To read Part One of this article, click here. Shallow Faith – Myths About Spiritual Maturity (Part 2) by Rev. Tony Cooke Last month, we introduced the topic of “Shallow Faith” and presented some of the myths about spiritual maturity. In particular, we identified three factors that don’t automatically or necessarily make a person spiritually […]
Shallow Faith – Myths About Spiritual Maturity by Tony Cooke I often hear spiritual leaders express concern about the lack of depth in peoples’ faith. Shallow Christianity is marked by the five C’s. It is CASUAL, not committed. It is based on CONVENIENCE, not on covenant. It knows COMFORT, but not the cross. It is […]
Seven Thoughts on Prayer Tony Cooke This article presents seven simple thoughts on prayer, and then shares insights from different individuals. I didn’t feel that a lot of explanation or amplification was needed on these. 1. Prayer is not a religious ritual. “Real prayer comes not from gritting our teeth, but from falling in love.” […]
Serving God: Seven Questions Every Christian Should Ask Tony Cooke One of the most common statements I hear from pastors pertains to the need for workers—for committed, reliable, and consistent volunteers. Every pastor’s dream is to have an overflowing army of eager, joyful volunteers. When I think of this, I am reminded of David’s words: […]
Don’t Sell Out Harry! By Tony Cooke A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in two’s for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck. “Where’s Harry?” “Harry had a stroke of some kind. He’s a couple of miles back up the trail.” “You left […]
SEASONED OR POISONED? By Tony Cooke Have you ever noticed how many different stories and references there are in the Bible about God’s people encountering situations involving some type of poisoning? * Exodus 15 – God’s people encountered the bitter waters of Marah – The Lord showed Moses a tree – when it was cast […]
Reflections on Scandal Rev. Tony Cooke What happens when scandal hits the church? The following is not meant to be judgmental or condemning of any individual, but is simply meant to remind us of the seriousness of our Christian witness—especially for those in positions of leadership and responsibility in the church. I recently recalled the […]
Samson: Deliverer, Grinder, or Entertainer Tony Cooke Throughout history, God raised up various deliverers to get His people Israel out of bondage and other difficult situations. These deliverers experienced various levels of success, but the effect of their efforts was always limited and temporal. Many times a deliverer would be used by God to get […]
RSVP Tony Cooke We’ve all seen these initials. When you receive an invitation to a wedding or to some other type of formal event, these initials will likely be on the card. RSVP is derived from the French expression répondez s’il vous plaît, which means “Please Respond.” To honor such a request and to let […]
The Four Rivers of Eden Rev. Tony Cooke Like many people, I have a tendency to skim over lists of names in the Bible. Some time ago, though, I began wondering about the names of the rivers that flowed out of the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:10-14 tells us that a river went out of […]
The Right to Think! by Tony Cooke New Testament leaders such as Jesus and Paul wanted believers to be thinkers. Specifically, they wanted them to think through issues scripturally. Paul did not say we were to be transformed by the removing of our minds, but by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2)! In Isaiah […]
Relevance Without Compromise Rev. Tony Cooke These are notes to a message that Tony shared with a group of pastors at a conference in Pittsburgh in February of 2003. To order a copy of the CD, please Click Here. 1. THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES (A Humorous Look at Witnessing) By Bob Cohen “Have you […]
Realistic Optimism Tony Cooke I recently submitted the manuscript of a brand new book – Through the Storms: Help from Heaven When All Hell Breaks Loose – to the publisher. This book will be available in late June. Chapter titles include: 1. Can’t I Just Have a Trouble-Free Life? 2. Jonah’s Storm 3. The Storm […]
To Quench or Not to Quench? Tony Cooke There are two particular usages of the word “quench” in Paul’s writings that are very important in our walk with God. …taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Ephesians 6:16) Do not quench […]
What Does it Mean to be Qualified? Tony Cooke The following article is excerpted from the upcoming book, “Qualified: Serving God with Integrity and Finishing Your Course with Honor.” It will be released no later than July, but you can order your copy today! It has been said that “God does not call the qualified; […]
Pure Religion Tony Cooke According to today’s politically correct and tolerant society, the last thing in the world a Christian should ever do is to state or imply that one person’s religion is better than another’s. We are supposed to embrace the idea that all religious expressions are equal and that all roads ultimately lead […]
Pride and Spiritual Leadership Tony Cooke Spiritual leaders must be aware of and guard themselves against the intoxicating and devastating influence of pride, especially when experiencing success. Pride is insidious. It deceives the one infected, causing him to think "more" of himself, and "less" of God. • Pride was a major factor in Lucifer’s downfall. […]
Practical Lessons from the Trinity by Tony Cooke Having grown up in a mainline denominational church, I was used to hearing about the Trinity. Every Sunday as church was being dismissed, we sang the Doxology, which ended with the admonition, "Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." After decades of studying the Scripture, I am more […]
The Power of Talking to Yourself Rev. Tony Cooke One of the reasons that Lisa and I love sharing the Word of God around the world is because it is the truth of His Word that changes lives. When people come to the knowledge of His Word, they are acquiring the tools and skills necessary […]
The Bread by the Door – Understanding the Power of Association Rev. Tony Cooke We were greatly encouraged by the many expressions of love and support that we received following my father’s death (November 16, 2007). Each phone call, e-mail, card, flower arrangement, etc. meant so much to us, and each one seemed to release […]
Is it Stupid to Play by the Rules? Rev. Tony Cooke In Psalm 37 and 73, frustration is expressed at seeing people “get ahead,” even though they’ve cut corners and compromised, while the righteous seem to not be making as much progress. Psalm 73:13 (The Message Version) even says, “I’ve been stupid to play by […]
OUR MOST OVERLOOKED ASSET? By Rev. Tony Cooke People who yearn to do God’s will and positively influence others are always looking for ways to increase their effectiveness. I believe one of the most essential characteristics we have at our disposal-kindness-has often been overlooked. There may be those who think of kindness as somehow inferior […]
One Who Went Tony Cooke The eyes of the world have been on Japan for the last few weeks as it experienced a 9.0 earthquake, a tsunami that brought unimaginable devastation, and a nuclear incident that has been described as at least a partial meltdown. As these events unfolded, millions around the world have witnessed […]
It’s Not What You Think by Rev. Tony Cooke Albert Einstein said, “Thinking like we always have is what got us where we are. It is not going to get us where we are going.” One of the great quests of life is simply to get from point A to point B—from where we are […]
What Does “I’m Not Under the Law” Really Mean? Tony Cooke When a believer says, “I’m not under the law,” we usually assume that the person is really saying, “I’m not under the law of Moses.” This reflects an accurate understanding of Scripture. Even a casual study of Romans and Galatians will support this. For example, […]
