The Unknown Alarm

Good Monday Morning To You!
I’ve got to tell you what happened to me last Tuesday morning. Let me set up the scene. My cell phone had a problem --- you could not hear the ringer, or any of the alerts. My son, Kevin, and I had planned to take it back to Verizon for a repair or a replacement. I went to bed and Kevin was going to wake me the next morning. Miss Bessie and I had bought a new mattress and it was our first night on it. The next morning we were awakened to the loudest siren I have ever heard. I knew it was not one of our alarms, so I figured it had to be my C pap machine. It was just slightly out of reach, but I frantically kept hitting the off button, but the alarm still sounded. As I said, we have a new mattress and it is hard to sit on --- it’s slick. Picture this, I am leaning over quite far and I am sliding toward the floor. I managed to get my feet to the floor, but it is tile and I was bare footed. It was like being on ice. I am sliding to the floor and I yell, “Kevin, help!” He came in and took my hand, but instead of a hand up, he helped me make a more graceful fall to the floor. I’m sitting on the floor, the siren is still sounding, and the three of us are laughing hysterically. Kevin said, “Dad, turn off your alarm.” I replied, “What alarm?” Kevin said, “I fixed your phone, and I set your alarm.” He turned it off and I told him to never again set an alarm in my room without me knowing it. We all laughed about it the rest of the day. It would have been great for “America’s Funniest Videos.” Seriously, family life is wonderful and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Yesterday was a great day at Friendship Harmony. The attendance was good and there was a good spirit among the people. The congregational singing was excellent, and I might try to have a make shift choir from time to time. I certainly have the singers for it.

Yesterday I concluded our series of messages concerning, “Why God Allows Suffering.” Below you will find the sermon notes, but I would hope that tomorrow, Tuesday, you will watch the video. It is the message as delivered to Friendship Harmony in its entirety. The video can be seen at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Remember, you do not have to have a Facebook account in order to view the video. Below are the notes; please feel free to use them for your personal Bible study. Preachers and teachers may also use them for their classes, their small groups, or their messages. May God bless you as you study His word.

Why Suffering?
Various verses
Suffering Series 3 of 3 8/12-9/6/14
By Victor Cooper

Intro: The other day I was asked, “Why does God allow suffering? Why does He allow someone to hurt an innocent person?” This is the age old question which was probably asked by Eve when she buried her son, Abel.

Review: Earlier we discovered that sin originated with Lucifer; it did not originate with God. We learned that the reason for suffering is sin. Sin means, “to miss the mark.”
The question is not, “Why is their suffering?” The question is, “Why does God allow suffering?
All sin is rebellion against God, not withstanding any one or anything else offended.
Rebels often try to enlist the aid of others in their cause.

God allows suffering because:

I. God has limitations. There are two kinds of limitations pertaining to God.
A. Natural limitations. His limitations are those things contrary to His nature.
1. God cannot lie. Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
2. God cannot be tempted to sin, nor can He tempt man to sin. James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
B. Self imposed limitations. Those things He has chosen not to include in His plan.
1. He choose Isaac not Ishmael; Jacob not Esau.
2. He choose not to spare James.
Acts 12:2 And he (Herod Agrippa I) killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3. God did not spare His own Son.
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
God’s Self imposed limitation is the first tie in point to our question, “Why does God allow suffering?”

II. Man has free will. The ability to determine how one will live their life, and whether or not they will submit to God’s will.
A. For God to stop suffering at the hands of another, He would have to remove their free will.
B. To remove one’s free will, they are no longer responsible and are outside of the need for redemption.
C. To remove free will reduces man to being an automaton, one destined to serve God without any say in the matter.
D. Becoming an automaton leaves out loving God.
E. In order for God to even remove a person’s free will temporarily, He would have to remove it from everyone.
Man’s free will is the second tie in point to our question
“Why does God allow suffering?”

III. It reminds us of the viciousness of sin.
God takes sin more seriously than we do.
A. Sin brought man into open rebellion against God.
B. Sin affected all God’s creation from the angels in Heaven, to the fish in the deepest part of the sea.
C. We see the sins of others as bad, but our own we justify away.
D. From week one we quote from Professor Walter Veith “Sin must run its full course for the enormity to be fully abhorred; but it eventually will be eradicated along with its instigator.”
Professor Veith’s observation is the third and final tie in point to our question,
“Why does God allow suffering?”

Conclusion: Our question was, “Why does God allow suffering? Why does He allow someone or something totally ` innocent to be hurt by another?”
The answer:
1. God’s self imposed limits will not allow for it. This is a point of Theology.
2. Man has a free will. This is a gift from God; it is a point of Grace.
3. It reminds us of the viciousness of sin.

A final thought: In my blog dated Sunday, August 24, I wrote, “On the surface these are not easy questions to answer, but actually they are. The problem is not the answer. The problem is our acceptance of the answer. Here is where faith enters the picture. I am talking about a mature faith that has been and is being nurtured by a diligent study of Scriptures, and much communication with the Holy Spirit.”

I’ll not be seeing you here on the blog for the next three weeks. Miss Bessie and I will be on vacation. I will miss you, but I’ll tell you all about our trip when we return. Please pray for us for safe travel and for a time of mental and spiritual refreshment. May the LORD richly bless you, and I’ll see you on the video tomorrow, and again in three weeks on Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Gettin' Better

Good Monday Morning To You!
Once again this will be an abbreviated blog. I’m still recovering, but I tire easily. This hospitalization took a lot more out of me than ever before. Each day is some better, and as I write, they have my blood numbers where they want them. I was able to preach at Friendship Harmony yesterday. It felt good being in the pulpit again. When I was preaching, I felt strength surging through my body. Some might say this was an adrenalin rush, but I beg to differ. I believe it was a Holy Spirit rush; I’ll never be convinced otherwise!

An abbreviated version of the message will be available on Tuesday, August 19. You can see it at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. In this message I pose this question: How big is your Jesus? I hope you’ll watch it.

Now let me make an announcement. This coming Sunday Morning, I will be beginning what I believe will be the most important series I have ever delivered in my 42 year preaching ministry. The series is called, “Why Suffering?” I was asked recently, “Why does God allow suffering? Why does He allow an innocent individual to suffer physical, emotional, or spiritual injury at the hands of another?” I will attempt to address this question in the weeks to come. If you cannot be with us here at Friendship Harmony, it has been requested that we tape the entire message for the video. This we will gladly do because in this suffering world, this is a most important question. Please pray for me as I prepare.

This coming Sunday is our fellowship meal. If you are in the area, plan on being with us in our morning service, then we invite you to stay afterward for a delicious meal. I hope to see you there. If not I’ll see you tomorrow on the video, and again next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Precious Sounds From The Past

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

Last week I told you about more of the adventures of Johnny and Vic. I told you about the different smells we experienced and their origin. This week I want to reminisce a bit more as I take you back with me to Elmwood Place located in southwest Ohio. Elmwood Place is a Cincinnati suburb, but is not part of the Cincinnati City limits.

There were three distinct sounds that I remember: the trains, the Carthage Mills whistle, and the nine o’clock siren.

Johnny and I lived next door to each other, and our houses were sandwiched in the middle of two railroads; the C&O a block and a half to the west, and the L&N a block and a half to the east. Our street, Oak Street ran east to west. When we road our bikes to the C&O tracks, at the next block from ours, just past the second house, we were inside Cincinnati. In order to get down to the Mill Creek, we had to cross these tracks. We very rarely played on these tracks. I don’t know why we didn’t, we just didn’t. Maybe it was because we just chose to stay inside our own little village and not to cross into Cincinnati. On either the north, or the west of us, we were about a block from the city.

To the west, about the same distance as the C&O, were the L&N tracks. We did play on these from time to time. I remember one time putting rocks on the tracks to see what would happen. These rocks were small, not much bigger than a marble. That night we heard an awful sound: an L&N train had derailed. I knew I was going to jail! Those rocks had forced that locomotive off the tracks, and I was headed to prison. As much as I feared jail, I feared Howard Cooper even more. I knew that by the time he was finished with me, there would be nothing left to jail. I imagine the same thoughts were running through Johnny’s mind. We decided to keep quiet and only breathed again when we heard that the derailment was caused by a more serious problem, but not our rocks. My dad explained to me that a train’s wheel were made to throw debris off the track. He probably never suspected why I would ask a question about things on tracks.

The train’s sounds were wonderful. At night you could hear the trains roar past, and up at the L&N tracks, the engineer blew his horn when he crossed our street. Back then a train went by nearly every fifteen minutes. For the most part, we were so used to them, we rarely heard them. However, even now in my mind I can hear the horn and the train passing by. I’d love to hear that sound again, but I now live on an island in the Gulf of Mexico, and there are no trains here.

Two other sounds were the Carthage Mills whistle, and the siren located at the fire station. My dad worked at Carthage Mills, so I was always proud of that whistle. Its sound was a low, deep sound that could be heard for miles. The whistle sounded at 7:00am, 8:00am, and 3:30pm. Although its primary purpose was for signaling the beginning of work, and the ending later that day, the people in both Elmwood, and Carthage depended on that whistle. It helped moms know when to get the kids ready for school, and when it was time for them to go home. Years later I would bowl on the Carthage Mills bowling team, and one of our bowlers was John Smallwood. John was the factory’s boiler engineer; the man who so faithfully blew that whistle. That whistle is silent now, and Carthage Mills is gone, but I can still hear it if I really concentrate. It said, “AOOOOOOOOHH! AOOOOOOOOHH!”

The nine o’clock siren was also an unmistakable sound, and one that you’d better not ignore. It had a twofold purpose. The first was to call the volunteer fireman or the life squad people to the station. If it sounded one time, the ambulance was needed. If it sounded multiple times, it was for a fire. Whenever the fire alarm was sounded, we’d run up the street to the station and follow the truck to the fire. Elmwood Place was a small village, so seeing where they went was not too difficult. Even back then, you could see what they were doing, but the police wouldn’t let you get too close.

The second purpose was to signal the nine o’clock curfew. When it sounded it meant kids needed to be at home. You could play out past nine, and we often did, but you needed to be in front of your house. For most moms, it was the “time to go to bed” signal. I honestly do not know if today’s Elmwood citizens get to hear the siren. I doubt it, but I am not sure.

Even though these memories were fifty years ago, I still count them as some of my most precious. What I wouldn’t give to be able to reset the hands of time and go back to those days! Maybe one night soon the LORD will allow me to go back, even if only in a dream.

We had a good service at Friendship Harmony yesterday. What was really encouraging was our visitors. Our church is always so honored when people come. All three visitors have visited before, so I hope they continue to come. Who knows --- one day the LORD might direct them to become members. I hope so.

I’ll not tell you about the morning message, but I will invite you to hear it over the internet. It is at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. I will say it is about the transfiguration of Christ, and its significance for us today. You do not have to have a Facebook account to see the video. This week’s message is 12 minutes in length. We try to keep them at ten minutes, but I missed my signal and went over. I hope you will enjoy the videos.

Thanks for sharing this time with me. I really appreciate each of you. Stay safe and well, and I’ll see you this Tuesday with the video, and again next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Memories of Dad and Mom

Good Monday Morning To You,
I hope you had a good week since we last visited. Yesterday was Father’s Day. Was it a good day for you? It was for me. I heard from all four of my kids, and my youngest son, Jason, came over on Saturday and spent the day with us. Just having him there was great!!!

I was thinking about my own dad and many fine memories flooded my mind. I remember once when I was about five years old, my dad, mom, Howard and Alene Cooper, and I were all sick. My dad believed that when you were sick the best thing for you was a shot of penicillin. We went to a doctor in Cincinnati named Dr. Schuelsinger. He was an old German Jew, and he believed in shots also. I hated shots. I just did not do needles very well. Dr. Schuelsinger’s office was downtown, and it only had one exam room. Mom went back first and I went in with her. When she was about to get her shot, I went back out into the lobby. Mom came out and dad went in and I walked back with him. Sure enough, dad got his shot, but not a word was said to me. I was not getting a shot! I was elated!

Dad paid the receptionist and we started back home. We lived in a little village called Elmwood Place. We were not in Cincinnati city limits, but it surrounded us on three sides. Our house was about five miles from the doctor’s office. Dad turned to mom and said, “How did Victor do with his shot?” Mom said, “I thought he was you when he got his shot.” It was at this point that I knew that a shot was the least of my worries. Dad, much to my surprise, did not say a word. He simply circled the block and headed back downtown to Dr. Schuelsinger’s office and took me in. He went to the receptionist and told her what had happened. I heard her say, “Sure, no problem.” I was then escorted back to his office, where I was examined, and received my sentence: penicillin injection. At the time it was a horrible experience, but as I look back on it some fifty five years later I can say in all honesty that it was indeed a horrible experience. At least now the tears are not from fear of the shot, but from missing mom and dad so much. The beautiful thing is that mom and dad were Christians, so the separation is just temporary. I will see them again.

My Father’s Day message will be available tomorrow, Tuesday morning. The title is “What Every Man Should Be.” The life we examined was Joseph, the earthly daddy of the little boy Jesus. Joseph was a fine example for his children, and is a good role model for us today – men and women alike. I hope you’ll watch the video, it is only 10 minutes in length. You can find it at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Remember, you do not have to have a Facebook account to see the video.

Thank you for spending these few minutes with me. Thanks for letting me share my memories with you. If you’d like to share some with me, drop me an e-mail at fhbcsjc@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you. Stay safe and well, 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!!!

Pastor Bob Felber Does It Again!!!

Good Monday Morning To You!

I hope you have had a good, safe, and happy week. Did you get to go to church yesterday? Many of our northern churches had to close due to the harsh winter weather conditions. If yours was one that closed, I hope next week will be better. I trust you are one of those people who enjoy going to church and feel bad whenever you have to miss. May I make a suggestion to you? If you missed hearing a message this week, I’d like to invite you to listen to and view the message preached from our church this past Sunday. It is a short message of about ten minutes and was preached by our associate pastor, Bob Felber. Our video messages are a brief synopsis of the sermons delivered in the morning worship services at friendship Harmony by either Pastor Felber or me. You can see it at www,facebook.com/friendship harmony. You do not need a Facebook account to view any of the messages. All of us here at Friendship Harmony Baptist Church hope the video ministry is a blessing to all who view it.

If you are anywhere near Friendship Harmony this coming Sunday, let me invite you to come and join us as we conclude our Gospel Music Series with a visit from Fiddlin’ Bill. Bill is always a favorite with our people and I couldn’t think of anyone better to sing for us at our final concert of southern gospel music for the 2013/2014 season. The day is also the day of our monthly fellowship carry in dinner. It is shaping up to be a great day, so I hope you can be with us.

I want to thank you for your prayers. I still feel horrible and my voice comes and goes. I am grateful to have a dear friend and colleague like Bob Felber. Whenever I call upon him, he is always so faithful to step in and fill the FHBC pulpit. I totally trust him with the pulpit because I know his desire is to preach God’s word to the very best of his ability. If you have never heard him preach, check out the video at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. It should be ready for viewing by Tuesday morning. Bobby’s preaching will bless your soul. It certainly does mine.

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

VIDEO CHANGE IS REALITY

Good Monday Morning To You!!!

I hope you had an excellent weekend and that all is well with you. The Cooper family here in Southwest Florida is doing fine. Did your pick win the super bowl? As of the time of the writing of this blog, The Seahawks are ahead 43-8, and I am thrilled. My grandson, Nathan, is a Seahawk fan, so I’m sticking with him. Either way, when the sun comes up in the morning, and it surely will, life moves on. It is fun to have something to root for and to cheer about. It makes life more bearable. However, when your team loses, shrug it off, move on, and “wait until next year.” Believe me, I know. I’m from Cincinnati!

I want to take this opportunity to announced to you that the changes we had planned for the video ministry have been made. As I previously explained, I realize that gazing into a computer screen for 30 minutes tends to be a bit difficult. We hope we solved that dilemma for you. We no longer record the morning message live. After everyone leaves, we record a 10 minute synopsis of the sermon. The same notes are used, it is just cut down in length. I do hope this helps. You can view the video at www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Would you please view it and let me know what you think? Your feed back is of great value to us. Remember, you do not have to have a facebook account to see the video. Just click onto the link provided.

The service at Friendship Harmony was super. Our pianist was not in attendance, so we sang a-capella. Eleanor did a fine job of leading us and sang a beautiful solo on the song, “He Touched Me,” We are so blessed to have her and Allan with us.

Friendship Harmony is truly a team ministry. Many people perform many ministries that make this church successful. I am blessed as the Pastor to only have to wear one hat. I do my job, everyone else does theirs, and it clicks. That is how it is supposed to work.

Here are the notes from yesterday’s message. It is titled, “The Fox In The Hen House,” and it is the parable of the wheat and the tares. Why not copy the notes, then follow along with the video. The video should be ready by Tuesday morning.

The Fox In The Hen House
Matthew 13:24-30
By Victor Cooper
02/01/14

Intro: Parable comes from the Hebrew word Mashal and means defining what is unknown by using what is known. It is a mini drama with a cast of characters. By knowing the cast of characters, it is easier to see the meaning of the story.
Three points to remember concerning parables:
1. Every parable has a point.
2. A parable will push for a decision.
3. A parable is a picture of reality.

The Cast Of Characters
The land owner Jesus
The field The Church
Sleeping men Church members
Servants Pastors
The Enemy Satan
Place of burning Hell
The Barn Heaven

I. V24 The field
A. In general, the world
B. Specifically, the church

II. V 25 Sleepers --- lukewarm; won’t take a stand
A. Examples: Churches of Pergamos, and Thyatira from Revelation 2.
While the church sleeps, the devil works overtime.
B. “went his way” sneering, smugness of Satan

III. V 26 Wheat and tares together
A. You could not tell one from the other until the wheat bloomed.
B. By then it was too late to weed the fields; the wheat and tare roots were intertwined.

IV. V 27 The question: How did the weeds get in in the first place.
A. This is stupid question #1.

V. v 28 There has been a fox in the hen house.
A. Stupid question #2: Shall we weed the field?
B. Illogical question: they knew better.
C. The servants are showing a complete lack of reason.

VI. V 29-30 The day of reckoning awaits.
A. Both must grow together.
1. This protects the wheat
2. The wheat has value.
B. The burning tares would be used for heat as there was limited forest land.
C. The wheat was safe and secure in the barn.


May the Lord bless your upcoming week, and remember, your comments are always appreciated. E- mails can be sent to preachercooper@hotmail.com. I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Video Changes On The Way

Good Monday Morning To You1

I have some exciting news to share with you concerning our video ministry. We realize that sitting in front of a computer screen watching a video is difficult; especially when the video is 30 minutes in length. For that reason, we have decided to change the way the videos are taped. We will now be offering a shorter, ten minute or so synopsis of the morning message. You will still get the entire sermon outline delivered to you by video, but it will just be the highlights. That change will take place in one week. We were not able to record yesterday due to technical difficulties, but we know what was wrong and it has been corrected. My thanks to Jim and Gwen Cook for their dedicated service to our video ministry. Without them, it likely would not happen. In next week’s Monday Morning Blog, we will let you know more.

Yesterday at Friendship Harmony I began a two part message titled, God’s 2x4’s. We did a comparison on the lumber that was used in building the frame for the wilderness tabernacle, with the lumber used in building God’s church. The 2x4’s God uses is believers. If you have been saved, you are one of those boards. The notes are below. Next week we will give you a ten minute “short version” of parts one and two. I hope the notes are a blessing to you.

God’s 2x4’s ©
Deut. 8:2,16
By Victor Cooper
1/18/14

Intro: A good builder will select good lumber for his building. When God ordered the building of the wilderness tabernacle, everything had to be done according to His perfect plan. As God began to build His church, He did not have much to start with, but He was able to take what He had and make it into something useful. Today and next week we will examine how God did it, and the role we play.


I. The boards had to be cut down.
A. The boards for the tabernacle had to be of a certain kind; shittim wood.
B. The boards for God’s church had to be of a certain kind; humbled.
C. God led the children of Israel through the wilderness to humble them.
D. The 2x4’s God had to choose from were in pretty bad shape. Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

II. The boards had to be dried out.
A. Uncured lumber can, and generally will warp and twist as it dries.
B. After they dried, they were set aside for use.
C. Being set aside is called being sanctified.
D. The boards in God’s church are sanctified boards.
1 Cor. 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1. God’s boards are set aside to:
(a) love Him. Deut. 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
(b) serve Him.
Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
(c.) worship Him. Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said … Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Thank you for being such a faithful reader of this Monday Morning Blog. It is written to (I hope) be a blessing and an encouragement to you. If it does, will you tell others about it? If not, please e-mail me and let me know your concerns. That e-address is preachercooper@hotmail.com. Good, constructive criticism is always appreciated! Have a good and a safe week wherever you are, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

What A Treat It Was!!!

Good Monday Morning to you!

Yesterday after church I went to Cracker Barrel. Is there a Cracker Barrel near you? You can find them up and down I-75, and I-71. I’m sure they are located on other interstate highways as well. I think I saw a few on I-95. Going out to eat is enjoyable. I can remember, however, when eating out was a treat. We ate out twice a year. Once would be a stop at White Castle on the way home from church. They were 8 cents apiece back then. Dad would stop and buy a sack. To us, that was 5 star! Our second eating out adventure would be at Frisch’s. Every Cincinnatian knows about Frisch’s Big Boy. What makes Frisch’s Big Boy unique over other Big Boy franchises is the sauce. Frisch’s makes its own tartar sauce which is unbeatable. I always had them “make mine wet.” That meant extra sauce. Whenever I am in Cincinnati, I still order them that way. As a kid, we used to enjoy pulling under a canopy, ordering over a speaker, and having a car hop bring our order. We actually got to eat in the car! This was an absolute treat in the early sixties. The other kids I played with in Elmwood Place (Cincinnati) had parents who ate out as infrequently as we did. My mom, like their moms, was a stay at home mom and cooked supper every night. I learned later why we had not eaten out more. Dad had a factory job and he couldn’t afford to take us out repeatedly. Mom told me about a year ago that if it had not been for the overtime dad was working, we would not have made it. My friends parents were in the same shape as were we. However, I wouldn’t trade my childhood for all the riches the world could offer. I had a great childhood: my parents saw to it. I can only hope my kids feel that way about me. Time will tell I suppose.

Yesterday was an interesting day at Friendship Harmony. About a third of the way through the sermon, the power went out. The problem was not with our breakers; power was out all over the island. This wouldn’t be a disaster, but we video our sermons so they can be shared over the internet. The camera runs on battery power so we do not have electric cables running all over the floor causing a potential tripping problem. Here is where I thank God for modern technology. When the lights went off, the camera’s light immediately came on. It likely switched itself to low light mode as well. Jim and Gwen Cook, our producers, said they could bring the lighting problem up when they were editing and uploading to YouTube. I can’t wait for Tuesday morning to come so that I can see the finished project. To see for yourself, go to www.facebook.com/friendshipharmony. Like I said earlier, it was an interesting day! Most of the congregation at FHBC said I looked much better in the dark. Hmmm!

The sermon notes are below for a message titled, “Realize!” It was taken from Deuteronomy chapter 32. In this chapter, Moses gives his farewell speech to the Hebrews. The Children of Israel were getting ready to cross into the Promised Land, but Moses would not be going with them. It was time to climb the mountain and die. Even though Moses was not able to personally lead the people across the Jordan River into the land due to his disobedience, God is a merciful God. He led Moses to the top of Mt. Pisgah and allowed him to look over into the land. On that mountain top, Moses died and was buried by God Himself according to Deuteronomy 34:5-6. What a grave side service that must have been!

The notes are below. I hope they are a true blessing to you. You who are preachers and teachers, feel free to use these notes as they are, or adapt them as you see fit for a preached message, or a class lesson. For those of you who are using them for your personal Bible study, let me encourage you to use your Bible and a good commentary. There are many available, but I recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary, published by Cook Communications. This commentary was written by many of the professors at the Dallas Theological Seminary. Get yourself one for Christmas. You deserve it!

Realize!
Deut 32, selected
By Victor Cooper
11/13-16/13

Intro: Moses is making his farewell address to the Children of Israel. He challenges them to realize how blessed of God they had been, to realize how dependent on God they were, and to realize that they needed to live lives of unswerving loyalty to the LORD. It is also good advise for today.

I. Realize how blessed of God you have been. 32:7
A. God provided the land vv7,8.
1. Moses reminds them that even though they hadn’t been in the land for over 400 years, it is still theirs.
B. God provided the promise vv 9,10.
1. God is saying, “The land is yours, and you are mine.”
C. As the eagle forces her young out of the nest so it can fly, God forced Israel into the desert.
vv 11-14
1. The desert in this sense is not just the wilderness wonderings, but the entire experience in Egypt.
2. Egypt was the desert, versus the Promised Land; the land flowing with milk and honey.
a) Milk symbolized wealth, while honey symbolized abundance and blessing.
b) The Hebrews knew exactly what God was offering.
D. They had forgotten from where they had come
1. They were for essentially Egyptian!

II. Realize how dependent on God you really are v 39.
A. God alone is omnipotent.
1. Several times in Isaiah 45, God says there is none beside Him; there is none else.
2. Our life is in His hands.
3. Our death is in His hands.
B. One day God will make everything right v 43.

III. Realize you must live a life of unswerving loyalty to the LORD vv 46, 47
NLT Deut. 32:47 These instructions are not mere words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to occupy.
A. These words are your life,
1. because they are God’s words.

I do hope you have a good upcoming week. If you plan on doing any traveling, please be careful. Here is a free piece of advise for you to go along with this free blog: If you are driving, please do not text. In Florida it is against the law to do so, and it should be everywhere. In Hamilton County, Ohio, a young man was texting and ran up on a sidewalk killing a three year old boy who was riding his tricycle. It’s not worth it; please pull over if you need to answer. Well, enough preaching from me, it’s just that I care. Keep yourself well and healthy, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Video From January 20, 2013 Now Posted

Good day to you!

I wanted to let you know that as our title says, the video from last Sunday, January 20 is posted on youtube. To view it, go to www.youtube.com. When their home page comes up, type into the box next to their logo Friendship Harmony Baptist Church. Click on the sermon title, Hold Up Thy Neighbor. There are three others available also. Thanks for both viewing AND reading.

I'll see you on youtube, and I'll see you this coming Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Hello. Thank you for looking at this special Friday edition of Monday Morning With Pastor Vic. As I promised you on Monday, here is the update on the video ministry. Praise the LORD, we are now on YouTube! You can view it by clicking onto this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDo11DzK41I. The Message title is When God Waits. Give me your feedback after you have seen it.
Thanks for being a loyal reader and now, hopefully a loyal viewer.

Christmas Memories

Good Monday Morning To You!

On behalf of the entire Cooper family, let me wish you a Merry Christmas. As I was preparing to write this blog, I was thinking about memorable Christmases I have enjoyed. Every Christmas from my childhood was great. Mom and Dad always saw to it that we had a good Christmas. My Dad really enjoyed Christmas. Since his passing, Christmas just hasn’t been the same. Two stand out in my mind. The first happened about 1962. I decided one night we were going to catch Santa Clause in the act. We lived in Elmwood Place (Cincinnati) at that time. I was eight years old. My bedroom was right off the living room, so I decided to turn off the lights and peek through the cracked door. I had mom and dad hide in my room with me. I was not wanting to confront Santa, I just wanted to see him. We quietly hung out in my room for nearly two hours, mom and dad patiently going along with me. After a while mom said that Santa knew better. She said we would have to go to bed and go to sleep in order for him to come. I do not remember too much more about that Christmas, but as I think back, I fondly remember loving parents who were willing to indulge a little boys fantasy.

Another memorable Christmas occurred while we were living here in Florida. We had a cut tree which was decorated and looking as fine as any tree ever could. Every year someone is appointed to distribute the gifts, and that year it was my daughter Michele. She was sitting on the floor beside the tree handing out the gifts and we were beginning to open them. Suddenly the tree leaned over, stood suspended like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, then fell right into Michele’s lap. I have never seen such a bewildered look on anybody’s face like hers was that night. We all fell out in the floor laughing while all poor Michele could do was sit there with a lap full of Christmas tree. Anyone who knows me, knows my sense of humor, but I promise you I had nothing to do with that tree falling. Even I couldn’t have planned it any better.

If you are in the area, we are having our Christmas Eve service tonight at 6:00 pm. I sure hope you can come.

Yesterday at Friendship Harmony, I finished the four part series called “The Advent Contrast.” We looked at Christ’s first coming where we learned that He came for the lost, while at the rapture he will come for the found; ie the saved, the redeemed, the delivered. The notes are below. Please feel free to use them for your own personal Bible study.

The Advent Contrast ©
Various Scripture
12/18,22/12
Advent Series 4 of 4 By Victor Cooper

Intro: Occasionally you will hear the word “advent” used as a synonym of the birth of Christ. This is known as Christ’s first advent. Likewise, His second coming is sometime called the second advent. During each, Christ’s coming is for a specific group. Christ’s first advent was for the least, the last, the lowest, and the lost. By contrast, at His second advent He is coming for the greatest, the first, the highest, and the found,

I. At His first coming Christ came for the lost sheep of the House of Israel. In Matthew 10:6 and n15:24, Jesus said He had come for the lost sheep of the House of Israel.
A. Remember, He is their prophesied Messiah.
Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; [3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.



1. “Spirit of the Lord“… Holy Spirit
2. …”the Lord”… God the Father
3. …”anointed”… Messiah Jesus
a. The Hebrew word for Messiah means the anointed one.
b. The Greek word for Messiah is Christ and means anointed.
B. At His second coming, the entire passage in Isaiah will be fulfilled.
Bible Knowledge Commentary When Jesus read from this passage He stopped in the middle of the sentence, after the word “favor” (Luke 4:18-19). By doing this He was showing that His work would be divided into two advents. In His First Advent He did the things mentioned in Isaiah 61:1-2a; in His Second Advent He will do the things in verses 2b-3. When He returns He will bring judgment on unbelievers (Micah 5:15; Rev. 19:15-20); this will be the day of God’s “vengeance” (cf. Isa. 34:8; 35:4; 63:4). But the Messiah will also “comfort” Israel, for she will have undergone great persecution, the Great Tribulation, in the preceding years (cf. Dan. 7:21, 24-25; Rev. 12:13-17).

II. At His first coming Jesus came for the lost. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Lost --- fully destroyed
A. Sinners are the lost, as well as the least, the last, and the lowest..
B. All were born sinners. David said in Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
C. Sinners sin! Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
D. Jesus came to save sinners. 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

II. At the second advent, the rapture, Christ is coming not for the lost, but for the found; the redeemed, the delivered, the forgiven, the saved!
A. The rapture is exclusive --- the saved only. 1 Thes. 4:16-18 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. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1. Key phrase --- in Christ
B. Jesus also taught exclusivity. Matthew 24:36-44 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. [37] But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [38] For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [40] Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [41] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
[42] Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. [43] But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. [44] Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
C. The timing of the first coming was given, the second was not.
1. This lays to rest the words of some who say they would be ready if they knew when He was coming. v.36
a. They weren’t ready at His first coming when it was announced, what makes them think they will be ready when His next coming is sudden and unannounced.
2. Right before His second advent, it will be life as usual. vv. 37-29
3. At the rapture He is not coming for all.vv 40,41
4. Not knowing the time means you need to be ready now. v42, “watch: ie be prepared

Conclusion: If you are lost, take comfort: Christmas is for you. Christ came for you. If you die lost, or are lost when He comes for His believers, you will remain lost throughout all eternity in that lake of fire. The first Christmas gift was given to you by God Himself. Will you accept His gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ?

The Video Ministry is progressing fine. Last week we were able to get a good recording, and I believe we did yesterday as well. Soon we will be uploading them into the computer, and then onto the internet. As we progress toward completion, we will keep you informed. Again have a Merry Christmas and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

Reflections

Good Monday Morning To You!

Lately, I have been reflecting on my forty years in the ministry. It was April of 1972 when I accepted God’s call to preach. I remember it like it was yesterday. For quite a while, though I do not remember how long, I had felt like God was calling me. One evening before revival services were to begin, I asked my pastor, Brother David Miller, “How does a man know if he’s being called to preach?” I thought he would take me into his office, sit me down, and open his Bible and show me appropriate passages. He didn’t! He simply turned to me and said, “Son, if God’s calling, you’ll know it.”

Soon the service started. When the evangelist, John Turner began to preach, he and I might as well have been in that auditorium by ourselves. He was preaching to me! When the invitation was given, Bro. Miller stood at the altar to receive anyone who came forward. Before the first verse ended, I walked the aisle and my very words to our pastor was, “Brother Miller, I know.” I don’t recall what happened next, but Bro. Miller had me to stand down front. He told the congregation after the dismissal prayer, to come by and tell me they would be praying for me. Then Bro. Miller caught me completely off guard. He said, “Cooper, you’d might as well get used to speaking before people. You dismiss us in prayer.” I was scared to death, but what else could I do? I privately breathed my first "Jesus help me" prayer. Then I dismissed in prayer.

I still get a bit nervous when I stand before a group. It happens when I am making the announcements and greetings. However, when I take my Bible into the pulpit to preach, I am empowered, and absolutely at peace. I have no fear. I know the Holy Spirit is with me, and that angels are encamped around me. Next week, the LORD willing, I’ll tell you about my early days of ministry. I had more fun than Pete Rose on a head first slide!

Services today were absolutely fantastic at Friendship Harmony. The singing was great, and the attendance was good. After the service was over, we had our annual soup, salad, and dessert fellowship. Good service! Good fellowship! Good food! There was nowhere I would rather have been than Friendship Harmony yesterday.

Before I share the sermon notes with you, I’d like to give you an update on the video ministry. We met with a gentleman last week who has his own computer business. He taught us much, but said we’d need to meet again. He explained that the first meeting was instructional. When we meet him again in about two weeks, our learning will be hands on. Yesterday we videotaped the message, but it did not record. We’ll try again next week. We definitely have some learning to do.

I preached part two in a four part series titled, “The Advent Contrast.” The contrast concerns who Christ came for at His first coming, and who He will come for at His second coming - specifically, the Rapture. In this week’s message, we learned that at His first coming, Christmas, Christ came for those who were “the last.” We contrasted that with who He will come for when He appears again; “the first.” Three examples were cited where the last became the first. The notes are below. I hope they are a blessing to you.

The Advent Contrast ©
Mark 10:31
11/29/12; 12/8/12
Advent Series 2 of 4 By Victor Cooper

Intro: Occasionally you will hear the word “advent” used as a synonym of the birth of Christ. This is known as Christ’s first advent. Likewise, His second coming is sometime called the second advent. During each, Christ’s coming is for a specific group. Christ’s first advent was for the least, the last, the lowest, and the lost. By contrast, at His second advent He is coming for the greatest, the first, the highest, and the found,

Today we look at some of the last which were made first.

I. Isaac
A. He was the last son of Abraham.
B. His half brother, Ishmael, was already a teen.
C. Ishmael had been circumcised.
1. This is significant in that Ishmael received the sign of the covenant, making him covenant related.
D. God’s promised child was to Abraham and Sarah, not Abraham and Hagar. Why?
1. Isaac’s birth was supernatural; Ishmael’s was not.
2. The beginnings of the Children of Israel was of God, not man.
3. This paints a picture of the coming birth of the Messiah.

II. Jacob
A. He was the second born of twins.
B. He and his brother’s birth (Esau) was supernatural.
1. This is significant in that both boys could be in line to bring about the Messiah.
C. God tells Jacob the lineage would continue through him.
cf. Genesis 28
1. The last became first!

III. The Church at Smyrna --- Revelation 2:8-11
A. In a city of great wealth, this church was in poverty.
Example
Picture two beggars living in a back alley. Both have to beg for the food they eat. One has a cardboard box to sleep in at night, while the other sleeps on the bare ground. The latter would picture the church at Smyrna.
B. Jesus told them they were rich where it counted --- with Him.
C. Their birth, too, was supernatural as is every believer’s.
Ephes. 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Conclusion: As we saw last week, all sinners are the least in the eyes of God. They are also last. However, last is not bad, last is good, because Christ came for the last to make them the first.

Have a good and a safe week. If you should happen to be here on Pine Island on December 24, join us for our annual Christmas eve service. It will be at 6:00 pm at the church. If you need directions, call or write and I’d be happy to give you that information. I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

Traditions

Good Monday Morning To You!

As if I need to tell you, the holiday season is in full swing. It is neat that the holiday “Big Three” come so close together. Many families have traditions they enjoy every year. Does your family have any? Maybe it’s a gathering at a special place, or maybe it is a particular dish. For our family, the tradition was to always begin our Christmas celebration on December 24th at 6:00 p.m. At that time, we read the Christmas story. Nothing else would happen until the Christmas story was read. My parents wanted their two boys to know that Christmas was not about presents and food, but that it was a celebration of Jesus’ birth. The next day was the Christmas meal, and it always included a ham. To this day we eat ham at Christmas. Now let me stop and ask you if your Christmas meal features a ham. Well? Does it? Think about it: celebrating the birth of a little Jewish boy with ham? Hmmm.

We had another tradition in our family. We had hamburgers every Thursday. Dad was paid each Thursday and we would go to Alber’s Grocery Store and shop for the week. After Alber’s closed, once a week I was sent to the butcher shop about three blocks from the house. The tradition remained well past my high school years and was only altered once. At some point cheese was added to the burgers. To this day, I would rather have a home made cheeseburger than to have water to drink or air to breathe. Yum - Yum!

Yesterday was a fantastic day at Friendship Harmony. The attendance was good, and you could feel the presence of the LORD. We had a young lady from West Virginia visiting, and she sang her version of Amazing Grace. Wow!! That girl could sing! It was one of the finest versions of Amazing Grace I have ever heard. I hope she will sing for us again one day soon.

The morning message was from Psalm 15 where David asked, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” He goes on in the next four verses and answers the question. Spend just a few minutes reading the psalm. If you are a believer, I’m sure you want to have a nearness to your LORD. Psalm 15 tells you how. Remember, David gives an answer, not an option. Also, the answer is complete. You do not pick and choose through the list. It must be an entire description of how you are living your life, although for some, performing two or three would be an improvement.

Here is a little update on the progress of the video ministry. One day this week, some of us will be meeting with a computer tech who will assist us on the process of uploading to the internet, so that you will be able to hear and see the morning message. We will keep you updated as we know more.

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

It Really Happened!!!

Good Monday Morning To You!

I’ve got to tell you what I saw the other day. It confirms what Paul said in Romans 3:10, “… for there is none righteous, no not one.” I saw humanity at its worst; man in a state of total depravity. I was eating in a fast food restaurant this past Friday, and was sitting across from the Coke station. A woman was getting out of her chair to go up to the counter when something happened and she took a nasty fall. I got up to help her, as did several other people, when this man approached to refill his Coke glass. This lady who had fallen was blocking his path to the refill station, so he stepped right over her and proceeded to fill his cup. I could not believe my eyes. He walked over her like she wasn’t even there. He didn’t even look at her! I have seen some cold, callous, insensitive people before, but I never thought I’d see something like that. I am 58 years old and have been in the ministry for the past 40 years, and never have I ever witnessed something so cruel. I’ve seen people at their worst, but this guy is at the bottom of the barrel. What would you have done? I’m sure the vast majority of you would have offered to help. One man, sitting on the other side of the establishment, came over and asked if he could be of assistance. What a contrast! One man was concerned, while the other was simply hard core mean. I hope if that man ever falls, there is someone there to help. You do not repay an unkind act with an unkind act. That is not what Jesus taught. Jesus taught that we should turn the other cheek when slapped. That goes against our human nature. We want to repay a slap with a right hook to the face. There again, that is not what Jesus taught. Jesus taught that how we treat others is the same as treating Him in like manner. Some of you reading this might be thinking, “but that rude, hateful, little man deserves some sort of retribution for his vile deed.” Don’t worry about him nor anyone like him. God said, “Vengeance is mine. I will repay.” (Romans 12:19b) Believe me when I tell you, God can dish out a lot more judgment than you or I can. Let me throw in a warning here. Don’t ask God to take vengeance. Just leave it in His hands. He will deal with it, you just go on loving Him and living the life He has given you.

Now that I have concluded my rant, let me give you some exciting news. The video ministry is one step closer to being ready to launch. Last Monday, some of us traveled to central Florida to meet with a colleague that is very tech savvy. We learned much, and yesterday in church, we used the video equipment for the first time. The idea was to record it, then look at things like lighting, angles, etc. We will keep you posted on this blog and in the Church bulletins as to when we have uploaded to the net, and how to see us. Hopefully soon --- very soon.

Our service at Friendship Harmony yesterday was glorious! We all went home saying how good it had been to be in the house of the LORD. I preached a very Baptist message. It was extremely narrow minded. I preached that there was no other way to Heaven except through Jesus Christ. Imagine that!!! Some would say, “What a narrow minded preacher.” Don’t fuss at me: I didn’t say it, God said it. If it’s good enough for Him, it’s good enough for me. The notes are below. I hope they are a blessing to you.

The One And Only ©
Various
09/26/09
updated 11/10/11
By Victor Cooper

Do you have any spiritual needs? All people do in varying degrees through out their lives. How are you trying to satisfy those needs. There is an answer: Jesus Christ. He is the One and Only answer for whatever your needs might be. Forget that other stuff --- Jesus in your answer.

I. The Only Intercessor Isaiah 59:15-16 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. [16] And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

Def. intercessor’s prayer, petition, or entreaty in favor of another

A. God knew an intercessor was needed.
B. We needed someone praying for us who could get access to God.
C. Jesus has instant and continual access to the Father.
D. Christians also have access to the Father by the Spirit through the blood of Christ. Ephes. 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

II. The Only Remedy John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: [15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
A. Salvation is exclusive. John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
B. Sin is inclusive. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
C. The remedy of salvation can only be provided by one who can bridge the gap between the inclusiveness of sin, and the exclusiveness of salvation.
1. Christ and Christ alone is able to be that bridge.

III. The only Savior Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved.
A. The fact of the only intercessor proves He is the only Savior.
B. The fact of the only remedy proves He is the only Saviour.
C. Quote: “You will only ask for salvation from a Saviour; i.e. one who actually can save.”
Pastor Vic Cooper 2009 Sermon notes Triumphal Entry? You Decide

IV. The Only Source of Truth John 6:67-68 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? [68] Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
A. Jesus said He was truth. John 1:14,17 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotton of the Father,) full of grace and truth. [17] For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
B. Pilate ask about truth. John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?
C. Jesus said He was truth. cf. John 14:6

Conclusion: Whatever your need might be, the answer is Jesus. Do you remember in school when you took a multiple choice exam? Wouldn’t it have been nice if there had been only one answer to choose from? That is exactly what Christ offers. Your answer is Jesus. Don’t settle for anything else.

Thanks for being a loyal reader of this blog. You cannot know how much I appreciate you. If you enjoy this blog, I hope you’ll tell others about it. Word of mouth is the best advertising possible. Maybe that’s why God calls us to speak a word for Him. Stay safe and well and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!!!

No More Politics!!!

Good Monday Morning To You!

I’m so glad that after Tuesday, we won’t have to tolerate anymore political TV, mail, electronic, or telephone ads. I’m sick of them. If everything candidates say about each other is true, they don’t need to be elected, they need to be arrested. In this blog, and on my Facebook posts, I have purposely avoided taking any candidates’ side. I am a Pastor to Republicans, Democrats, and third party voters. While I definitely have preferences, my number one goal is to be able to minister to all. Politicians come, and politicians go, but Jesus Christ is forever. He said He is “the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the the end, the first and the last.” (Revelation 22:13). Daniel 2:21 says, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” In other words, no matter who is elected, it is God’s will as to who holds office. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fatalist that says, “Why vote if God is taking care of it?” We still have the responsibility to, “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.” In our country, affairs of government are in the hands of the people. This is, according to the verse in Daniel cited above, the “kingdom” God has set up for us. Bottom line --- no matter who is elected, God is in charge. Make sure your faith is in Him, not some political ideology.

I want to give you an update on our online video ministry. While you are reading this, several of us from Friendship Harmony are meeting with a man associated with the Florida Baptist Convention who is very familiar with computers and video equipment. He is going to teach us the technical side of production. While he will be showing us things like computers and uploading, his wife will be showing us editing and the technical side of camera work. My dear friend and colleague, Rabbi Jim Pickens, who worked in the motion picture industry, will be teaching us about camera angles, lighting etc… Rabbi Pickens has accompanied us to our meeting today. He is a huge supporter of this new venture. I set a goal of having our online video ministry up and running by Thanksgiving. With your prayers, I believe we will make it. I’m really excited about this new means of ministry that the LORD has led us to. I haven’t been this excited about anything since I thought the Reds were going to the World Series! I believe the online video ministry will be a blessing to many around the world. I can just hear the Apostle Paul saying, “Go for it and give it all you’ve got for the LORD.” I believe if he were alive today, he’d make full use of the many options we enjoy in order to proclaim the word of the LORD. I wish to dedicate this new ministry to the Apostle Paul. With the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will proceed in the way Paul would have if he had been able. Thank you Paul for the excellent example you set for us. What you did, you did for Jesus. We’ll do exactly the same.

All I can say about the services at Friendship Harmony is “WOW!” It was an awesome day! I wish every one of you could be here and experience Friendship Harmony. As I’ve said before, you do not simply attend Friendship Harmony, you experience it. Our Sunday School lesson was tremendous. Brenda Conley is our teacher and she does a terrific job. Why more people do not attend Sunday School is beyond my understanding. I’ve always believed, “As goes the Sunday School, so goes the Church.” When I was a boy growing up, we attended the Fairview Baptist Church in Cincinnati. There was a strong Church built around a strong Sunday School. As I got older, we attended the Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Norwood (Cincinnati). It too had a well attended Sunday School. The Church was strong and successful. It was because of the Sunday School. That’s just how Southern Baptists used to do it. I’m convinced we need to step back into promoting Sunday School once again.

Our song service was vibrant, and I preached a message about what part each member of the triune Godhead plays. The notes are below. I hope they are a blessing to you. Soon you’ll not only be able to read the notes, but also hear the message. That’s the purpose of the online video ministry. Be sure to stay up to date on this blog as well as my Facebook page. If you haven’t friended me on my page, I hope you will. I make announcements on there regularly. Also, Friendship Harmony has a page. That too is an excellent way of staying up to date.

Salvation By God In Three ©
Ephesians 1:3-14
By Victor Cooper
11/1-3/12
Intro: The entire triune Godhead is involved in the process of salvation, from its conception to its conclusion. Today we break it down into what each member does.

I. Salvation is prepared by the Father. It is called election.
1 Thes. 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
A. Key phrase, “… is of God.”
1. R. Kent Hughes in his Preach The Word Commentary writes, “The doctrine of election presents us with a God who defies finite analysis. It is a doctrine which lets God be God. It also forms a bedrock of confidence for the believer. A God who chose you before time, when only he existed, will not leave you victim to the time and tides of life. In view of this, there can be no room for pride or imagined merit, but rather profound humility and thanksgiving.
B. God made the choice. He had to if we were to be saved. text v4
1. Unsaved man is spiritually dead. Ephes. 2:1 And you hath he quickened, [made alive] who were dead in trespasses and sins.
[a] “A dead man can do nothing; it is God who makes one alive. He is very well known for resurrections! “ Pastor Vic Cooper
2. God chose when He was all that existed. v 4 “… before the foundation of the world…”
[a] “You had no more to do with your spiritual birth than you did your physical birth.”
Pastor B. J. Thomas circa 1990
3. God modeled His children after His Sacrificial Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.
[a] “… holy and without blame…” The two Greek words mean, “pure,” and “without spot or blemish.”
1 Peter 1:19 / 2 Peter 3:14 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (2 Peter 3:14) Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
C. This is what God has wrought. (wanted and brought to pass)

II. Salvation is carried out by the Son. John 10:10b I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
A. Jesus came to carry out what the Father had started; our redemption. John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
B. Jesus has carried it out by His death and resurrection.
1 Isaiah wrote, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
2. Paul wrote, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:14
C. Jesus will carry it out when He returns.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
1. v 14 “If we believe that Christ died and rose again, we must also believe He will return. Pastor Vic Cooper
Remember:
What God has wrought,
Jesus has bought!

III. Salvation is applied by the Spirit. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
A. Application comes through guidance.
B. A guide must be present. 1 Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
C. A guide must be knowledgeable. John 16:13 He will guide you into all truth.
1. He cannot guide you into truth if He doesn’t know truth. He s what He has heard.
2. He speaks of Jesus who said He is Truth.
D. A guide must be alert. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
1. Guided with His eye
Remember:
What the Father has wrought, and the Son has bought,
the Spirit has taught!


Conclusion: “So what is the point in knowing all this? This is theology e are not theologians. We have our pastors for that.”
The point is to show the child of God that the triune God is interested in you. From eternity past into eternity future He has your back.
The point is that if you have not called out to God for the forgiveness of your sins, and if you have not received Christ as your Lord, God is interested in you. He has prepared a way for your salvation. What is keeping you from receiving it
today?

I do hope you have a blessed, safe, and healthy upcoming week. The cold winds are beginning to blow up north, so wrap up and stay warm. If you are traveling down here to spend time with us, drive carefully. If you are one of those hearty souls that like to brave winter’s chilling tide, think of us often in your prayers. No matter where you are, I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic.

VIDEO MINISTRY IS COMING!!!

Good Monday Morning To You!

I hope you are high and dry where you are. As I write this, we are experiencing Tropical Storm Isaac. It is 9:00 pm, and it is very windy and is raining. It should be as close to us as it will be sometime around 2:00 pm Monday. Today (Monday) is supposed to be a nasty day, but on Tuesday it should be away from us. I spent Saturday securing everything at my house, so we just wait and let it pass. As long as we don’t lose power, it will be fine. On Wednesday I’ll send you a mid-week blog just to let you know how we did. We’ve had tropical storms before, and mostly they are just a nuisance. However, we never take these things for granted because hurricanes do not play by man’s rules.

On a note of praise, I want to thank all of you who contributed so generously to our video ministry project. I am pleased to report that we have made and slightly exceeded our projected need in order to reach out all over the world by means of internet broadcast. Very soon you will be able to experience Friendship Harmony wherever you are, whenever you choose. Here’s the best part --- you’ll be able to invite me into your home or office 24/7 and not have to feed me. Isn’t that tremendous?!?! Seriously, the next step is purchasing the equipment, then learning how to operate it. Once that happens, you can hook your computer to your bedroom TV, then tune me in at bedtime. You’ll sleep like a baby! I’m better than a pill. (For our non American readers, please don’t be confused by what I just said. It’s just Pastor Vic’s American humor.)

Yesterday was a tremendous day at Friendship Harmony. Our attendance was slightly down due to the tropical storm as several evacuated. All in all though, attendance was better that I thought it would be. “Oh me of little faith.” I was able to conclude our series in the Book of Jude. These 25 verses are a theologians dream. Only the Holy Spirit could fit so much theology into such a small amount of space. In verse 24 alone you see God’s omnipotence, justification, sanctification, glorification, and eternal security. I very easily could have spent three hours on that verse alone. I had a deacon once tell me that if I ever decided to preach a three hour sermon, he would be right there with me even if everybody else decided to go home. Well, it was quite a bit shorter than that, but I believe the material was covered and justice was done to Scriptures. Below are the notes. Feel free to use them for your personal study, or in your Sunday School or Small Group Studies. Preachers are also free to use them or adapt them to your method of sermonizing.

Jude’s Doxology ©
Jude v 24,25
Encouragement From Jude Series
8/23,24/12
By Victor W. Cooper

Intro: Jude ends with a doxology; words of praise. He has warned believers to the reality of false teachers, has instructed them as to what to watch for, and concludes by praising God for His deliverance from the apostates.

I. v24 He keeps us from falling: falling from or for what?
A. Remember the content of Jude’s letter - false teachers.
1. He keeps us from falling for the doctrine of the false teachers.
2. It comes from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
3. Without the Comforter there is only sorrow and emptiness. Lament. 1:16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me…
B. The word “falling” means “stumbling.”
Jude 1:24a (NLT) And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling,
C. This first part of the verse is not speaking of eternal security as some have suggested.
However, the next part does!

II. He will present us faultless unto the Father. This is justification, sanctification, and glorification all rolled up into one. Jude 1:24b (NLT) …and who will bring you into his glorious
presence innocent of sin and with great joy.
A. Faultless --- unblemished; without blame
B. It does not mean you stand before God as one who has never sinned.
C. It does mean that you stand before Him as one whose sins are covered.
1. They are covered by the blood of Christ.
2. This is called “atonement.”
Easton’s Bible Dictionary …the state of being at one or being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation. Thus it is used to denote the effect which flows from the death of Christ.
But the word is also used to denote that by which this reconciliation is brought about, viz., the death of Christ itself; and when so used it means satisfaction, and in this sense to make an atonement for one is to make satisfaction for his offences…

III. He presents us with great joy. Whose joy?
A. His joy --- Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
B. Your joy.--- 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
C. His joy IS our joy.. John 15:11/John 17:13 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. [17:13] And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
IV. V25 All praise is ascribed to God.
A. Verse 25 is a doxology of worship.
B. Verse 25 is the expression of the joy Jude spoke of in the previous verse.
C. Jude restates in different words in verses 24 and 25 what he said in verse 1.

Conclusion: No matter how vile the erroneous doctrine of the false teachers might be, and no matter how sly and cunning they might be in presenting it as true, Jude has taught us that believers can be victorious in this life and definitely will be in the life to come. Jude’s doxology ends on a “Praise the LORD note.”

I trust you will have a good and a safe week wherever you are. Right now the rain is falling pretty steady and the wind is howling through the trees singing, “Jesus is our Lord, and we are totally controlled by Him.” A-men wind, keep on singing! I’ll see you this coming Wednesday for an update; a midweek 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.

Woe Ye False Teachers

Good Monday Morning To You! I sure hope your past week was all you hade hoped it would be. All is well here. It has finally stopped raining, but my yard was under water in some spots. I pray that the rain we had has at least moved into areas in desparate need.

This past week has pretty much been uneventful. With the exception of my riding mower which refuses to start, (again,) about the most exciting thing we have done is watch the grass grow. Boy has it grown! All the rain we had seems to have awakened my lawn to new life. Bess and I have a friend who has a lawn mowing business, but I learned the other day that he is out of town on vacation. Does anyone have a cow we could borrow? Our yard would feed her well for a good while. I don’t remember the last time Miss Bessie milked a cow, but I’m sure she could do it.

The service at Friendship Harmony was awesome! The attendance was good, and there was a good spirit in the service. We sang Fannie Crosby songs. The plan was to do an entire service using her music, but there were so many to choose from that it was impossible to select some, and eliminate others. So, we will sing Fannie’s hymns again next week. Did you know she wrote over 5000 songs? Did you also know that there are songs in your hymnal written by her under a different name? I don’t know her reasoning for that, but she wrote under several “pen names” as well as her own.

I continued our series with the book of Jude. We looked at verses 8-11, where Jude continues his stand against the false teachers that had infiltrated the church of his day. Unfortunately, we still have them with us. Therefore, Jude’s warnings and admonitions are just as “on target” today as they were 2000 years ago. Below are the sermon notes. Please feel free to use them in your personal Bible study. Teachers and preachers are welcome to use them as well. I’m honored that anybody would want to. Hopefully soon, you’ll be able to follow the notes and see and hear the actual message. That way you can get the “filler” that is not in the notes. We are only about a third of the way through our receiving of offerings to begin our online video ministry. If you could see your way clear to help with a gift of any size, please send it to Friendship Harmony Baptist Church; 2296 Date Street; St. James City, Florida 33956. Please mark on your check, “video ministry.” I’ll be meeting with some people this Thursday who are able to help guide us through the process.

Woe Ye Deceivers
Jude v 8-11
Encouragement From Jude Series
7/23, 25-28/12
By Victor W. Cooper

Intro: In this section Jude cites three more examples of those who were rebellious and how it exemplified the false teachers of his, and our day.

What the false teachers were teaching --- licentiousness and the denial of Christ’s authority.
Licentiousness says that since the grace of God covers all sin, it is alright to give into fleshly desires; they are covered. This is known as a license to sin. Nowhere in Scripture does God give permission to abuse grace in this manner.

I. v8 Jude speaks of the false teachers of his day.
A. “Likewise” --- “just like the three groups of verses 5-7.”
B. “… these filthy dreamers…” --- the false teachers
C. They:
1. defiled the flesh just like Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. despised dominion just like The Children of Israel.
3. spoke evil of dignities just like the fallen angels.

II. V9 The great debate.
A. Logical questions.
1. What led to the dispute?
2. Could Michael have accused Satan?
3. Why didn’t he?
B. Logical answers
1. The Matthew Henry Commentary suggests that it was over the burial of Moses body. Satan wanted the location made known to the public knowing many in Israel would worship the site as holy.
2. Yes, he certainly had grounds to.
3. Scenario 1 --- Had Michael accused, it would have been opinion, no matter how correct. When God accuses/rebukes, it is an unarguable fact.
Scenario 2 --- Had Michael accused, it would have been outside the power of God.
It would have been, “I rebuke you,” vs. God rebukes you.”
Scenario 3 --- Michael’s invitation of God’s rebuke was accusation enough.

III. The false teachers further exposed.
Bible Knowledge Commentary --- Whereas Michael did not dare accuse the devil, these apostates, by contrast spoke abusively against what they did not understand. The apostates’ only “reasoning” was like that of unreasoning animals. Rather than comprehending what was above them (the angels), they really understood only what was below them (the animals). Jude thus demolished their Gnostic claim to superior knowledge…

IV. Three more examples of what the false teachers were like.
A. The way of Cain: three possibilities, or a combination thereof.
1. Cain devised his own way of worship.
[a] God had not yet decreed the sacrificial system, so what he offered was not the problem.
[b] It was how he offered. It was a heart problem.
2. Cain was envious. Remember envy is one of the seven deadly sins.
3. Cain hated with a murderous spirit.
1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
B. The error of Balaam, from Numbers 22.
1. Balaam portrayed himself as a servant of God.
2. He encouraged others to sin while seeking personal monetary gain from their error.
[a] This is greed, and it too is one of the seven deadly sins.
3. The false teachers of Jude’s day were doing similarly.
C. Korah’s rebellion from Numbers 16.
1. Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, denying God had given them authority over the children of Israel.
2. The denial was actually a denial of God’s authority to choose whomever He desired to lead Israel.
3. The false teachers Jude wrote concerning did the same.

Remember what the false teachers were teaching --- licentiousness and the denial of Christ’s authority.
4. The false teacher’s destruction was so sure that Jude wrote it in the past tense.



Conclusion: If you see yourself on the road traveled by Cain, Balaam, and Korah, get off that road --- you‘re going toward destruction. If you recognize someone else traveling that highway, take a stand and make it known. False teachers must be stopped!.

I hope you have a really good week. I’d really love to hear from you. Why not send me a e-mail and let me know how you’re doing. I really enjoy hearing from you. I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!