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!!!

Can You Expect Anything From God?

Good Monday Morning To You!
I hope your Easter was a good one. We had a great day at Friendship Harmony. Due to rain our Sunrise Service had to be held inside, but the LORD blessed and it was a good service. We recorded it for those who could not attend. If you’d like to see it go to www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Remember, you do not need a facebook account to view the videos. The video should be ready by Tuesday morning, and I thank Jim and Gwen Cook for their tireless labor of love in getting these videos posted for all to see. It is a lengthy, time consuming project, and I am so grateful for their dedication to the Friendship Harmony Baptist Church video ministry.

I want to let you know what happened last week to the blog. I had been having trouble on my phone line, so I called our local phone provider, Century Link, to come and take a look. I was getting heavy static and cross talk. Cross talk is where I can hear other people who I did not call, and they can hear me. If you remember the days of the party line, it is similar to that. The phone man found corroded wires which he fixed. He then asked me who installed my internet DSL connection. I told him that Century Link had installed it, and he told me it had been installed incorrectly. He asked if I had been having trouble with the net and I told him that I could get on, but I couldn’t stay on. He said that he had fixed it when he repaired my phone line and that I should have no more problems. He was right, and I am glad to have dependable service again.

The Easter Morning message was called, “What Did You Expect?” Every year at both Christmas and Easter, preachers attempt to preach the familiar message in a fresh, and uplifting way. We ask ourselves, “How can I say something relevant and fresh, as if it had never been preached before?” Even though I have preached many Easter sermons in my forty two years of service, the Holy Spirit always steps in and gives me the right thing to say, and it’s always like brand new. I marvel at how He works with us preacher boys.

The notes are below, and I hope they are a blessing to you. I trust they are beneficial in your personal Bible study.

What Were You Expecting?? ©
Luke 24:1-9
Easter Sunday 4/20/14
By Victor Cooper

Intro: When you come to Jesus, do you come expecting? What you find might not be what you expected, but Christ always supplies what you need.

I. What they expected.
A. They came expecting to find a sealed tomb.
1. The stone was a large, cylindrical object sitting in a groove. The groove would have had a slight down hill pitch, making it difficult to move.
2. These ladies were on a mission for Jesus, and obstacles were not considered.
Adam Clarke Commentary -- …when persons have strong confidence in God, obstacles do not hinder them from undertaking whatever they have reason to believe he requires; and the removal of them they leave to him: and what is the consequence? They go on their way comfortably, and all difficulties vanish…
.
B. They came expecting a dead Jesus.
1. The angel would remind them of what He had said concerning His death.
2. The world going to His tomb today still expects to find a dead Jesus.
3. Sadly, many church goers feel the same way.
C. They expected to find someone to help move the stone away.
1. Remember, they were serving Jesus and they believed God would provide a way.
II. What they found.
A. The stone was rolled away.
1. Their questions would have been who? And why?
B. They found an empty tomb.
1. They were perplexed and confused.
2. They did not have a printed Bible as. we have. They were living it.
3. What would be your reaction to visiting the grave of a loved one and finding it open and the body gone?
4. Would resurrection be the first thought to come to your mind?
C. They found two angels.
1. In Scriptures, angelic appearance ALWAYS comes withy a message.
2. “Angel” means “messenger.”

III. What they needed.
A. They needed the message of the angels. Vv5-7
B. They needed hope.
C. They needed assurance.
D. They needed courage.

Conclusion: What they expected was not what they found nor was it what they needed. What you can expect from our LORD is that He will, “supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Phil. 4:19

As the women had to go to the tomb, you have to
“seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33


Barb and Wayne Ratcliffe want to thank you for your prayers for their son, Mark. His surgery was a success and he is now recovering at home. We are always happy for praise reports. Can we pray for you? Send your prayer request to fhbcsjc@gmail.com. We will post your request here on the blog so others can join with us in prayer.

May the LORD bless your upcoming week, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Can WE Pray For You??

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

Let me begin by giving you an update on a prayer request I made two weeks ago. I had asked you to pray for Brandy Ward, the daughter of Friendship Harmony members Claude and Ann Ogle. Brandy’s body has been recovered from the Washington mudslide of several weeks ago. Her husband, Tim, is now home from the hospital, and will be in a wheel chair for at least the next 6 months. Please continue to lift Tim up in your prayers. The doctors hope his time in the chair will be temporary, but at this point they do not know. Claude and Ann appreciate your prayers.

Another prayer request has been shared with us. Mark Radcliffe, son of our members, Barb and Wayne Radcliffe, will have heart surgery on April 15. The Radcliffes would appreciate your prayers for Mark, and have asked me to keep you updated concerning his progress. I am very happy to do so.

Do you have a prayer request? Feel free to share it here. This blog reaches all over thy planet, and believers everywhere stand ready to pray for you. Contact me at fhbcsjc@gmail.com. If you’d prefer to keep your request confidential between you and me, I’ll list it as an unspoken request. People cannot pray unless you write, so let me here from you.

Once again we had a wonderful service at Friendship Harmony. The Holy Spirit’s presence was real, and it was good to be in the House of the LORD. I do not have any notes to share with you as I did not use any, but you can see the abbreviated version at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Remember, you do not have to have a Facebook account to see the videos. Let me know what you think of our new, compact showing. I do hope you like it.

The message was about Stephen, so be sure to read his story in Acts chapters 6 and 7.

Next week, the LORD willing, I’m going to review three movies Miss Bessie and I saw in the last two weeks. One of them was, “God Isn’t Dead.” I urge you to see this picture. It is above awesome. I’ll cite my reasons why next week. Until then, stay safe, and remember as you are praying, please remember the Friendship Harmony Baptist Church. We would be honored if you would.

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

The Battle Is The LORD's!!!

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

Last week I posted a prayer request concerning a family in our church, Claude and Ann Ogle. Their daughter, Brandy Ward, was trapped under the mud in the Washington mudslide. Her husband, Tim, is in a Seattle hospital with a broken back and pelvis. As of the date of this writing, Brandy has not been found. They are bringing in a dog to see if it can pick up on her scent. Pray that the LORD uses that dog to accomplish His will. Please also continue to hold up this family in your prayers.

Another lady from our church, Barb Radcliffe, asked if I could use the blog to request prayer for her son Mark, who is having heart surgery on April 15th. I also promised her that I would keep you informed of his progress. ABSOLUTELY I will share prayer requests and updates. I cannot think of a better purpose this blog can have than that. If you have a request, send it to me at fhbcsjc@gmail.com, or preachercooper@hotmail.com. You may also call me at 239.283.8331. This blog is currently reaching over 22,000 readers in places like The United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, China, India, as well as countries from the former Soviet Union. Your brothers and sisters around the globe stand ready to pray for you. Share your request with me and let me post it so others can be praying. If yours is an unspoken request, we will also let others know to be praying for you.

Yesterday was a fantastic day at Friendship Harmony. Most of our services are truly enjoyable, but some days seem to be a notch above. Yesterday was one of those days. What did we do that was different? Nothing! It’s just that the glory of the LORD was present and He decided to make Himself known and felt. I was hopping He would. The last few weeks I have been preaching messages of encouragement and hope. I preached from 1 Samuel, chapter 17 where a young shepherd boy named David, steps into a seemingly impossible situation. He asks, “Is there not a cause?” He is saying, “Is their not a cause to stand for? Is our God worthy of our taking a stand for Him?” Each of us come face to face with our Goliaths frequently. Does Goliath cause you to fear and tremble, and become paralyzed as he did the army of the Children of Israel, or do you go face him with what you have and the LORD at your side. All David had was a slingshot and five rocks, but he trusted God, faced the giant, and declared victory in the name of the LORD.

I put a statement in the bulletin in big bold letters. I encouraged the people to cut it out and put it on their refrigerator. It said, “Child of God do not be downhearted. The victory is yours because the battle is the LORD’s.” You think about that.

May the LORD bless your week. Do what you can to keep yourself healthy and safe. I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Don’t forget to send those prayer requests!!!

The Dolphins And Miss Bessie

Good Monday Morning To You!

Bess and I are back from our trip. It was a pleasant trip, but cold in places that normally do not get cold in early August, and quite wet. I never dreamed I’d need a sweater, but it definitely would have made life more comfortable. I tried both Wal Mart and K Mart to find one, but both stores said they would not be stocking them until early September. It is nice to be back in Florida! Even though it was a trip of family business and not pleasure, we did get to visit the Seaquarium in Miami, Florida.

Ever since Miss Bessie was a little girl, she has wanted to swim with the dolphins. For her it would be a dream come true. Several years ago she was in the Gulf of Mexico swimming and dolphins were close by, but those had no human contact. However, at the Miami Seaquarium, they have several different dolphin encounters a person can choose from. You can do a thirty minute swim with them, up to spending an entire day with the trainers, assisting them in their duties. Bess took the thirty minute swim which also included a thirty minute training session on dolphin interaction. I was allowed to come in as an observer, and it was quite interesting. I want you to know that Miss Bessie had the time of her life. She is still on cloud nine! She was with three male dolphins named Abeco, Echo, and Riley. I couldn’t tell one from another, but the trainers tell me they have sixteen dolphins and they know each of them by name. One thing really impressed us about the Miami Seaquarium: the animals and their trainers genuinely seemed to love one another. Whether it was the dolphins, the whales, the birds, or the other animals, both human and animal absolutely cared for one another. It was good to know that these animals were not being exploited for monetary gain, but were loved and properly cared for.

Bess got to shake hands with the dolphins, as well as hug them, pet them, and even kiss them. She was also allowed to give a command which the dolphin obeyed. Bess was excited to get to hand feed them, but the biggest thrill of all was getting to hold onto Echo’s fin, and have him carry her across the large pool. Bess is an excellent swimmer, but I told her Echo moved her across the water faster than she ever had on her own. She said the entire day was the thrill of a lifetime. It was quite exhilarating for me as well to see her enjoying her time with her three dolphins! We have pictures. If I can ever learn how to upload them, I’ll share a few of them with you.

Yesterday was a really good day at Friendship Harmony. We had a guest speaker, Bro. Ricky Boyton, preaching for us. I’ve known Ricky for just a short while, but I can tell you he is a fine Christian and an excellent preacher. Our people, Pastor Vic included, really enjoyed and benefited from his message. He spoke about the goodness of God from Psalm 107:1-2. Several people asked if we could have him back again, and I’d be honored if he would return. Ricky also brought his wife, Angela, and their daughter, Olivia, with him. Ricky surprised me by saying he will be taking my class on Human Geography of Bible Peoples beginning later this evening at the Southwest Florida Bible Institute. I believe he will be a fine addition to the class.

Thanks for reading the blog. I appreciate you so very much. May I ask a favor from you? Would you remember Friendship Harmony Baptist Church as well as the Cooper family in your prayers? It means so much to know that good, Godly people all over the globe are praying. If we can pray specifically for you, let us know. You can send your request to www.fhbcsjc@gmail.com. We at FHBC would be honored to pray for you. I promise you if you’d like your name and request kept confidential, I will honor your request. Have a good and safe week, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Good Monday Morning To You.
I trust you are all fairing well. My last week was good also. It has been hot here, in the upper 90’s, and very wet. It was raining so hard when I got to church this morning, I nearly took it as a sign from the LORD to switch messages from Jude to Noah.

Yesterday was the day of our monthly fellowship dinners. It was Italian day at Friendship Harmony. Of all the ethnic foods, Italian is my favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I like Mexican, Chinese, and some French, but put Italian food in front of me, and I’m as happy as a flea at a dog show. I hope my readers in France take no offence, but I am not crazy about most French foods. I studied French and still use it from time to time, but I never acquired a taste for the food. Once in French class, we had the opportunity to see chocolate covered ants, but were told we could not taste them. That was fine with me! I’ve never looked at French vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles quite the same. All I can see is those little critters crawling all over my bowl. I don’t know what the theme will be next month, but I’m rootin’ for a dessert supper. So far I keep getting vetoed, but I’ve got to keep trying. Whatever they choose, though, it will be good. Our ladies are some of the finest cooks around.

Yesterday’s service was awesome. The singing was good, and as always, a warm spirit of fellowship was enjoyed by all. I speak the truth when I tell you that if you are looking for a church where you will be welcomed and treated as if you have been there for years, Friendship Harmony is the place for you. That is why the name “Friendship Harmony” was chosen. We are all friends, and we have harmony, not dissention in our church. Even though we are all friends, our group is eager to make more, so come be with us and experience Friendship Harmony.

For those of you who are elsewhere, the dream of a Friendship Harmony video ministry is getting much closer to becoming a reality. Our video project is nearly ready to get started, and soon you will be able to experience Friendship Harmony where you are. If you have been planning to help with a love gift toward the video ministry, please send your offering soon. We want each of you to become part of this world wide outreach. Mark your check “video,” and send it to the church at 2296 Date Street, St. James City, Florida 33956.

Below are the notes from our continuing series from the Book of Jude. Once again, Jude quotes from the patriarch Enoch. Enoch is predicting the rapture and the reason for the tribulation: God’s judgment upon the ungodly. I hope the notes are of benefit to you.

A Warning From Enoch! ©
Jude v 14 - 16
Encouragement From Jude Series
8/7,8,10/12
By Victor W. Cooper

Intro: Jude now tells us that as far back as Enoch - before the flood, God promised to execute judgment on the ungodly. It would come through the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ!

I. Jesus is coming! V14
A. The unbelieving Jews who had rejected Jesus as Messiah, would see this as the first coming.
B. Jude, however, was not writing to the Jews, but to the Church, who was convinced that Jesus is the Christ, thereby making this the rapture.
1. Theologians agree that the holy ones that Jude wrote of is angels.
2. This would make sense since the tribulation IS God’s judgment upon the earth.
C. Picture this --- Jesus comes back in the air with ten thousands (note plural) of angels to rescue millions more; dead and living believers who will escape the judgment to come.
1 Thes. 1:10 / 1 Thes. 4:16-17
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (italics mine) [16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord…
D. Note “delivered” not “will deliver.” It’s already a done deal spiritually, and the physical will follow.

II. The ungodly remaining masses. V15
A. Ungodly times four. Question: Why did Jude use the same word four different times in the same sentence?
B. Answer: He didn’t. He used three different words.
Jude 1:15 (NLT) He will bring the people of the world to judgment. He will convict the ungodly of all the evil things they have done in rebellion and of all the insults that godless sinners have spoken against him.
C. Jude is here quoting the Book of Enoch 1:9.
1. Bible Knowledge Commentary Jude received the information about Enoch directly from God, or that under divine inspiration he recorded an oral tradition. None of these views affects the doctrine of inspiration adversely. If Jude quoted the apocryphal book, he was affirming only the truth of that prophecy and not endorsing the book in its entirety (cf. Paul’s quotation of the Cretan poet Epimenides, in Titus 1:12).

III. Jude describes their character so that believers can recognize the destructive ones. v16
They are:
A. grumblers.
B. discontented; blaming fate.
C. Jude 1:16 (NIV) These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.


Bible Knowledge Commentary Vocally discontented, sinfully self- centered, extravagantly egotistical, and deceptively flattering—such are ` apostates, then and today.

Conclusion: Matthew Henry Commentary:
These evil men and seducers are angry at every thing that happens, and never pleased with their own state and condition. Their will and their fancy, are their only rule and law. Those who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to ungovernable passions. The men of God, from the beginning of the world, have declared the doom denounced on them. Such let us avoid. We are to follow men only as they follow Christ.

I hope you have a good upcoming week. Wherever you are, please add this preacher and Friendship Harmony to your prayers. We sure appreciate them. Also, if you ever have a prayer request for yourself or someone else, please send it to us. We’d love to join with you in prayer. Remember, whoever you are, no matter where you are, what concerns you concerns us. We’d love to hear from you. Praise reports over answered prayers are sure welcome too. Bye for now, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Special Edition

Good Monday Morning To You.

I’d like to ask all you readers to please remember Irene Bodziak in your prayers. While getting up to get ready for church yesterday, Irene lost her balance and fell, hitting her head against a door. She seemed alright, but her husband, Don, wisely insisted that she let him drive her to Cape Hospital to have it examined. They admitted her, but about 5:00pm she took a very quick turn for the worse and had to be rushed into emergency brain surgery to relieve the pressure. She came through the surgery fine, but the doctor cautioned that the next 24 to 48 hours were the most critical. He is cautiously optimistic. Pray for her recovery, and for Don as well. Also, family members are flying in, so pray for their safe journey.

While visiting the ICU, we met a man whose name I am not free to share at this time. He had sent word that he wanted to see me. Bill and I shared the gospel with him, and he said he was saved, but I wonder. I’ve been doing this for forty years this coming April, and I’ve learned to “read between the lines.” His answers were correct, but the way he said them caused red flags to go up in my mind. I’ll just ask you to pray for “Bud.” Again, that is not his name, but God certainly knows him. I just pray he truly knows God!

For an update on Irene and Bud, I will post a Monday Morning supplemental on Wednesday morning, and again on Friday.

Thanks for your prayers. I know the families appreciate it as well.

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Stay well, and have a good Thanksgiving!