tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228629882012-01-27T04:43:00.686-08:00Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comBlogger1751100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-19702985674341877752010-07-14T06:47:00.000-07:002010-07-14T06:47:02.407-07:00

I was thinking the other day about the idea of women pastors.  Or really, women in authority.  Anywhere. It seems that, biblically, a Proverbs 31 woman has some major sway in her household - not letting her candle go out at night (v18), considers a field and buys it (v16), etc; she clearly not only has influence and responsibilities, but some authority. This seems to contrast her authority

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-73885166222781847312010-04-01T11:53:00.000-07:002010-04-01T11:56:56.222-07:00

I haven't been posting lately; this is chiefly because other matters have drawn me away. But of all the various means of documenting my thoughts, this has always been the one I intend to have the most positive impact - at the very least the one that has the least amount of muck / apathy / emptiness. Here is my new goal. I intend to read a single book of the Bible a day. I'll post questions/

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-24349884263515723602010-03-09T05:13:00.000-08:002010-03-09T05:23:57.419-08:00

The title feels right, though, it is likely wrong in some way.  If you have a superior post title, please leave it in the comments or email it to me: I'll likely update/change it. I've been thinking on something ... recently a blog post on some random blog reminded me that there are a huge number of people who believe homosexuals were born that way.  This is fascinating to me - I believe

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-70224687190702537262009-10-12T10:29:00.001-07:002009-10-12T10:40:32.281-07:00

I have always disliked dark chocolate. Perhaps it's because I've spent so much of my life preferring sweet foods or the fact I distinctly remember sneaking into the family larder and sneaking some baking chocolate - regardless, I've never liked the dark stuff.But I've heard good things about dark chocolate. How eating some measure of it can be a good health choice. How it comes it a huge

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-46230372120341769692009-09-15T12:58:00.000-07:002009-09-15T12:59:06.076-07:00

One of the foci of this perpetual novel of a blog was that it was intended to be my witness of what God is doing in my thought life as well as evidence of who God is in my life.If this is accurate - this means that God only rarely speaks to me.Regardless - I did mean this to be antiprattle.I think I've been settling for a higher grade of prattle than that which I normally hear.But I've still been

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-77589071983775075192009-08-04T14:07:00.000-07:002009-08-04T11:07:37.020-07:00

I was thinking on something last night.I've been intellectually swayed by a well-turned phrase for a long number of years. If you say the right words, in the right sequence, and nothing that you say contradicts my experience, I can often accept what you say as literally true. I can do this because I have no reason to question the veracity.Then along comes reality - and those parts that bear no

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-10667452324503261042009-07-11T07:16:00.000-07:002009-07-11T07:36:07.653-07:00

I hate waiting. Mostly I hate knowing about something that is important and having to wait for it to happen. It is a weakness of mine, and God has certainly been working with me through various trials - I have seen myself improve immeasurably on this point. But I hate waiting. I bring this up because, in my most fierce times, when waiting is frustrating and painful, I am most humbled when my

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-2746745155869912192009-05-22T13:14:00.000-07:002009-05-22T13:15:03.600-07:00

I - Perfection One of the recurring themes in expression, whether artistic, personal, or otherwise, is that of perfection.  I believe we consider someone a master because they've "mastered" the ability to be perfect in some realm - whatever perfection means in that realm.  Everyone has something they're mastering - be it mastery of self, mastery of character, mastery of a profession/tool/skill,

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-77809693385634223132009-02-02T21:50:00.001-08:002009-02-02T22:00:26.160-08:00

I think Jesus spent nearly his whole ministry answering this question.  In fact, you could say this question is the principal motivation for the whole of scripture.   And I believe, without the God, nobody on earth has the slightest idea what love IS.This is mostly because we often define things the opposite of the absence of things.We define cold as that which is not hot and vice versa.  Nobody

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-87644448378950087242009-01-20T21:26:00.000-08:002009-01-20T21:27:17.202-08:00

One of the easiest things to forget is that God is God.  It is in His nature to be God.  He does it without trying.We forget because we're not God.  Out of habit, training, or perspective, we see God as massive enhancements to us.  And so begins, regardless of slope, a pattern that we spend the rest of our days either reckoning or hastening.  In addition, the only knowledge of God we have is what

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-32951385777141964402009-01-19T00:19:00.000-08:002009-01-19T00:21:07.748-08:00

This is one of those questions which appear to have no answer.I believe this is because, unless two people read the same book, they are likely to answer the question differently. And I believe this different reflects more about what that person values (and defines as 'common sense') than anything else.So what does wisdom look like?Men and women, the world over and for many years, have sought her

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-40742764241384942662009-01-08T10:07:00.001-08:002009-01-08T10:13:36.940-08:00

Two weeks ago Christmas commanded the attention of millions.One week ago the New Year with resolutions commanding the attention of millions.Today - not so much.It has been said that, other than the books you read and the people you know, we don't change all that much.I would argue this to be the case but would have used two slightly different words: wisdom and relationships. Thus, the phrase

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-47622276403049593252008-12-25T02:43:00.000-08:002008-12-24T23:48:23.490-08:00

I haven't posted much.It could be a sign of a busy life,it could be a sign that I've got things on my plateThe reality is that it is a signthat things have been taking precendence when they shouldn't.This is Christmas.For me it has always been a time of a kind of excessive joy.I used to think it was about being around family.Then I thought it was about hoping for a particular present.Then I

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-38617437961497938762008-12-08T15:42:00.000-08:002008-12-10T12:14:00.271-08:00

The more I think about God, the more I think justifying, arguing the case for, and defending God are silly. We're talking about an all-powerful God.The problem is that we live in a world where we are called to speak to others.This has the result that without the ability to justify God explicitly we are often only able to model God's presence.Perhaps this is the best testimony which one could

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-13710854151436868442008-10-14T22:22:00.000-07:002008-10-14T22:33:05.806-07:00

There is a movement going around, one passed along in loud, hushed tones along internet lines. The crux of the movement is to emulate Daniel's righteous behavior in praying and purification.Daniel's prayer is one of mourning.Daniel's purification comes by chastening himself before the Lord Christ Jesus.Daniel's walk may be discovered in Daniel 10 - his faithfulness and mourning are heard and his

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-70417164951527846142008-09-08T09:17:00.000-07:002008-09-08T09:20:52.560-07:00

I was meditating on Galatians 2:20 again (I am crucified with Christ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave his life for me.)I am alive now by the faith of Jesus Christ.And so are you.Ruminate on that a little bit - it is because of the faith and faithful of Jesus Christ that you can read these

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-70514568663337305902008-09-04T05:45:00.000-07:002008-09-04T05:51:51.483-07:00

One of the least-popular aspects of scripture has got to be the suffering. Most of us live in a society where the human body is worshiped, human strengths are lauded, human weaknesses are hidden, and honor, glory, and truth in their own right are often replaced with respect for objects, worship of celebrities, and relative morality. Therefore, it must be horrifying, confusing, and troubling to

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-55503870985335007942008-09-03T15:32:00.000-07:002008-09-03T15:35:49.209-07:00

We know from Ecclesiastes (v 1:9) that "there is no new thing under the sun". And yet the concept of new-ness is mentioned in several places.The verse I would like to mention today is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.Can you imagine - God, through Samuel, has said there is no new

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-44606048062714841392008-07-18T08:47:00.001-07:002008-07-18T08:47:31.048-07:00

The world is addicted to love. If you have any doubt about it, look around you! On the internet, most of the things being offered (be they products, services, or a mélange of both) are attempts at expressions of love. Some are Machiavellian in their attempt, some are destructive - but the truly successful are either actual expressions of love or direct perversions of love. Truly there is

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-58268006876953402532008-06-19T07:27:00.000-07:002008-06-19T07:31:17.468-07:00

Stories tend to highlight certain abstract aspects of the main character. Those abstracts may be heroism, bravery, cunning, and intelligence. They might also be sophistication, irreverence, stupidity, or propensity for destruction. Regardless of the particular attribute, the teller of the tale uses one tool above all others to paint the abstraction: consistency.Character tends to be defined over

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-66227745404818133202008-06-16T08:02:00.000-07:002008-06-16T08:06:15.303-07:00

drifting out of timeyesterday was years agoleaves fall, marching onGod chose me just nowyesterday and tomorrowto be whom He willsit had been one dayyears hence that I lent an earand my heart: God sang!never been the samehas been my life, my todaysnever been the same

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-54683105317728873212008-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:002008-05-27T09:30:47.895-07:00

One of the most effective ways to win a war is to distract the combatants. There are several ways to do this. The first is to interrupt the supply lines, the second is to interrupt the chain of command, and the third is to interrupt the flow of information between the chain of command and the combatants. As a believer, I am a combatant - and we are called, my believers and I, to fight - not

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-89497934962802498822008-03-19T14:23:00.000-07:002008-03-19T14:25:16.704-07:00

What if there were two religions, with diametrically opposed faiths, that had days of observation that were a week apart, and the governor of the land that observed these two faiths, in the interest of calming unrest, decided to merge the second to occur on the day of the first - does it matter? On the one hand, regardless of your faith, you're still observing your particular religious

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-53347763868319777222008-03-04T03:48:00.000-08:002008-03-04T18:53:01.119-08:00

One of the most destructive things we can be tricked into doing is to say things that have import that we know not of.In a religious sense, one of those words is baptism. As such, the original usage - in Jewish religious ceremonies, will likely always color the meaning of the word - to include immersion, being set apart, and in fact some of the feasts were associated with the word. Likewise, if

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-62376193943882332352008-03-03T08:35:00.000-08:002008-03-04T08:53:47.237-08:00

I am fascinated by faces. Mostly I'm fascinated in the sheer variety of faces that exist - no two people have exactly the same faces. Each of us have a different combination of hair, eyes, skin, nose, skeleton, limbs, and a plethora of other body parts that only medical students ever really get a working knowledge of names. Or perhaps students of medical terminology. Regardless, the variety

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-57647594297171627212008-03-02T17:37:00.000-08:002008-03-02T18:13:02.533-08:00

One of the more fascinating trades I have discovered is that of a scholar - in particular a student of mathematics. And the reason is simple: the more one studies tools available for those fields, the more one has powerful tools to understand and relate to facets of God that other people don't discover.My favorite example is the concept of multi-dimensionality. With respect to God, this is the

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-39328829286574228532008-03-01T16:48:00.001-08:002008-03-01T17:02:33.348-08:00

One of the easiest traps one can fall into - especially in America - is to catalog what God hasn't done yet. It is a simple thing - you list one thing, then another, and the focus can thus turn into a kind of perception of God's apparent eternal incompleteness. As if the only thing He can do right in your world is to knock just one more thing of the list of things He owes you.I find myself

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-14435216526382168182008-02-11T08:46:00.000-08:002008-02-11T08:52:15.331-08:00

One of the things I find most fascinating is that He functions outside of time.This is implied by the fact He has stated He is the "I AM". You can't very well be an unchanging being if you're buffeted about by time.And so today I intentionally recognize that God designed this day. And gave it to us.Imagine the world's most gifted artist crafting a masterpiece with you in mind.Imagine the

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-38062932344580287362008-02-03T18:26:00.000-08:002008-02-03T18:41:56.468-08:00

In computer programs, the practice of leaving a hidden bit of fun within something is called an Easter Egg. It is one of the things I most love about scripture - at every level you look at the Holy Bible, God has innumerable Easter Eggs for one to discover. Of late I have been reading about sticky-ness - where something is succinct, catchy, and concrete - and how nearly every memorable

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-40162015387263998532008-01-28T05:00:00.000-08:002008-01-28T10:27:37.778-08:00

One of the questions that has been stirring my soul of late is "What is predestination?" It seems a trick question, one of those questions theological philosophers think up to pass the time, engaged in heated debates solely for the purpose of being given the opportunity to speak last. But I am curious.There are only four verses in scripture which use variations on the theme, paired off next to

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-89152118572388482862008-01-22T09:52:00.001-08:002008-01-22T09:52:58.608-08:00

One of the things I have most longed for in life is an opportunity to seek intentional personal maturity. This might fly in the fact of the public consciousness, where maturity is something to be avoided until absolutely necessary ... but I have found that those who are most able to function well and successfully have a level of personal maturity that is easy to respect and admire. Sadly, most

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-71220360202833695822008-01-16T04:55:00.000-08:002008-01-16T04:57:22.419-08:00

I want to say I daily die to self - the reality is that every day is a struggle and I don't always succeed. I read great authors, men of faith and conviction, who seem to eat, sleep, and breathe selflessness, and I am recursively and repeatedly not dying to self. I think the key is to not give up. For each day holds a distinct set of challenges, and there is something to scripture - it

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-68963981345284229232008-01-15T21:06:00.000-08:002008-01-15T21:08:29.371-08:00

Ruth 1:1Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn into the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.This is one of those verses that are easy to gloss over - but if you look, it bespeaks some interesting facts. We have a man living in a specific time (when the judges ruled), during a

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-57596730388038623902008-01-12T15:24:00.000-08:002008-01-12T15:27:20.646-08:00

In speaking with a friend of mine, he smiled sadly and said "I fear our generation is being entertained to death." It is easy to see what he means - no other generation before ours has had the shear breadth, depth, and variety of distraction available to them, some simultaneous. We have computers, hand-held gizmos with more computing power than was available on the earth only a few decades

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-5320252893980211272008-01-11T20:30:00.000-08:002008-01-12T15:27:55.337-08:00

I have a theory. I believe every one of us can be great in the Lord. In addition to having a specific purpose and having some task, or set of tasks, I believe each of us has the potential to be great, to hearken unto that small voice that guides each of us, and to become an amazing and profound spokesperson for Christ Jesus. I believe the potential for this truth is necessarily present

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-52503642792933537332008-01-10T16:48:00.001-08:002008-01-10T17:07:16.700-08:00

Proverbs 29:27 (link) An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked. There are certain words we don't observe often, especially words that are currently out of vogue. One such word is abomination. It has many applications, and if we stick with the worldly definition (link) we miss out on the depth and character that one

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-31089270696171693132008-01-09T11:47:00.000-08:002008-01-09T11:53:10.450-08:00

Exodus 22:1-4 (1, 2, 3, 4) These passages deal with thieves - how to resolve their theft, how to deal with their crimes, and the like. In particular, it addresses what to do about a fundamental loss of livestock. At the time of this writing, livestock comprised the major source of providence for the majority of the population - they provided a perpetual resource of food, labor, and materials

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-69377490592606597972008-01-08T12:11:00.000-08:002008-01-08T12:12:10.757-08:00

Numbers 5:3 (link) Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell. This verse comes in the midst of the guidance God gives on how to deal with lepers. This is before Jesus, so the capacity to be healed of leprosy is a rare occurrence - in a very real sense, at the time that this passage, having

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-55388476382582113382008-01-07T18:20:00.000-08:002008-01-08T08:37:51.574-08:00

Revelation 3:15-16One of the more interesting verses in scripture declares just how much God wants for us to be about His will ... and to do so passionately! In the verses above, Christ Jesus wrote to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans clearly indicating that their focus was a kind of materialistic apathy.The key here is the passion - God wants our hearts aligned with him. To not just be

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-59717437645326728792008-01-06T20:34:00.000-08:002008-01-06T20:36:37.880-08:00

There is a concept that I will mention - one that will not be new to you. The idea is simple: Certain pieces of information, when known, fundamentally change you. The existence and nature of Jesus was one such piece of information. The introduction of Jesus into a person's paradigm necessarily changes that person. Jesus is such a large figure, cutting such a deep swathe in what things

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-65494897392055871762008-01-05T20:17:00.000-08:002008-01-05T20:27:31.197-08:00

Job 27:14 Scripture speaks a great deal about satisfaction. It speaks on what the righteous are satisfied by (link), describes the character of those who are not satisfied (link), likewise it implies a kind of persecution if one is satisfied with things that are by nature not sufficient by themselves (link, link, and link). There are a large number of scriptures that address satisfaction ...

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-74757827158982510632008-01-04T20:41:00.000-08:002008-01-04T20:47:28.341-08:00

One wonders if there is a relationship between the forty days and nights of the biblical flood, followed by a time of renewal, and the forty days of Jesus' fast, followed by a time of temptation. Certainly the time frames are identical ... and a fast has similar properties to a flood. In its way, a flood might be considered a kind of fast for the surface of the earth. Likewise the time of

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-58863072972103960232008-01-03T20:28:00.000-08:002008-01-03T20:36:46.696-08:00

One of the more interesting aspects of my relationship with Christ Jesus is a recurring experience - I will have a series of communiqués with Him, some very close together, some far apart - and then what appears to be silence. It is in these silences that my faith has an active chance to express itself. To grow, to develop, to change, to be nurtured, to be tested.I can certainly claim it as

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-85833712293100264112008-01-02T20:09:00.000-08:002008-01-02T20:13:51.962-08:00

Psalms 40:1To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. (KJV)This is one of those verses that is easy to just gloss over. We wait for things all the time, usually with little to no patience. If you want evidence of this, try sitting in rush hour traffic and not hearing anyone honk. How many of us wait? How many of us

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-88145085984409416512008-01-01T18:43:00.000-08:002008-01-07T18:25:17.512-08:00

Mark 7:6 (link)He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. (KJV)......................I am a hypocrite. And so are you. You don't want to be a hypocrite ... but your flesh is at war with the spirit. And thus, there are leaks. Moments in your day, your walk, your

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-44685027365846683132007-12-14T07:38:00.000-08:002007-12-18T07:41:50.170-08:00

Proverbs 9:1Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. First perusal of this verse suggests a metaphor, an abstraction at best, but I believe this to be something entirely different. Wisdom, in the world, is an abstract, poorly defined and rarely found. Likewise, if wisdom is an abstraction, what but a house of air and a pillar of hope can an abstraction hew?Instead, let

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-45395487379470626232007-12-13T06:13:00.000-08:002007-12-13T06:48:01.005-08:00

There are a number of feel-good faiths. These faiths are based on ways of presenting spiritual truths or interpreting scripture that make you feel something - sometimes they focus on making you feel more righteous, sometimes more justified, sometimes more accepted, or occasionally more purposeful. If you, as a believer, associate being a believer with feeling a certain way, if your walk with

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-83440328764791866202007-12-12T20:41:00.000-08:002007-12-13T05:30:16.764-08:00

A Black Swan is an intense, unforeseeable and unpredictable event that redefines a person's paradigm. The name comes from the discovery of a black swan in Australia - prior to that point, all swans were assumed to be white simply because all the swans anyone had seen were white. And, once a black swan is discovered, the gross majority of us will attempt to explain or justify the blacks swan by

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-46284734311953232902007-12-11T04:44:00.000-08:002007-12-13T05:29:59.116-08:00

From Adam's election to join Eve in a mid-morning snack to the new movie out in theatres entitled "The Golden Compass", the idea that knowledge is or is not a good thing has been tossed about, considered, with the result that it seems to be one of those questions that never gets addressed any more - as if the answer were so obvious that it needed no further consideration.I challenge you, reader,

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-42345947676484025162007-12-10T05:26:00.000-08:002007-12-17T08:37:51.665-08:00

Acts 26:6And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.We will be judged for the hope we have in God's promises to our ancestors. In particular, the scripture likely hearkens to Abraham and the set of promises made to the Israelites - but if you are a believer and follower and acknowledger of Christ Jesus, this also includes you; you are an adopted son,

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-45879339896067483782007-12-09T06:12:00.000-08:002007-12-13T06:13:00.558-08:00

Scripture is filled with suggestions, hints, and expectations that God has for us - He knows that we falter, He knows that we need Him, and He knows that the only way we even know we need Him is that He reveals it to us. A very closed loop. The problem is that sin, in all its forms, causes us to believe we don't need Him. Ultimately that is what every aspect of sin does. Have the sin of

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-27617725673621561522007-12-08T06:59:00.000-08:002007-12-14T07:00:18.046-08:00

Numbers 17:6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. (KJV) Moses, in the wilderness, was speaking the Word of God over and over, and in the middle of the book of Numbers, Moses asks the prices of each tribe to each

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-30949601861007984052007-12-07T11:21:00.000-08:002007-12-14T11:23:25.424-08:00

Leviticus 15:18The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.This is a literal, potent example from scripture - if a man and a woman are lying together with the seed of copulation, they are unclean until the even. It doesn't say that they're unclean unless go scrub with Lava soap, or they'll be unclean

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-74852049444619314742007-12-06T08:33:00.000-08:002007-12-17T11:10:09.920-08:00

Kings 16:27And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.In a family, the husband/father's walk dictates the spiritual umbrella of that family; it is part of that

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-78797939066119297882007-10-31T09:01:00.000-07:002007-10-31T09:05:47.315-07:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a competition across the United States (and some other countries too), one that few enter and even fewer finish. The contest dimensions are easy enough - write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November. I believe YOU have a novel within you. It might be started this November. It might only be a stream-of-consciousness collection of anecdotes about

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-85727042804079536702007-10-23T14:21:00.000-07:002007-10-23T14:24:30.423-07:00

On being a martyrThere is a facet of faith that most of us only have second-hand knowledge: being martyrs for God. It is an odd thing - looking through Fox's book of martyrs, one gets the impression that there USED to be people who were willing to die for Him, if only to get the word out and to further His kingdom, but now the faith and passion and zeal of the 'true' believer has died down,

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-34692150236030559092007-10-22T06:49:00.001-07:002007-10-22T06:50:13.506-07:00

This marks the end of the set of blog posts which are entitled via a praise and worship song - early on I stopped using the title itself as meaningful, which takes away from the potential for such posts to tie together; likely due to lack of planning on my part. If that last sentence doesn't make sense, consider this: what if you loved a particular song, and each word meant something to you.

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-52882835334222413012007-09-17T20:20:00.000-07:002007-09-19T11:59:40.171-07:00

Baptism is one of those staples of christian life we don't give much thought. Yes, most believers are (or will be) baptized. Yes, it's a good and right thing, yes it's biblical, and yes it has some sort of Jewish association.We could also go another route ... remember Jesus? Yeah, the guy that scripture tells us was the living embodiment of God? Well, Jesus didn't do any miracles until after

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-33294056439760799842007-09-15T11:25:00.000-07:002007-09-15T11:51:25.640-07:00

Before you read the following, please consider:It has been said it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.More potent is the point that it is better to offer obedience than sacrifice - it is, to my way of thinking, the essence of why the sacrifice of Christ Jesus is so potent - he was obedient unto death; however, I would speak to the distinction here (though only lightly) and address

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-6382475176725812932007-09-14T13:30:00.000-07:002007-09-14T13:40:34.147-07:00

One day closer--------------Besides the obvious punthe double entendre remainsfor God is the one day closerand one day closer he maintainsEach of walks a pathdefind by walls we can't seefor God is the one day closerand thus one day closer we beDecisions created to force usto choose to see things as they arefor God is the one day closerand He is one day closer, by far

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-86373121630462409992007-08-13T04:47:00.001-07:002007-08-13T04:51:38.646-07:00

Please forgive the idiosyncratic title - it will continue until I finish the sentence.Please forgive the infrequent postings - I have been much away from this place.I have a new reason to write, to complement the purpose of this blog - to mast the art of writing well. Pursuant to that I have found, as reference, a book by Thomas Uzzell, something of a work so well regarded I haven't found anyone

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-91360210108971733332007-07-19T04:02:00.000-07:002007-07-19T04:17:34.994-07:00

Religions, to my mind, can be summed up by their articles of faith. This isn't a good or bad thing - but it is a powerful thing. That something can be defined by the expression of a set of abstract principles. But religions aren't the thing.Consider, for example, yourself. Let us assume that a parallel existed between religions and yourself, and that you yourself had your own articles of

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-58738806709712400202007-07-17T20:49:00.000-07:002007-07-17T20:59:56.657-07:00

I went to a Bible study today - and it showed me how far I had come.I used to be the question guy - more focused on debating the merits of perspectives instead of shooting from the hip. My goal was simple - if I gathered enough information, asked enough questions, but didn't push too hard, I would gain a clear understanding of things.I met myself at the Bible study. I was thin, sleepy, friendly

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-38209248395117957282007-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:002007-06-29T03:17:51.837-07:00

I have a need to witness about how God has been working in my life, but I don’t know the words and I’m wondering how my sentences, paragraphs, and phrasing will turn out; however, my goal is to honor God and so I write – in the hope that my words will make sense when I’ve had more sleep. I have been under attack for many years. The attacks have been of certain categories, and certainly they

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-15238061135665682412007-06-27T18:00:00.000-07:002007-06-29T03:18:03.595-07:00

I have recently achieved ownership of a book by one Frank E. Peretti - it is a compilation of two 'blockbuster novels in one volume: This Present Darkness and Piercing The Darkness'. I'm on the fourth chapter of the first book, This Present Darkness, and I'm as a honed blade, more aware than ever how my life is often one praise report after another and how often I am under attack. I claim it as a

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-86972929065602621642007-06-21T20:00:00.000-07:002007-06-20T21:07:48.720-07:00

Deliverance is a very prickly subject. Most believers have an opinion about it - sometimes that opinion is based on scripture, sometimes it is based on what a particularly revered speaker says, sometimes it is based on personal experience, and sometimes it is gleaned from popular culture. Regardless, deliverance is real, and something every believer should research. They should do so for at

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-72360388062633274702007-06-20T18:00:00.000-07:002007-06-20T13:11:46.227-07:00

The potential for joy, in living out God's will for one's life, is profound - enough to submerge any kind of fear, any kind of sorrow, any kind of pain ... if we have the courage to claim that joy.One of the most amazing gifts that the Holy Spirit grants is being in one accord. It is a powerful and moving thing to know that a group of people, who all serve the same God, can bring together

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-26908126700048389112007-06-17T23:45:00.001-07:002007-06-18T00:06:27.217-07:00

Before I begin, I'm going to make some assumptions. I'm going to assume that you, visitor-to-my-blog, know of God and that you believe that an instantiation of Him, namely Jesus, came to be born, live, and voluntarily gave up His life. These are, to me, givens ... and I mention them because they are assumptions I bring to the table. These are the easy assumptions.I am also going to assume that

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-75888073739056032022007-06-13T06:00:00.000-07:002007-06-20T13:13:58.392-07:00

Note: for those who peruse both, this post is different than its counterpart at Xanga.Today I woke up rushing. I saw the minutes, saw the hour, realized the time, and jumped out of bed, wondering what I should attack first, becoming one of those hyper-planning mad scientist you see in the old black-and-white movies. I prepared to send apologies to my carpool ride (for this is my week to drive),

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-73263022081237502922007-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-31T04:50:53.826-07:00

2 Samuel 17: 23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. One of the more difficult things to deal with, in this life, is dissenting opinion among like-minded people. It is easy to deal with

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-16004819924560839942007-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-30T05:10:46.477-07:00

2 Samuel 16:16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. It is interesting that scripture now tells of Hushai speaking "God save the king, God save the king". The last point in scripture that held that phrase were the Israelites saying the same about Saul. The one speaking it is

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-43546730890310680232007-05-29T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-29T08:31:58.822-07:00

Over the past recent months, I have been learning the power of effective prayer and what it takes to stand by the prayer I have prayed. Mostly, the difficulty doesn’t lie in the prayer… it lies in the belief of that prayer.Faith is such a simple thing. Faith is easy to have when things are going right, the sun is shining, and answers come quickly. This is not a true indicator of your faith. It is

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-34284112678868425902007-05-29T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-29T05:11:34.244-07:00

Today I speak of faithfulness. It is not a hard topic to understand. It is a hard topic to choose, consistently. Put to other words, it is hard to be faithful in faithfulness. One reason is the necessity of being attentive. In the latter years of David's reign, the people's loyalty to David were taken away by a man who was extremely attractive named Absalom. We have David's lagging

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-35221326207210139652007-05-25T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-25T05:04:23.344-07:00

There are a great number of expectations each of us bring to the table each day. We expect certain things to be true. The sun will rise. We will be able to breathe the air. And there will be a longing to draw near God.The question is - what are you doing about it?You know the sun has risen or is rising.Every day has this beginning, this same beginning with which scripture begins. The first

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-47709066181149023542007-05-23T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-23T04:57:21.319-07:00

Foot washing is an interesting concept to me and one I’m not sure I completely “get.” Some people are moved to tears as they perform this act for another, but, personally, I’m not sure what’s so special about it. Perhaps I am not looking at this act in the correct way or with the right mindset…Foot washing was one of the last things Jesus did before he died. After the Last Supper was eaten, he

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-6056474697211388032007-05-23T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-25T07:14:52.177-07:00

Foot-washing hearkens back to a time when physical contact was something different. In Jerusalem, at the time of Jesus, leprosy was common, as was the possibility of being stoned. We're talking old-testament times. In addition, hygiene, although not a concept explicitly discussed, is implicitly included in Solomon's laws, and the result is that physical contact held the association and

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-985172840368032062007-05-22T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-22T04:57:09.447-07:00

I have been amazed and bereft of speech when it comes to how God can bless obedience and submission to His plans!For over two years now, I have been purposefully and willfully choosing to submit and to be obedient to God’s plans and timing with respect to a certain issue. It has, without a doubt, been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do my entire life. So many times, it would have been much

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-27129147511864023782007-05-21T06:00:00.001-07:002007-05-21T06:23:47.627-07:00

In the thirty-first chapter of first Samuel, many things happen, not the least of which is that Saul commits suicide. It certainly wasn't something you knew was going to happen, but Saul had been increasingly unstable, never really wanted to be king in the first place, and when the fire became too hot, instead of calling out to the Lord, he ran to death. Note Saul's focus in the fourth verse -

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-16266671837481668902007-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-16T07:21:58.153-07:00

It has been said that all roads lead to the palace of wisdom. This may be true ... but nobody has ever finished walking the path. One might say that Jesus started there, and the rest of us make our meandering ways trying to get there. One might even say that Solomon was given a road map to there, as well as the keys to the palace. Unfortunately, Solomon also decided he liked the environments

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-45425717829310519102007-05-15T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-15T05:12:19.264-07:00

Today’s post is not complex, but one I needed to express. Over the course of my life, I have time and time again discovered the efficacy of prayer. Not rote, mindless prayers, but prayers that truly come from the heart, that are truly seeking after God’s heart, that are prayed with fervency and faith.I believe the key to praying and petitioning God lies in how much we believe He will answer that

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-58797888939691544652007-05-15T05:21:00.000-07:002007-05-15T05:30:11.262-07:00

Transitions are terrible. They are frightening, wonderful, scary, and interesting. The gross majority of events that are of any import happen during transitions. We are tried more during transitions. Fortunes are often lost and won on-or-about transitions. Indeed, it is the transitions that test our mettle far more than the states they bridge.Our culture often focuses on states, and

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-58180387019015468422007-05-14T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-14T09:04:45.432-07:00

Throughout I Samuel, we read about the lusting after a king by the Children of Israel and the subsequent answer to their prayer. Samuel was distressed that the Israelites would want a human to be their king instead of God, who was their king and he cried out to the Lord – and the Lord told him to give the people what they wanted.The Israelites wanted a physical man to lead them in their battles,

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-10910140685539106382007-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-12T23:24:57.877-07:00

In 2007, Mother's Day showed up on the thirteenth day in May, with countless dollars spent on various forms of physical affection, spiritual support, and material evidence of adoration. The fact is that each person with a mother, regardless of the quality of that mother, owe a great deal of debt to that person. The fact that a person has a functional moral system often stems from one's

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-42602334944651272292007-05-09T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-10T11:11:38.282-07:00

The Philistines had a problem when they captured the ark of God from the Israelites. The Israelites had a problem when they were slaughtered by the Philistines, lost the ark of God and the high priest and his two sons all in one day. So terrible was this day that the wife of one of Eli’s sons gave birth and named the child Ichabod – the glory of God is departed from Israel.In this tragic day, God

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-10346976982231329502007-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-09T10:44:53.671-07:00

In the sixth chapter of the first book of Samuel, the Israelites have been spiritually wounded: the ark of the covenant of the Lord is with the Philistines.The Philistines, wishing to be rid of this object of faith, are warned to proper sacrifice by their priests and diviners, and so have a new cart built, pulled by two "milch kine", and then associate the activities of the kine with whether the

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-44010730660248161022007-05-08T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-10T10:27:58.490-07:00

As I was driving about today, I pondered a great many things. Upon driving past an accident, I prayed in my head for the people involved, not interrupting whatever was going on in the car by speaking out loud. The prayer finished, my mind continued to ponder. Half of me was ashamed that I had not spoken the prayer out loud, while the other half wondered if unverbalized prayers have the same

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-32705939687823232342007-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-08T05:20:27.108-07:00

In third chapter of the first book of Samuel, Samuel is first visited by God. Now it was an expected thing to readers of this testament - he had been prayed over, been offered (by his mother!) for the purpose, and had been growing in acceptance, presumably because he was prudent - all signs that God's hand was in his life. If I may, I would like to draw your attention to the nineteenth verse,

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-49921791218419664892007-05-07T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-07T08:51:13.051-07:00

The Bible is loaded with strong women. From Eve who had to adapt to a much harsher world and more pain as a result of The Fall to Noah’s wife who supported her husband in his odd hundred-year-long project. There was Sarah, who willingly and without murmur followed Abraham into the desert of the unknown. Rebekah, Deborah, Jael, Ruth, and on and on and on.These women never took or usurped a man’s

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-49667103655062851342007-05-06T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-07T09:12:32.251-07:00

Moabites were a pagan people in Biblical times. They followed their own gods and were not Israelites, yet when the two sons of Elimelech found themselves living in the land of Moab with a newly-dead father, they married Moabite women.For about ten years, everything was fine. The two men and their widowed mother lived in Moab until they, too, died leaving no children. It was at this point that the

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-46117600359593340422007-05-05T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-05T09:16:08.725-07:00

Those who have studied history or watched the movie, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” have heard of the Sabeans before. But just in case, here’s a refresher…Essentially, the Romans were a budding tribe whose constant state of warring had taken the focus away from starting families. Well… how was an empire to rise if it died out in the first generation – regardless of how many neighboring tribes

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-26008076284617663542007-05-04T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-05T09:19:53.404-07:00

Once again, Israel found themselves without a king. During this time, the Bible tells us of an event which, though seemingly isolated, almost caused the annihilation of one of the tribes of Israel.A Levite had taken a concubine but she played the whore and left him, staying at her father’s house. After about four months, her husband (the Levite) came to claim her and take her back to his own

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-35518751049742907432007-05-03T08:42:00.000-07:002007-05-05T09:23:18.669-07:00

The story of Nicodemus is always a touching one and is the story which contains the immortal encapsulation of the gospel message which has brought hope into so many lives throughout history.Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews and was likely a very knowledgeable man in matters of scripture and the prophecies and interpretations contained therein. He knew Jesus came from God because no one could do

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-45594944176482723632007-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-03T05:26:41.408-07:00

The Bible has a few instances of happy.In Genesis, Leah called herself happy, chiefly because "the daughters" will call her blessed - I don't know who she is referring to, but this period in Genesis has Leah trying to give birth so that she can gain the love of Jacob. The word happy doesn't show up in Genesis again, nor in scripture, until Deuteronomy, where Israel is considered happy because it

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-59811941202488224992007-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-02T05:51:30.878-07:00

In Judges we have many, many events - in particular I should like to look at Samson. Samson was a powerful, violent man - born to Judea in a time when the Philistines were ruling them.His parents were believers - Samson's mom was approached by an angel of God and immediately went to Manoah (husband/father) who did not act out of any kind of disbelief, but instead straight to God, entreating Him

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-13398403834120845162007-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:002007-05-01T04:52:29.247-07:00

One of the hardest things in the world is to confront an addiction.We might have to confront it because it is harming the lives of those that love us or possibly because it is slowly eroding our ability to objectively perceive reality. We might have to confront it because our livelihood requires us to evaluate the situation and sometimes we have to confront it because of lack of

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-90283906712801844982007-04-30T08:42:00.000-07:002007-04-30T07:40:29.248-07:00

In Judges 11, we find the only example of human sacrifice done by an Israelite that wasn’t condemned by God. This is not to say other Israelites did not do human sacrifice; quite the contrary, as God repeatedly punished and chastised them for not only worshiping other gods but for offering their children to those gods.The story of Jephthah and his daughter is one of the most heart-wrenching

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-27658147382386060412007-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:002007-04-30T10:05:39.127-07:00

A country in crisis? Ours!Our country is in the middle of a crisis.I suppose that is no surprise - countries are necessarily in the midst of a crisis at every turn. The only way for that NOT to be true is if the country was founded on some non-violent and non-reactionary principle and, other than Solomon, each of the countries in modern history have reflected their very violent past. So we

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-6503261605846985102007-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:002007-04-27T06:16:07.160-07:00

Today is the culmination of a few trials and the beginning of a few new stages for me. Thus, instead of the normal variance on a theme, I should like to write a Psalm, a praise report, for who God is and what He has done, is doing, and continues to do.Psalm 211 - not intended to be canonO praise ye the Lord, for His grace and His favorHis judgments are models of justiceHis tears are models of

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-89746050644516804852007-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:002007-04-26T06:19:21.240-07:00

In the twenty second chapter of Luke we have an event that has touched the lives of many, many believers, is honored and celebrated weekly by millions, and represents one of the essential messages of Jesus' life: the last supper. Let me draw your attention to some of the things that happened there.We have Jesus with His trusted twelve, including the betrayer. How often have you broken bread

Jason Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993689043448707857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22862988.post-3334246947376021712007-04-25T08:42:00.000-07:002007-04-25T19:26:25.672-07:00

One issue in today’s society is the rampant feminism staring at young women everywhere they go. In godly homes, the girls are raised with the expectation that one day they will become godly wives and mothers; keepers of the home and educators of the children. This mindset comes as direct contradiction to how girls are being raised outside of a godly home. Their training involves choosing a career

Ruth Cooper Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399825651836556909noreply@blogger.com