What a testimony from Dr. Robertson McQuilken and his commitment to take care of his wife.

Robert McQuilken's Testimony from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.

The Holy Spirit will lead us safely

n the April 23, 2010, edition of his "Turning Point" daily devotional, David Jeremiah wrote: "It would be nice to be told, when we leave on a long car trip, something like this: 'I want you to know that you are going to reach your destination safely and on schedule. Regardless of what happens en route--you may get lost, you may encounter a fierce rainstorm, and you may have a flat tire--don't worry. I am here to promise you that you will arrive.'

"We have been given such a promise by God concerning our spiritual journey. The promise comes in the form of a seal--the seal of the Holy Spirit. Paul uses language common to the ancient world. A seal affixed to documents by kings and authorities made them official and inviolable upon pain of death or punishment. No one dared to violate the terms of a document that bore an official seal. No one in the spiritual realm would dare violate the plan God has for those He has sealed. As Paul wrote, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?' (Rom. 8:35) The Holy Spirit, dwelling in every Christian, is God's seal that we will make it to heaven.

"Don't let obstacles along the road to eternity shake your confidence in God's promise. The Holy Spirit is God's seal that you will arrive."

Martin Luther on Hope

As we have resumed preaching through Romans 8, we have talked about hope. I ran across this quote from Martin Luther, "There are two days that matter: this day and that day."

"That day" that he refers to is what brings us hope in the promises of God. We must anchor "this day" to "that day" in order for the storms of life not to overwhelm us. We do have "anchor of the soul" for "this day" and it is "that day."

Sermon Notes from Sunday, April 25, 2010

Here are the sermon notes from this past Sunday, April 25, 2010 from Romans 8:26-27 "When Your Stomach Growls."

Tribute to my Dad through a video of Bill Clark

My dad, C.W. Cofield, passed away 35 years ago this May 4. One of his best friends was Bill Clark who was many, many years song leader at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Ft. Payne. I couldn't believe that I found this video of him singing "Fa So La." Bill and my dad favored but were also very much alike in their mannerisms of leading.

I still miss my dad. He knew I was a preacher, but never got to meet Roxanne, Keith or Kevin and my precious little grandson. He would be most proud. I want to make this a small tribute to my dad and a great memory of remembering Bill and Mozelle Clark, dear friends of the Cofields.

Watch here:

The Lord is kind to the unthankful

Last night during our "House of Prayer" service, Mrs. Amanda Evans read from Luke 6. I saw a verse that just shouted at me, "For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." (verse 35). God is kind to the unthankful and evil. Am I?

Sermon Notes from Sunday, April 18, 2010

Here are the sermon notes from this past Sunday, April 18, 2010 "Hope that will Hang on to You" based from Romans 8:24-25.

Sunday's Sermon Notes from April 11, 2010

This past Sunday, April 11, 2010, I returned to preaching through the book of Romans. I am taking sections (since December, 2005) and after three-or-four months, then I move to something else. Well, I am back to Romans 8. This past Sunday was "The First Fruits of the Spirit." Read the notes here.

Congratulations to my great nephew, Dylan Parrish

My great nephew, Dylan Parrish, is a senior at Boaz High School this year and the Class 5A winner of the Byrant-Jordan Student-Athletic Award for the state of Alabama. Three articles from the local paper in Boaz share his story. Dylan's mom, Rissa, is my niece (born on my birthday) and his dad (Darryl) and I graduated high school together.

General story about the award

Dylan's Diagnosis - a must read to see what all this young man has been through in his life

What his principal and basketball coach said about him

Congrats Dylan. You are well deserving of this award. Keep going after the best and highest!!!

Congratulations to Daryl and Pam Hamaker

Daryl and Pam Hamaker have been friends since the early 90's when I first met Daryl has he entered the North Alabama Center of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary meeting then in Boaz, AL. Daryl had a successful career but felt called of God to be a pastor. So he quit his job, was called as a pastor and was entering school.

Daryl went on to serve faithfully for many years in two churches that saw great spiritual and numerical growth. He went way beyond the Boaz Center actually getting his Master's degree from NOBTS in 2004. He also serves as a North American Mission Board missionary as Chaplain in the Air Natural Guard.

Daryl has just been called as Pastor of Bay Springs Baptist Church south of Birmingham. Sunday was his first Sunday there but will now have to miss about seven Sundays due to training for the Air National Guard. What a great man that will serve our Lord and country in this way and hats off to that church for their willingness to permit their Pastor (new one at that) to serve in this way.

Tonight, Bro. Don Graham (a man I deeply love and respect) and I are meeting Daryl and Pam in Birmingham for an evening of celebration. I can't wait to be with such dear friends who encourage and edify me.

Thank you God for friends like Daryl, Pam, Don and so many more in my life. I rejoice with Daryl and Pam of what God is doing in your lives.

Emotions in life of a believer and worship

There was a blog post today at ccwblog.org entitled "The Elderly Mr. Phipp." The blog is mainly about emotions and their role in the life of a believer and worship. If you want to read the whole blog, click here. If not, this one paragraph is worth your time:

Emotions are the result of true spirituality and not the cause of it. To worship God is to fix your gaze on Him. Our emotions rise from that fixed gaze and may justifiably be as lofty as the truth we comprehend. Unthinking emotions and self-induced emotionalism are not legitimate as worship. In this gaze, believers are seeing the greatest good and the most perfect Being. This moves them, for there is nothing higher to comprehend. Indeed, to see something of Him and not to experience a rise in affection may be a sign that we are not seeing Him as we imagine.

What About Cremation?

(By John MacArthur)

Scripture says nothing about a required mode of burial for either believers or non-believers. However, burying the body was the standard practice among the Israelites in the Old Testament and Christians in the New. There were some exceptions: the people decided to cremate Saul and Jonathan and then bury their ashes because their bodies had been mutilated by the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:8-13). In another instance, Achan and his family were cremated after being executed for sinning against Israel (Josh. 7:25).

Obviously any buried body will eventually decompose (Eccles. 12:7). So cremation isn’t a strange or wrong practice–it merely accelerates the natural process of oxidation. The believer will one day receive a new body (1 Cor. 15:42-49; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Job 19:25-26), thus the state of what remains of the old body is unimportant.

The imagery of Christ’s resurrection pictures burial and then a raising up from the dead (Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). Because of that, many Christians prefer burial to cremation to maintain a likeness to Christ’s burial (although literally He was laid in state in a cave, not buried in the ground).

What we need to focus on as Christians is not how to dispose of our earthly bodies, but that one day new bodies will be fashioned for us like our Lord’s glorious resurrection body (see Phil. 3:21; cf. Luke 24:30-40; John 20:19, 26; 21:1-14; and Acts 1:1-9 to get an idea of what to look forward to). That transformation will be eternal!

Our Declaration in light of the cross and empty tomb

"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed.
"I have Holy Spirit power.
"The die has been cast.
"I have stepped over the line.
"The decision has been made.
"I'm a disciple of His.

"I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

"My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.

"I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals.

"I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity.

"I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.

"I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, live by prayer and labor by power.

"My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear.

"I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.

"I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

"I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

"I am a disciple of Jesus.

"I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till He stops me.

"And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me -- my banner will be clear!"

The life of Jesus

Dr. Robert Smith, Jr. is Associate Professor of Preaching at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University, Birmingham, AL. In a sermon based out of I Peter 3: 18-22 that he wrote for Preaching Magazine in the July/August 2008 edition, he tells the story of Jesus from a "seasoned black preacher." It goes like this:

Jesus put His shoes of dignity under the hall trees of time, and leapt into the womb of a virgin Mary. He took the train of nature, rode it for nine long months, and got off at a little town called Bethlehem. He was born in a stable, laid in a manger, and was wrapped in swaddling clothes.

He walked the dusty road of Galilee for 33 years. He faced an unjust court. One day they marshaled Him to a place called Calvary. They hung Him high, stretched Him wide, and dropped Him low. When they dropped Him low, three worlds lost their equilibrium: heaven, earth and hell. The chickens went home to roost at high noon, and midday looked like midnight. One Friday, He died. He died and stayed in the grave for three long days. But early one Sunday morning He got up. Jesus walked around for 40 days, and 500 or more witnesses saw Him. He got on a cloud and started making His way back to glory.

On his way back, He saw death, hell and Satan having a conversation. About that time, there was a loud clap of thunder, and an announcement was made at the prison gates of Hades. The announcement was, 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates. And the King of Glory shall come in.' The devil stood at the gates of Hades and asked the question, 'Who is the King of Glory?' And Jesus answered the question by saying, 'The Lord strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, o ye gates, and be lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.' The devil asked the question again, 'Who is the King of Glory?' And Jesus said, 'I told you before, and I'll tell you again: the Lord strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in battle. He is the King of Glory.'

The devil reinforced the gates to try and keep the King of Glory from coming in, but Jesus kicked in the gates, picked up the gates, and said, 'Satan, I got an announcement to make: I am He who was dead. I'm alive forever more, and I have the keys to your house. I have the keys of death, the keys of hell, and the keys to the grave.'

He is not here, but is risen.

"He is not here, but is risen!" Luke 24:6

EASTER

EASTER

Every

Alternative

Savior

Takes

Early

Retirement

Quote by Beth Moore

Easter Meditation

S.M. Lockridge’s Easter meditation is worth listening to any time of year:

Popout

Sunday’s Comin’ from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

It’s Friday
Jesus is praying
Peter’s a sleeping
Judas is betraying
But Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
Pilate’s struggling
The council is conspiring
The crowd is vilifying
They don’t even know
That Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
The disciples are running
Like sheep without a shepherd
Mary’s crying
Peter is denying
But they don’t know
That Sunday’s a comin’

It’s Friday
The Romans beat my Jesus
They robe him in scarlet
They crown him with thorns
But they don’t know
That Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
See Jesus walking to Calvary
His blood dripping
His body stumbling
And his spirit’s burdened
But you see, it’s only Friday
Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
The world’s winning
People are sinning
And evil’s grinning

It’s Friday
The soldiers nail my Savior’s hands
To the cross
They nail my Savior’s feet
To the cross
And then they raise him up
Next to criminals

It’s Friday
But let me tell you something
Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
The disciples are questioning
What has happened to their King
And the Pharisees are celebrating
That their scheming
Has been achieved
But they don’t know
It’s only Friday
Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
He’s hanging on the cross
Feeling forsaken by his Father
Left alone and dying
Can nobody save him?
Ooooh
It’s Friday
But Sunday’s comin’

It’s Friday
The earth trembles
The sky grows dark
My King yields his spirit

It’s Friday
Hope is lost
Death has won
Sin has conquered
and Satan’s just a laughin’

It’s Friday
Jesus is buried
A soldier stands guard
And a rock is rolled into place

But it’s Friday
It is only Friday
Sunday is a comin’!

Tale of Two Gardens

What a contrast between the ‘two great gardens of temptation’!

In the Garden of Eden – under the most meagre pressure – Adam succumbed to temptation and sinned. Adam disobeyed God’s will and by that one act of disobedience, he dragged the whole human race down into darkness.

But in the Garden of Gethsemane – under infinite pressure - Jesus resisted the immense temptation to disobey His Father’s will. Scaling that final summit of obedience, Jesus, the last Adam, succeeded where His predecessor failed. As our sinless substitute, He therefore completed His life of righteousness for us. He then died on a cross, enduring God’s just punishment for our sins.

What then does Gethsemane teach us, as we observe from the thickets of the trees? Simply this. That we can only be saved by Jesus’ obedience. We are as much the sleepy-sinners as the disciples were. We are ill-prepared to resist sin’s temptations and easily succumb. Thus, if we are seeking to obey our way into God’s favour, we will fail.

But if you are trusting in an obedience not your own…

• in a righteous-life lived for you
• in a punishment endured for you
• in a cup drank for you

you will avoid condemnation. Christ will bear it in your stead. And you will be credited with His righteousness!

From Charles Spurgeon