REDEMPTION

I don't usually write poems but this one just came about one day while writing down my thoughts about life before salvation.

REDEMPTION

Oh, what is this wretched bliss
that lives within my heart.
It's mocking me as days grow long
and has been from the start.

It cleaves unto my soul at times
and leads me unaware.
A puppet on a string is works
to guide me toward its snare.

Its power seemingly unknown.
My plans it seems to make.
Marching onward steadily
it has me on the take.

Destruction is its master
even working in my dreams.
Offerings of peace it gives.
A twisted plan it schemes.

Forever sentenced to resist
as many have before.
Longing desperately to leave
But always wanting more.

Hoping from within myself
a power I might find.
Then failing even worse again
is torturing my mind.

Finally at the end of me
forced to realize.
No strength exist within myself
but only compromise.

Wretched sinner I've NOT become
for I was one all along.
Is someone there to rescue me
or leave me in this wrong.

All my efforts gone for naught.
A worthless exercise.
I could not count the sands of time
so I simply closed my eyes.

Trapped within this darkness
it finally came my day,
and took the Son of God Himself
To roll my stone away.

Scott Cosper
April 13, 2011

One Day, One Girl, One Soul (Update #3)

One Day:

Sunday evening church was just about to begin. As usual I was checking to see that everything was in place as we were ready to go. I had come up a little late from discipleship training and only briefly noticed there were two visitors surrounded by our welcoming committee. We don't really have a welcoming committee however, they are the most active committee we have (you'll just have to think about that one). The pianist began to play and I assumed my position on the front row. You know, that place where only the pastor and the music leader sit (My girl's call it daddy's pew). I had only been a pastor for a few weeks and was just coming to realize how much I didn't know. It would still be months before I could remember to use the red books at night and the green books in the morning and longer still before I would understand why, but that's another story. As I sat there that evening I wasn't really thinking of our newly arrived guest. It was just a typical Sunday night service in a small southern country church. Little did I realize, this day would change our family forever.

Not Your "Normal" Church Folk:
After we sang a song or two I got up to welcome everyone and pray. Turning around I saw the two of them looking right at me. The boy was skinny with messy long hair and a black Jack Daniels tee shirt. He had a goatee beard that was un-kept, but covered a rather pleasant look. The girl had long red hair (which reminded me to make sure I picked up the red book when I return to "my" pew). She was dress not entirely appropriate for church but well enough so as not to cause a fuss, if you know what I mean. In a small country church, these folks stood out. I welcomed them to our church, gave the announcements and returned to my seat. (Confident that this time I would get the correct book from which to sing) We sang more hymns and even did a few specials that night. I don't remember what I preached, but I do remember both of them seeming to hang on every word.

Afterwards, my wife and I meet them outside and talked for a while. It seems they had walked up the road a mile and found the church. They began to come more often and we began to spend more time with them talking about the things of the Lord. We had them over for dinner and would talk sometimes late into the night. Lisa and I knew they were living together with his mom but we only addressed the subject if it came up in discussions about scripture. It really wasn't important at this point anyway since their problem wasn't fornication it was their separation from God due to sin, (Romans 3:23). just like it has been for us all, since the day of Adam.

One Girl:

One night they came by the house and asked me to go over to my office with them. The young man made a profession of faith and all three of us went to the alter; where he prayed to receive Christ. I counseled with him, but she was more hesitant. That next week I performed my first baptism (I also didn't think to take off my shirt and had to preach with my sleeves soaking wet under my coat, lesson learned) A few weeks later the girl came to accept Jesus as her Lord and was baptized. (I baptize her in water that was way to hot because I had left the heater on too long. She came up looking like a lobster, another lesson learned.) There was also something different about this baptism, it was more spiritual and proceeded what was probably the most spirit filled service we ever had at our church.


Over the next few months these two were put in ever increasing difficult situations. As time went on the young man began to drift away, an all too familiar occurrence in churches today. However there was fight in this girl. She was willing to battle the forces laid up against her. She was going to take up her cross and follow Christ. It would not be easy. It never is if it’s real.



Eventually she got out from under the influence of the boy she was with and his mother. She left our area and ended up with her aunt in the Carolina's. The aunt was a Wiccan and even in her infancy as a Christian this girl tried to confront her to no avail, at least as far as we know. To make matters more difficult the aunt was well off financially and willingly shared her good fortune. The girl was able to buy nice clothes and eat out a lot. This makes it all the more amazing that she left. She knew if she stayed, this way of life would draw her away from Jesus. You see, Jesus had touched her heart and she had not forgotten. If its real you never do.

She made plans to go back home to Arizona and eventually brought a bus ticket. As the bus made it through Alabama and was going into Mississippi the girl became very upset. She felt drawn back to our part of the country and was not really sure why? She tried to get a refund for her ticket so she could buy one back to Birmingham, but it had been purchased with a credit card that was not hers. This seemed to leave her with no option, but she wouldn't budge. She began to cry in that Mississippi bus station but God was watching. He had this girl in his righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Soon people began to walk up and give her money to get back to Alabama. She came back to live with some friends but they were not Christians and certainly not good influences. Finally she turned to the only Christians she knew at the time and that was us, mostly my wife. My wife had kept in touch with the girl throughout all this and on New Years Eve her "friends" dropped her and her stuff off in our front yard. She was now ours to guide.


ONE SOUL:

Over the next few months she became an ever increasing part of our family. She relentlessly studied scripture and knows it better than some preachers I know. Turns out she is a good artist. Sometimes she would listen to my sermon and then encapsulate that sermon in a drawing. Often I felt that her drawings seem to say more than my sermons. She was now not only a child of God but our child to raise. She even uses our last name and we treat her like our daughter, because she is. You might say she rounded out our family because we now have 3 boys & 3 girls, a "good" 6 pack.


In this world that might not seem like much but too us, she is one soul touch by God through what God did in us. Some pastors preach a lifetime and never really get to see a life so dramatically changed by the graceful touch of the hand of God. We were given a gift to have experience it in the very first year of our ministry. I thank God for that blessing. If I never accomplish anything again in the ministry it will all be worth it because of that ONE DAY, THIS ONE GIRL AND THAT ONE SOUL forever changed. In the end, this one girl (Amanda) will be as much a blessing to us as she believes we have been for her. Isn't that, in part, what Christianity is all about? Loving others the way you wish someone would love you. Its amazing how ONE DAY can change a family, a life and a lifetime.




God Bless,
Pastor Scott Cosper


























Amanda Cosper #6

UPDATE 1: Amanda will be attending A Bible College in August 2009 where she will be preparing to pursue the will of our God in this life. God Speed Amanda...





UPDATE 2: The young man mentioned in this story was named


Bruce. Sadly, he was recently killed in an auto accident at age 20.


We have been told that he had gotten back in church. He had many


battles to face in his short life. We have also been told that his younger brother wants to be a pastor. If you knew that kid and understood the situation in which he has grown up in you would know this is nothing short of a miracle from God. It's just amazing how God intersected all of us in this one small little town for that moment in time and now is sending forth that fruit. I pray Bruce is with God now and thinking, "guys you ain't seen nothing yet". It's in HIS hands.


Update #3: Amanda has now gotten married. At what was a beautiful outdoor wedding I gave my spiritual daughter away to a man of God by the name of Joesph (or Joey as we call him). Joey is in his last year at Bible college and they just got a house not far from us. Amanda is now getting to practice what she was taught by her mom (my wife) and learned from scripture. I am sure she will be a good wife and manage her home well (Titus 2). I am more proud of her than she will ever know. She is living proof that God can take a lost soul, change that soul through grace and then use it to do the same then again. That God would choose me, a person of such limited means to do something so great is a testament to His power. If you knew me at all you would know just how true that is. I forget that lesson sometimes but evertime I am asked to tell this story it all comes back again.

My next update will be to announce that I am now a GRANDAD. I can't wait till the day she gives me the good news she is going to be a mom. You know, children are a blessing for the Lord and grandchildren are......well I've hear an even greater blessing but don't hold me to that. :)
God Bless
Scott

Video: Go Tell The World

Click photo for picture

Video "Go Tell The World" <- click here for video

A Missions Video by Scott & Lisa Cosper

Should Christians Drink Alcohol?

The purpose of this post (which is mostly derived from a sermon by Pastor Johnny Hunt) is not to condemn anyone who moderately consumes alcohol. Every person we meet is someone Christ loved enough to die for and God cared for enough to create. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

Some of my family, friends and church members drink. Were I to be at their house, or out to dinner, and they had a drink, I would not make an issue of it. Only the Holy Spirit and God’s Word can change a person’s desires, not my judgments.

As Christians, our guide is the Word of God. Our desire should be for righteousness in the eyes of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, with respect to drinking, a Christian should look to follow God’s will and Christ's example. With that in mind, please accept the following material concerning the question, “Should Christian’s drink alcohol?”

Consider the Effects of Alcohol on Our Society:

Take a quick glance at the statistics below with this question in mind, “Would Christ support, or God approve, of Christians being involved in something which leads to so much destruction?”

1. 50% of High School seniors report drinking in the last 30 days, 32% report being drunk at least once.
2. 450,000 teen alcoholics
3. 17,274 died in alcohol related accidents last year
4. Despite all the efforts, alcohol impaired drivers kill
   someone every 30 minutes, nearly 50 people a day and
   almost 18,000 citizens a year.
5. 40% of all auto accidents are alcohol related
6. 2 out of every 5 people will be involved in an alcohol
   related crash during their lifetime.
7. In the last 10 years 4 times the number who died in the
   Vietnam War were killed in alcohol related accidents
8. Youth who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to do
   illegal drugs
9. Advertisers spend $750 Million a year, mostly targeting younger markets
10. Alcohol kills 6 ½ times more youth than all other illicit
    drugs combined.
    (As Christians we rail about the amount of drug use among teenagers, yet adults will frequently use the one drug most dangerous to their health- alcohol)
11. 80 % of all crime and 50% of all murders are directly related to alcohol use.
    Note: **Statistics may vary based on when you read this article.**

Jesus knew what he was saying when he said that “the thief comes but to steal, kill and destroy.”

When we see all the destruction wrought within society by alcohol it is hard to justify its use before God. Could we, with a good conscience and in the Spirit, pray for God's approval to drink? The truth is most would hide that drink as fast as they could if Christ were to appear in their midst and they know it. Some will hide it from the preacher, and he has no say in a matter between them and God

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. Proverbs 20:1

Let us approach the remainder of this topic on 3 levels.

1. A Practical Level
2. A Theological Level
3. A Spiritual Level

1. A PRACTICAL LEVEL

THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONDEMN THE MODERATE DRINKING OF WINE.
Hold on, don’t run down to the liquor store just yet. Proof of this statement can be found in 1 Timothy 3: 8 “Deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience." There is no way to read this verse and say that the Bible condemns the moderate drinking of 1st century wine. Therefore, we must define what wine was during the time period the scriptures were written.

SO WHAT IS WINE?
In the Old Testament three Hebrew words are used for wine…

Sekar – meaning strong drink
Strong Drink is always condemned in the scriptures with the exception of
being used as a sedative when a person is dying.

Proverbs 31:6 “Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart".

Yah-yin – Generic word that can mean fermented or unfermented wine.

Example of Unfermented– Isa. 16:10 – “no treaders have tread out wine in their presses". Newly treaded wine would be unfermented.
Example of Fermented – Prov. 23: 31 “Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly, At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper,”This is obviously fermented wine.

Tee-roshe’ - grapes or grape juice

(Isa. 65:8) “As the new wine is found in the cluster”
A first century Hebrew would have walked through a grape vineyard and said, "look at that pretty wine.

In the New Testament There was…
Oy-nos – same as the word Yah-yin for wine in the Old Testament

So what was wine to a Hebrew in the first century? A Yale study might shed some light on the subject. Yale is not exactly a bastion of Christianity (although it started out that way) so it would seem an objective source.

The Yale University study on alcoholism concluded that the normal 1st Century process of fermentation for “the fruit of the vine” does not produce a drink with sufficient alcohol content to bring on drunkenness. There must be a mechanical interference such as the introduction of pure alcohol or other process of distillation, otherwise it will not produce the kind of wine we have today.

Even at Yale University they are saying we’re not comparing apples to apples when comparing modern day alcohol to 1st century wine.

In the first century wine was used most often to purify water. 1 Tim 5: 23 “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”

Why did Paul have to tell Timothy not to drink the water and give him permission to take some wine? Because he was not accustomed to using wine at all.

On average the mixture was 1 part wine to 4 parts water, and could be higher depending on the supply and purity of either the wine or water. The problem here, is we are not comparing apples to apples.

Dr. Norman Geisler concluded that Christians should not drink the alcohol of today because it would always equate to Strong Drink in the Bible. It would take 20 glasses of 1st century mixed wine to equal the alcohol content in just two martini’s.

2. A THEOLOGICAL LEVEL

(But didn’t Jesus turn water into wine?)

Recently a pastor applied for a liquor license to serve alcohol in his church. When interviewed he was asked, "Do you think a church should be serving alcohol?" His response was “Why not? Jesus was the first bartender” referring to John Chapter 2. You may be shocked by that example, but let me tell you that many in the church today do exactly the same thing when they use this miracle to justify the drinking of alcohol

I believe that using John 2 to justify drinking is a spiritually dangerous thing to do. Read John 2:1-10 before you continue.

This Jewish wedding feast would traditionally have lasted 1 week, and it is unlikely they ran out on the first day. Hospitality rules were quite strict among the Jewish people. Therefore, running out of wine would have been a major problem. This possibly explains why Mary got involved. It was probably a close family member of Mary’s who was getting married, and she was trying to avert a disaster.

Even though there is no context of drunkenness at this wedding, Christians often use this miracle to justify moderate alcohol consumption by making it appear so. Why is this? It is because of the comment made by the Master of the Feast when the wine Jesus had made is given to him. The assumption some make is that the Master of the Feast is honoring the bridegroom for saving the best wine for last, even after everybody is well drunk. (Note that the Master of the feast is referring to what usually happens, not what is happening here)

Drinkers know that after a person has had a few drinks they care less and less about the quality of the drink, they just want another one. Read this to a person who does not drink and quite often they will not draw this conclusion.

The picture this interpretation paints is that while those at the wedding "party"are drinking it up, the wine has run out. In comes Jesus, at Mary’s request, and turns 6 pots of water, about 160 gallons, into fermented wine to keep the "party" going.

Would Jesus have added fire to a drunken wedding party? Would we expect Jesus to make the beer run for us if we ran out? This is the picture we paint of our Lord and Savior when we use this John 2 miricle to justify drinking.

However, there is an even greater problem.

Theologically, to say Jesus made alcoholic wine to be given to those who were already “well drunk”, is the same as saying he was an accomplice to their drunkenness, and therefore an accomplice to sin. Even then, drunkenness would have been understood a sin.
That takes us to the 2nd Chapter of Habakkuk “…Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskins till they are drunk…”

Supplying wine to a bunch of drunken party-goers would be a sin. There are many verses in scripture that demonstrate that being an accomplice to sin, is sin.

Note John 2:11 “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him".

It’s hard to see how Jesus could have "manifested strong his glory" by giving a bunch of “well drunk” partiers 160 gallons of alcohol to drink.Especially since he would have known it to be a sin.

Even the most immature Christians should know that Jesus did not, nor could not have sinned. If he did, Christianity is a foolish cult and we are all in big trouble. Even if someone wants to justify drinking, they (for their own sake) should reconsider using this false interpretation of scripture, because it paints Jesus as committing a sin, theologically destroying the very foundation of Christianity.

3. A SPIRITUAL LEVEL

The response many give to the practical and theological points above is, “I agree, but I don’t get drunk. I just drink socially and I will never become an alcoholic”. If it is true you have complete control over your drinking, then the next question one should ask is, “Do I have a responsibility to others?" If we truly believe God’s Holy Word, the answer is yes.

1 Cor 8:11-13 “…And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the betheren, and wound their weak conscience you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food (wine*) makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat (drink wine*) lest I make my brother stumble.
* I inserted the word wine as it makes the same point as Paul was making here with meat, as you can see in the following verse.

Romans 14: 21 “It is good neither to eat meat, nor drink wine, nor do anything by which your

brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak”.

What is an Alcoholic?

Years of statistics have shown that 1 out of every 10 person who drinks alcohol will become an alcoholic. (Someone who is physically dependent on alcohol and can’t stop drinking)

A broader definition might entail someone who won’t stop drinking even when they have evidence of the damage it is doing in their lives and their relationships.

If you define an alcoholic as someone who has experienced a problem because of their drinking, and won’t stop (a problem drinker) the statical numbers may be as high as 7 out of every 10. All this presents a problem for the Christian who believes it’s OK to drink if you don’t get drunk.

If you say you don’t have a moral responsibility to your brother or sister in Christ, you are in fact saying you have a problem with being obedient to the Word of God.

When a Christian is asked, “Is it wrong for a Christian to drink wine?”, and they say, “No because Jesus turned water into wine”…

They are wrong... Practically, Theologically and Spiritually. In essence ,what we are doing is playing Russian Roulette with those whom we are supposed to lead. We have no way of knowing if the person who feels it is okay to drink based on our response to that question, or our actions is going to become an alcoholic. .

As long as I am a Christian, and especially a pastor, I promise never to send that message to anyone. I never want anyone to say, “It's okay to drink, Bro. Scott does it”. I spent too many years of my life justifiying my own drinking, but once the indwelling of the Holy Spirt came at salvation, I never needed it again. Which brings me to this last point.

Substitute for the Holy Spirit?

Another spiritually important point is that alcohol becomes a replacement, a substitute for what the Holy Spirit should be in our lives. Consider this well known verse...

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit”

Ephesians 5:18

What does the word dissipation mean? In the King James Version the word is "Excess", some translations use "debauchery", but they all miss the probable meaning of the word. The Greek word being translated here is (as-o-tee-ah’) and its probable meaning is “unsavedness”. This is the only time this word is used in the Bible in this form.

Perhaps the translators used the word "excess," as opposed to the more probable interpretation of unsavedness, so as not to offend someone who drinks?

Think about this. What reasons do people commonly give for drinking?

It helps me relax
It helps me in social situations.
It helps me sleep
It keeps me going
It calms my nerves
It makes me a nicer person (I love that one)

Note: All these things are things that should come from being filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s why the scripture should probably be translated “And do not be drunk with wine, which is an act of unsavedness, but be filled with the Holy Spirit." The scripture is teaching that if we must be filled with wine to feel right ,or act sociably, then we must not be filled with the Holy Spirit and therefore could be in a condition of unsavedness.

Remember, Proverbs 20:1? Wine is a deceiver just like Satan is the great deceiver, and wine mocks the one who drinks it.

It is hard to imagine that something which causes so much destruction, human suffering, and family breakups would merit the approval of our Lord and Savior. If someone never drinks they will never become a problem drinker, guaranteed.

I pray my children will never let one ounce of alcohol pass between their lips. I want to teach them to drink from a different fountain, the fountain of the Holy Spirit, so that they will never thirst again.


Scott Cosper
Eyes Wide Open

Note: Parts of this article are from a sermon on alcohol by Pastor Johnny Hunt

What If YOU

Saw a Vision of the Lord?

I must admit I am sceptical when I read stories of people who say they saw a vision or manifestation of the the Lord (Christ). Especially in large groups, as most visions of the Lord in the OT are to individuals or very small groups. After the Ascension in the NT we only have the light and voice that appears to Paul in Scripture and John's vision at Patmos.


However, the reason for my scepticism stems primarily from the reaction of those who claim to witness such events. Their reactions seem most often to fall somewhere between exceedingly happy to spiritually ecstatic.



This begs the question, "How we expect someone (believer or non believer) to act if they saw a vision or manifestation of Jesus?".


Obviously, the best place to go for the answer to this question is scripture itself. It seems that some amazingly faithful and surprisingly not so faithful people have seen the "Angel of the Lord" or the pre-incarnate Christ in the OT. Their reactions are quite telling.

Below are just a few typical examples:

1. Moses - Exodus 3:6 And He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God."


2. Balaam - Num. 22: 31 "Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. Note Balaam was not a part of God's chosen people and did not follow in faith, as is revealed later in Numbers. But note his reaction upon seeing the "angel of the LORD".

3. Joshua - Joshua. 3:14 "And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"

4. Gideon - Judges 6: 22-24 "Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face." But the LORD said to him, "Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die." Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD...

5. Manoah & his wife - Judges 13:20 "And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground."


6. Ornan's Sons @ David's Census - 1 Chronicles 21:20 "Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves."
Check out David's reaction in verse 16.


7. The Shepards - Luke 2:9 "And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.


8. Paul - Acts 9: 14-16 "And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language,'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet,..."

9. John - Revelation 1:17 "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, "Fear not..." Note the description given of Jesus just before this.

Of course there are others but you get the point.

To be fair, there are instances where the reaction is not as dramatic but quite often those are related more to seeing Him in a dream or just hearing a voice. Most every indication of Christ appearing to someone has produced fear and trembling, a falling on one face, hiding ones face, humility, deep almost agonizing worship, sacrifices or building of alters in honor.

What you don't see is a joyous happy, "hey isn't it great God came by to see us!" attitude.

It would seem to me that if one came face to face with even a vague manifestation of Jesus it would be a very fearful and humbling experience. The presence of God is a powerful force. Even when Christ was walking in the flesh he had moments of revealing his deity that simply overpowered those around.

A born again regenerated believer should understand their position with respect to God's righteousness. (ie Romans 1-3) Being in the presence of God would make the price of our sin glaringly apparent. It would seem one would not be apt to jump around and cheer but hit their knees in reverent worship and acknowledge their absolute dependence on God's Grace for forgiveness.

If that were the reaction of one who claims to have been in the presence of the manifestation of Christ and they were forever changed, I might be more inclined to show support. If someone has that experience and then wants to tell everyone just how cool it was; well I'd have my doubts.


Faith is not seeing but believing as if you had seen.
God Bless

Scott Cosper

The Right Hand of God

I was sitting in one of those comfortable sofa seats at Starbucks this morning, reading the Psalms, when I came across this verse, "Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand." (Psalm 73:23). As I meditated on that verse it became juxtaposed to one of my favorite verses (Isaiah 41:10) where God says, "I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." The phrase "right hand" is used quite often in scripture and the picture I had in my mind was that of God hold my hand and guiding me through life. Sort of like the famous poem, "Footprints in the Sand," but with two sets of prints visible at this moment. It’s a beautiful picture, God walking with us hand in hand, but for some reason this time something seemed to be amiss.


The problem was obvious once I tried to visualize this concept and realized that as far as I can tell, scripture always pictures God’s right hand grasping our right hand. Now, if I go for a walk on the beach with my wife, she holds my right hand but I hold her left one. It would be a little awkward if I took her by her right hand with my right hand and we began to stroll off down the beach. As clumsy as we are it might be funny, but not very enjoyable. I began to wonder, when would I ever take hold of my wife’s right hand with my right hand?

Then it hit me. I would if I were rescuing her.


Now, those scriptures came to life like never before, fitting ever more perfectly into the whole counsel of the Word. I began to see the power of God’s Grace in this picture, for it is not me and God walking along as He assists me through life, but rather the strong arm of His Grace rescuing me in my ever present helplessness. With this in mind, I see the position of my right hand more like that of the lame man in Acts 3 as Peter, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, took him by the right hand and lifted him up.

I praise God for the multitude of times He rescued me by His righteous right hand. I am thankful the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the fullness of these scriptures, so that I will never see them the same way again. Finally, I give all glory to Jesus Christ for His willingness to surrender to His Father’s will, making it possible for me take hold of that righteous right hand and be rescued.

Praise God,
Wm. Scott Cosper

"THE UNSAVED CHRISTIAN"

A Testimony to God's Saving Grace
through Jesus Christ
by Wm. Scott Cosper

At first glance, the term “Unsaved Christian” might seem like a oxymoron. Doesn't the fact that someone is a Christian presuppose that they are saved? Well, not necessarily, at least according to Jesus Christ. At the end of Chapter 7 in the book of Matthew, Jesus is closing out what has come to be known as the “Sermon on the Mount”. Here Jesus is teaching his followers that there are in fact two groups of people- those who are on the way that leads to the one true God, and those who are on the way that leads to destruction. The way to God goes through a narrow gate and there are few on that path and the way of destruction is wide and walked by many. Then, Jesus makes this incredible statement:

Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV

The first time I read that, after being born again, it sent chills up my spine. I knew exactly who Jesus was talking about, because I was one of the people destined to hear those horrible words. It would have become my reality had I died before the incredible day of which I'm about to describe.

Before I get to that day, let me give you some background. I grew up in church and made a profession of faith when I was 13 years old. After high school, I went to college and didn't go to church, although I thought of it from time to time. Of course, I fully intended to go to church after I got married, because that's what decent southern men do, they take their families to church. But for now I was going to live my life my way. That's exactly what I did. I drank, played and partied away my 20's because it was my “right”. It also cost me dearly.

As God would have it, I ended up living back in my hometown and of course attended church with my parents. It was during this time I met the woman who would become my wife. Now as a married man, just like I always knew I would, I went to church with my wife and as kids came along we took them to church with us. Eventually, we moved closer to the city and joined a church, where we both became very active. I taught Sunday School and discipleship classes, sang in the choir, helped out around the church and eventually became a deacon. During this time my job was requiring me to travel often, which in turn afforded me the opportunity to live it up on the road and act the part of a good Christian husband & father when back in town.

I'd never relinquished my old life, but just added a little church to the one I had. Of course, at that time, I didn't see it that way. I was doing many good deeds and was there to help out when needed at church. I was a good deacon, and I even tithed when I could. My wife and I decided that she would quit teaching and stay home with the kids, and we even adopted a little girl from Vietnam, with help from many in our church.

That brings me back to those verses in Matthew. Notice that the people Jesus is addressing had done many good things. Just like the people Jesus is describing, I had done many good works. I had professed the name of Jesus, witnessed, prayed, tithed, taught, and served in many other ways, all using the name of Jesus. But had I died before the day I describe below I would have spent an eternity with the focus of God's wrath upon my soul because I had sinned against him. My funeral would have been filled with proclamations of how I was a good man in a better place. All the while, I would have been like Lazarus begging to have my lips wet with water and a chance to go back and warn the others. You see, no matter how much I was doing, it wasn't going to change the fact that I was lost in my sin. Thanks be to God I didn't die, for I was to live to see the next day and that day would make all the days that followed different.

It was a beautiful August Sunday morning. In the south, August usually means high temperatures and humidity, but this was a very comfortable day with a slight, almost cool, breeze in the air. Other than that, it was just a typical Sunday morning. As we made our way from Sunday school over to the sanctuary, I made a very unusual comment to my wife. I said, “Honey, for some reason I feel really peaceful today”. It was not something she would have expected to hear from me at that point in our lives. I had been anything but peaceful over the past two years. Life was tearing me down and God seemed to be off helping everyone else, even my enemies.

You see, I wasn't on the road headed toward God on this Sunday morning. I was leaving God. A few months before, I had resigned as a deacon. Two weeks earlier, during preaching, I leaned over and told my wife, “I don't believe any of this”. There is a good chance the pastor was preaching something that had to do with the sovereignty of God. I had a real problem with God's sovereignty. So much so that my wife later told me that I would go into fits of rage if the subject were brought up at home. I don't remember that but I also don't doubt its true. I mean if God was in control why was he allowing all the suffering in the world, why didn't he fix things? I would. Why was it that the worst people I was working with seemed to be so successful, and the good ones seemed to have so much difficulty? Where was God on 9/11? Where was God in all that poverty in Vietnam? Where was God in all this mess? What about fairness? What about justice? No, God wasn't sovereign, he may have created everything but he was an absentee God just waiting to see how well we worked it out.

I didn't know it, but I had become a Deist, not a Christian. Deism says there is a god who created the world but he remains indifferent to it. The point I'm making here is that I didn't work my way up to this day. I wasn't slowly coming to realize I wasn't saved, or that I needed God, I was frustrated with the whole concept of God.

We walked in and sat down in the same seats we had been in since the building was erected. I'd been at this church now 10 years. On this day, a lady by the name of Iris Blue was giving her testimony, and it was a good one as testimonies go. As she approached the end she mentioned that on the day she came to Christ she called her dad. He had been a “Christian” all her life. She told him what happened and this was his response, “That's nice honey, but just don't take this religion thing too far”. Iris said, “As I hung up the phone I knew my father did not know the Jesus that I knew”. At that moment I began to come unglued. Several times in the past few weeks I had said the same thing to my wife. God had used this testimony to show me the true condition of my heart. The battle for my soul was now at hand.

Remember when I said I had a peace coming in to the church that day? Well, it was gone now. I was in a full out war and the forces laid up against me used every trick in the book. I was up against tradition, doctrine, theology, shame, pride, humility and everything else the forces of evil could throw against me. I was shaking on the outside and on the inside I was coming apart. Finally, I made a break for the alter and hit my knees but by the time I got there and began to pray all that was against me had me once again telling God I was going to do better. I had done it before, many times. It seems so ridiculous now but here I was telling God, “I got this, I can handle it, I'll do it right this time.”

I finished my prayer and return to my seat. This time, though, it was worse than before. I had just prayed to God and now I was in worse shape. My mind was racing and I was not really sure what was going on. I couldn't take it any more and in my anguish I actually hit the back of the chair in front of me so hard I hurt my hand. You can see part of me on the tape from the church. I went straight up front this time and spoke to my pastor. By the time I got to him all that was against me had me convinced that what I needed to do was rededicate my life to Christ. So that's what I told my pastor, and I went to the alter to pray again, this time confident I was doing what God was drawing me to do. I won't go into details here but let's be honest, how can someone rededicate their life to something they have never been dedicated to in the first place?

Now when you rededicate your life they keep you up front to announce to the church your decision. I took my place on the center front row but when I set down I was not feeling at all peaceful. The war was still raging and I was somewhat confused. That is when God sent in a warrior to help me. This person walked over to me and putting their hand on my shoulder asked me, “Son, what are you doing?” to which I responded, “rededicating my life to Christ.” I thank God in heaven for what this person said next, “you don't need to rededicate your life you need to get SAVED!” At that very moment I was. I began to pour out my heart to God and he began to pour out His Spirit on me. Other things were going on that morning but I have no recollection of it except what I have seen on tape. I don't remember much that happened after that. I did say something to the church but can't remember what. I do remember getting home and how different everything seemed. I was leaving the next day for Augusta Ga. but being on the road would never be the same again.

I entered church that summer day an “Unsaved Christian” having tried to gain God's blessings on my terms and with my actions. I left church that day a child of the King who now had a repentant heart. For the next few days all I could do was ask God for forgiveness as more and more of my sin seemed to come to my mind. I was going to confess it all if it took the rest of my life. Soon I realized it just might! That week I called my wife to tell her how the grass was greener and sky was ‘bluer’. I was just excited. The blinders were being lifted from my eyes.

There was also an unbelievable desire to study God's Word. I began to pour over scripture and I was asking God to help me read it as if it was my first time, so as to see His words and not let all that I had learned before cloud my mind. Before long I began to wonder how I could have had this book in my possession for my whole life and never have seen the things I was seeing now. My wife would just laugh as the next few months I would burst out of my room and the phrase was always, “Honey your not gonna believe this”.

Now for the first time in my life I really felt like I was on God's side. I wanted what He wanted. God had changed the desires of my heart and he is just now beginning to let me see those desires come true.

I hesitate to say this, but God also took away what I thought was my biggest weakness, alcohol. I do not know why God chose to relieve me of my desire to drink, but I never wanted it again and I had loved it since I was 15 years old. I didn't deserve to be set free, but I praise God for it. For any brother in Christ who might read this and struggles with alcohol, let me tell you, God didn't free me of all my addictions and there were others just as bad, if not worse. I would have to trust in God's Grace for those and fight like hell. I would have to suffer loss and indignity so that God could refine me. I would have to learn to suffer persecution and boldly stand up for truth and trust that God was watching over me and providing for our family. It hasn't been an easy road because it is the road few travel. That process is still going on today and will continue until I am relieved of this flesh in Glory. So you keep enduring in the faith and fight your sin because, knowing its cost, you hate it.

It is so important for those reading this to understand something I have come to know. I brought only one thing to this predetermined moment. Other than that one thing this was all God's doing. He had marked out this day before the foundations of the earth were laid. There was absolutely nothing redeeming about the life I had lived and it was not worthy of salvation. I was running from God and had been for a long time. For what ever reason God didn't let me continue on this path. Why? I don't know other than it was just His will to show off His Grace. He gets all the Glory. Some won't understand this, but I'm convinced, I could not have said no on that day. Who of us can deny the will of a sovereign God? I am sure thankful he wasn't about to let me miss this moment no matter how much I tried to mess it up.

Oh ,what was that one thing I brought to this moment you ask? All I brought was the sin that needed to be forgiven, and Christ took care of that on a hill called Calvary.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, AMEN!

Scott Cosper
No longer an “Unsaved Christian”
To Be Continued...

Scott's Top 10 Design Blunders (Just for Fun)

Thought it might be nice to write something lighthearted just for the fun of it. We've all gotten a laugh or two and the kids helped out. So here we go......

1. The Bicycle Seat - Whoever designed the modern bike seat had no understanding of the human anatomy. Notice that a bike is the only place you will ever see this particular design used as a way to rest your butt.

2. The Side Post Battery - This designer was absent the day they taught about leverage & torque because the bolt is larger than the head used to turn it. Not to mention it's made with soft metal so its easy to round off. Good luck trying to attach cables to this thing. Try to use this battery to jump off another one and you better have car attached to it. The battery by itself has NO place to put jumper cables. Not Smart

3. Toilet Seat Hinges - Ever had the seat slip off the little narrow pad it rest on? Scare you half to death and for us guys it doubly horrifying! Do we really need the toilet seat to flex left and right. Come on, I'm sitting still on the thing. I don't want it to move left or right, it's not a carnival ride.

4. The 360 Degree Chair - We don't need our chairs to revolve 360 degrees. All this is good for is to get kids in trouble. Turn that chair around 360 degrees and someone will get on to you, usually an older person. Do it long enough and it will eventually break. If you need to turn around 360 degrees GET UP!

5. The Blind Cords - Whoever designed the cord to operate the blinds never had children or pets.. Do I really need a 20 foot cord on my 4 foot blinds. I know you can cut it off but why make me do that. By the way, what's the life expectancy on these things operating properly, 3 - 4 pulls tops?

6. Tiny Buttons - Were not Hobbits. I can press 3 buttons with one finger all at once, but don't need to or even want to. My keyboard should not be smaller than my THUMBPRINT. Watching a good size man trying to text someone is like watching a contortionist squeeze through a 30 gallon drum.

7. TV's without on-board Controls - These designers lived alone and never lost anything. Every function on the remote should also be on the TV. I've lost the remote, but I have NEVER lost my Television. It's always right were I put it.

8. DVD'S - This design just wasn't ready yet. I have VCR tapes that got left in the rain, stored in freezing weather, thrown across the room and found years later covered in dust. You just blow it off stick it in the player and watch the movie. My DVD's need to be handled as if I'm transporting nuclear waste from the living room to the bedroom. My house is not a dust free laboratory, KIDS LIVE HERE. Make the thing where it can double as a Frisbee or give me back my VCR Tape. I know the quality is better but not if it freezes up just when Obi-Wan is about to go Yoda on General Grievous

9. I-pod Earplugs - Remember those nice comfortable headphones we USE to have that, if you could find them, would still work great. We've noticed something about these new earplugs, they mostly seem to fit girls. Maybe “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” was all about our ears. By the way you better handle these things with with kid gloves too or the wires will fray and then it's just your dumb luck if they work.

10. Juice Pouches - This one drives me nuts. A flexible pouch I have to hold steady (but not squeeze) and then skewer with a plastic sword. What was wrong with the bottle? Careful you don't squeeze this thing to hard or they might make you drink out of a Sippy cup. Now there was a good design.

There are many more but I've had enough fun for the night. I'd love to hear your design pet peeves so feel free to send them my way.

Are you listening to your (A.D.F.) ?

The date was April 4, 1943 – A United States Army Air Forces B-24 bomber named “The Lady Be Good” with a crew of 9 men was on its very first mission. This was WWII. They were part of the 514th Bomb Squadron base at Soluch, Libya and assigned to bomb Naples Italy 600 miles north across the Mediterranean sea. They never returned. A search found nothing and they were listed as MIA, presumed to have crashed in the Mediterranean Sea.

Fast-forward 16 years. British geologists flying over the desolate, sun-baked Libyan Desert spotted an aircraft on the sand. The "Lady Be Good" had been found; It was located almost 400 miles south of its home base.

The obvious question was how could this plane have been so far passed its base.

What happened?

Well, during the flight the pilot, Lt. Hatton, had reported that his automatic direction finder was not working. It was telling him he was south of the base, but due to their flight time this seemed impossible to the pilot. He ignored his instruments and continued flying south, looking for the lights of a base he would never find.

It was later determined that a high tail wind had caused the plane to make the return trip from Naples faster than the pilot expected. Because the sky was overcast he never saw the base.

Lt. Hatton's instrument "his automatic direction finder" was correct. It was pointing him in the right direction. Had he put his faith in that proven instrument, instead of what seemed right to him, he could have saved his life and the lives of the 8 crewmen with him.

As Christians, we have an instrument that can help us find our way in a world which should now seems strangly odd to us. That instrument was divinely given to the world by our creator. The Bible gives us reliable direction, especially when we find ourselves lost or alone but also in the manner in which we structure our lives. It acts as a guide to keep us from the many dangerous traps this world can set before us. In other words, the wisdom found within the Bible can keep us on the proper path, and/or rescue us if we are already on the wrong path. The issue, as it was with the crew of the Lady Be Good, is are we going to yeild or follow our own path.

We are naturally more likely to rely on what seems right to us than to submit to the path given us by God in His word. As a matter of fact scripture says so;

"There is a way that seems right to a man , But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25

We often put our lives and the lives of those we love in danger simply because our actions are base on what seems right to us as oppose to yielding to the proven instrument God gave us. Just like Lt. Hatton, we go by our feelings instead of relinquishing our will to the truth. Had he yielded to his instruments that night Lt. Hatton could have saved himself and his 8 member crew.

What dangers lay before us, or those we care for, that could be avoided if we would just yield to the instrument given us by a our righteous God. Nothing proves our belief (faith) in God more than when we yield to His word, especially when everything is screaming for us to do otherwise. At that moment, what we truly believe is revealed.

Yield to the Truth,

Scott Cosper

Read Romans 6 about yielding to the truth.

Thank God for BOWLING BALLS

It was the end of a long day as I approached the front porch of the parsonage. With 6 kids there is always lots of stuff on our porch and usually a bicycle or scooter to maneuver around before hitting the steps. Usually, I just ignore it, but on this particular day one item seemed to stand out. It was an unusual bag and when I reached down to pick it up, it was very heavy. Setting it back down I went inside, too tired to lift it and look inside, and figuring it was full of rocks the boys had gathered up for some secret club house ritual. Once inside my wife looked up to me and asked, "did you see your gift"?

Before I tell you the rest, I need to tell you this. The previous Sunday, a lady from our town named Ms. Lida came to our church. Now I can tell you about Ms. Lida but what my wife wrote on her blog best describes her...

From the world's perspective, Ms. Lida is a person with little or no value. She's an unsightly woman, who lives in a shack just a few blocks from us. She is never quite clean, and usually smells pretty badly... She doesn't have indoor plumbing, but uses the woods behind her house. She washes her clothes by hanging them outside on the line to wait for rain. She is paranoid, and has some tales to tell. Did I mention she hoards things? boxes, trash, dogs... anything will do. We often see her (or hear her) walking down the road, a dog (or 2 or 3) chained to her grocery cart and helping to pull it along. Since we found that she was digging in the dumpster behind a small grocery store for food, we have regularly taken food to her house. Our children know Ms. Lida. They are not ashamed of her, and they don't think any less of her than they do the finest dressed lady at our church. They see her as a person, created and loved by God, and valuable because of it. She often comes by our house to ask us to pray for her, and sometimes leaves t-shirts that she has painted hanging on the tree in our yard. The first one was for Kyle. It was yellow (and filthy) with Jesus' face painted on the front (with real glow in the dark eyes!). Kyle was not embarrassed, but said, "Mom, I WILL wear that shirt to church."Our children know the look and the stench of poverty, and the eccentricity of mental illness. They are not disgusted by it, but are motivated by the desire to help.
(picture is of Ms. Lida on our front porch)

When Ms. Lida came to church the previous Sunday morning she gave me a note. I put it on my desk to read after church. She had written a poem, well I guess you would call it a song since she wrote on the paper that it was to the tune of "Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortening Bread". She came back to church that night and I had a suprise for her. Our pianist could play just about anything and keep up with even the most horrid of singers. I told her to play the song and I sang what Ms. Lida had written during the time we generally have special music. Well nothing could have been more special to Ms. Lida.

You see few people have ever treated Ms. Lida like she was just as important as everyone else. I will never forget the look on her face when I finished that little song. I went over to her pew, hugged her and told her we loved her. She just sit there and cried.

Now it was my time to cry as I scurried back out to the porch to see what was in that bag.

IT WAS A BOWLING BALL

It was a nice one too, except that I couldn't have gotten my little finger in any of those holes and I don't bowl.

As a pastor you get many gifts. People give things to me and my family to help us out along our path. Many of those gifts were greatly needed and all were most appreciated. Yet, here was a gift that I really had no use for, but one that touched my heart. I may one day have a hard time remembering from whom and what gifts we have recieved over the years, but I will never forget that Ms. Lida gave me a bowling ball. For starters it was heavy and Ms. Lida was a little woman. She must have really struggled to get that ball from wherever she found it. Probably in a dumpster somewhere or some old abandoned house.

She had nothing of value to give, but what she gave, God made exceedingly valuable.

By the way, I did get one of those tee shirts she would hang on the tree; although mine didn't have a Jesus with glow in the dark eyes; must be a kid thing. :)

You see, I learned more about what it means to minister to people through our family's relationship with Ms. Lida than I ever learned in a classroom, a seminar, or from a sermon, including my own.

James (the half-brother of Jesus) teaches that since God is not a respecter of persons neither should we be respecters of persons. When James gets to that scripture so many know about works and faith, he uses the brother or sister who is without clothing and daily food for his example. Yes we should pray for people and have kind words for them but if we don't love them with our works (deeds) then our words seem empty to a dying world, and we fall short of fulfilling the "royal law according to the scriptures" James speaks of in chapter 2. Lida helped me to see the value in doing what God has instructed, God's way. Especially with respect to those that society (and in some cases the church) has forgotten.

Fact is Lida probably blessed us more than we blessed her; so let me close with this...

"THANK GOD FOR BOWLING BALLS"!

God Bless!

Pastor Scott

Where “Common Sense” & Truth Collide

Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us NOT to lean on our own understanding, but in everything we do acknowledge Him and He will direct our path.

"Well, I know the Bible says..., But God also expects us to use our common sense."

I have heard this phrase used countless times by well-meaning Christians, and at more than one church business meeting! The idea that God gave us a mind so we could then think for ourselves and use our God given "common" sense flies in the face of this Proverb and many other verses in scripture.

Does God in any way expect us to be "common" in our thinking or in our actions?

The word "common" means, "widespread; general; ordinary. The phrase "common sense" means, "sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence."


The fact is that the teachings of Jesus were a call for us to be uncommon in our thinking and our actions. For example, Jesus taught;

• If asked to go one mile; in the name of Jesus, go with him two ..... Matt 5:41
• If someone takes your cloak give them your coat also ..... Matt 5:40
• Turn the other cheek ..... Matt 5:29
• Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth ..... Matt 6:19,20
• Love your enemies ..... Matt 5:43,44
• Do not worry about your life ..... Matt 6:25

(All of these are just a part of only one of Jesus' sermons)

"Jesus called His followers to be a light unto this world of darkness,
not to stand in the shadow of the light."

So why do I write this? Because we have become increasingly aware of an attitude towards those who are "taking their Christianity too far". I speak of those who have taken extraordinary steps to restructure their lives based on the teachings found in God's Word & the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They begin to see their lifestlye as a hinderance to fulfilling the will of God in their lives. In other words, how much more could they do for the kingdom, if they had more time and less expense?

We know believers who have left their careers for full time ministries or to become missionaries, some who've chosen to "downscale" by moving into a smaller home or trading in a luxury car for a more practical and reasonably priced one. We have friends who have put away their TV's, because they just simply wanted less of the world invading their family time. Some have choosen to take on the responsibility of teaching their children at home. Or restructured their lives so Mom could quit work and stay home with the kids. There are a number of other changes, but I think you get the point.

They do these things, not because they wish to meet some legalistic standard or show themselves worthy, but because God is worthy of our complete devotion. They have chosen to seek God's will in every aspect of their lives, because of an overwhelming desire to please and honor God. There has been a complete change in their worldview, a paridigm shift in how they view the world and how they see God. What an exciting leap of faith toward a life where God is an ever growing central focus of life.

You would think that if someone made a significant lifestyle change, based on a sincere desire to honor God and be more effectively used for the Kingdom, that their Christian friends (and family members!) would be excited about the evidence of God's work in their hearts and lives.

Well, think again.

Sadly those who make radical "lifestyle" changes because they have grown in their faith, or just out of obedience to God, often find themselves feeling more isolated or misunderstood, than encouraged by their Christian brothers and sisters.

I mean, it's one thing to get saved or to rededicate your life, or to start coming to church or Bible study regularly. Go from drug dealer to perfect attendance church member, and your Christian friends will be thrilled about that! In fact, any radical improvement in one's morals would be applauded by most Christians. But, remember, we are talking about radical lifestyle changes...and even, radical financial changes! That's a whole different ballgame! And one, evidently, that makes a lot of Christians very uncomfortable.

One expects that the world will think they are crazy when they begin this journey. The shock, and might I add, frustration, comes when those they consider to be their brothers and sisters in Christ start to question and even criticize their actions, and worse yet- when some in their own families join in the chorus.

It usually isn't long before they start hearing phrases like, "Your taking this religious thing too far" or "We still have to use our God-given common sense". Others may even perceive them as thinking they now "have a monopoly on the Truth." Mind you, none of these statements will have an ounce of biblical truth or wisdom behind them, even though there is a reason for them.

The question one might ask is, why this reaction from these people? The answer soon becomes painfully obvious. You see, the fact is that many of us desire the blessings of God, but not so much God Himself. We like doing the things we think will please God, as long as those things don't really upset our lives in any real way. This works for us until someone comes along and upsets the apple cart. Through them, God shows us where we are lacking in our faith or spiritual discipline, reveals a misguided theology, or perhaps makes us aware of the hold the world has on us.

Now, the faith demonstrated by these real life changes has become a light of truth to those who cannot deny its reality. The first reaction to this conviction of the Holy Spirit is often defensive. Some accuse the faithful of going too far or not using their common sense, all to assuage the conviction of the Holy Spirit that comes from the truthfulness of the testimony demonstrated in the changes they are witnessing.

Jesus Christ did not call us out to become followers of Him so we could live "common sense" lives, and one cannot possibly take loving God and following the teachings of Christ "too far".

Christians are called to live extraordinary lives based on faith in Jesus Christ. To live within the light of truth that is the Word of God, and not hide in the shadows of that light.

Does that mean you need to sell all you have, give it to the poor and go on the mission field? Maybe. Some have. If that's what God is calling you to do, it will be the most fulfilling adventure of your life. And yes, even your Christian friends and family will think you're nuts. However, if they are truly born again, they won't think your nuts for long and if not, your testimony might just be what changes their lives forever. Wouldn't that be just like God!!

Live for Christ,
Pastor Scott Cosper

Mark 16:15

Sermon - "Beside the Cross" Luke 23

"Beside the Cross" is a message dealing with the amazing transformation that takes place in the heart of one of the two men crucified on either side of Jesus. How could this thief, this criminal, go from reviling Jesus to spending eternity in paradise over a few short hours, all while being tortured on his on cross? The answers to that question gives us a greater understanding of the path to salvation for us today.

Click on links below NOT the pictures for video.



Click Links Below To See Video and Sermon
<Video Introduction > ---- <Sermon Part 1> --- <Sermon Part 2>

Sermon - Believing the Unbelievable

Preaching at Uvalde Baptist Church

Houston, TX

March 2009

Sermon Entitled "Believing the Unbelievable" Romans 3:21-26
It was a great morning!



Click Link Below for Part 1 of Sermon
http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9fec9b0209d4aa8fc611

Click Link Below for Part 2 of Sermon
http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=14b33bc74d318fe81727

Sermon - "Elijah's Challenge" 1 Kings 18

This sermon deals with the challenge Elijah made to the nation of Isreal. The key verse of this message is found in 1st Kings 18:21.
The point is that we must choose who we will serve, either the God of Scripture or the God we create for ourselves.


Click below to see message:

Elijah's Challenge Part 1

Elijah's Challenge Part 2

Is Jesus the ONLY way?

Have you ever heard someone say or even pondered for yourself this question; “Johnny believes his religion just as much as you believe yours, so what makes you right and him wrong”? Simply put, is Jesus the ONLY way for a person to be saved? Our response to this question has eternal consequences for those seeking truth.

Below are 3 major reasons why so many believers, even Christian leaders, falter when it comes to this question. Those reasons are:

1. OUR DESIRE FOR TOLERANCE
2. THE "GOODNESS DOCTRINE"
3. NO LOGICAL RESPONSE OUTSIDE OF SCRIPTURE
Reasons 1 & 2 are briefly mentioned below; I will deal with them in greater detail during later posts. Here, I want to focus on how we can respond to this question.

OUR DESIRE FOR TOLERANCE:
Because we live in a culture where tolerance has been assigned a value greater than truth, some have chosen to ignore scriptural truth in order to seem culturally tolerant. This leads one toward accepting a belief that God could have made other paths to Himself outside of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. There is a popular book, written by Dr. Patrick Swift call "One Mountain, Many Paths," which is getting rave reviews. This book supports an idea which, if viewed logically, makes no sense. Like Dr. Swift, I agree we should be respectful of others beliefs, for as you will see below all religions have some redeeming qualities and moral values. However, allowing for the possibility that there are many paths to this "mountain" destroys the character of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the authority of scripture. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will" Matthew 26:29. Jesus is asking, "God, is there any other way?" and God responds, "Son, there is no other way." We know God cannot lie; therefore there cannot possibly be any other way. (See Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2) To claim there might be some other way is to defame the character of God and destroy the value of the cross.

THE GOODNESS DOCTRINE:
Another reason so many have trouble with the exclusivity of Christ is because of what I call the “Goodness Doctrine”. This is a belief that being good, going to church, taking care of our families, and a whole list of other do’s and don’ts gains us saving grace with God. Hardly a day goes by that you don't here someone say, “He is (or was) a good person” in reference to someone's spiritual condition. This attitude is common within Christianity and even includes the leadership in many areas. Once you allow for the possibility that, because you are a “good person”, you will gain saving grace with God, you then must allow for the possibility that any “good person” (based on your standard of good) will also gain this favor with God. Otherwise, God would be unjust to grant you eternal life and not someone who was at least as “good” as you. Many Christians have brought into the idea that God may have many ways to heaven because they will not accept this scriptural truth; there are no good people. Jesus said, “no one is good but one” Matthew 19:17. Paul tell us in Romans 3:23 that, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. We could never be good enough to meet God’s perfect standard because we cannot of ourselves, achieve perfection. James tells us in his epistle that, "whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. In other words, even the smallest of our sins has separated us from a perfectly righteous God. So there must be some other way besides our "Goodness" to salvation.


NO LOGICAL RESPONSE OUTSIDE SCRIPTURE:
Don’t misunderstand me here, scripture is our guide and clearly states that Jesus is the only way for anyone to be justified in the eyes of God. (See John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:11-12; and many more) Those willing to defend Biblical Christianity should know and use these verses. However, we should also develop abilities to explain the logical & biblical reasons why it HAS to be this way. Sadly, I find myself defending the exclusivity of Christ to professed Christians as much if not more than to those who believe in a god but not necessarily the God of the Bible. To many "Christians" the Bible is no longer the absolute authority in their life. (See post "Instructions from the Master" for more on this subject) Therefore, it is critical to learn how we can logically demonstrate Christ as the only true path, even if only for those within the church. By doing so, we can better respond to the question, “If Johnny believes his religion just as much as you believe yours, what makes you right and him wrong”.

To accomplish this we first need to understand some basic facts about all religions.

NOTE: Scripture references for each point are given at the end of the post.

ALL MAJOR RELIGIONS ARE EXCLUSIVE:
Every one of the 5 major religions and their many sects are exclusionary in some way. (Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity & Islam) They all have elements stating that if you do not do it their way you will not get the benefits they claim exist in eternity.

Keeping this in mind and assuming there is a god, would not this god have some way for us to know him? Otherwise, what would be the point of our creation? Without getting to deep here, what this logically leads to is that one of these "exclusive" religions is actually the real one given us by the real God. All the other religions would have been created by man even though they would have some characteristics of the original one given us by the true God. All these religions would have characteristics which obviously came from man.

Now, when I say man-made religions, I don't mean they were created by "mankind" but refer specifically to the "male" dominated cultures from which all the major religions originate. You might say they are "Male-made" religions.

Male-Made vs. God-Given:
Should we find ourselves with an opportunity to answer the question at hand, we will be far more effective if first we remove the conflict inherent within the question. Instead of arguing back and forth over whose religion is right or getting bogged down with topics like tolerance, goodness and judgment, we should turn the discussion into one of basic logic. The discussion should be about which religion has the characteristics one would expect from a God, verses those one would expect from a male-made god. Let’s apply this logic to 4 areas of life as they relate to religion.

1. Relationships (marital & personnel)
2. Morality & Sin
3. Life’s Purpose
4. Salvation & Eternity

NOTE: There are other areas you can use and we go into greater detail in our EWO classes. These should be

enough to make the point.

1. Relationships:

Marital Relationships;

Remembering that all the major religions originated from male dominated cultures; imagine a group of males developing marriage laws for their new religion. Of course, being “religious men” they would understand the need for marriage as a stabilizing force in society. However, these men would also see its potential problems, especially as it relates to males. I know, if a bunch of my college fraternity brothers were given the opportunity to write the laws for marriage within a religion, they would make sure to include certain provisions favorable to men. They might allow men to marry other women they meet after marriage. Of course, there is no way they are going to allow their wives that same option. No respectable man would let his wife be with another man. Obviously, this provision would be one we might expect from a religion created within a male dominated culture, and if you don’t think so just ask your wife!

Now think about this, would you volunteer to make the following motion before the rules committee of your new religion? "I rise to make the following motion, A man should stay married to his first and only wife, even if she gains 200 lbs., smells, can't cook and won’t give you the time of day, you are to stay married to her until death, and NO you cannot assist in the process. You are to love and care for her because God has made the two of you one. The covenant of marriage is both with her and God."

Do I hear a second?

We would only expect this kind of provision to come from a God who, being the creator, understands the value of unconditional love and the importance of a family structure. You might even expect this God to use the relationship between a man, a woman and their children as earthly examples of his spiritual love for us.

Other Relationships;
Now let’s look at our relationships with respect to other people including those who don't or won't accept our beliefs.

(1) If someone harms us it would be OK to return the favor. Limited vengeance would be accepted in a man-made religion. A real God being fully righteous (because he would determine what constitutes righteousness) and having created everyone would make himself the true arbiter of vengeance. Good fathers don't let their children punish each other, they do it.

(2) In any religion, if someone harms a person or his family there would be some form of social justice. However, in a man-made religion we would certainly not be required to forgive them for their action. No mortal man would insert a provision into a religion that says, if you murder his daughter he is required (even commanded) to find it in his heart to forgive you of your action against his family.

If that's not enough, imagine including with this provision the understanding that a man's unwillingness to forgive demonstrates he is unworthy of forgiveness from God. Can you imagine any man, or especially a woman in this case, providing for the possibility that the man who murdered their daughter might find forgiveness from God one day and they, if unwilling to forgive, might not be forgiven themselves. That idea wouldn't see the light of day in a man made religion unless it was extracted from the true one.

(3) We might include a provision making it acceptable to physically force our beliefs on others. This would be justified based on the belief we worship the one true god and would actually be doing those we force into our religion a favor. If they refuse, it would be acceptable to punish them even unto death for they are bad and might cause others to follow in their path.

However, since a real god would have created everyone, He would want us to love those He created. A real god would expect us to love each other just as we expect our children to do the same.

2. Morality & Sin:
How would man determine what was moral within his religion, and how might he protect himself from being entrapped by those moralities. One way, might be to make morality relative. What is sin for you might not be a sin for me. As a matter of fact, the difference between what is immoral and what is moral might depend on our religious enlightenment or the circumstances within which we find ourselves. Given this, morality could change within the cultural and social enlightenment of our time.

When someone breaks a rule of our man-made religion, they might suffer spiritually or even physically, but it would not cause suffering for our god.

Now, a religion coming from a real God would also have rules given directly to the ones who were expected to keep them. Since that God created us and he is perfectly righteous, his laws would be static not relative. Since this God created us for a purpose his rules would be what are best for us to fulfill that purpose. They would not change with time because he would not change.

Because this God loves us and his laws are for our benefit, we would expect him to be saddened by our rejection of His way.


3. Life’s Purpose:
Man generally defines the purpose of life as; fulfilling his destiny, getting in touch with himself, living a prosperous life, doing good deeds in life, leaving a good legacy, raising a good family or any number of goals all focusing in some way on one's on legacy. Therefore, if man created a religion we would expect some variation of these purposes within that religion.

Now think logically about this, if you or I create something we do so for a purpose. We then want that thing to serve it's purpose, namely to do what we made it to do. A God who created us would be no different. He would not need us for anything other than to fulfill his creative purpose. We would have nothing of value for our creator other than to give him glory by doing his will through fulfilling His purpose. Therefore, any religion claiming to be of God would be one which puts that God above all else including self.

Since this God loves us (he would because he made us) he would want us to love others. He would view selfishness not only as putting ourselves before others but also putting ourselves above Him. It stands to reason that any religion coming from a real God would have God first and others second. In other words, our purpose would be to serve God, then others, and thinking of ourselves last.

Now, since our purpose would be to serve this God, we would need some kind of a relationship with Him so He could be our guide. He would not leave us without some instruction as to how this relationship works.

4. Salvation & Eternity:
A man-made religion would have rules which we could measure ourselves against. How well one followed those rules would determine whatever spoils our religion had to offer upon death. If one claims commitment to our religion but is unable to live up to some measure of these rules, they could not expect the benefits from our god upon death. Someone wishing to enter into our religion would have certain things they must do to gain acceptance. A man-made religion would be unlikely to include a provision whereby someone could live a wicked life, claim a sincere belief in our god upon death and gain the same reward as one who has lived obediently from childhood. Human nature would not allow for this option. The only way man would consider it would be to require that person be punished first and then earn their way out from this punishment, simply because to allow them equal entrance would be unfair to those who lived faithfully for so long. By reward here I mean eternal life with God.

Religion given us by the real God would also have rules written by that God. These rules would exist to help those he created see better how to live the life he has given them and fulfill His purpose for creating them. A real God, being perfectly good, (because he determines what good is) would also have perfection as his requirement to live eternally with him. Otherwise, he would have to allow immoral people to live beside him in eternity which would make eternity much like this place, thereby destroying a large part of its real value. This problem would leave a real God with one of two options; (1) Let immorality be part of eternal life or (2) Create a way to cover or remove our immorality.

We can see that the first option makes no sense, so the later one remains the only logical option God has, if he is to allow someone who has broken His law into His presence.

Therefore, solution to this problem of righteousness could only come from a God who understands righteousness. In other words, the real God would be the only one who could make a way since we cannot make ourselves sinless.

Logically, a perfect & righteous all-powerful God would not be indecisive. Not only would he make A way but he would only have ONE way. If there were many ways then how could God claim to be a righteous judge? Some would gain his favor one way and others in a totally different but unequal way. If that were true we would all shop around for the way which had the least requirements on us and allowed for the most options. In one religion you can get divorced at your connivance in another you must remain faithful. Therefore, God would be judging from (in this case) two different moralities, two different personalities, two different standards. Is god schizophrenic?

Now, the real God who created us would love us all. He would give us every chance to accept this way he has created, even if we came to accept it (sincerely of course) in our dying days. Who among us would turn away a wayward child if he came back and humbly submitted to us asking our forgiveness? A real God would be no different for he would look for every opportunity to bring us back to himself, not wanting to be separated from anyone he created. As a matter of fact, this God would see one primary purpose for those who have found his way, as helping others to do the same. If you had two children who were wayward and one came back, after celebrating his return you would enlist him in the effort to restore your other son, his brother.

A real God would think it ridiculous and quite the height of arrogance for someone to believe they could make themselves so special, via their on goodness, to somehow overshadow their sinfulness and gain favor with a righteous God. Fools, he would call them, and he did.


Conclusion:
It is important to note that all the major religions, and most of the sects found therein, have some of the god-like qualities noted above. We would logically expect this because all people groups can be traced back to the original creation and therefore back to the one real God.

However, there is only one "so called religion" which contains all the traits one would expect from a real God. That one is Christianity. The fact is Christianity is not even a religion; it is a relationship; A relationship between us and the God who created us. He loves you and I so much that He made a way to restore that relationship. He was even willing to do it no matter the cost to Himself, thereby demonstrating His truth in LOVE. Other religions don’t really profess to have a personal relationship with their god as is understood within Christianity. This makes logical sense because how would one have a relationship with a god that doesn’t exist?

Looking back one can see that Christianity best reflects the type of relationship (religion) one would logically expect from a real God and not from one which is man-made. Note the scriptures below demonstrating Christianities uniqueness.

Relationships:
Marital – One Man, One Women, For Life ( Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6)

Others - “Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:43-44)
Vengeance - Is left to God (Romans 12:19)

Morality & Sin:
God and his rules are immutable, unchangeable (Matthew 5:18, Hebrews 13:8)

Our sin causes God great pain (John 11:35)

Life’s Purpose:
We were created to Glorify God. (Genesis 1:26 - 3)

We are to love God and others. John 10:27

Salvation & Eternity:
We have all sinned and must be justified through faith in Christ (Romans 3:23, 24 Romans 6:23)

We are no longer condemned by the law but are freed through Christ. (Romans 8:1,2)

God made a way. (John 3:16)

Any religion that is based on works could not possible be from a truly righteous God for he would have to be willing to accept unrighteousness in heaven. If we are not saved by grace through faith then we have no chance of ever seeing the perfection of heaven. There is only one so called religion which gives a pathway for man to stand blameless before a righteous God and that is Christianity. Anyone who claims God might have made another way is panning a fool's gold. All other religions lead to a logical dead end. They may have certain desirable traits but in the end they are all helplessly man-made, offering us no hope of standing blameless before a righteous God.

There is only one God and only one way. The path may be narrow and it may seem difficult but it is the only path that solves the problem of our sin before God. Believing there is any other way to heaven, outside of the blood of Jesus Christ, is to create your own man-made religion. Call it what you may but it is not Biblical Christianity and it will not stand up to logic or more importantly judgment from a righteous God. We must be willing to believe the unbelievable.

God Bless,

Scott Cosper

Co-Founder, Eyes Wide Open Ministry