First Things First by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

First Things First
Tony Cooke

first-first The degree of fulfillment and success we experience in life is highly contingent on how well we establish and maintain our priorities. Someone said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing.” When we accept Jesus’ Lordship over our lives, we are yielding ourselves to the authoritative influence of His Word and Spirit, and we are authorizing God to set the agenda for our lives and to establish not only our priorities, but also our pursuits.

Here are “Three Firsts” that God prescribes for believers.

1. First Love

After commending the Ephesian church for several positive traits and practices, Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your FIRST love” (Revelation 2:4). Having fallen from a high degree of love, Jesus admonished them in very intense terms to get back on track. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the FIRST works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5).

When asked which is the greatest commandment, Jesus responded, “The FIRST of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the FIRST commandment. And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).

The NLT captures both aspects of these two great commandments in its rendering of Revelation 2:4, “You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” God’s priority for us is that we love Him and that we love each other. Let’s never forget, lose, or fall from our first love!

There is a legitimate journey of going “on to perfection” in which we progress from the “elementary principles of Christ” (see Hebrews 6:1). However, God’s priority is that we not neglect the first things—the foundational truths. We don’t go beyond our foundation; rather, we build upon it. We never outgrow love.

2. First the Kingdom

When Jesus spoke of how focused and obsessed people are with worldly things, he admonished His followers to, “…seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Notice that Jesus taught that when you put God first, your provision—what you really need in life—will increase, not decrease. C.S. Lewis was right when he said, “When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased.”

Having a “Kingdom First” mentality means that we see our lives in the context of Jesus’ Lordship and God’s will. God is not merely an afterthought to us, nor is He someone we turn to only when we are in trouble and in need of His assistance; His influence is preeminent in our lives. Proverbs 8:17 (AMP) says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me.”

Putting God first and trusting Him should precede (and preclude) complaining, worrying, murmuring, fretting, or anything else we might tend to do as a natural reaction to life’s challenges. That’s why we are instructed, “Therefore I exhort FIRST of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

When Paul was praising the generosity of the Macedonian believers, he said, “They even did more than we had hoped, for their FIRST action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do” (2 Corinthians 8:5, NLT). Money wasn’t the primary issue; their hearts were. Money that is given is to be a reflection of a life that has already been given.

When Proverbs 3:9 tells us to, “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the FIRSTFRUITS of all your increase,” it’s not just because God wants our stuff; it reflects the fact that our hearts are to be entirely His, and our giving is not only needful to bless others, but it is a continual reminder that we are completely His.

3. First… Your Brother

The Word of God places a tremendous emphasis upon our relationship with others.

The Apostle Andrew demonstrated a tremendous heart of selflessness when he made it a top priority to bring his brother to Jesus. John 1:40-42 says, “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He FIRST found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”

God’s heart for preferring and honoring others is expressed through Jesus’ teaching as well.

Matthew 5:23-24
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. FIRST be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Remember what Jesus said: “…inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). We can’t claim to be moving on with God if we are neglecting, alienating, or offending others—causing them to stumble. We can’t grow in God and be self-centered.

God’s emphasis concerning and priority for our lives relative to our relationships is seen in various places throughout Scripture:

It was after Job prayed for his “friends” that his losses were restored (Job 42:10).
Peter admonished husbands that if they didn’t treat their wives with honor and respect, that their prayers could be hindered (1 Peter 3:7).
James told believers, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

In these three situations, the receiving of the blessing was contingent upon the obedience of the individual making things right with the other person, or simply treating the other individual properly. I realize that when another person’s will is involved, we don’t have total control over the outcome of the relationship, be we are called to do everything within our power to promote wholeness in relationships (see Romans 12:18).

First things first. If we keep God’s priorities for our lives, we’ll stay healthy, balanced, and productive in our lives. Further, because His priorities have become our priorities, we’ll have His full support in all that we do.

Overcoming the Fear of Man

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Overcoming the Fear of Man
Tony Cooke

Proverbs 29:25 (NLT)
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.

Fearing man goes beyond fearing physical harm. Many fear rejection, ridicule, or disapproval. Some even become “approval addicts,” obsessively pursuing human approval at whatever cost and anxiously brooding over what others think of them. As a matter of fact, the Message version paraphrases the above verse, “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.”

That makes me wonder how much we in the Body of Christ – believers and leaders – have been paralyzed and had our potential minimized due to fearing man. A classic example of “the fear of man” is found in the way certain individuals responded to Jesus.

John 12:42-43 (NLT)
42 Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

When individuals are ruled by the fear of man, they will shrink from their convictions and violate their own conscience. We can see from this verse (and perhaps from our own experiences and observations) that “peer pressure” doesn’t simply affect teenagers. If we are overcome by the fear of human opinion, it is probably because we’ve magnified man and minimized God in our thinking.

Isaiah 51:12-13 (NLT)
12 “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? 13 Yet you have forgotten the LORD, your Creator, the one who stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth.

When we reverence God properly in our lives, and realize that His opinion is the one that ultimately matters, we will avoid the snare, disability, and paralysis that comes from cringing before the potential disapproval of man. Paul’s maturity in this regard was evidenced in the following:

1 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLT)
3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

Paul wasn’t arrogant, but neither was he apologetic. He was assertive, though, in his walk with God, and this confidence was based on knowing God and not fearing man.

Commenting on these verses in “Growing Up Spiritually,” Kenneth E. Hagin said, “Paul had grown in grace to such an extent that he sought only to commend himself to God. He was not influenced or affected by what others thought of him. He did not get in bondage to anybody. It was not a carnal independence – but a saintly dignity.” He went on to say, “The mature believer is God-conscious. And ever conscious of what God’s Word says about him and to him. Because he is able to testify with Paul, ‘It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man’s judgment,’ he is free to walk in and voice his convictions.”

Jesus followed this same pattern even when He was twelve years old. When His parents finally found Him in the Temple, Mary really unloaded on Jesus with much emotion. Luke 2:48 (NLT) records her saying: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

Not everyone responds well to such a statement, but Jesus’ response reveals much.

He did not respond with arrogance. Arrogance would have said, “I’ll do what I want, when I want, and how I want, and I don’t want any lip from you.”
He did not respond apologetically. An apology would have said, “I’m so sorry. I’ll never do anything ever again that upsets you.”
He did respond with assertiveness. Jesus simply said (Luke 2:49), “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” He was so secure, calm, comfortable, and confident in God’s acceptance and approval that He did not need to bristle with arrogance or cower in intimidation.

If we are insecure in the Father’s love and acceptance, we will often try to fill that void in our life by the approval of people. The fallacy of this is revealed when we recognize that man’s love and approval is typically conditional, fickle, and temporal. As a result, we are never truly secure because man’s love can be very subject to change. However, the love of God is unconditional, unchanging, and eternal. In Him we find true security. That’s why it is so much better for us to walk in the reverential fear and awe of God than to be on the emotional roller coaster of seeking man’s approval.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NLT)
5 …God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

This is the type of confidence every child and ever servant of God should have.

It is important to realize that this freedom from the fear of man does not mean that we should have the kind of attitude that says, “Bless God, I don’t care what anybody thinks or says about me.”

It is one thing to be so secure in the acceptance of God that you do not cringe before human rejection or disapproval. It is another thing to have a rebellious, arrogant, and carnally independent attitude that leads one to disregard and disrespect others.

To properly understand what our position should be, we not only need to observe Paul’s perspective in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (… it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you), but we also need to hear the balancing wisdom he expressed later in the same book.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 (NLT)
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. 33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

Did Paul just contradict himself? We know that Paul said elsewhere (Colossians 3:22) not to be a people-pleaser, but now he’s describing how he always tries to please everyone. This may be a bit paradoxical, but it is not contradictory. Paul is actually talking about two entirely different issues.

In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul is not describing an insecurity or fear-based pursuit of approval for his own benefit, but rather, a love-based effort to serve others for their benefit.

Notice Paul’s qualifiers:

First, he says we should do things for the glory of God.
Second, he says we should avoid giving offense, or being an unnecessary stumbling block that would keep others from God.
Third, we see he seeks to please others (not just himself). He does this not for his own personal benefit (to meet a need in his own life) but for the benefit of others that they might be saved.

When we look at the harmonious blend of all these Scriptures, it becomes clear that we are not to insecurely fear man. But having found our security in God, we are to proactively seek to remove stumbling blocks and express a love-oriented, confidence-based servant’s attitude toward others. May God help this be realized in all of our lives.

False Predictions & Transcendent Faith by Rev. Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

False Predictions & Transcendent Faith Rev. Tony Cooke

Aren’t you glad that the experts aren’t always right!

Lucille Ball’s drama instructors wrote to the fifteen year old girl’s mother and told her that her daughter had no talent and was too introverted to make it in show business.
Albert Einstein’s Munich teacher told the ten-year old boy, “You will never amount to very much.”
A minor league manager watched Hank Aaron and commented, “That kid can’t play baseball.” Aaron later went on to break Babe Ruth’s home run record.
An NBC television executive suggested to Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, “Get rid of the pointed ears guy.”
In 1962, the Decca Recording Company turned down the Beatles, saying, “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.”
Elvis Presley was fired after one performance in 1954, and was told, “You ain’t going nowhere. You ought to go back to driving a truck.”
An MGM executive in 1929 noted in response to Fred Astaire’s screen test, “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Balding. Can dance a little.”
“Dewey Defeats Truman.” That was the headline of the Chicago Tribune on November 4, 1948.

A Chicago Time editorial in 1863 wrote of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat, and dish-watery utterances of the man who has to be pointed out to intelligent foreigners as President of the United States.”
Fred Smith, the founder of Federal Express, wrote a paper at Yale in which he proposed an overnight delivery service. His management professor wrote on the paper, “The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C’ the idea must be feasible.”

Countless people have had negative, restricting, and potentially crushing words spoken over their lives. Thank God that there are examples of people whose faith transcended such “death sentences.” The great men and women of the Bible were those who rose above criticism, scorn, and nay-saying:

Joseph and David were both ridiculed by their brothers.
Job had to overcome the condemnation and accusations of his “friends.”
Nehemiah was mocked by Tobiah, who said, "Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall” (Nehemiah 4:3).
Jeremiah was unpopular in his ministry, and said, “I am in derision daily, and everyone mocks me” (Jeremiah 20:7).
Jesus was called a blasphemer and Paul was labeled a troublemaker.

Lou Holtz, the former head coach of the Notre Dame football team said, “So what if someone wrote your obituary, that doesn’t mean you are obligated to die." Isn’t it great that no one has the final word about our identity or destiny except God and us? Psalms 119:69 in the Message Version says, “The godless spread lies about me, but I focus my attention on what you are saying.”

The generation that God brought out of Egypt was full of doubt, murmuring, and complaints, and they “projected” that hopelessness toward their own children. But God had a better plan for that new generation, and He said in Numbers 14:31, “But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.” That new generation had the potential to rise above the “death sentence” that others had spoken over them. They had the opportunity to discover and seize upon a new destiny—a better future—through God’s ability and promises.

Perhaps you’ve had people actually attempt to de-value you through destructive words, or maybe you’ve been bombarded by thoughts from “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). Either way, as Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Our faith really can transcend the false predictions and toxic words of others.

You are Fashioned for Faith, Not Fear

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

You Are Fashioned for Faith
By Rev. Tony Cooke

Click Here to order the audio CD where Tony preaches this message.

Dr. E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist missionary, made the following outstanding statement:
“I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath–these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely–these are my native air. A John Hopkins University doctor says, ‘We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non- worriers, but that is a fact.’ But I, who am simple of mind, think I know; We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality.”

When Jesus responded to a question posed by His disciples (Matthew 24:4-8) about future events, Jesus indicated the following would occur:

* Great deception in the earth
* Wars and rumors of wars
* Nation would rise against nation
* Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places

Amazingly, in the midst of that seemingly pessimistic forecast, Jesus gave an outstanding command: “See that you are not troubled!” One translation of that verse says, “Stop being alarmed,” and another says, “See that you are not frightened or alarmed.”

Before she passed away, Ann Landers (who at that time was receiving around 10,000 letters a month seeking advice) was asked about the most common topic of the letters she received. She answered that “most people seem to be afraid of something.” She indicated that people were often afraid even when there seemed to be no reason to be afraid and said, “Ours is a world of fearful people.”

Sometimes we think of fear as an intense, panicked feeling, the kind you would expect if a bear or lion attacked you. Far more people, though, are dealing with what we might call a seed of fear… a low-grade condition that annoys, irritates, and distracts, and keeps them from truly enjoying life. One person described that kind of condition as follows: “Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through our mind. If it continues, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”

What follows are five steps we can take in conquering fear when we sense it affecting us. These simple points include:

1. ACKNOWLEDGE it!

Denying the existence of a problem doesn’t make it go away, and acknowledging it doesn’t create it. If you’re dealing with fear, you’re dealing with fear. Be open and honest with God. Don’t be ashamed of the problem and try to hide it from God. In Psalm 56:3, David said, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” In other words, David had a strategy in place for what he would do when fear presented itself to him.

Never let the fear linger in the subconscious where it will just gnaw away at you. Bring it to the light! Ephesians 5:13 (Amplified) says, 13 But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light.

2. ANALYZE the Fear.

Analyze is not a bad word! In Isaiah 1:18, God said, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD…” God wasn’t against us using our reasoning powers, but He wants us to reason with Him and His Word, not against Him and His Word. Romans 12:2 tells us that we are, “transformed by the renewing of your mind,” not by the removing of it.

Analyzing the fear will help us to know whether we’re dealing with a real or an imaginary problem. There is rational fear and then there is irrational fear, and most of the fears we face are not really grounded in reality. While we do want to analyze our fears in the light of God’s Word, we don’t want to do this exclusively. To spend too much time in this arena leads us into the “paralysis of analysis.”

3. ARM Yourself With the Word of God!

Find and embrace the promises in the Bible about trust, confidence, and overcoming fear! The word of God is “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

Joshua 10:25
25 “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage…”

Psalm 27:1-3
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

Psalm 46:1-2
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Proverbs 3:24-26
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the LORD will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 54:14
In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Mark 5:36
…”Do not be afraid; only believe.”

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Hebrews 13:5-6
5 He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
6So we may boldly say:
“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”

4. ACTIVELY Resist Fear.

We can resist fear with our thoughts, words, prayers, and songs. Notice what Isaiah said about resisting the verbal assaults of the enemy.

Isaiah 54:17
No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their righteousness Is from Me,”
Says the LORD.

Really, the best way to resist fear (a negative) is to be saturated with a positive: the love of God. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “perfect love casts out fear.”

5. ASSOCIATE with People Who Build You Up!

Fellowship with faith-filled people is essential. Paul drew enormous strength from others when he was facing difficult times, and we should too. Ultimately, our trust has to be in God, not in people. However, God is good to bring people into our lives who can encourage and help us.

One time, when Paul was going through a particularly difficult time, God used Titus to encourage him. Consider Paul’s words:

2 Corinthians 7:5-6
6 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
6 Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,

Know that God fashioned you for faith, not for fear! The one who made you to live free from fear will certainly help you as you decide to live as God ordained.

Click Here to order the audio CD where Tony preaches this message.

The Extravagant Dimensions of God’s Love

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

The Extravagant Dimensions of God’s Love
By Tony Cooke

Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus that they (along with all of us) would “be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height” and “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19). Have you ever stopped to think about the multiple dimensions of God’s love—the breadth, length, depth, and height— that Paul mentions?

The Message Version renders this verse: “…you’ll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

The Breadth of God’s Love
The Psalmist speaks of having been in calamity and distress, but then being delivered into a broad place (Psalm 18:19; 118:5). 1 Chronicles 4:40 speaks of those who, “…found rich, good pasture, and the land was broad, quiet, and peaceful.” When I think of breadth, I think of a place that is accommodating, where there is ample space and room to breathe. Sometimes I hear preachers who share very simple truths; they deliberately stay away from trying to be complicated. What they are sharing is not deep, but the simplicity of their message has wide appeal and draws many people. A church that is strong in expressing the breadth of God’s love will provide ministry that is very relevant and meets people where they are.

The Length of God’s Love
The concept of length has to do with how far something reaches. When it comes to the love of God, we know that He is longsuffering, and that He is able to save people to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). Isaiah 59:1 (NIV) says, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save.” David perceived the long arm of God’s love when he said, “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:9-10). A church that is strong in expressing the length of God’s love will have a tremendous heart for missions and evangelism.

The Depth of God’s Love
1 Corinthians 2:10 speaks of how the Holy Spirit reveals “…the deep things of God.” Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” Daniel said that God “reveals deep and secret things” (Daniel 2:22). If you’re building a great building, you don’t want a superficial, shallow foundation—you need one that is very substantive. While we never want to neglect the basics, neither do we want to perpetually stay in shallow waters with God. We want to encourage people to launch out into the deep! A church that is strong in expressing the depth of God’s love will have a robust emphasis on the Word and the Spirit—they will have strong teaching and fervent prayer.

The Height of God’s Love
This dimension of God’s love—the height of God’s love—isn’t simply high over us, but it draws us upward in worship toward God. Throughout Scripture, we are admonished to lift our eyes, our hearts, and our hands in praise, worship and adoration to God. The fact that God is continually referred to as “the Most High” indicates that He wants us looking up! A church that is strong in expressing the height of God’s love will be a worshipping church, one that exalts and adores God from the heart.

These different dimensions are meant to be complementary, not contradictory. A pastoral perspective might emphasize breadth, an evangelistic perspective might focus on length, a teaching perspective might emphasize depth, while a worshipper’s perspective might emphasize height. May God help all of us to appreciate, experience, and express the extravagant dimensions of God’s love! May we do exactly what Paul admonished us to do: “Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.”

Faith and Medicine

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Faith and Medicine
by Tony Cooke

Question: I was diagnosed with a certain disease and have been taking medicine for that condition. I have recently been learning about Divine healing. I am very excited about what I am hearing, and I am trusting God for healing. My question has to do with the medicine I am taking. Should I discontinue my medication as an act of faith? Is taking medicine a contradiction to my faith? I am a little bit confused as to what I should do along these lines.

Answer: The questions you present are very good ones. Actually, many people have had questions and experienced confusion about these very same issues. It seems that no matter what subject is being discussed, people tend to go to one extreme or another. It is like a driver who can’t keep his car out of the ditches on either side of the road. On the subject of faith and medicine, some people teach that God no longer heals, or if He does, it is very rare. They state that the age of miracles has passed away. Others go to the opposite extreme and state that not only does God still heal, but that it is a sin for a Christian to use doctors or take medicine in pursuit of healing.

The problem with the first teaching is obvious. It denies the Bible truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The Bible simply does not teach that God’s power was to be relegated to a certain time frame. We serve the same Jesus who lived and healed nearly 2,000 years ago. We have the same Holy Spirit who anointed Him to do the wonderful works He did. The compassion and mercy of God have not changed, and neither have His promises.

The danger of the second extreme is also clear. Much reproach has been brought to the Body of Christ by individuals who have preached against doctors and against the use of medicine by Christians. I have collected a number of articles from newspapers over the years relating how people have suffered and even died needlessly because of this type of approach. In some cases, parents have withheld medical help from their children on religious grounds. Beyond the public spectacle and the physical suffering this creates, many people have suffered emotionally and spiritually because of the guilt, shame, and condemnation heaped upon them by those who have embraced and advocated this erroneous ideology.

I believe it is unfortunate that some people have chosen to pit medicine against faith as though they were somehow adversarial. I believe these two forces should be seen as complementary, not as contradictory. After all, both your faith and the doctor are aiming at the same goal: your wholeness and healing. My persuasion is that medicine and faith can be integrated. They do not need to be isolated from one another.

Please consider the following as you seek to resolve this issue in your own thinking:

1. In Luke 10:30-37, Jesus related a story about a man we call "The Good Samaritan." In this story, the Samaritan man came across an individual who had been beaten badly and was seriously injured. He treated the man’s injuries with oil and wine (the best medicines he had access to in that day) and bandaged his wounds. Further, he made sure the man had time to recuperate and recover from his injuries. Jesus commended that man for his merciful actions, and said that his was an example worth emulating. Apparently Jesus was not against the use of medicine when it was necessary.

2. Proverbs 3:27 says, "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so." There are times where we have something at our disposal that is good and helpful. The Bible tells us when we have the means, the resources, and the wherewithal to do good, we should not withhold it from the person in need. Would the principle conveyed in this Scripture apply when a parent has access to medicine that will help an ailing child? I think so.

3. In the Septuagint version (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) of Proverbs 18:9, we read: "He who does not use his endeavors to heal himself is brother to him who commits suicide." This is a powerful verse! In this, we see that God expects us to do what we can do to help ourselves. If you accidentally put your hand on a hot stove, you will instinctively and quickly pull your hand away. Why? When God designed us as human beings He built instincts within that cause us to do whatever we can to protect ourselves and keep ourselves safe. A person would have to override his God-given instincts to not do what he could to help himself.

4. 1 John 3:17 says, "But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" The Amplified Bible here refers to "…resources for sustaining life…" While John may not have been speaking specifically of medicine here, I believe the principle still applies.

5. The Apostle Paul advocated the use of something "natural" for a chronic physical problem that was experienced by his young assistant, Timothy. 1 Timothy 5:22 says: "No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for your stomach’s sake, and your frequent infirmities." The New International Version Bible Commentary says this about Paul’s comment: "Apparently for medicinal purposes, Timothy is told not to restrict himself to drinking water but to ‘use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.’

6. Ask yourself the question: "Who gave the doctors and researchers the wisdom to be able to develop medicines and treatments that help the sick?" I believe it was God Himself.

7. Remember that faith does not imply denying the existence of a problem. David did not deny the existence of Goliath. He believed that God would help him overcome that challenge. In the same way, trusting God for healing does not mean that we deny the existence of a physical problem. When Paul’s friend, Epaphroditus, was sick, Paul was very realistic about the situation. He did not play word games and deny the existence of the problem. He said, "For indeed, he was sick almost unto death, but God had mercy on him" (Philippians 2:27a). Some people have gotten into trouble because they thought that it was an act of faith to deny the existence of a problem.

8. Keep in mind that Paul said we are transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), not by the removing of the mind. God is not against people using good sense when dealing with the challenges of life. It seems good to me that when a challenge comes, to hit it with every weapon we have available. Don’t neglect the practical and the physical by focusing only on the spiritual, but neither should you neglect the spiritual while trusting only in the practical and the physical. Use the good that the world has to offer, and benefit from whatever help is available in the natural realm, but make sure that you are trusting God first and foremost.

If you use medicine or have surgery, continue to trust God, and look to Him as your Great Physician. Use good sense in bringing every tool available to your aid. Trust God to not only work through the natural means available, but trust Him to work above and beyond whatever help man can offer.

In closing, let me offer a few pastoral thoughts. In more than three decades of ministry, I have seen many people healed as a result of faith and prayer. I believe strongly in God’s goodness and His mercy, and I believe He is still in the healing business.

I have also seen situations where it seems people operated in foolishness or presumption by electing to disregard or neglect medical advice. I have seen situations where a medical condition had advanced to an acute, critical stage that could have been taken care of had the person acted earlier. I believe it is very unfortunate when a person neglects available care or a prescribed treatment, especially when a condition is at a very treatable stage.

As a general rule I encourage people to work with their doctor, to receive medical care, and to follow their doctor’s counsel. At the same time I encourage people to trust in God and look to Him as their Healer. Saturating yourself with God’s Word and God’s promises concerning healing is the way to build your faith and to keep your faith strong. Your physician may or may not believe in Divine healing, but he can tell when a change has taken place in your body. Whether this change occurs by natural means, by supernatural intervention, or by a combination of the two, your doctor can recognize this and modify or discontinue whatever medications or treatments he has prescribed for you. In my opinion, this approach reflects the wisdom of God. It does not put faith and medicine in opposition to one another, but integrates them into working together for the good of the people whom God loves.

An Exalted View of God by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

An Exalted View of God
Tony Cooke

Exalted View of God In Psalm 50, God addressed those we might call pseudo-believers. He said they were reciting His decrees and pretending to obey His covenant (verse 16, NLT), but He addressed their compromise and worldliness, saying, “You thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes” (verse 21, NKJV).

That phrase—You thought that I was altogether like you—has captured my attention over the years, and it raises some vital questions. How do we perceive God? Do we see God for who He really is, or do we fabricate a “god” that is compatible with the “comfort zone” of our flesh?

We do ourselves a great disservice if we fail to see God’s greatness, majesty, and awesomeness. God, who wants to elevate our vision of Himself, said, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the LORD. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NLT).

A.W. Tozer said, "So necessary to the Church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the Church with her worship and moral standards declines along with it. The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God."

I remember a popular song in the mid ‘70s called, “Jesus is Just Alright With Me.” One of the vocalists said that no one in the band was religious or anti-religious. He said, “We weren’t anything. We were just musicians out playing a gig. We didn’t think about that kind of stuff very often.” Believers need to know that Jesus is not “just alright,” He’s the Savior of the World, Redeemer, Healer, and Lord! Believers should shun any glib attitude that makes Jesus anything less than, “…holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and… higher than the heaven” (Hebrews 7:26, NKJV).

I recently heard a country song about having a beer with Jesus. While the person was seemingly respectful, it made me think about how superficial and shallow perspectives can be when it comes to seeing a Holy and Majestic God. When Isaiah saw the Lord, he didn’t consider ordering up a couple of tall ones (as the song says). Instead, he was awestruck and overcome with the holy presence of God when he encountered His glory and awesomeness.

Isaiah 6:1-8 (NLT)
1 …I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Having been cleansed by the coal from the altar, Isaiah went on to convey messages from a God of holiness to the people of Israel. For example:

Isaiah 57:15 (NLT)
15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

Consider John’s encounter with the majesty of Jesus on the Isle of Patmos.

Revelation 1:12-17 (NLT)
12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead…

When Isaiah and John encountered the Lord, they were awestruck. There was no sense of flippant familiarity, no treating Him like a good ole’ boy. As John’s “revelation” continued, we have continuing glimpses of Jesus’ majesty.

Revelation 5:11-12 (NKJV)
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Yet There Remains Great Approachability

Scripture leads us progressively toward an exalted view of Christ and of God, yet in the Incarnation, we encounter both the humility and the approachability of God. We could not access God in our fallen condition, so He came to us in the Person of Jesus Christ.

“[Jesus] …made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). The Living Bible says that Jesus, “…laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men, and he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross.”

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

“Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God” (Hebrews 2:17, NLT).

In the Incarnation, God accommodated us. In His humility, Jesus said (and says) to everyone, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus was so approachable that parents brought their children to Him to be blessed, and contrite sinners found freedom from shame and condemnation through His compassion.

Through the Incarnation (including His death, burial, and resurrection), Jesus became the Door and the Way. But before He left this earth, He prayed something very interesting. “And now, Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed.” (John 17:5, AMP).

It is right and good when we see the humility and approachability that Jesus exhibited in His earthly life, but it’s even greater when we follow Him into His glorification and exaltation. Perhaps that is why Paul said, “At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!” (2 Corinthians 5:16, NLT).

Jesus met us where we were, so He could take us where He is. John 17:21,23 (NKJV) says, “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them… Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me…”

He came to redeem the sinner, not to condone the sin. Hebrews 2:10 (NLT) says, “God… chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.” Did you notice that? God has chosen to bring us into glory!

If the God you serve allows you to rationalize carnality, make light of disobedience, and feel comfortable in sin, you are serving a god of your own making; not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t fabricate a god that your flesh is comfortable with. Let’s get—through the enablement of the Holy Spirit and through the Word—an exalted view of God. That simply means to see Him as He really is. Then, we’ll do what Psalm 34:3 has declared through the ages: “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Expectancy + Action = Results

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

EXPECTANCY + ACTION = RESULTS
By Rev. Tony Cooke

God wants us to live with a great sense of expectancy. However, we need to keep in mind that great things don’t just happen. They occur when we walk with God and cooperate with Him. The Apostle James was known for being a very blunt and outspoken minister, and he had some powerful things to say about the Christian not merely saying he believes, but acting on his faith!

James 2:19-25 (The Message Bible)
19 Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them?
20 Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?
21 Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham "made right with God by works" when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar?
22 Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are "works of faith"?
23 The full meaning of "believe" in the Scripture sentence, "Abraham believed God and was set right with God," includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named "God’s friend."
24 Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?
25 The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God?

There are a couple of phrases here that I really like – the “mesh of believing and acting” and the “seamless unity of believing and doing.”

All of us periodically have certain opportunities that enable us to act on our faith… to take a step in the direction of our dreams. We need to make certain that we don’t let these opportunities pass us by. I trust you are inspired by the following:

“When one door closes another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.”
– Alexander Graham Bell

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been.’”
– John Greenleaf Whittier

“The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.”
– John Burrows

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
– Thomas Edison

“I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”
– Frederick Douglass

I remember hearing Brother Hagin preach a message years ago in which he presented a very simple and profound truth. He said, “Missed opportunities bring regret.” Our prayer for you is that you will miss no opportunity that God sets in front of you—that you will truly seize each day and live life to its fullest for His glory!

Why You Don’t Have to Confess Sins (You Didn’t Commit)

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Why You Don’t Have to Confess Sins
(You Didn’t Commit)
Tony Cooke

Click here to watch the video intro to this article.

Confess Sins Tony Cooke I am so thankful for 1 John 1:9 (and the rest of 1 John as well) which says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." To me, this verse is wonderfully liberating and a source of joy. It’s hard to imagine that some Christians want to reassign this verse and make it apply to unbelievers. Let me address a thought that may provide insight as to why some may have wrestled with this passage and wish to relegate it to unbelievers.

Satan is called, "the accuser of our brothers and sisters… who accuses them before our God day and night" (Revelation 12:10, NLT). I believe that many Christians, especially young believers, have fallen prey to an insidious strategy of the enemy… the one who, "…walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). We also know that he is a very crafty deceiver who wants to corrupt our minds from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:4). Here’s what I believe has sometimes happened:

A young, sincere Christian wants to do right and please God.
Various temptations come to him, and he feels guilty about the temptations he experiences. He may even think, "If you were really a Christian you would not have had that thought." The ironic thing is that the person may not have even actually sinned. A bad thought simply came to him. He didn’t necessarily receive the thought, entertain the thought, or act on the thought. But still, he feels condemned that the thought even came to his mind.
The young Christian has heard about 1 John 1:9, so he confesses his "sin" to God (even though he may not have actually sinned). The enemy repeats the attack, and the Christian enters into a vicious cycle of temptation-shame-confession, temptation- shame-confession, ad infinitum.
Some Christians at this point will become tormented and obsessive over their guilt. They are trying to repent when what they really need to do is resist (and knowing who we are and what we have in Christ is essential to this)! But some mistakenly label the devil’s temptation as "their own sin." They need to resist false guilt and stop agonizing over a sin they didn’t necessarily even commit. The problem here was never confession-related, but was deception-related.

Can you see how the enemy can take advantage of a young believer? A Christian can become overwhelmingly obsessed with guilt, and because of deception, completely overlook this clear fact of Scripture: Being tempted is not a sin!

Think about this for a minute, because it’s tripped up many, many people. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus, "…was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." Jesus was presented with temptation, but Jesus never participated in the temptation. Let me repeat, simply being tempted is not a sin, and according to 1 Corinthians 10:13, temptation is "…common to man."

What is Jesus’ attitude toward us when we are tempted? Does He condemn us? Is He disappointed and disgusted with us? Does He want us to wallow in guilt, shame, and condemnation? No! Hebrews 2:18 says, "…in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." When you are tempted, Jesus is there to aid you, not condemn you. Do not let temptation define you; let Christ define you!

Consider what Jesus told His disciples. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation…" (Matthew 26:41). Notice that Jesus did not say, "Watch and pray lest you be tempted." Being spiritually alert and maintaining vibrant fellowship with God doesn’t mean you won’t be tempted, but it will keep you from entering into temptation. It’s one thing to face a temptation. It’s something entirely different to yield to, cooperate with, and participate in temptation. The former is not sin, but the latter is.

Do you recall hearing this phrase? "You can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair." There’s great truth in that statement.

If you face temptation, resist it! If a thought or imagination comes to your mind, cast it down, and turn your attention to Jesus, following Paul’s admonition in Philippians 4:8. "…Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."

However, even if we have actively entertained the thoughts or participated in sin, God still has good news for us. First John 2:1, which reflects continuous thought from what he’s written previously (remember, the Bible wasn’t written in chapters and verses), says, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." What was John referring to when he said, "These things I write to you"? He was referring to everything he’d already said (including 1 John 1:9) and all that he was going to say.

First John was not written to different audiences, but to believers as a whole. John recognizes believers at different levels of growth (he identifies spiritual children, young men, and fathers), but when he refers to those outside the faith (including false teachers and those holding false beliefs) he clearly refers to them in the third person (they). John refers to his "little children" (believers) over and over and over again, but he never refers to an outside group as being a recipient of his letter. It is terribly ill-advised to presumptuously insert a supposed audience (Gnostics or others) into John’s epistle that he never identified as recipients.

So we come back to the question, why would some people want to keep 1 John 1:9 from applying to Christians? One explanation is based on what we discussed earlier. Having been deceived, some obsessively and compulsively confessed "sin" (even though it may have only been a temptation). They got on a vicious and tormenting cycle of confessing and re-confessing "sins" over and over again and eventually decided that their "confessing sins" was not bringing them victory. As a result, they decided confession of sins must be part of the problem, and so, BASED ON THEIR NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE, they decided it must not apply to them. In short, they reject the truth of confession because they had experienced a deceptive counterfeit.

This would be like a person who heard that aspirin could help them with a headache, but instead of following the instructions and using the aspirin properly, they beat themselves on the head with the bottle. After a while, they decide that aspirin doesn’t work and actually makes things worse. Let me encourage you to never subordinate the plain meaning of Scripture to your personal experience or your so-called personal revelation. Our experience does not judge the Word. Instead, Scripture should judge our experience. And we must never distort the Scripture to accommodate our experience.

First John 1:9 is a glorious invitation to us, when we have missed it, to "…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Option 1 is that we had not sinned to begin with, but Option 2 is that Jesus remains our Advocate! He is for us, not against us! We can come to Him, be honest with Him, and in faith acknowledge—not simply our failure—but also his great mercy and kindness. We act on 1 John 1:9 the same way we act on any Scripture – in faith!

When we confess a sin, we are not groveling before God or wallowing in our sin. We are not trying to "earn" forgiveness, and we are not questioning whether He still loves us or will give us a second chance. No! We come in faith to the One Who promised us cleansing, and we receive a fresh application in our lives of the wonderful forgiveness that He procured for us 2,000 years ago when He shed His precious blood for us.

So why "confess" sin we’ve committed? That word means to acknowledge, to concede, to admit, or "to say the same thing." It makes perfect sense, biblically and otherwise, when we’ve missed it, to be honest with God, acknowledge our mis-step, and to agree with God about the issue.

Max Lucado wrote "Confession is not telling God what he doesn’t know. That’s impossible. Confession is not complaining. If I merely recite my problems and rehash my woes, I’m whining. Confession is not blaming. Pointing fingers at others without pointing any at me feels good, but it doesn’t promote healing. Confession is so much more. Confession is a radical reliance on grace. A proclamation of our trust in God’s goodness. ‘What I did was bad,’ we acknowledge, ‘but your grace is greater than my sin, so I confess it.’ If our understanding of grace is small, our confession will be small: reluctant, hesitant, hedged with excuses and qualifications, full of fear of punishment. But great grace creates an honest confession." 

When believers in Ephesus experienced the beauty of God’s grace, they confessed (acknowledged and admitted) that their behavior had been wrong and they made a clean break from those practices. Acts 19:18-19 (NLT) says, "Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire." To these believers, confession and repentance went hand in hand.

There was a time when the Corinthians weren’t simply tempted to sin, but they had plunged headlong into the practice of sin. Paul said, "I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure" (2 Corinthians 12:20-21, NLT).

Had they merely been tempted in some areas, Paul’s counsel would have been totally different. But because of their active involvement in sin, he made it clear that they needed to repent from their behavior, and repentance begins with an acknowledgment (that’s what confession is) that they needed to get back on-track with God and obey His word. Remember, we never have to confess a sin we didn’t commit, but if we do miss it, we should be very thankful for 1 John 1:9.

A Divider, Not a Uniter Rev. Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

A Divider, Not a Uniter
Rev. Tony Cooke

jesus a divider, not a uniter At the beginning of his first term in office, President George W. Bush made an appealing pledge to be “a uniter, not a divider.” Regardless of one’s political affiliations or preferences, most people would agree that uniting all people, with their diverse opinions, beliefs, and philosophies, is nigh impossible. As a matter of fact, Jesus Himself didn’t even try to “unite” everyone.

Jesus, in one of his more difficult and startling statements, said: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matt 10:34). Luke renders that statement, “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division” (Luke 12:51). The word division here means “disunion.” Jesus came to break our union with darkness and unite us unto Himself.

Why is Jesus’ statement (that he came to bring division) so shocking to us? I think that we’ve been conditioned—even subconsciously perhaps—to believe that Jesus is more like “the Candy Man” than the real Redeemer portrayed in Scripture. Do you remember the song popularized by Sammy Davis Jr. about the Candy Man?

Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew
Cover it with choc’late and a miracle or two
The Candy Man, oh the Candy Man can
The Candy Man can ’cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

Equally frivolous is another song that also came out in the early 70’s…

I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves.
I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
I’d like to uy the world a Coke and keep it company.

Isn’t that quite a message? If we just buy everybody in the world a Coke and a Milky Way bar, we’ll all live happily ever after! (If you believe that, someone’s got some great ocean-front property in South Dakota that they’d love to sell you.)

Scripture make no pretense of Jesus being a glorified “Candy Man.” He was, in fact, very controversial and divisive. Consider the following about Jesus:

John 7:43 – So there was a division among the people because of Him.
John 9:16 – And there was a division among them.
John 10:19 – Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
Acts 14:4 – But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (8:14). Holding the infant Jesus, Simeon foretold that “this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against” (Luke 2:34).

Remember also that the One who will separate the wheat from the tares (Matthew 13:24-30) will also separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-33). “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.”

John the Baptist said of Jesus, “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). Wow! That’s quite a separation!

When you read the Old Testament, you get the very clear impression that God was adamant that His people not only know the difference between holy and unholy things, but that they be separated unto Him. Consider these stern words that came through Ezekiel (22:26, The Message). “Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can’t tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there’s no difference between right and wrong. They’re contemptuous of my holy Sabbaths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level.”

In the New Testament, this call for “distinction” or separation is also clear. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Paul admonished believers saying, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.”

Paul went on to say (verses 17-18), “Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”

Paul also said (1 Corinthians 11:31) that “if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” The word Paul used when he referred to judging ourselves means “to separate thoroughly, to make a distinction, or to distinguish between.”

Jesus is still a Divider. When John saw the glorified Jesus in a vision (Revelation 1:16), “out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.” He is still bringing division, separating the holy from the unholy. As the world promotes the idea that every belief and behavior is equally valid, we must recognize that not all division is bad division.

Granted, none of us like petty quibbling over non-essential issues, but Jesus still separates truth from error, light from darkness, sin from righteousness, and right from wrong. He is a Holy Savior, not a Candy Man! He doesn’t promote a false unification that is devoid of moral standards or lacking in a foundation of truth. In closing, consider these statements:

“Unity without the gospel is a worthless unity; it is the very unity of hell.”
– J.C. Ryle

“Separation from evil is the necessary first principle of communion with Him… Separation from evil is His principle of unity.”
– J.N. Darby

“To part with truth to show charity is to betray our Lord with a kiss. Between those who believe in the eternal verities and those who constantly cast doubt on them there can be no union.”
– Charles H. Spurgeon

“Diversity and division are infinitely more precious than a satanic unity.”
– John Whitcomb Jr.

These strong statements and the principles we’ve discussed don’t preclude us operating in gentleness, wisdom, and humility. We should certainly avoid a haughty attitude that projects “I’m right and everyone else is wrong.” Yet we must maintain the awareness that God’s Word forever stands as the standard of truth. It is the line that has been drawn in the sand, and we want to be on the right side of the Great Divider’s “line” in our thinking, our attitude, our words, and our conduct.

Our prayer for you for 2010 is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (Amp): “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).”

Which Parts of the Bible Does Your Doctrine Make Invisible? by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Which Parts of the Bible Does Your Doctrine Make Invisible?
Tony Cooke

doctrine-visible I was recently pondering all of the conflicting views that Christians have about a wide variety of doctrinal issues. While I believe that unity regarding the essentials of faith is…well, essential, it never ceases to amaze me how many become hyper-rigid over doctrinal positions that the Bible doesn’t really seem to be all that rigid about.

Since the first time I heard Blaise Pascal quoted, I have appreciated his statement, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. And in all things, charity.” Of course, such wisdom is quite different than the attitude I had following a wonderful encounter with the Lord back in 1977. Possessing more zeal than wisdom, I was eager to not only defend my new-found beliefs, but also to correct anyone who disagreed with me and to convince them just how right I was. I now wonder how much of my motivation was based on love for others, as opposed to my insecurity. I think sometimes, if we are insecure about our own beliefs, we want to strike down the beliefs of others and get as many people to agree with us as we can; somehow, we must think that convincing others reinforces or validates the right-ness of our position.

When we are secure in our beliefs, we can have a godly desire to help others see and benefit from the truth, but we are not as likely get all out of sorts when others have different perspectives, especially on non-essential issues. For example, there is nowhere in the Bible that says you have to believe in unconditional eternal security (or not) in order to be saved. The Bible simply says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31). There are countless people around the globe who have never heard of the Calvinistic-Arminian dispute who are going to be in heaven simply because they believed, with simple faith, in the Lord Jesus Christ. There are good, well-meaning Christians who believe in what has been termed “once saved always saved” while other good people believe it is possible, under certain circumstances, to renounce and revoke what had been a saving relationship with God. While that has been one of the hotly debated and contested issues in theological circles for many years, there are countless other areas of friction that are less prominent.

Are Facts Getting in the Way of Our Conclusions?
As a matter of discipline, we should avoid jumping to a theological conclusion, and then trying to find all of the Scriptures to back up the position we have embraced. If we “do our theology” that way, we have a real tendency to read the Bible with an intense bias. After all (if this were our approach), we wouldn’t want to let the facts mess up our pre-determined conclusion. The tendency then, is to read Scripture very selectively. At that point, people are typically not reading Scripture with an open heart and open mind. Instead, they already have a filter firmly in place which accentuates the verses that “prove” their point, and that makes invisible the verses that seem to challenge their pre-determined position.

For example, if we are staunch believers in unconditional eternal security, we might have a tendency to strongly gravitate toward those Scriptures which support (or seem to support) our position (e.g., John 6:37; 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39, etc.) and ignore, minimize or “explain away” those verses which seem problematic to our beliefs (e.g., Hebrews 10:26-31; James 5:19-20; 1 John 5:16, etc.). If we are strong Arminians, we might have a tendency to follow the same process in the opposite direction.

A healthy approach is to read the Bible with an open mind and an open heart, avoiding as many preconceived ideas and pre-determined doctrines as possible. In other words, we should read Scripture to glean all the truth we possibly can, not simply to find “proof texts” to support our already-determined position. If we have thoroughly studied out a topic, we hopefully will appreciate all of what the Bible says, not putting certain Scriptures on a pedestal while sweeping others under the rug. There is a reason why Jesus said that man was to live, “…by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Paul was determined to proclaim, “…the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Jesus and Paul both greatly valued the comprehensive word of God. They did not advocate living by isolated or selected words, but by everything that God had said.

Such an approach allows us to respectfully study and honor the entire word of God, and while there is always a necessity of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are still prayerfully and respectfully endeavoring to honor the Bible in its entirety as opposed to proof-texting our way through Scripture. This also liberates us from feeling like we have to be absolutely dogmatic about things that are not taught rigidly in the Bible. Going back to our earlier illustration, I see many Scriptures that bring tremendous comfort and assurance about our security in Christ, but I also see some verses that are quite sobering about the consequences of sin. My heart is at peace knowing that I can rest in all the promises of God regarding my security in Christ, and at the same time, I feel amply warned about the dangers of sin and disobedience.

God could certainly have inspired Paul or any of the other New Testament writers to make a statement such as, “Once you believe in Christ, you can never, under any circumstance, lose your salvation.” He could have also inspired them to write an equally concrete phrase promoting the opposite view, but I don’t personally see any such iron-clad statements in Scripture. Would we be overly simplistic if we adopted the psalmist’s attitude about some of the theological issues we may not completely understand? David said, “LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalm 131:1-2). As for me, I am OK doing now what I did when I first accepted the Lord: Trusting Christ.

Attacking Straw Men
Another way ministers or believers can deal with their own insecurities is to use the old debate principle of “building a straw man and knocking it down.” This involves taking the view opposing ours, pushing it to a ridiculous extreme, and then attacking, not the doctrine itself, but our exaggerated mischaracterization of that doctrine. For example, an insecure (or arrogant) Calvinist, I might say, “Those folks who believe you can lose your salvation never have any security, peace, or assurance. They think they lose their salvation every time they commit a sin.” Or an insecure (or arrogant) Arminian might say, “Those people who believe in once-saved-always-saved believe that so they can live in sin without experiencing any consequences.” Such stereotypical, broad-brushed characterizations fail to accurately reflect the views of either party. Many Arminians have a great sense of security in Christ, and many Calvinists live very godly lives.

My prayer is that God’s ministers and God’s people will have the maturity to be confident and secure in what Scripture clearly teaches and strongly implies, and be gracious in granting others the latitude to have different beliefs and perspectives of Scripture in areas that may not be quite as clearly articulated. I pray that we won’t be blind to certain Scriptures just because they don’t seem to support our views, and that we will refrain from mischaracterizing and broad-brushing other groups unfairly. This doesn’t mean that we can’t have healthy dialogue and disagreements, but we can remain civil and respectful in the process. May the Lord help us not to waste precious energy bickering needlessly, when we could be using our time and energy more productively, especially in reaching the lost.

Diamonds in the Rough by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Diamonds in the Rough Rev. Tony Cooke

I recently visited with a pastor who went through some rough years as he grew up. His mother was a determined woman who trusted God, and in spite of his misbehavior, she would say of her son, “My son is a wise son who makes his mother’s heart glad.” Others were only seeing the problems in his life, but his mother could “see” the grace of God and sense the purpose that God had for her son. She wasn’t oblivious to or in denial about the challenges, but she saw beyond the problems of that moment and trusted God to bring out the godly potential in this young man’s life.

That mother’s ability to see a diamond in the rough reminds me of one of my favorite Bible Characters—Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement. He was always seeing the good and potential in people that others seemed to overlook. He saw diamonds in such characters as Saul (Paul) and even in Mark, when others could only see the rough.

A great example of Barnabas’ gracious insightfulness is seen when the Gentiles started getting saved. They didn’t fit the mold. They didn’t have the right customs or the right social etiquette. They probably weren’t singing the right songs. And yet these Gentiles were accepting Jesus. What were the established leaders going to do? Fortunately, they had the wisdom to send someone of Barnabas’ temperament to these new, “different” converts.

Acts 11:22-24 says, “Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.”

More refined and established believers might have looked down upon these new converts as inferior, but Barnabas didn’t focus on the cultural and background differences. He located common ground and built a relationship that edified and strengthened them. Culturally, there would have been many differences Barnabas could have focused on, but he “saw the grace of God” and was glad.

You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right

Have you ever known someone who felt that his or her way of seeing things was the only correct way? David Brinkley even once wrote a book entitled (humorously, I assume), “Everyone Is Entitled to My Opinion.” Another individual said, “When I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you.”

Granted, there are some absolutes in the universe, and on some topics, we see the Apostle Paul being very dogmatic. When the essence of the Gospel was at stake, he referred to, “…false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Galatians 2:4-5). No flexibility there!

When it came to the heart of the gospel, Paul showed no trace of compromise (see Galatians 1:6-8). Also, when it came to issues of truth and error, Paul was no advocate of gullibility (2 Cor. 11:3-4; 1 Thess. 5:21).

As strong as Paul’s position was on essential truth, he also celebrated the wonderful truth of diversity when it came to varying methods, assignments, and styles (what we might call the less essential issues). Paul’s approach to ministry (or we might say, his target audience) was different than that of the Jerusalem leaders, but a mutual respect was established in spite of their differences.

Galatians 2:7-9 says, “…when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”

It took security and maturity on both of their parts to celebrate and honor each other’s respective assignments. There is a natural, human tendency to feel threatened by those that are different (“If they’re right, maybe that means I’m wrong”) or to feel a sense of superiority (“I know I’m right, so they must be wrong.”).

Peter had also grown in grace and recognized diversity of how the grace of God is expressed through different ones. In 1 Peter 4:10, he admonished his readers, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The Amplified refers to “God’s many-sided grace” and “the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians,” while the NIV refers to “God’s grace in its various forms.”

Regarding some of the non-essentials (issues not related to salvation), Paul exhibited flexibility and honored the liberty of peoples’ personal choices and convictions. In Romans 14:5, he said, “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind,” and went on to encourage people to not judge or hold other brothers in contempt over more peripheral issues. It’s good to be secure in our own calling and identity, and to live out our assignment with confidence and assurance. At the same time, it’s good to celebrate others whose lives and ministries are expressing truth.

Certainly, I want to be discerning regarding truth and error, but like Barnabas, I also want to be sure I see the grace of God in others and rejoice in it. I don’t want to be so caught up seeing the “rough” that I miss the diamond that is there. Like the early apostles, I want to celebrate other ministries whose assignments, methods, and strategies vary.

Dealing with Difficult People

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

The Grinches – Dealing with Difficult People
Rev. Tony Cooke

You are probably aware of “The Grinch That Stole Christmas.” He was a mean-spirited creature who was determined to ruin Christmas and rob the joy of the people in Who-ville. Even though the Grinch was able to steal their toys and gifts, he found that the people of Who-ville had a great sense of resiliency, and were able to celebrate the holiday in spite of his activity against them.

There are Grinches that all of us have to deal with—people who will steal our joy if we let them. Some outstanding believers have shared some rich insights on how to keep a right attitude when dealing with such Grinches:

The great Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, was once robbed. The thieves took everything of value that he had. Later that evening he wrote in his diary these words, “I am thankful that during these years I have never been robbed before. Also, even though they took my money, they did not take my life. Although they took all I had, it was not much. Finally, I am grateful that it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”

Oswald Chambers said, “To see that my adversary gives me my rights is natural; but…from our Lord’s standpoint it does not matter if I am defrauded or not; what does matter is that I do not defraud.”

Jonathon Edwards, a leader in the Great Awakening in the early days of this country said, “Resolved: that all men should live to the glory of God. Resolved second: that whether others do or not, I will.”

The attitude these men presented in these statements is what enabled them to remain open vessels, both in receiving and transmitting God’s love and power to others. One of the most important decisions you will ever make, and one of the great keys to living a successful Christian life, is to live out of love of God on the inside of you. If we don’t develop this as a skill and a discipline, we will most likely end up merely reacting to others based on their behavior. When we do this, we are no longer in control of our actions; we are truly allowing someone else to control us.

Don’t let someone else’s problem become your problem! Don’t let their sin get you into sin! Don’t let their carnality cause you to act carnally. Don’t live your life reacting to the problems of someone else’s flesh. Live your life responding to the power of God’s love on the inside of you!

DO YOU HAVE A “DISCIPLE” OR “CHURCH” MENTALITY?

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

DO YOU HAVE A “DISCIPLE” OR “CHURCH” MENTALITY?
Rev. Tony Cooke

We just recently conducted a “second generation” In Search of Timothy seminar. This seminar builds on the concepts presented in the book and in the original seminar. One of the principles we cover in this new seminar involves an observation a minister friend recently shared with me about the usage of the words “disciple” and “church” throughout the New Testament. Of course, we know that both of these are good words, but the frequency and ratio with which they are used as the New Testament progresses is very interesting.

In the gospels, the word church appears only 3 times, while disciple (or disciples) appears 242 times. That’s a pretty lop-sided ratio. In the book of Acts, things balance out a bit. Church or churches is used 20 times, while disciple or disciples is used 32 times. There’s a dramatic shift in the other direction, though, when we move into the epistles and the book of Revelation. There, church or churches is used 87 times, and disciple or disciples is not used a single time.

Is there significance in this changing ratio? I think there is. Here is one thought: A person could consider himself to be a disciple (a student, a learner, or pupil) on his own. If a person was stranded alone on a desert island with his Bible, he could learn about Jesus. However, he would still be lacking a spiritual community even though Jesus might be very precious to him.

A person can start out as a disciple of Jesus individually, but the farther he progresses in following the Lord and His teachings, the more he is going to be drawn to and integrated into the church—into vital, inter-dependent relationships with other believers. It’s not that we lose our individual relationship with the Lord; that will always be important. But the farther we go spiritually, the more the emphasis should be on we, not just on me.

Our personal relationship with God will always be vital and foundational, but that relationship will find enrichment, enhancement, and expression through mutually beneficial relationships with others in the Body of Christ. We can always profit from private time with God in prayer and study, but we should avoid excessive isolation from others. Can we know and love God individually? Certainly. But there is something very powerful about what David expressed in Psalm 34:3: “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Michael G. Moriarty expressed concern about the issue of excessive isolation when he said, “In evangelical individualism people think of their personal relationship with God in isolation (‘Just me and Jesus’) and forge their destiny apart from any church authority. While holding relatively low opinions of history, traditions, and the church, they turn to the experiences of self and isolate themselves from their brothers and sisters in the faith. True spirituality is perverted as it becomes a quest for inner stimulation rather than growth in biblical knowledge and the application of truth in community. Healthy Christians do not live in isolation.”

Our heart is to promote partnership in the Body of Christ, and we trust that you are enjoying and benefiting from the kind of teamwork that makes the dream work!

Zebras, Ostriches, and Corporate Grace by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Zebras, Ostriches, and Corporate Grace
Tony Cooke

Corporate Grace When believers think of God’s grace, they often think in terms of how it affects them personally. God certainly has grace for each of us individually, and He desires that His grace fully impact every area of our personal lives. But God’s grace is not just for me; God’s grace is for we. God intends that His grace flow freely amongst His children, and He wants all of His children to be conduits or distributors of His grace. This is why God distributed various and diverse gifts to different members of the Body of Christ (see Romans 12:4-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

God designed nature to illustrate the idea of mutual benefit in what we call “symbiotic relationships.” Symbiotic comes from two Greek words meaning “together living.” In biology, symbiotic relationships are those where two entities are interdependent upon one another and each benefits from the other.

For example, zebras and ostriches are often together in the wild. Ostriches have a very poor sense of smell and hearing, while zebras are proficient in those senses. Zebras, though, have poor eyesight, but ostriches have excellent vision. As a result, ostriches and zebras often move together, each benefiting from the other’s strength. Each is able to use its “strong” sense to help alert the other to danger. Another “mutualistic” relationship involves rhinos and a bird known as an oxpecker. This small feathered friend of the rhino rides around on its back, eating ticks and other parasites off of its hide. The oxpecker gets the benefit of food, while the rhino gets pest control. These may be rudimentary examples, but they remind us that God wants our relationships to be mutually beneficial.

Consider what Paul said to the church at Rome: “For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours” (Romans 1:11-12, NLT). The NKJV renders verse 12, “…that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”

The testimony of the early church was not simply about individuals enjoying an abundant life as everyone did their own thing and pursued their own interests. Rather, we read in Acts 4:33 that, “…great grace was upon them all.”If you read that verse in its entirety, this is what you see: “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” The verse before this says, “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul… (4:32).”

Are you catching the themes that are being highlighted here? Power, grace, unity. There is something dynamic about being vitally joined to others in a corporate atmosphere of grace and faith. The more we study Scripture, the more we see that God’s purpose and plan is that His grace permeate our churches and our relationships, not merely our individual lives.

When the church in Jerusalem began hearing of Gentiles being converted, they wisely sent Barnabas to find out what was happening. A man of lesser character might have observed these people and gotten stuck on their non-Jewish cultural practices, but Acts 11:23 says, “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Barnabas didn’t just see the grace of God on individuals; he saw the grace of God on congregations.

These newly formed congregations were vibrant and thriving. Barnabas didn’t see strife, confusion, or apathy. He saw the grace of God upon these believers corporately as they fellowshipped, worshipped, received the Word of God, and served together. Barnabas was glad because of what he saw! There was life flowing in and amongst them. God’s grace bound these believers together and energized their relationships.

Grace in Marriage

Peter described the roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives, and admonished couples to treat each other with respect and love (1 Peter 3:1-7). He concluded his statements by admonishing the husbands to, “…dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

“Relational grace” can make marriages rich with the Presence and the blessings of God. When couples are not functioning as “heirs together of the grace of life,” Peter indicates that the spiritual life of the couple can be hindered, even to the point of their prayers being hindered.

Grace is Contagious Through Relationships

One of the truths we see in the New Testament is that grace can be shared and transmitted from one person to another. Paul said to one group of believers, “…you all are partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1:7). He told others, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).

What an amazing thought! Grace is transmittable! It is accurate for us to think of receiving grace directly from God through His Word and His Spirit, but He also has made provision for us to be conduits and distributors of His grace toward others. In short, graced people speak gracious words and do gracious things. W.H. Griffith Thomas expressed this well when he said, “Grace is first a quality of graciousness in the Giver, and then a quality of gratitude in the recipient, which in turn makes him gracious to those around.”

Isaiah 32:8 says, “But a generous man devises generous things, and by generosity he shall stand.” If we adapt that principle and apply it to grace, it would seem true to say, “But a graced person devises gracious things, and by graciousness he shall stand.”

What would happen in homes if husbands and wives (as well as the kids) deeply partook of the grace of God and then released graciousness toward one another? What would that look like? This may sound idealistic, but you would see kindness, love, honor, and respect in great abundance, and I believe you would hear words of care, edification, and encouragement. Likewise, what would happen in churches if all the people received grace (and recognized the grace they’d already received), and then released that grace and graciousness toward others? I think it would be absolutely amazing!

Pastors are always mindful of their need to impart life to their church members. They recognize that God has called them to stand in a particular office and has graced and them to impart the Word of God to those under their care. It is important, though, to remember that church is not just about one “professional” minister blessing others. Churches (and marriages) both work best when everyone is receiving and sharing God’s grace.

The Bible teaches that relationships, when they are functioning well, are mutually beneficial. This is why we are told to:

Love one another (John 13:34)
Prefer one another (Romans 12:10)
Receive one another (Romans 15:7)
Admonish one another (Romans 15:14)
Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Forgive one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32)
Teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)
Increase and abound in love toward one another (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
Edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13)
Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another, that ye may be healed (James 5:16)
Be hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
Love one another (1 & 2 John, multiple references)

As each of us receives grace from God, He desires that we release that grace for the benefit of others. God has not called us to be grace hoarders. Interestingly, the very last verse of the entire Bible reads, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21). Grace is for us all, individually and corporately. Let’s enjoy it in our hearts and express it in our relationships.

The Strange Case of Brother Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Rev. Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

The Strange Case of Brother Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Rev. Tony Cooke

Brother Jekyll You’ve probably never heard of “Brother” Jekyll before. For this article, I’ve made a slight adjustment to the title of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel that was first published in 1886.

In Stevenson’s book, Dr. Henry Jekyll is a seemingly good, polite, decent, and respectable man. An experimental potion designed to purify his good side has the unfortunate effect of magnifying his darker side, which results in the emergence of his alter ego, Edward Hyde. Hyde is evil, monstrous, hateful, and murderous. He is the embodiment of evil. More than 100 years later, when people hear the term, “Jekyll and Hyde,” they still think of a person who is radically different in his moral character and behavior from one moment to another.

The reason I changed “Dr. Jekyll” to “Brother Jekyll” for this article is because I want to look at similar dynamics as it relates to a believer (or a so-called believer).

David expressed incredible pain in Psalm 55 as he described a betrayal that occurred at the hands of a Brother Jekyll-turned-Mr. Hyde that he described in the following way: “it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God” (Psalm 55:13-14, NLT). A few verses later, David said, “His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers” (Psalm 55:21, NLT).

Jesus exposed some Brother Jekyll’s when he said to the most religious people of his day, “…you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:25, 27-28, NLT).

Paul had run-ins with more than one Brother Jekyll. He said, “I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not” (2 Corinthians 11:26, NLT). In the Message version of 2 Thessalonians 3:2, Paul says, “And pray that we’ll be rescued from these scoundrels who are trying to do us in. I’m finding that not all ‘believers’ are believers.” How about you? Have you encountered some ‘believers’ who weren’t really believers? Or if they were, they sure didn’t conduct themselves as believers.

Believers (even spiritual leaders) being duplicitous is something that has been observed throughout church history. Because of their increased influence, the problem intensifies when it goes from being “Brother Jekyll” to “Rev. Jekyll”

Augustine said of certain preachers, “With their doctrine they build, and with their lives they destroy.”
John Bunyan said, “Saint abroad, and a devil at home.”
Charles Spurgeon, known as the Prince of Preachers, said, “It is a terribly easy matter to be a minister of the gospel and a vile hypocrite at the same time.”
Spurgeon also said, “It is of no use for any of you to try to be soul-winners if you are not bearing fruit in your own lives. How can you serve the Lord with your lips if you do not serve Him with your lives? How can you preach His gospel with your tongues, when with hands, feet, and heart you are preaching the devil’s gospel, and setting up an antichrist by your practical unholiness?”
In “Lectures to My Students,” Spurgeon said, “We have all heard the story of the man who preached so well and lived so badly, that when he was in the pulpit everybody said he ought never to come out again, and when he was out of it they all declared he never ought to enter it again.”
C.S. Lewis said, “Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst.”

As ministers and Christian leaders, our primary responsibility is not to look and act good publicly; it is to be truly transformed people. Genuine Christianity is substance-based, not image-based. That’s why the Apostle John said, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

George Whitfield was once asked if a certain individual was a good man. He wisely responded, "How should I know that? I never lived with him." I don’t think that God judges our spirituality or godliness based on how we act when people we want to impress are watching. I’m not saying that how we act in public or at church is unimportant, but I believe the ultimate test of spirituality is how we act at home with our spouse and our children, and how we act when no one is watching. John Maxwell said, “Image is what people think we are. Integrity is what we really are.”

As I write this (and as you read it), I pray that we are not like the self-righteous Pharisee that Jesus spoke of who, “…stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men…’” (Luke 18:11). Rather, I hope that we follow the example of David, who prayed, “Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, AMP).

May we daily consecrate ourselves before the Lord, and may we daily bear the fruit of Spirit in our lives. I pray that our lives will be singly expressive of God’s nature and character, and that no “Brother Jekyll, Mr. Hyde” business will tarnish our testimony or bring offense to others.

Christocentric By Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Christocentric
By Tony Cooke

I like that term. It simply means that the Lord Jesus Christ is at the center. If Scripture teaches anything, it teaches that Jesus is supreme, pre-eminent, and central in all things.

Colossians 1:16 and 19 in the Message version refers to Jesus and says that “…everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him,” and “…everything of God finds its proper place in him.” When you look at those verses in their broader context you see how strongly Paul emphasizes the centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:15-18 (NLT)
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ…

Each major section of the Bible presents a different aspect regarding Jesus’ character, person, and work.

The Old Testament is preparation for Jesus.
The Gospels are the manifestation of Jesus.
The Book of Acts is the propagation of Jesus‘ message.
The Epistles are the explanation of Jesus’ work.
The Revelation is the consummation of Jesus’ kingdom.

There seems to be a tendency among some, though, to make just about anything central except the Lord Jesus. People often get excited about a teaching, a movement, a doctrine, or a cause, and then place greater emphasis on that one issue than they do upon Jesus Himself. Whatever we teach, it must be grounded and centered in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Further, it must lead to His glory and honor.

“People Just Get Bored with Jesus”
Many of my minister-friends remember Pastor Sam Smith. Sam and his wife Donna established Faith Christian Center in Seekonk, Massachusetts and pastored there for many years before his retirement and departure to heaven. Sam was an outspoken, no-nonsense kind of guy who loved seeing people get saved. He would often comment how unfortunate it was that ministers seemed to chase every new wind of doctrine and became obsessed with fads, jumping from one extreme to another. He would remark, “People just get bored with Jesus.” What a sad (but true) commentary.

A Christocentric perspective does not mean we will not teach other biblical truths, but it means that we will keep Jesus central and supreme in what we teach. For example:

It is great to teach faith, but we need to remember that He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
It is important to teach grace, but we must remember that the grace we proclaim is nothing less than the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 15:11 and thirteen similar references).
It is outstanding to teach eschatology, but it is His coming that we anticipate.
Worship is wonderful, but we don’t worship the act of worship; we worship Him.
Leadership is great, but only if we are leading people into a closer relationship with Jesus and more effective service for Him.
It is tremendous to teach holiness, but we must remember that He is the basis and source of our holiness.
We want to proclaim and see the gifts of the Spirit in operation, but they are to glorify Him.

Church history, for example, has witnessed some groups becoming focused on water baptism (and specific beliefs and practices about baptism) almost to the exclusion of other important New Testament emphases. Instead of keeping baptism in its proper context, an “altar” is built around water baptism, and more emphasis is seemingly placed upon it than upon the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Baptism is important; I am not disputing that. What I am saying is that baptism, in and of itself (without faith in and focus on Jesus), is a mere ritual. Its significance does not exist apart from the very Person of the Lord Jesus and its portrayal of our identification with His death, burial, and resurrection. He is what makes baptism important.

Likewise, we have heard teaching on spiritual warfare and demonology that magnifies demons and demonic power more than it does the Lord Jesus Christ. Any legitimate teaching should make us more aware of, conscious of, and impressed with Jesus, not with the enemies He has dethroned and defeated.

Holding Fast to the Head
Paul gave an indication of how we would recognize false teachers (Colossians 2:19). He said that such individuals are, “…not holding fast to the Head,” and that is a direct reference to the Lord Jesus. The NLT renders it, “… and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body.” Before we teach or receive teaching, perhaps we should stop and ask certain questions:

How does this relate to Jesus, the Head?
How is connected, and how does it connect us, to Him?
How does it glorify, honor, and exalt Him?
Does this teaching accurately reflect and represent His words, His work, and His nature?

Jesus certainly was not shy or backward about declaring His own centrality, but there was not an ounce of arrogance or pride within Him. Jesus simply knew who He was and what He had come to do. Consider the following:

John 5:39 (NLT)
39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

John 14:6 (NKJV)
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Luke 24:27 (NKJV)
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Revelation 22:13 (NKJV)
13 “ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

If anyone else made such statements, we would be aghast at their delusional grandiosity and their off-the-charts narcissism, but Jesus was merely speaking the truth.

Being Christocentric in one’s theology does not exclude or diminish the importance of the Father or the Holy Spirit. Not only did the Holy Spirit empower Jesus for ministry (Acts 10:38), but Jesus said, “…when the Helper comes… the Spirit of truth… He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). John 16:14 says that the Holy Spirit will bring glory to Jesus by revealing to us whatever He (the Holy Spirit) receives from Jesus.

The Father also drew attention to Jesus when He said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5, ESV). Then, in Hebrews 1:6 and 9 we read more of God the Father’s testimony of Jesus:

But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

Paul’s description of the way God the Father honored Jesus is outstanding:

Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)
9 …God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We can rest assured that there is no tension, friction, jealousy, or competition amongst the members of the Trinity; they work in absolute perfect harmony, and whenever you exalt Jesus, you are also honoring the Father and the Spirit. Scripture reveals just how flawless their sense of teamwork is when we learn that the day is coming, “…when he [Jesus] will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24, NLT).

It would do us well to seriously consider if what we teach is truly drawing people to Jesus and exalting Him as He deserves, or are we guilty of disseminating doctrinal distractions and diversions? Are we bringing clarity or clutter when it comes to His glory, centrality, and preeminence. Jesus is not someone we “use” to get something else. In other words, He is not merely a “means to an end.” Jesus is our means and our end! He is both “the way” and He is our destination!

May you be richly blessed as you hold fast to Christ, the Head, and as you keep the Lord Jesus central in all that you do and say.

The Blood Still Speaks Skit

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

The Blood Still Speaks

This is an illustrated sermon. It not only includes a message, but also involves a dramatization of a courtroom scene portraying the victorious redemption brought to the believer through the shed blood and broken body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Cast

Pastor: _____________________ (wireless headset)

Judge: _____________________ (mic at Judge’s table; wears black robe; carries himself with dignity and confidence; has a kind demeanor; knows the end from the beginning)

Bailiff: _____________________(wireless headset; wears Law Enforcement uniform; very sober and business-like)

Advocate: _____________________ (wireless headset; carries himself with great poise and confidence; pleasant, comforting, and reassuring to the accused; knows before trials starts that he’ll win, but not cocky; wholesome and sharply dressed)

Voice: _____________________ (will be reading from mic at the Sound Booth; dignified voice, convicting and sincere, but not overly dramatic)

Accused: _____________________ (wireless headset; wears normal street clothes – looks like the average guy on the street – not overly dressed up; goes from nervous at the beginning to confident and victorious at the ending; he does trust the Advocate, but is troubled by the happenings and the accusations)

Prosecutor: _____________________ (wireless headset; slick, crafty; very sharply dressed… preferably in black)

Props

* Judge’s Bench with Witness Stand
* Black Robe
* Scales
* Very Large Bible
* Gavel
* Chalice with Juice in it
* Bread with "Easel" to hold it up
* Handkerchief for the Advocate
* Table for the Prosecution with One Chair
* Large Stack of Paperwork (the prosecution’s evidence) along with box of video-tapes
* Two-wheeler
* Table for the Defense with Two Chairs

Introduction by Pastor

Our world today seems to be full of courtrooms and trials.

* Perry Mason
* LA Law
* Law and Order
* Family Law
* Divorce Court
* Judge Judy
* Judge Joe Brown
* Judge Mills Lane
* Judge Wapner’s Animal Court
* The Peoples’ Court
* Cable Channel: Court TV

It seems like people in society today are obsessed with issues of guilt and innocence, with conviction and acquittal.

Even though Perry Mason may have achieved 100% accuracy when it came to the guilty party being convicted, it’s commonly known that human justice is not perfect.

Innocent people have been convicted of crimes they did not commit, and guilty people have sometimes gone free due to a lack of evidence or some loophole in the law.

There is a Court of Justice, however, where the Judge rules in Absolute Righteousness and with Perfect Flawlessness.

His throne is one before which we have been invited to come boldly; it is called "The Throne of Grace."

Those who resist Him, and oppose Him, however, will one day stand before what the Bible calls "The Great White Throne Judgment."

One way or another, we will all stand before Him.

Today, I want us to look at some Scriptures and an illustrated story that I believe will help us understand that Judge and his System of Justice.

GENESIS 4:8
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let’s go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don’t know," he replied. "Am I my brother’s keeper?"

4:10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Abel’s blood, according to God, "said something."

1. It spoke on behalf of the innocent victim.
2. It pronounced judgment on the offender.

In the book of Hebrews, the author begins to speak of the Law, and of course, there were penalties that were connected to the breaking of the Law.

HEBREWS 12:18-25

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned." 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear." 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

The blood of Jesus speaks a better word than that of Abel’s blood!

It was good that the blood of Abel spoke on behalf of the innocent victim, but it is better that the blood of Jesus speaks on behalf of the guilty sinner!
It was justice that the blood of Abel pronounced judgment on the offender, but it is mercy that the blood of Jesus brings salvation and forgiveness to the offender!

This bread has something to say to you today!

This cup has something to say to you today!

It’s not the physical symbol audibly communicating to your physical ear.

We are not trying to tell you that inanimate objects have vocal cords and utter syllables, but many things have a message and a story…

A trophy speaks of accomplishment.

A scar speaks of a past wound.

A smile speaks of pleasantness.

Litter speaks of someone’s carelessness.

The Statue of Liberty speaks of freedom and opportunity.

You need to know today that the blood of Jesus speaks!

It speaks for you and to you.

Why is this important?

(Prosecutor enters)

Because Adam’s transgression speaks against you.

Your past speaks against you.

Your sins speak against you.

The Law of Sin and Death speak against you.

Satan himself, the one called "the accuser of the brethren," speaks against you.

I want you to listen today as we witness a courtroom scene… to a trial… that I believe portrays what every Christian must come to terms with.

Beginning of Skit

The Prosecutor has entered from stage right. He is pushing a two-wheeler loaded with documents. He has a look of evil glee on his face as he brings his mounds of evidence to the trial. He carefully unloads and stacks his evidence on the table – piles of paper and boxes of video tapes. He has "the goods" on the accused, and he knows it. He is arrogant and haughty. When the accused comes in, he begins to make taunting, intimidating gestures toward the him.

Once the Prosecutor begins to get his stacks of evidence in order, the Advocate and Accused enter from the back of the sanctuary.

PROSECUTOR (to audience): I absolutely love trials that are a slam dunk! I’m going to absolutely destroy this guy! I’ve got so much evidence on him that it’s unbelievable. I’ve got documentation, both written and on video, of every rotten thing this guy’s ever done. (holds up a couple of pieces of his documentation as he says it)

Everybody thinks that this is a pretty good guy, but he’s nothing but a sinner. He’s come way short of the glory of God. He’s sinned, and we all know what the wages of sin are, don’t we? Death!

The Advocate is calm and confident. He walks as though he’s ready to "take care of business." The accused, however, is a bit un-nerved. He’s tagging right behind the Advocate, and is asking questions nervously. The Accused listens as the Advocate calmly reassures him, but still remains quite apprehensive and uncomfortable. Close to the front of the sanctuary, they both stop, and the Advocate takes his handerkchief out and wipes the brow of the Accused. (None of this interaction is out-loud at this point.) They make their way to the Defense table and are seated.

PASTOR: The charges that are being brought against this defendant are more serious than misdemeanor charges. They are more serious than felony charges.

The verdict that will be reached is an eternal one. Not only does the temporal well-being of the accused hang in the balance, but also his eternal destiny.

Exactly what kind of a trial is this?

It is a criminal trial — the accused is a spiritual lawbreaker!

It is a custody battle – the accused had become the child of the wrong family… he had become the citizen of the wrong kingdom.

It is an inheritance dispute – the accused had been stripped and robbed of the glorious inheritance that was meant to be his.

Let’s listen in and see how this trial progresses:

ACCUSED TO ADVOCATE: (Distressed) Do you see the evidence he’s got! Thousands of pages, and the videos! How on earth do I even stand a chance with the past I’ve got?

ADVOCATE TO ACCUSED: (Calmly, but confidently, putting hand on the Accused’s arm to calm him down) Don’t worry. You’ve accepted me as your Advocate. I am representing you today. I have never lost a case when I have been accepted and trusted. By the way, I’ve got some witnesses here today that will testify on your behalf.

ACCUSED TO ADVOCATE: I’m glad to hear that… especially since he has thousands of pieces of evidence. How many witnesses do you have?

ADVOCATE TO ACCUSED: Two.

ACCUSED TO ADVOCATE: Just two?

ADVOCATE TO ACCUSED: Trust me, that’s all we’ll need. By the way, did I tell you that the Judge is my Dad?

(Accused seems surprised and somewhat relieved, but still fairly inquisitive as to what all is happening)

Bailiff and Judge walk in from stage left. Bailiff takes his place, and the Judge goes to his chair.

BAILIFF: Please rise for the Honorable Righteous Judge… His court is now in session… You may be seated.

JUDGE: (Raps Gavel) What are the charges being brought this day?

PROSECUTOR: Your Honor, this man (pointing to the accused) is nothing but a rank sinner. He’s broken every Law in Your Book. You know the 10 Commandments? He’s broken every one. You know the 6 things you said you hate? Proverbs 6? He’s done all of those, too.

I’ve got all the proof you’d ever need. Caught him in the very act. Bottom line is that he’s a rank sinner. You yourself said that the wages of sin are death!

BAILIFF: Would the accused please stand. (Accused and Advocate stand)

JUDGE: How do you plead to these charges?

ACCUSED: (Hesitates considerably, looks back and forth from the Advocate to the Prosecutor; Finally, the Advocate leans over and whispers in his ear) Your Honor, I plead the blood. (Prosecutor falls over backward in his chair.)

ADVOCATE: Your Honor, I have a witness (signals to Bailiff) whose testimony today will make null and void every accusation brought against my client. So much so, that once this witness has spoken, all of this so-called evidence will be deemed inadmissible.

Your Honor, I call the cup to the witness stand.

(At this point, the Bailiff has gone to the Communion Table, gets the chalice, and brings it to the witness stand)

BAILIFF: Please state your name.

(Once the cup begins to speak, all parties should focus on it)

CUP: I am the cup of the Lords Table. I am the emblem of the precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the blood of the everlasting covenant.

BAILIFF: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

CUP: I do.

JUDGE: Tell us what you know.

CUP: The things spoken by the prosecution and his evidence were true at one time. However, that is before I got involved.

The One in whose veins I flowed, Jesus the Son of God, lived sinlessly. Then He gave His life as a Ransom for many, as a Sacrifice for all people.

As His Body hung on the cross, I was flowing from Him, from where the nails pierced His hands and His feet. I was flowing for the Remission of this man’s sins.

Because He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as His Savior…

* I have cleansed him.
* I have washed him.
* I have purified him.
* I have justified him.
* I have delivered him from the Kingdom of Darkness, and have translated him into the Kingdom of God’s own Son.
* I have made him "nigh unto God," given Him peace with God, and made him a Son of God.
* I have purged his conscience from dead works so that he might serve the Living God.
* I testify that I, the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, did in fact redeem this man, and through me, he is totally forgiven.

JUDGE: I accept the testimony of the cup. I pronounce the defendant not guilty by testimony of the blood.

PROSECUTOR: All right! Maybe the spiritual and eternal penalty has been taken care of. But your Honor, it’s not right that this defendant should get off that easy.

Sickness and disease have every right to rule in this man’s body while he’s here on this earth. Even if his sins are forgiven, sickness and disease are a very small price for him to pay considering all he’s done!

ADVOCATE: Your Honor, I would like to call one more witness (signals to Bailiff) – the Bread – to the witness stand. (Bailiff goes to the Communion Table, gets the bread, and sets it on the Witness Stand next to the cup)

BAILIFF: Please state your name.

BREAD: I am the Bread of the Communion Table. I am emblematic of the broken body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

BAILIFF: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

BREAD: I do.

JUDGE: Your testimony?

BREAD: Even as the blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins, I was broken for the healing of bodies.

Stripes were laid upon me so that man could be whole in every sense.

I bore man’s sicknesses and diseases.

I bore his pains and infirmities.

I carried it away and made full provision for man to be well.

What I bore, he need not bear.

What I carried, he need not endure.

The blood provided spiritual sustenance, but I provide physical sustenance.

(The Prosecutor becomes increasingly dejected and deflated as the bread speaks… toward the end, he slinks out of the courtroom, exiting stage right.)

JUDGE: Would the defendant please stand?

On the basis of the testimony of the Cup and the Bread, I declare you to be innocent, forgiven, and free.

I want you to take these elements with you.

(Bailiff hands the Accused the cup and the bread)

If you ever feel guilty.

If you ever feel condemned.

If you ever feel ashamed.

If the Accuser ever speaks to you again…

Look to these…

Listen to these…

They will always speak to you, and they will always speak for you.

You are free.

Case dismissed! (Raps Gavel)

Prosecutor is already gone.

The Bailiff, The Judge, the Accused, and the Advocate all exit stage left.

End of Skit

Concluding Comments by Pastor

We read earlier that the blood of Christ speaks of better things than that of Abel’s.

I’m here to tell you today that you need an Advocate with the Father.

Everyone of us will stand before God, and the fact is, that we’ve all sinned and come short of the glory of God.

The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.

These scales represent justice and judgment. What will happen when your life is placed on the scales. Will sin and unrighteousness cause you to be found wanting? Or will the testimony of the blood of Jesus, speaking on your behalf, cause the scales to tip in your favor?

You will be the one to decide.

1JOHN 2:1
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have (an Advocate) one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Altar Call

Recommended Concluding Song: One Drop of Blood, by Ray Boltz

Bones in the Body

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

BONES IN THE BODY By Rev. Tony Cooke

Various Scriptures remind us that the Church is the Body of Christ in the earth. For example, 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” Ephesians 5:30 tells us, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.”

Realizing this, have you every stopped to think about what kind of “bones” are in the church today? I believe that not all of the bones in the church are bones that are supposed to be there. Let me mention a few…

1. There are WISHBONES in the Church.

A wishbone is the individual who, no matter how good things are, is always wishing for something better. The wishbone can be identified by his unrealistic expectations, constant disappointment and discontentment, and always looking at the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Instead of being thankful and being a part of the solution, he is always focusing on imperfections in the church.

2. There are JAWBONES in the Church.

As you can probably guess, jawbones are those bones in the body that are talking when they ought not to be, and saying things they ought not to say. I am convinced that the devil cannot destroy churches without the help and cooperation of people, and that the most powerful weapon in his arsenal is the undisciplined tongue of a believer. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

3. There are FUNNY BONES in the Church.

Although you may talk about bumping your "funny bone" there’s really no such bone in your body. The bone of the upper arm is called the humerus, behind which is a nerve called the ulnar nerve. When you hit your elbow a certain way, an uncomfortable tingling sensation goes up and down your entire arm, making it feel numb for a time. In the church, the funny bone is that person who is touchy, who wears their feelings on their sleeve, and gets offended easily. To be effective in life, we’ve got to have some toughness about us. We can’t be moved by other people, even when they’re wrong. Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

4. There are DRY BONES in the Church.

Dry bones speak of church members who are bored, listless, and lifeless. Dry bones are folks who have lost the joy of their salvation. God showed the prophet Ezekiel a vision involving dry bones (you can read about this in Ezekiel 37).

5. There are TRICK KNEES in the Church.

Naturally speaking, people sometimes have legitimate injuries to a certain joint in their body (shoulder, elbow, ankle, knee, etc.). There are others, though, who have feigned difficulty with a certain joint—often the knee—as a convenient excuse to get out of certain responsibilities.

For example, one man’s wife asked him to mow the yard, to clean out the gutters, to fix the fence, and to clean the garage, but he couldn’t because his trick knee had just acted. However, when his friend called and wanted to play golf, it was remarkable how quickly it felt better! When he was asked about how his knee could go bad when chores needed to be done but recovered when he had a chance to play golf, his response was, "That’s the trick!" The Trick-Knee Christian is the one who makes excuses instead of embracing responsibility.

In the New Testament, there are two basins, and each of them tells a very powerful story. The first basin is the one from which Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. This was the basin of accepted responsibility. The second basin is the one in which Pilate washed his hands. This was the basin of abandoned responsibility. God needs us to embrace Kingdom responsibilities!

6. There are BACKBONES in the Church.

Anatomically speaking, the backbone is the column of bones that supports and sustains man’s entire frame. We use the term figuratively to describe fortitude, firmness, determination, and dependability. In the Body of Christ, the backbones are those members who serve God with fervor and without reservation. Those who are the backbone of the body are those upon whom God knows He can depend.

Churches will never be strong if they’re full of wishbones, jawbones, funny bones, dry bones, and trick knees. May God help all of us be part of the backbone in the Body of Christ!

Birth and Growth by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Birth and Growth
Tony Cooke

Tony Cooke I recently saw what I thought was an interesting quote by the late Dallas Willard, and I posted it on Facebook. His statement was:

"In many seeker-sensitive churches, the focus is on getting people to confess Christ as a basis for going to heaven when they die. I don’t want to diminish the importance of that, because you’re going to be dead a lot longer than you’re alive, so you ought to be ready for that. But it is possible to lose sight of character transformation as a serious element for the people you’re bringing in. We need to do both of those things."

As people responded, I realized that for many, the critical issue was the usage of the phrase “seeker sensitive.” To some, that phrase means an abdication of the gospel and a renunciation of the involvement of the Holy Spirit. To others, it simply means that churches should think through how their message and ministry is coming across to unbelievers, and endeavor to communicate the gospel effectively to them.

With this and other hot-button topics, it is absolutely essential that we define our terms. For example, the term “faith movement” was a bane to some, while to others, it was a blessing. Some saw it as a materialistic, name-it-claim-it attempt to manipulate God, while others saw it as a refreshing emphasis on the integrity of God’s Word and a rediscovery of wonderful, scriptural truths such as our identity in Christ, the authority of the believer, and our redemptive rights and privileges.

When you stop and think about it, it’s not a term itself that’s right or wrong. It’s how we apply the concepts and ideas—whether we stay scripturally accurate—that determines whether we are staying true to God and His Word.

Having said that, please go back to the above quote by Willard, try not to get hung up by the term “seeker sensitive,” and consider what he says.

The insight I thought was helpful in this quote was that our focus, as ministers of the gospel, should include both “new birth” and “growth.” I don’t want to just see people born-again (although I recognize that is primary and essential). I also want to see people grow in Christ, hence, “character transformation.”

These dual, complementary goals of ministry are seen consistently throughout the New Testament.

In Galatians 4:19, Paul said, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you…” He had labored (in the gospel, by the power of the Spirit) for them to have been born-again to begin with, and now his goal is to see them continue in Christ unto maturity.

In Colossians 1:28-29, Paul states, “Him [Christ] we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”

The dual-focus of new-birth and growth is also seen in Colossians 2:6-7: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught…”

Paul admonished the Romans to, “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2). The point? While we want people to be Spirit-born, Spirit-filled, and Spirit-led, we also want to promote people being Spirit-formed.

Peter also promoted character transformation/development among those to whom he ministered (2 Peter 1:5-8): “…for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All spiritual life and growth is a work of the Holy Spirit and is based on the redemptive work of Christ. However, that does not make us passive, distant, or uninvolved observers in the process. Peter said, “…Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:1-2). Apparently, we have some role in the process. I don’t believe we are our own “source” in any way, but we do cooperate with God, yielding to what He has done for us and is doing in us.

Of course, we look to the ministry of the Word and the Holy Spirit to see the new birth and spiritual growth (or character transformation) take place. It is not something we do apart from Him, but we do have a part to play. Paul said, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God…” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

When I have the privilege of preaching the gospel and seeing people respond to God, I recognize that “I” did not save that person. What brought about the new birth in that person is the power of the Holy Spirit working on their heart through the gospel. When I teach the word of God and people are helped, strengthened, or grow spiritually, I recognize that “I” am not their source or the real “change agent” in the process, but all of us, as ministers and encouragers, are privileged to be a part of that process. I think this idea is reflected in Paul’s statement, “…we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Again, the insight I thought was helpful in Willard’s quote was that our focus, as ministers of the gospel, should include both “new birth” and “growth.” May God bless you richly as you labor to see all of God’s plan fulfilled in the lives of people.

Benefits and Benefactors by Rev. Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Benefits and Benefactors
Rev. Tony Cooke

benefits and benefactors Everyone likes benefits! One of the great insights students of the Bible receive is that God offers benefits to His children. A prime example is found in Psalm 103.

Psalm 103:2-5
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

As important as it is to not forget His benefits, it is paramount that we give praise to the Benefactor. Keep in mind, these are not just benefits, but they are His benefits. If there is no benefactor there are no benefits. A benefactor is one whose actions benefit another, one who makes a gift, or bestows a favor. The word is derived from two Latin words, bene (good) and facio (to make or do).

Philanthropists often make news when they make large financial donations to charity. For example, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have drawn considerable attention in recent years as they have given billions of dollars to charitable causes. In addition, they challenged other wealthy people to give at least half of their fortunes to the charities of their choice. Warren Buffett made this pledge: “More than 99% of my wealth will go to philanthropy during my lifetime or at death.”

There is no greater benefactor, though, than God Himself!

Psalm 84:11 tells us that, “…No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
Psalm 115:16 says, “…the earth He has given to the children of men.”
John 3:16 declares that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”
In Luke 12:32 Jesus told the disciples, “…it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Paul spoke of God’s benevolence toward us in Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
Peter also magnified God as the greatest benefactor of all when he said (2 Peter 1:3), “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…”

Jesus Had Benefactors
When Jesus was on this earth, God raised up certain benefactors to enable Him to carry out His assignment. Let’s look at three of these:

When the wise men from the east arrived, Matthew 2:11 (NLT) tells us, “…they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

Jesus was worshipped, and those worshipping Him (Gentiles) brought valuable gifts from their treasures. No doubt these gifts were the resources which enabled Joseph to take his young family to Egypt and to be sustained there until Herod died.

Jesus and His team had ministry “partners” who provided regular financial support. Luke 8:2-3 (Wuest) mentions many women, “…who were of such a nature that they kept on supplying them with food and the other necessities of life out of their possessions.”

The Williams Translation of this verse also brings out the regular and consistent nature of their benevolence: “…and many other women, who continued to contribute to their needs out of their personal means.”

Even in his death, Jesus had benefactors: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Matthew 27:57-60 tells us that Joseph was a rich man who requested the body of Jesus from Pilate, prepared it for burial, and “placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of rock.” John 19:39 informs us Nicodemus joined Joseph in helping prepare Jesus’ body for burial, and that he, “…brought seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. “ William Barclay says, “Nicodemus brought enough spices for the burial of a king.” The New American Commentary says, "It was truly an immense amount of spice. Indeed, it was enough spice to bury a king royally."

Benefactors Were Important in the Early Church
Many made significant contributions to the church in Jerusalem, but one is singled out. Acts 4:36-37 says, “And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement)… having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” The Apostle Paul certainly valued the church in Philippi as benefactors of his ministry (Philippians 4:15-16).

Though not necessarily a person of great financial means, Dorcas, a New Testament believer in Joppa, possessed the heart of a benefactor. Acts 9:36 says, “She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.” When she died, Peter came, and verse 39 says, “The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.” Of course, it was a great miracle that she was raised from the dead, but we shouldn’t overlook the tremendous blessing she was to others.

Our Prayer?
When we think about benefactors and benefits, it’s natural to want to pray, “God send me a benefactor! Send someone like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet across my path!”

But let me suggest a better prayer. Why not make it our prayer, “Lord, make me a benefactor!” We’ve probably all heard the phrase: “If God can get it through you, God will get it to you.”

Paul envisioned the Corinthian believers receiving grace from God to become benefactors (2 Corinthians 9:8-9, Amplified): “And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!”

May we all seek to be benefactors – may it be said of us that we were those whose actions benefitted humanity, that we were great gift-givers and favor-bestowers. May we be those who were known for doing good and blessing others. And let’s not limit this to financial areas… let’s be benefactors in every area of our lives. May our deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence go on and endure forever!

How Precious is This Book? By Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

How Precious is This Book?
By Rev. Tony Cooke

“So great is my veneration for the Bible that …the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident will be my hopes that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible once every year.”
– John Quincy Adams

“I speak as a man of the world to men of the world; and I say to you, Search the Scriptures! The Bible is the book of all others, to be read at all ages, and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once or twice or thrice through, and then laid aside, but to be read in small portions of one or two chapters every day, and never to be intermitted, unless by some overruling necessity.”
– John Quincy Adams

“In what light soever we regard the Bible, whether with reference to revelation, to history, or to morality, it is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.”
– John Quincy Adams

“The first and almost the only Book deserving of universal attention is the Bible.”
– John Quincy Adams

“The Bible is no mere book, but a living Power that conquers all that oppose it.”
– Napoleon Bonaparte

“The American nation from its first settlement at Jamestown to this hour is based upon and permeated by the principles of the Bible.”
– Justice David Joseph Brewer, Supreme Court Justice

“I believe the Bible because it is the Word of God.”
– William Jennings Bryan

“I know the Bible is inspired because it finds me a greater depth of my being than any other book.”
– Samuel Taylor Coolidge

“It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom.”
– Horace Greeley

“I have always believed in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, whereby they have become the expression to man of the Word and will of God.”
– Warren G. Harding

“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.”
– Patrick Henry

“That book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.”
– Andrew Jackson

“The Bible contains more true sublimity, more exquisite beauty, more pure morality, more important history, and finer strains of poetry and eloquence than can be collected from all other books, in whatever age or language they may have been written.”
– Sir William James

“Of the hundreds of thousands of artifacts found by the archaeologists, not one has ever been discovered that contradicts, or denies one word, phrase, clause, or sentence of the Bible . . . but always confirms, and verifies the facts of the Biblical record.”
– Dr. J.O. Kinnaman

“In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.”
– Robert E. Lee

“All the good from the Savior of the World is communicated through this Book . . . All the things desirable to man are contained in it.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, I believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man. All the good Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for this Book we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it. To you I return my most sincere thanks for the elegant company of the great Book of God which you present.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“I consider an intimate knowledge of the Bible an indispensable qualification of a well-educated man.”
– Dr. Robert A. Milliken

“We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authority in the Bible than in any profane history whatever.”
– Sir Isaac Newton

“I thoroughly believe in a university education…but I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without the Bible. Everyone who has a thorough knowledge of the Bible may truly be called educated.”
– Dr. Wm. Lyon Phelps, Yale University

“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

“Make it the first morning business of your life to understand some part of the Bible clearly, and make it your daily business to obey it in all that you do understand.”
– John Ruskin

“There is only one Book – the Bible.”
– Sir Walter Scott

“The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever-growing influence of the Bible.”
– William Henry Seward

“Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.”
– Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“You ask me what I think of Christ? He is the Chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely – my Lord, my Saviour, and my God. What do I think of the Bible? It is the infallible Word of God, a light erected all along the shores of time to warn against the rocks and breakers, and to show the only way to harbor of eternal rest.”
– William Strong

“The Bible is the moral code of civilization.”
– Harry S. Truman

“A loving trust in the Author of the Bible is the best preparation for a wise and profitable study of the Bible itself.”
– H.C. Trumbull

“After all, the Bible must be its own argument and defense. The power of it can never be proved unless felt. The authority of it can never be supported unless it is manifest. The light of it can never be demonstrated unless it shines.”
– Henry Van Dyke

“I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study—more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when men and women are apt to decide questions from the standpoint of expediency rather than on the eternal principles laid down by God Himself.”
– John Wanamaker

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
– George Washington

“If there is anything in my thoughts or style to commend, the credit is due to my parents for instilling in me an early love of the Scriptures. If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity.”
– Daniel Webster

“The Bible is our only safe guide.”
– Daniel Webster

“A man had deprived himself of the best there is in the world who has deprived himself of this, a knowledge of the Bible. When you have read the Bible, you will know it is the Word of God, because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty.”
– Woodrow Wilson

“I am sorry for the men who do not read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and of the pleasure.”
– Woodrow Wilson

“It is very difficult for an individual who knows the Scripture every to get away from it…it forms a part of the warp and woof of his life.”
– Woodrow Wilson

“This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe in it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibilities, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”
– Unknown

The text that led to Martin Luther’s conversion, and inspired the Reformation: “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17)

The text which more deeply influenced the life of John Knox: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

The text which saved William Cowper from suicide: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Romans 3:24-25).

John Bunyan’s favorite text: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37).

The text which challenged David Livingstone: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Just use me – I am the Bible.

I am God’s wonderful library.

I am always – and above all – The Truth.

To the weary pilgrim, I am a good strong staff.

To the one who sits in gloom, I am a glorious light.

To those who stoop beneath heavy burdens, I am sweet rest.

To him who has lost his way, I am a safe guide.

To those who have been hurt by sin, I am healing balm.

To the discouraged, I whisper glad messages of hope.

To those who are distressed by the storms of life, I am an anchor.

To those who suffer in lonely solitude, I am a cool, soft hand resting on a fevered brow.

O, child of man, to best defend me, just use me!

– Unknown

The Bible in 50 Words

God made, Adam bit, Noah arked, Abraham split, Jacob fooled, Joseph ruled, Bush talked, Moses balked; Pharaoh plagued, people walked. Sea divided, tablets guided, Promise landed. Saul freaked, David peeked, prophets warned, Jesus born. God walked, love talked, anger crucified, hope died. Love rose, Spirit flamed, Word spread, God remained.

Beautiful Giving by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Beautiful Giving
by Tony Cooke

During the Christmas season, much is said about giving, and rightly so. “For God so loved the world that He gave…” is perhaps the most profound and sublime statement in all of Scripture. Jesus gave totally and completely of Himself, and thank God that He did. We have life today—eternal life and abundant life—because of how He gave. We know that we have infinite value because of Jesus giving Himself for us and to us.

Giving from the heart (not from compulsion, guilt, pressure, manipulation, etc.) energizes both givers and recipients, and expresses the beauty of grace.

Gerda Weissmann Klein remarked, “Most people think the Holocaust camps were like snake pits – that people stepped on each other for survival. It wasn’t like that at all. There was kindness, support, understanding. A childhood friend of mine, Ilse, once found a raspberry in the camp and carried it in her pocket all day to present to me that night on a leaf. Those are the moments I want to remember. People behaved nobly under unspeakable circumstances.”

That’s grace! That’s beautiful giving! While Jesus was the greatest giver of all, He was also a recipient of the generosity of others. I want us to look at some of the gifts Jesus received while here on earth.

1. The Gifts of the Wise Men

Matthew 2:11

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Have you ever stopped to think of the significance of these gifts?

Gold was a gift for a king – a precious metal suitable for royalty.
Frankincense was a gift suited for a priest – in the Old Testament, frankincense was one of the ingredients in the perfume of the sanctuary and was used in accompaniment with certain offerings.
Myrrh was a gift for one who would die – among other things, myrrh was used in the embalming process. In this case, it spoke of and foreshadowed the fact that Jesus had come to die to take away the sin of the world.

2. The Gifts of Friends

Luke 8:1-3 describes Jesus traveling and ministering with the twelve, and also mentions certain women by name (such as Mary Magdalene and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s business manager) and other unnamed women, “…who were of such a nature that they kept on supplying them with food and the other necessities of life out of their possessions” (Luke 8:3, Wuest). Jesus lived a life of giving, but He also received from others.

3. The Extravagant Gift of Devotion

Shortly before His death, a woman came to Jesus with a very costly flask of perfume and poured it on His head. Judas and others were angry at the seeming waste, because the value of this perfume was equivalent to a year’s wages. Instead of sharing in their indignation, Jesus said: “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14:6-9).

In this passage, one can see Jesus’ appreciation for the gift that was bestowed upon Him. I especially like His recognition that, “She has done what she could.” There was something about this that truly touched Jesus’ heart. In the Greek, that literally reads, “What she had she did.” This woman’s giving was not mechanical or obligatory; it came from her heart, and it impressed Jesus.

Ministers often promote giving, but we see that Jesus also received. We pray that this will be a season of receiving and giving for you. We pray that your heart will be open to realize that when it comes to God, “What He had, He did.” He’s done so much and continues to do so much for all of us. And as you partake of His blessings and strength, may you then be a conduit of His grace to others.

Celebrating a Giver

We want to honor someone who’s been a great giver. Carolyn Zumwalt and her husband, Claude, were Sunday School teachers at the church where Lisa and I served as janitors during our first year of Bible school (we later served on the pastoral staff there). We were newly married “kids” and they took us under their wing and showed us many kindnesses. Claude went home to be with the Lord a couple of years ago, and Carolyn found great help and comfort from our book, “Life After Death – Rediscovering Life After the Loss of a Loved One.” Since that time, she’s given away 360 copies of the book to others to help them deal with their losses. Carolyn recently shared the following with us:

“The reason I’ve given so many copies of ‘Life After Death’ away is because of how much the book helped me following the death of my husband, Claude. I’ve read the book three times, and it helped me to know that I was not going crazy and that I was not alone. Through your book, the Lord helped me through the whole process, as bad as it was. In a manner of speaking, it really was my salvation.

It’s been amazing how the Lord has directed my path to people in need of your book. Then they come back and tell what a blessing it has been to them. Many have said the book was ‘exactly what they needed.’ I met a lady today in Wal-Mart who had just lost her daughter. I reached in my purse and handed her your book. I led a grief recovery group twice at my church and I gave each person one of your books. They all agreed it was such a blessing to their lives. Thank you so much for writing this book.”

One of the things we appreciate about Carolyn is that this isn’t something she just does during the holidays. It’s a lifestyle for her. It’s still true, though, that the holidays can be an especially difficult time for those who have lost loved ones. If you know someone who could benefit from “Life After Death,” you can order a copy by clicking here.

Multiple Expressions of Giving

Many thoughts of giving this year revolve around material things, but let me encourage you to be mindful of the other types of giving that are so important. Someone compiled a list of eight things we can all give (and receive):

Give the Gift of Listening – Really listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening.
Give the Gift of Affection – Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.
Give the Gift of Laughter – Clip cartoons, share articles, funny stories, and a good joke. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”
Give the Gift of a Written Note – It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or an “I appreciate you” note. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.
Give the Gift of a Compliment – Everyone needs encouragement. Mark Twain said, “One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.”
Give the Gift of a Favor – Go out of your way to do something kind for someone.
Give the Gift of Solitude – There are times when we want nothing more than to have some peace and quiet. Be sensitive to those times, and give the gift of solitude to others.
Give the Gift of a Cheerful Disposition – The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone. It’s not hard to be polite and courteous, to say “hello” or “thank you.”

May this be a month of beautiful giving and beautiful receiving for you!

Bearing False Witness by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Bearing False Witness
Tony Cooke

bearing false witness In the Bible, the first time the phrase “false witness” is used is in the Decalogue—the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:16 says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The last time the phrase is used is in Paul’s epistle to the Romans (13:8-9): “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Harm, hurt and pain is exactly what happens when lies are told about a person. Proverbs 25:18 (NLT) says, “Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.” The Talmud teaches that, “The slanderous tongue kills three; the slandered, the slanderer, and the person listening to the slander.”

David was lied about terribly, and responded with these words in Psalm 52:2-4 (NKJV). “Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue.”

Charles Spurgeon reminded us that godly leaders should realize that facing criticisms and even falsehoods are not uncommon. He said, “God had a Son that had no fault, but He never had a son that was not found fault with. God Himself was slandered in paradise by Satan. Let us not expect, therefore, to escape from the venomous tongue.”

I recently heard of a pastor who had been criticized harshly in an internet article. The blogger spoke of attending a specific service at that man’s church and watching him in the lobby as he (the pastor) interacted with people. The blogger went into detail about the pastor being disinterested in people, and about how uncaring and aloof he was. His “pastor’s heart” was called into question along with his sincerity and character. It was a complete smear job.

What’s amazing is that the pastor—a very good and godly man—who was being criticized was traveling that particular Sunday. He wasn’t even in the church service where his alleged unloving conduct was “observed” and besmirched. Hundreds of people read that blog, and I wonder how many of them just assumed that the information was the truth. How many people could have accepted the inherent offense in that article, and quit attending that church? Or if they had considered going there, decided never to attend?

This kind of occurrence makes me wonder how many good men and women have been trashed by people who lack morals, ethics, and integrity. Edgar Allen Poe said, “To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.” Modern technology has exponentially raised the potential damage from people who bear false witness. People today can hide behind their computers and completely manufacture and fabricate complete falsehoods of every kind.

John Calvin said, “It is a sign of a perverse and treacherous disposition to wound the good name of another, when he has no opportunity of defending himself.” Likewise, A.B. Simpson commented, “I would rather play with forked lightning, or take in my hand living wires with their fiery current, than to speak a reckless word against any servant of Christ, or idly repeat the slanderous darts which thousands of Christians are hurling on others, to the hurt of their own souls and bodies.” 

Those are powerful statements, but far more important is what Jesus Himself said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37, NLT)

We understand that bearing false witness against a neighbor is just one form of lying, and the Bible, including the New Testament, addresses the overall topic of lying very specifically. Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor…” The Amplified renders that, “Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor…”

We need to make sure that we understand that it’s not simply a blatant lie that is wrong, but we should avoid any communication or expression that is misleading or misrepresentative of the truth. This would include exaggeration or embellishment to “paint a picture” in the mind of a listener that does not reflect reality.

Speaking of Satan, Jesus said that he, “…does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44, NKJV). The Apostle James acknowledged the universal problem: “…the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself” (James 3:6, NLT).

Ephesians 4:29 in the Amplified Bible provides a great guideline for how we are to speak. “Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.”

Peter presents Jesus as our model to follow… “He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered” (1 Peter 2:21-23, NLT). Peter then proceeds to prescribe the path of life for the believer, and much of this “prescription” involves our words.

1 Peter 3:9-10 (NLT)
9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. 10 For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.”

We know from many, many passages of Scripture that our tongue can be used constructively or destructively. Proverbs 12:18 (NKJV) says, “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.” May those of us who belong to the Lord always be able to say with Proverbs 8:8 (NKJV), “All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.”

Beautiful Balance by Tony Cooke

October 15, 2014/in Articles by Tony Cooke /by Tony Cooke

Beautiful Balance
Tony Cooke

Beautiful Balance Do you remember trying to learn to ride your bicycle without training wheels? In a word, you were trying to achieve balance. You wanted to stay upright and make forward progress, and you didn’t want to fall to one side or the other.

Balance is a beautiful thing. It’s troubling if someone we love begins having problems with their equilibrium. We never want to hear that a loved one has lost their balance and been injured in a fall. We often hear of the importance of a balanced diet, as well as living a balanced life. We know that a good life involves a proper ratio of work, rest, worship, recreation, time with family, etc.

Spiritually speaking, balance is also a good thing. In Deuteronomy 28:14, Moses said to the people, “…you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” In a word, he wanted them to avoid erroneous tangents.

Doctrinally speaking, It’s good to avoid extremes and ditches. Richard Cecil remarked, “All extremes are error. The reverse of error is not truth, but error still. Truth lies between extremes.” A.W. Pink once said, “The truth of God may well be likened to a narrow path skirted on either side by a dangerous and destructive precipice: in other words, it lies between two gulfs of error.” Similarly, A.A. Hodge stated, “No …single truth is adequately comprehended till it is viewed in harmonious relations to all the other truths of the system of which Christ is the centre.”

We must be diligent in our study of God’s Word to make sure that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us into a full, comprehensive picture of truth, and not become fixated on a singular idea that runs contrary to and is not supported by the whole counsel of God’s Word (see Acts 20:27). Richard Sibbes said, “God’s truth always agrees with itself.” As a teacher, I need to make sure the ideas I present are not just supported by an isolated (and perhaps out-of-context) “proof text,” but that they are supported by a consensus of New Testament teaching and thought.

A rose is beautiful in its own right, but a bouquet, properly arranged, is even more beautiful. A violin solo may be very inspiring, but a symphony can render a piece of music even more majestic and dynamic. So it is with truth; an individual truth is wonderful, and we should be most thankful for every truth that God reveals, but a single truth harmonized with the comprehensive teaching of Scripture leads to greater stability, depth, and wholeness in our lives.

Let’s say we are studying justification—how God worked through Christ to bring us into right relationship with Himself. We can read a single verse about this and be blessed. For example, we can read in Romans 3:24, “…being justified freely by His grace…” and have much to thank God for. We can be glad knowing that God’s gracious nature and His gracious action of having Jesus to die for us is the basis for our justification.

A person who desires balance doesn’t want to take anything away from the grace of God. However, a serious student of the Bible wants to know as much as he or she can about justification. Thank God for His grace, but is our justification the result of a single factor, God’s grace, or is more involved? A study of Romans reveals there is more. Consider:

Romans 4:25 (ESV) teaches us that Jesus was, “…raised for our justification.”

Romans 5:1 says, “…having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Romans 5:9 tells us, “…having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

We can look at any of these verses individually and be blessed. But when we see how these elements—grace, the resurrection, faith, the blood of Christ—were all part of our justification, we now have more of a bouquet, more of a symphony. This is what balance is all about! These four elements do not contradict each other; they complement each other. Each individual aspect of our justification is enhanced and reinforced by the others.

Jesus said that we shall live, “…by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” He didn’t say we would live by isolated words, disjointed words, selected words, or random words. Whatever we study, let’s pursue the whole counsel of God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us from all of His Word, not just from our favorite passages.

Some people have a misconception about balance, perceiving it as something negative. They think that balance is about watering down or compromising a message. For example, they think that balance is presenting 50% faith along with 50% unbelief. Or they think that it is presenting 50% grace and 50% legalism. Nothing could be further from the truth.

We don’t balance our faith with unbelief. Rather, faith is balanced by all of the other cooperating powers of God. To have a balanced message about faith, we incorporate the role of love, wisdom, joy, patience, etc. We study and celebrate the great Scriptures about faith, but in doing so, we don’t isolate faith as a stand-alone doctrine. Instead, we examine how faith works together with love, how faith works together with wisdom, etc.

We don’t balance out grace with legalism. Rather, we study and rejoice in all the wonderful Scriptures about grace, AND we consider how grace works with holiness, with obedience, with repentance, etc. We find that grace doesn’t operate as a stand-alone doctrine, and that grace doesn’t take the place of these other great truths. Rather, grace energizes us to participate in the entire “symphony” of Scripture. By this, we mean that grace doesn’t negate the significance of obedience or holiness, but rather, grace empowers us and enables us to obey God and to live holy lives. Grace doesn’t take the place of repentance, but rather, God’s grace is the very basis and catalyst for us turning from sin and turning to God.

Jesus ministered balance when He ministered to the woman at the well. He made the simple statement (John 8:11), “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” In pronouncing “no condemnation,” he was freeing her from her past. In admonishing her to “go and sin no more,” he was providing a wholesome directive for her future. Balance means incorporating the whole counsel of God. Jesus did not just free her from condemnation or give her a directive for future living; He did both.

Paul demonstrated great balance in his epistles. For example, the first three chapters of Ephesians are predominantly positional truth, what God has done. Consider:

We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (1:3).
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (1:4).
He made us accepted in the Beloved (1:6).
In Him, we have redemption through His blood (1:7).
In Him, we have obtained an inheritance (1:11).
We were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (1:13).
We have been made to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (2:6).

In the next three chapters (Ephesians 4-6) we read about our response, how we are to live in the light of our position, or practice or what we are to do:

Walk worthy of our calling (4:1).
Maintain unity amongst ourselves (4:3).
Quit lying and speak truth (4:25).
Quit stealing but labor (4:28).
Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another (4:32).
Walk in love (5:2).
Let no fornication, uncleanness, or covetous be named among us (5:3).
Be properly related to one another in our families and our work (5:21 – 6:9).

Notice the balance here. Paul not only teaches believers about their position in Christ, but he also instructs them regarding their practice—their lifestyle in the world. Believers must need all of this, because it’s what the Bible teaches, it’s what the Spirit inspired.

The need for balance has long been noted by insightful ministers. In 1975, Bob Buess wrote about the need for balance in his book, “The Pendulum Swings:”

“A few years ago I was interested in a certain teaching, so I began to pursue the Word of God to find more on this subject. I believe the Bible from cover to cover, but I allowed myself to disregard certain Scriptures. I blanked out certain truths. My mind became completely indifferent to certain verses in the Word. …I began to defend my new doctrine. It was, in a subtle way, becoming a god which I had to defend and protect. I was not an unusual case. It’s easy for Christians to pursue a thought which the Holy Spirit aroused in them as they studied the Scriptures. In their excitement, they set out to explore the Word of God to see what could be found. When they find a few Scriptures to support this new-found idea, they soon can be running madly through the Bible trying to prove their theory. Dogmatism begins to set in. Without fully realizing what they are doing, these people jump verses, throw out some, and ignore others to prove their point. People driven by this cause rush madly on in a pursuit of new arguments to promote their theory. As time passes they become harsh.”

Earlier yet, the great Pentecostal pioneer, Donald Gee wrote in “The Voice of Healing” in 1953:

“So many of us are [firmly established] extremists. If we see any ray of truth we push it to such an extreme that our constant pressing of it becomes offensive, vain, and at last erroneous. If we discover any successful line of ministry we run after it to such an extent that it becomes nauseating and exhausted. We are forever missing genuine usefulness by our constant failure to keep well-balanced. In the end men lose confidence in us, our intemperance grieves the Holy Spirit, and we are cast upon the scrap-heap of rejected and unprofitable servants.”

In the same article, Donald Gee spoke of a “legitimate extremism.” He said, “There HAS to be an extremism to move things… Miracles of healing occur when faith refuses to be logical, and blinds itself to arguments, based on plenty of contrary experience and more ‘balanced’ teaching. Indeed we may well inquire whether there is not something extreme in any genuine miracle.”

Gee continued, “…we need the extremist to start things moving, but we need the balanced teacher to keep them moving in the right direction. We need extremism for a miracle of healing, but we need balanced sanity for health. We need extreme fervor to launch a movement, but we need the repudiation of extremes to save it from self-destruction. Only a wisdom from above can reveal the perfect synthesis. It takes Pentecostal genius to know when and where an extreme doctrine or practice must be modified to a more balanced view; and where, on the other hand, the broad lines of truth must be temporarily narrowed into an extreme emphasis upon one point to ensure a dynamic powerful enough to move things for God.”

It is understood that some ministers in the Body of Christ are specialists. God has given them a special assignment to emphasize a certain truth or truths. There’s nothing wrong with this whatsoever, but care must be exercised by the teacher and the listeners alike not to put a single truth on a pedestal and leave the impression that all other truths are unnecessary or subservient to their special emphasis. Ultimately, we are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

When we walk in balance, we’ll enjoy a rich diet of all that God has for us, we’ll be open to have Him influence all aspects of our lives, and we’ll experience growth across the full spectrum of who God has called us to become.

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