 Corinthians 4:8
C. Jesus felt alone, but still knew God was there.
Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
1. Forsake> to desert
2. Jesus knew God would hear Him, or He would never have called upon Him.

III. Jesus promised His presence.
A. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
B. The Bible teaches it elsewhere.
Deuteronomy 31:6, Josh 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20.

IV. What do you do when God seems so far away?
A. Know that God is there.
B. Keep praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
C. Keep believing. Hebrews 11:6/John 20:29b But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 29 Jesus saith …blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Preached 6/19/11 at Friendship Harmony Baptist Church Fathers Day Service.

As you go about your week, just remember the Savior walks it with you. Just knowing that makes it easier to get through each day. Have a good week and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!

Happy Birthday Miss Bessie!

Good Monday Morning To You.

Welcome to Monday Morning With Pastor Vic! I hope all is well with you and that this past week saw many blessings come your way. Yesterday was my wife, Miss Bessie’s, birthday. Last Thursday, the ladies of the church had their monthly luncheon. They had a surprise party for Bess. She really enjoyed it and it made her feel so special. To all you who made it so exceptional for her, Pastor Vic sends his “Thanks!” your way. After church yesterday, Brenda Conley took both of us out for Miss Bessie’s birthday dinner. We wanted to go to Outback, but they were closed. Instead we went to Olive Garden. My favorite ethnic food is Italian, so it was fine with me. After that, Bess, Brenda, and I went to the home of Bill and Patty Wolfe for a Red’s game, and later a hot dog supper --- perfect baseball food. There was only one thing that kept the Reds from winning; the Florida Marlins. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a Floridian who supports my Florida teams, but never at the expense of the Cincinnati Reds. I am a born and raised Cincinnati boy, and hometown loyalties will never change. I scratched my arm the other night and I noticed, I even bleed Cincinnati Red!

Yesterday was an awesome day at Friendship Harmony. The attendance was good and the service was tremendous! The congregational singing was incredible, absolutely anointed. You could tell that everyone was singing to the glory of God. This month I am preaching a series of messages called, The Heroes of Israel. In selecting people to talk about, I decided not to talk about obvious choices; people like Abraham, Moses, or David. After all, how do you boil down the lives of people like them into a twenty minute message? This week I chose, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, to look at King Hezekiah. Did you realize that the Bible says that of all the kings after him or before, there was no other like him? That includes David and Solomon. That Scripture reference is in the sermon notes listed below. The reason for this particular series at this time is that on Sunday May 15, Friendship Harmony will join with hundreds of other churches in a special service called Stand With Israel Day. I will be bringing a message that day called, Long Live Jerusalem. You will receive those notes with the 5/16/11 Monday Morning Edition. Here is the Hezekiah notes. The main points of the notes explain why he was a hero.

The Hero: Hezekiah
2 Chronicles: Selected
Sermon Series: Heroes of Israel 4/30/11
By Victor Cooper

I. He had a Godly reputation. 2 Chronicles 31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
2 Kings 18:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
A. Finest words spoken of a man: Hezekiah’s best quality was that he trusted in the Lord. He was the greatest of all the kings of the Southern Kingdom in this respect. Unlike some of the other kings he did not apostasize later in life but kept the Mosaic Covenant faithfully. As a result the Lord was with him and blessed him with success in all he undertook.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

II. He was dedicated to the service of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 29:10-14 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
12 Then the Levites arose…

III. Hezekiah led by example. 2 Chronicles 29:20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
A. He sent no one; he led. He personally went!
B. The message was clear. “The house of the LORD is important enough that even the King goes.

IV. Hezekiah prayed intercessory prayers.
2 Chronicles 30:18-19 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
A. It was not a “me” prayer. It was on behalf of his subjects as well as those from the Northern Kingdom.

V. God listened to Hezekiah. 2 Chronicles 30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
A. hearkened> sha-maw’> paid attention to

May 1, 2011, delivered to the Friendship Harmony Baptist Church.

Have a good upcoming week! I hope you want to model your life after that of Hezekiah. Look over the five main sermon points again, then conduct yourself accordingly. Pastor Vic certainly intends to. I’ll see you again next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

ps. Congratulations to President Obama, the United States Military, the counter terrorism people, and all the American people on the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Now he must stand before Almighty God and explain himself. He must stand there without Jesus Christ as his advocate. How sad.

Happy Hanukah???

Good Monday Morning to you!

I hope the past week was healthy and enjoyable for you. I’ll give you a bit of an update on Miss Bessie’s and my health. Bess saw the Doctor last week for her surgery follow-up. As you know, she has had three surgeries in the same area since last March. The Doc said there was “slight improvement.” He reminded her that her recovery would be very slow, and at times quite painful. He gave her a break this week, but wants to see her again next week. As for me, I am feeling a little stronger each day. I see my cardiologist this week, so I’ll update you next Monday. I am told that with heart stints it takes a few weeks to notice vast improvement. As I said, I can already tell there is improvement, and each day is a bit better than the day before. For now, Bess and I both thank you for your prayers.

Yesterday was an awesome day at Friendship Harmony Baptist Church. We began the day by having our first Sunday School class. We had ten attendees including myself. Several more could not attend due to illness. I am teaching the class for now, but in mid January, Bro. Burt Nelson will take over. He is one of the finest teachers I have ever learned from. Burt, a former professor of geography at Central Michigan University, brings a vast knowledge of Scriptures to the table each week. Our Church is so blessed to have him and his lovely wife Chris Ann with us.

For our lesson, I taught the meaning of Hanukah, and the fact that it was celebrated by our Lord Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, it was at Hanukah that our Lord declared the fact that He indeed was the Messiah. This was not coincidental. Nothing Jesus ever did was, or even today is, coincidental. To take you back into Israeli history, the Seleucid King, Antiochus IV, declared himself to be God and committed the abomination by defiling the Jewish Temple. He set up a statue to Zeus inside the Temple and sacrificed a pig on the altar. He forbade the Jews to circumcise their eight day old infant boys, declared an end to the daily sacrifices, and forbade anyone from owning, keeping, or reading from the Torah. He also named himself Antiochus Epiphanes [God manifest]. By the use of this name, he was stating that he was God. The Bible tells us in John 10:22, “ And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.” The feast of the dedication is Hanukah, the celebration of throwing out Zeus and all that defiled the Temple and rededicating it to God.

The Jews in John chapter ten knew their history, and they knew exactly what Jesus hasd said. He declared Himself to be God as had Antiochus Epiphanes, and many were not going to have any of it. We are told in John 10:31 “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.” The difference between Jesus and Antiochus is that Antiochus died and remains dead until this very day. Jesus also died and raised from the dead on the third day meaning His claim to be the Messiah, the Son of God, indeed God Himself was a valid claim. Jesus is who He claimed to be and Easter is the proof.

“Preacher,” I can hear someone say, “Why are you talking about Easter, it’s Christmas time.” The reason is simple: if you take Easter out of the picture, all you have remaining is just another birthday. Christmas means nothing without the resurrection of Christ. It was on Hanukah that Jesus proclaimed who He was and is. If Hanukah was important enough for our Lord to celebrate it, and to choose that time to declare that He indeed was God incarnate, (in the flesh) then we as Christians are incomplete in our knowledge if we do not at least learn a bit about this most important Jewish holiday.

To end our day of worship, we celebrated The Lord’s Supper. This is a special time in the life of any believer, and it was the first time we celebrated it together at our new Church, Friendship Harmony. The plan is to observe Communion the first Sunday of each month. Many exciting things are happening at Friendship Harmony. I wish everybody in the world could attend one of our services. You definitely can tell God is in the building whenever this Church meets. Even though we meet in a secular clubhouse, for which we are very grateful, the Spirit of God meets with us and for that we are eternally grateful. I’ve been in services where the Lord’s presence was not felt, and I can assure you it was less exciting than watching grass grow.

If you are in the area, stop by the Church. We are located on Stringfellow Road, just south of mile marker 6 on Pine Island. We are in the Flamingo Bay clubhouse, next door to the St. John’s Episcopal Church. Our Sunday School begins at 9:00, and the Worship service is at 10:00. Come in any time. We will also be having a Christmas Eve service on December 24, at 6:00p.m.

May the Lord bless your upcoming week --- I hope you stay safe, healthy, and warm. As always, I look forward to seeing you again next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

God is greater than ...........

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

Can you believe that Christmas is less than thirty days away? Unbelievable! They say time flies when you’re having fun. I must be having a ball because it seems like time is traveling at warp speed. For you non-Star Trekkies, warp speed is the speed of light. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. At that speed you could travel around the equator 7 ½ times in a second. That is moving on. Wouldn’t it be nice if the police could respond with that kind of speed. The crime rate would go way down.

Let me give you an update on Miss Bessie. As you know she has had three stomach surgeries this year. Things are still not totally resolved, but Dr. Carrasquillo is not anxious to operate again. He is keeping a very close eye on her in hopes that in time healing will come, Some days it looks as if it is, while others….. Some of you may not know, but I, too, spent two days in the hospital last week. My latest EKG and stress test showed some “abnormalities.” Dr. Kenneth Towe, my cardiologist, wanted to do a cardiac cath procedure. I entered Gulf Coast Medical Center last Tuesday, received two stints, and went home on Thanksgiving Day in the late afternoon. They tell me it will take about two weeks to notice an appreciable difference. I do feel slight improvement each day. The worse part is he put me on a strict diet. Basically I get to pour myself a glass of ice water, ask God’s blessings on it, and enjoy. I’m thinking about the Adam and Eve diet --- fruit and nuts. I could actually do that because I enjoy both. Are their any RN’s or nutritionists out there reading this blog. If so, a little help with this idea would be appreciated. I do not do vegetables very well, but I do like raw cabbage and uncooked carrots. Sometime it is so difficult being me.

My need for a healthy lifestyle is for me a problem. The Bible says in James 5:16a, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed.” O K, here goes. I confess to you that I am guilty of violating one of the seven deadly sins --- gluttony. Now before you get all preachy and say, “Aha, an overeater;” that is not the definition of gluttony. Gluttony means doing things to excess. That can mean anything. Maybe you watch too much television --- that’s gluttony. Do you spend too much time on the computer? That’s gluttony. For me, however, it is overeating. So now that the myth concerning my perfection has been broken, breaking the cycle, for me is a big deal, BUT, God Is Greater. That was the title of my message yesterday morning at Friendship Harmony Baptist Church.

My intro said, “ God is greater! Greater than what? God is greater than whatever afflicts you physically, mentally, or spiritually. Do you have burden? God is greater! Do you have a handicap? God is greater! Do you have a need that by all human standards is impossible? God is greater!”

Below is the outline I used. Feel free to use it for your Bible Study. Preachers, you may use it or adapt it to suit your need as well.

God Is Greater
Psalm 93
By Victor Cooper
11/27/10

Intro: (See above)

I. Verse 1 The first indication as to His greatness is the psalmists' use of the word, “LORD.“
A. LORD here is Jehovah --- the self existent or eternal one.
1. He exists without the help or aid of anyone or anything other than Himself.
2. This is known as the doctrine of the solitariness of God. Arthur Pink has a chapter on this topic in his book, The Holiness Of God.
B. Jehovah reigns.
1. It is stated as fact offering no proof.
2. To attempt to prove it, cheapens His majesty.
C. Jehovah is clothed. What is the purpose of clothing? Dignity.
1. What did Adam and Eve lose due to their sin? Dignity.
2. In the OT, clothing was considered an extension of the person, ie you are what you wear.
D. His clothing:
1. Majesty. Excellent things --- only the best.
2. Strength. force; security
E. Remember, He is Jehovah; His clothes are provided by Himself! “… He girdeth Himself…”
F. He also established the world and the only way to move it is to move Him.

II. Verse 2 An elaboration of verse 1.
A. Charles Haddon Spurgeon “Thou art from everlasting. The Lord himself is eternal. Let the believer rejoice that the government under which he dwells has an immortal ruler at its head, has existed from all eternity and will flourish when all created things shall have for ever passed away. Vain are the rebellions of mortals, the kingdom of God is not shaken.”
—Treasury of David, The

III. The psalmist testifies to God’s omnipotence.
A. Verses 3,4 The sound of the oceans are described as “noise.”
1. Noise without purpose is confusion.
2. The sounds of God have purpose, they are not confusing, thereby they can override even the sounds of the mighty waves.

IV. Verse 5 God is greater because His word is very sure. Charles Haddon Spurgeon “Thy testimonies are very sure. As in providence the throne of God is fixed beyond all risk, so in revelation his truth is beyond all question. Other teachings are uncertain, but the revelations of heaven are infallible. As the rocks remain unmoved amid the tumult of the sea, so does divine truth resist all the currents of man's opinion and the storms of human controversy; they are not only sure, but very sure. Glory be to God, we have not been deluded by a cunningly devised fable: our faith is grounded upon the eternal truth of the Most High.”
—Treasury of David, The

Conclusion: “Our God is greater than…” fill in the remainder of the sentence with the current disaster in your life. That statement is the lifeline of your life. The beauty is you do not have to hold on to it --- it holds on to you. Our God is greater!!!

I hope your week is good. If you plan to be out doing Christmas shopping, please be careful. Ladies, do not leave your purse unattended in your shopping cart for even a moment. Guys, put your wallet in your front shirt pocket. That is the hardest pocket to pick. I want this Christmas season to be enjoyable for you, so deck the halls and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!

Happy Thanksgiving, Let's Get Married!

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

I trust you have had a good week since our last visit. My week passed by so quickly I feel as if I didn’t accomplish all I wanted. Oh well, if anything was left undone, it will eventually be seen to. This week we celebrate our time of Thanksgiving. Have you already started counting your blessings? Even in the midst of trials and adversity, we have much to be thankful for. If you are ever feeling “left out,” look around. Someone is in worse shape and is having a tougher time than are you. Our family, and a few friends from church, will celebrate with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Miss Bessie goes all out when she cooks. She tries to fix at least one dish that is favored by each family member. Really, I could be happy with turkey and dressing. Bess makes her dressing exactly like my mom does, which means I’ve been enjoying the best bread and sage dressing in the world for the last 56 years. I sure hope there is dressing in Heaven! The food, family, friends, and fellowship make for a great time, but don’t forget the reason for it all. It is a time to stop and thank God for His goodness and blessings. I just hope you show Him gratitude every day, and not just one day a year as if by appointment. I feel like since He blesses me every day, I owe Him praise and gratitude every day. It has been said that if we live a life of “thanks- living,” then thanks-giving will be a natural outpouring of who we are.

Yesterday was another great day at Friendship Harmony Baptist. My message was titled, “Our Wedding Day,” taken from Revelation 19:7-9. This passage speaks of that future time when the bride of Christ, the Church, will celebrate her marriage to the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. After the service we were blessed to be able to view the renewal of vows of one of the new couples in our church who have been married 54 years. It was a blessing to all of us and was a fine affirmation of what a good marriage is. We held a reception afterward of cake and coffee.

In the message we discussed how marriage is a covenant, not a contract. With a contract, only certain requirements are necessary to fulfill it and nothing more. Contracts have expiration dates and can be legally broken upon agreement of both parties. A covenant is more binding. In the Old Testament covenants were not made, but cut. One would say, “Let us cut a covenant.” An animal would then be killed and its body would be cut as perfectly as possible in half. Half would be placed on one side, and half would be placed on the other. Both people would then walk between the animal halves. In essence they were saying, “If I do not keep this covenant, may I suffer the same fate as this animal.” With one’s very life at stake, you can see why it is wise to do whatever necessary to keep your word. If more people would take marriage as seriously as it should be taken, the divorce rate would plummet. Covenants have no expiration date and cannot be broken. This is why in a wedding you have the bride’s side, and the groom’s side. The picture is of that passing between the halves.

The picture of a covenant teaches us something about salvation. Salvation is a covenant, not a contract. Salvation has no expiration date, and cannot be broken by either party --- God nor man. In this covenant, Jesus is the slain animal, and God walks through the halves alone as He did with Abraham in Genesis 15:17. This is called a unilateral, or unconditional covenant. God is saying, ” No matter what you do, here is what I will do.” He then saves you and the keeping of your soul (the keeping of the covenant) is His responsibility. Praise God for that, because due to the fact of my imperfection I could neither save myself, nor keep myself. Can you spell, “eternal security?”

Happy Thanksgiving to you, and please enjoy your day and stay safe. If you plan on using a turkey fryer, be sure to locate it at least 20 feet from the house or any other structure. Sadly, a family here in Lee County lost their home due to the oil in their fryer igniting and spreading to the house. Their’s was outside, but only a few feet from the house. I do not want to hear that any of you suffered a similar fate.

May the LORD bless you wherever you are, and I’ll see you next week on Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Heart problems!

Good Monday Morning To You!

What a glorious day we had in church yesterday! The Lord has provided us with a new family who is very eager to serve Him and use their talents for His glory. Their talents? She is a keyboardist and excellent soloist, and he is a music director who has served on staff in that capacity in Texas. He also is an excellent trumpet player. We thank the Lord for sending Ken and Margaret our way! The Lord has been so good to us. How do I thank Him enough? I’ll just live my life in accordance to His word and be obedient --- I believe He will accept that along with my praises toward Him as thanks enough.

Have you had a good and healthy week? I do hope so. My wife, Miss Bessie, had surgery this past Thursday. Her Doctor, Thomas Carrasquillo, a fine Christian man and an excellent surgeon to several in our Church, myself included, thought due to her lungs that she might have to spend one or two nights in the hospital. This was her third surgery in the past seven months. The first was in Hollywood, Florida. She had a ventral hernia with bowel strangulation. As you might recall, she had a tough time with that one resulting in a second surgery in Naples, Florida. We thought the problem was fixed, but she had to go again for more repair and mesh insertion. She did so well that she was discharged the same day. She is awfully sore, but she says each day is a little better and she seems to be mending fine. Thank you for your prayers for her.

Have you ever visited a doctor known as a cardiologist? If you have, you know he or she specializes in that blood pumping muscle known as the heart. Kardia is the Greek word for heart. The Bible has much to say about man’s heart. By that I do not mean the blood pumping muscle, although even that is referred to in Scriptures. Often in Scriptures the heart means the totality of man’s entire self. Before the flood, the Bible tells us in Genesis 6:5 “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” First we note that God saw. Sin is not hidden from Him. However, from a closer look at this verse we see that man did not attempt to hide his sin. He performed it openly in God’s sight. This is the grossest form of sin known as rebellion. Man had stepped beyond the boundaries of total depravity; he had become absolutely depraved. Absolute depravity is a theological term which means “without the ability of performing or being good.” The only fix was a flood. You might say God used a flood to wash away the sin!

God started over with Noah, Mrs. Noah, and their three sons and daughters in law. However, the Bible teaches us that man is no better today. From Acts 28:27 we read, “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” The phrase waxed gross comes from the Greek pachyno, and means to thicken, ie calloused. This heart, ear, and eye problem did not come as the result of an illness, it came by choice. We see it once again: rebellion. As in the pre-flood days, God needed to send something to wash away man’s sin. My former Pastor, B. J. Thomas, used to say, “The only known antidote to sin is the blood of Jesus Christ.” He preached that all his ministry, died believing it, and was ushered into the presence of God due to it. The old song says, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"

Jesus taught in the Sermon on thye Mount, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Man’s heart must be right with God before he can be accepted by our Lord. Six years ago I was feeling poorly, and knew something was wrong. I went to my doctor who did an EKG then immediately had his office make me an appointment to see a heart doctor. After several tests, it was discovered that my heart was in need of repair. I went to the heart surgeon and the necessary repairs were made. We do those things to not only live, but to have a good quality of life. This is just as necessary in the spiritual world My cardiologist, Dr. Kenneth Towe, said that with my heart there was only one surgeon he wanted me to see. I can remember him saying, “If there is going to be a problem in the operating room, Dr. Hummel is who you want to be in there with you. If you were my father, I’d send you to no one but him.” When I needed a spiritual heart transplant, there was only One qualified to perform the operation: Dr. Jesus.

What is the condition of your heart? Do you know? I have regular tests done to see my heart’s condition, but is there a test for a spiritual heart check-up? Most definitely there is and it can be found in Matthew 6:21, and can be self administered. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” I ask you, what things do you value? What and where are your priorities? The answer to these questions goes a long in determining the condition of your heart. For example, do you have a nice bank account? Perhaps you are a millionaire. If so, thank God for the blessing. Having money is not a sin. However, loving it is. It indicates a wrong priority - that is a heart problem. Are you famous to the point that many folk recognize your picture or your name? Fame, like money, is not a sin; it all depends on what you do with it and how you achieved it. Osama bin Laden is recognized by millions, but then again, so is Billy Graham. Which would you prefer as your next door neighbor? This kind of heart problems is not exclusive to the rich and famous. This is not a “their problem.” It is an “our problem.” What do you value?

I preached this message at Church yesterday, and I hope it has helped you, too. Thank you for allowing me this time to visit. Believe me when I tell you I enjoy our time. Have a good, safe and healthy week ahead, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!

The amblings and ramblings of Pastor Vic!

Good Monday Morning to you!

We had good services at Church yesterday. I continued my sermon series "Provoking God." This was week three of four and was, "Provoking God To Laughter." As I was studying for the message, I came across Job 9:23, "If the scourge slay suddenly, He will laugh at the trial of the innocent." Laugh at the trial of the innocent? I re-read it several times including the verses prior to it, and following it. I had never noticed that before and I was stumped. I found myself saying, "Lord, this goes against all I ever believed about You, and it totally contradicts what I preached last week. Teach me Lord, because apparently I've got some learning to do." When I am sermonizing, (putting a message together) I'm forevermore talking to the Lord just like He was sitting right there beside me. I am convinced He really is! He taught me that the Job 9:23 verse means that He laughs at our trials and we can too. AS HE IS VICTORIOUS, WE IS VICTORIOUS! (My deepest apologies to you English majors.) We can laugh at our trials because they will not get the upper hand. Its enough to make a Baptist holler, "Hallelujah."

Miss Bessie had a rough week last week. Her surgical wound is nearly closed, but she had lots of nausea and horrible abdominal pain. Her stomach is as hard as a brick and you can feel a knot about the size of a golf ball. She sees Dr. Thomas Bass, her surgeon on Thursday. Hopefully he can get to the bottom of this. Thank you for praying for her.

As for Pastor Vic, I am doing fine and chugging along on all cylinders. Since they found my problem and removed my gall bladder back at Christmas, I feel pretty good. The only side effect to losing my gall bladder is that I can no longer eat peanut butter. I double over whenever I eat it, and I love a PB&J sandwich. Reece's peanut butter cups are now a no-no. Hershey's stock will definitely go down. Somehow I believe my good friend Bill Wolfe's prayers are behind this. He is praying that I will adopt a healthier diet. He is right. I should, but don't tell him --- he likes to gloat and his wife Patty gives me "the look."

Don't forget to check out the contest in the next post! I sure hope you'll consider recommending my site to your friends and family. Be sure to tell them that after they subscribe, they are eligible to join the contest and invite their friends. Come on now, be sure to tell them. Competition is a healthy thing so I'm told. Subscriptions are free. Remember our motto: the only requirement to receiving Monday Morning With Pastor Vic is wanting it. May the Lord bless your upcoming week and I'll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic

Monday Morning 6/6/10

Good Monday Morning to you!!!
This past week rolled by so quickly. I guess with a holiday, it seemed shorter. Still, summer is in full swing here in S.W. Florida. It has been hot --- very, very hot. The June heat is as hot as the January cold was cold: all the way to extremes. Do you remember the frigid winter we had here in Florida? It sure is hard to please us earthlings. When it's hot, we pray for cooler days. When we get them, we pray for warmer ones. Aren't you glad you aren't God, having to placate fickle humanity?

Last night in our evening service we looked at 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12. In these verses Paul is encouraging a church who was working hard at pleasing God and doing right by each other. He admonished them to continue doing so. He told them in verse 10, "...we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more..." I feel kinda like the great Apostle, and please forgive me for mentioning myself in the same breath as his. I know most of you and have had the opportunity of watching you as you live your Christian life. I tell you as Paul told the Thessalonians: keep it up, you're doing just fine! As you please God, you actually become a blessing to our Lord, Jesus Christ. If there are some of you who know your life is not quite where our Lord desires it to be, no problem. Rejoice that it has been revealed to you and do something about it. James 4:8 tells us, "Draw near unto God, and He will draw near unto you." Quite simple, actually. These words of James are good words for all of us to follow.

Miss Bessie says hello to each of you. She thanks you for your prayers. Her surgical wound is healing ever so slowly, but is healing. Dr. Bass says these things have to heal from the inside out, and he is pleased with her progress. She has to repack and change her bandages every day, but she does so without complaining. She's a trooper and takes it all in stride. I'm very proud of her, but don't tell her I said it. I wouldn't want her to get the big-head.

The car problems remain. I did get the brakes fixed as well as the tire that was losing air. The mechanic, Chuck, told me a screw had punctured the tire and it couldn't be in a worse place. They plugged it, but said it could "pop" any time. I need two new tires, so I hope it will hold until I can replace them. The intake manifold remains the big story. It will cost nearly $800. to replace. I probably should trade it; it has 160,000 miles - I just cannot. I know the Lord will provide, and in a future Monday Morning With Pastor Vic, I'll be able to tell you about how He did. I'm thrilled just to get to watch what God will do! He takes such good care of the Pastor Vic family.

Also, my laptop went home to be with --- wherever dead 'puters go. I know there are no computers in Heaven. My Dad, Howard Cooper, hated computers. He went to Heaven in 2003. Believe me, if there was even one up there, Dad would have come back. Be that as it may, Teri Clementi's daughter, Lisa, is attempting to perform a resurrection on mine, but it doesn't look too good. That computer has served me well for ten years, so I have no room to complain. I did my sermon prep on it and I confess (sorry Dad) it did make doing so much easier and much more efficient. I did not realize how much easier until I lost it. Wow, what a fantastic tool it was. I'll have to get reacquainted with the old way of doing things again! Oh well, this too shall pass. Have a good week and drop me a line if you care to. See ya next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.