Pride, humility, and judging ourselves rightly

Many people these days use the term "Pharisee" or "Pharisaical" when referring to standards of Biblical authority and teaching on any of a number of subjects. Whether one teaches the reality of an eternal Hell or  call out sins such as adultery or homosexuality, it seems every person quoting the Bible more than Ghandi or  Mother Theresa,  are branded as Pharisees. There are surely some who quote the Bible out of context to prove their own point, but I find that much of this branding is terribly inaccurate and even lends itself to slanderous accusations rather than edification.

I even have to disagree with the definition of "Pharisaical" as offered by Merriam Webster's online dictionary
 "marked by hypocritical censorious self-righteousness" as this definition also supposes ill intent or motivations on the part of the Pharisees.

Book Review- "Why do you believe that?" by B.A. Berean

A few months ago, we stayed in the home of some new friends. It is always a blessing getting to know brothers and sisters in Christ, and this stay was a special blessing in many ways. We were in Florida for a week, staying with multiple families over the course of our 3 city trip, and we were exhausted already with tired children, also preparing for a move to Maine the upcoming week.  When we arrived at Nathan's home, the hospitality was superb, and the fellowship of Christians was great. A few other families gathered to meet us for dinner as well, adding to the blessing. We were reminded that night that the fellowship of Christians is not limited to those we know well, but any who are brothers and sisters in Christ are instant friends.

As we spoke about our Savior, our families, convictions, about digging deep into God's Word, and the cultural traditions of the American church, even the persecution seen when we break man's rules and tradition in obedience to the Lord's calling on our lives, our host mentioned a book he had that might speak to some of our thoughts and discussions. He had just one copy of this book, Why Do You Believe That? and I read the book at bed time that night.

As a Christian man with deep convictions and a desire to always learn more of God's Word, I of course devoured the book in no time. I finally fell asleep at 3am, though I finished reading hours earlier. I needed to consider the thoughts shared in this book by God's Word (the point of the book) and pray. I had a great time of prayer that night, so lack of sleep didn't seem to matter. I asked if Nathan knew where to get more copies, and he thought the book was out of print, so I was especially blessed recently to find the book listed for sale on Amazon.You can use the link below to buy the book through our store.

Though it was a short read, a mere 148 pages, this book surprised me. It was conversational, gentle, and yet challenging. Along with many other books that have been handed to me over the years, I found this book contained some things that I agreed with immediately, some that I disagreed with, and many more that required further study. I had been led to study marriage and Biblical patriarchy for months as we noticed the demise of the family in our society, and looked forward to finding a book that stood on Biblical truth more than popular opinion. That is precisely the point of this book, though. He asks a lot of questions and will make you think, and though the book is about common misunderstandings about marriage in the Bible, it urges every step of the way that the reader would seek God's Word above all. We need more people who will study God's Word in the church today, and a little friendly debate wouldn't hurt either in my estimation.

The author does not want you to just believe what he says, but rather urges you to study God's Word on the topic at hand and every topic. He urges you to truly "be a Berean" in your approach to knowledge of God's Word, and in so doing shares the fallacies often seen when men neglect context, setting, audience, and other study tools that help us understand God's Word as it was meant to be studied.. He speaks of exegesis, that is taking what is in the text for what it says and seeing what it was intended to say as truth. Many people rather bring their beliefs to the Bible and find some verse or even part of a verse that seems to agree. They might even ignore context, audience, or skip large passages that disagree with their beliefs. We must seek to know what God wants, says, and intends if we are to obey Him and know Him more intimately. If you are not familiar with this term "Berean", you would do well to consider Acts 17:10-15

"The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 

Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as lwell, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left."

We see here what it means when the author calls us to "be Berean" in our approach to knowledge, that is to weigh out the teachings of men comparing them to the Scriptures to check the validity of the information. We see in the following verses of this passage that this truth was contrary to culture and therefore caused persecution for those preaching the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah and Savior.

I believe it is important that we seek to extend ourselves beyond the groups of people with which we are comfortable, to listen to differing viewpoints and learn to love our brothers and sisters in Christ even when we disagree at times. Truth is truth, and I am not advocating heresy or relativism, just a willingness to see what the Scripture actually says without adding our own assumptions. This is easier said than done to be sure. There are some Scriptures that are clear or at least seem clear depending on the context of our culture. Other passages are difficult to discern with complete certainty, or if we are not careful we miss what is there because we think we already know God's whole counsel on a subject.

Are we reading the Bible to find evidence for our own opinions, or do we truly seek to know God's mind even when it runs contrary to what we believe? This was the problem of the Pharisees, who added laws and traditions to God's Law and then crucified the Lord of glory because they held so tightly to their beliefs that they did not recognize the One who they proclaimed to obey. Are there any sacred cows in your life that you will not hear the voice of the Lord about? Are you adding cultural traditions and long held teachings of men to the Word of God and possibly persecuting those who disagree with you without cause? Can you humble yourself enough to say "I was wrong, please forgive me"

Those that know our family have seen our vehement stance on the authority of God's Word even when it is not popular or forces us to change our own lives to obey new found understanding of God's truth. People have seen our testimony of sacrifice, service, and humility as we seek to honor our Savior in all things. Sadly our views on some things have set us at odds with the majority of Christendom. We have accepted that this type of radical obedience to God has given us many opportunities to encourage others to do the same. This is nothing good of us, but the reflection of Christ in His children by His grace.

We believe in the exegetical approach to God's Word, and strive to see what God actually says rather than try to get the Bible to agree with us or confirm what we already believe. How will we ever have unity in Christ unless we take this approach, to find the original intent of the Author who gave us the book for our edification and training?

This following of the Bible even when opposed to culture (even church culture) has put us in strange situations at times, as we see that in many areas we can have differing views on some subjects as Christians and yet be united. We also must recognize that some things are not ambiguous in God's Word and therefore must not be compromised in any way, shape, or form. How will we know which is which, or what side to take on an issue if we do not give due diligence to the whole counsel of God? I suggest that as a culture we have become apathetic and left it to the preachers and conference speakers to dig out the truth of God's Word. This is not acceptable in a society where we have multiple copies of the Bible in our language in most homes. Shame on us for not picking up that Word of God and cherishing it as the source of wisdom! Shame on us if we neglect the reading and study of the Bible and rather just watch the TV preacher, supposing we have no personal obligation to seek out His truth!

I may take up this thought more in another post, and urge you to consider Romans 14 as I have at length these last few months. That passage has reminded me that I ought not be a stumbling block to others, yet I must obey God even if that is not acceptable to others. These thoughts and many more are contained in this wonderful little book, and I highly recommend reading it. Even if you disagree with some of the points, I believe this book will be a great blessing and perhaps inspire you to dig even deeper into God's Word. 

Well Equipped Ambassador- evangelism website

Our new website is designed to bring together resources from all over the world wide web for the purpose of equipping Christians to share the Gospel. It is called "Equipped Ambassador for Christ" and can be viewed at http://www.equippedambassador.com/

Please bookmark this site and check back often for audio, video, and printed Gospel materials along with information on free speech, recommended resources, and encouraging quotes from God's Word and faithful witnesses from ages past. There is plenty to find here, and we hope you will share the site. 

We also have an attached Amazon Store to purchase associated resources through our affiliate program. All purchases through ads on our site will help support the ministry. Thank you.

A hard word from James MacDonald

While I don't always agree with any brother on everything, I found this word from James MacDonald to be quite appropriate. In a society where everyone is looking to be loved and accepted, it is quite often the case that men called to preach God's Word have gone the way of ease instead of being faithful to God's Word.

This article hits hard, but fairly in my estimation. I suggest reading the whole thing here. To whet your appetite, I offer the following quotes:

"I wish I could tell you that most pastors are preaching the Word. I can’t—some are not. Here are five things we may choose to do instead of preaching the Word..."

"If you don’t want to be the aroma of death to those who are perishing, you can never be the aroma of life to those who are being saved. That’s why preaching is hard work."

The whole Gospel and the whole church

We just got home from the meeting of the Christians at Henry Baptist Church here in McDonough, Georgia. It was good to see some friends from the community, we were greeted with joy and acceptance in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the music was joyful and very well done. These are some of the characteristics many people think about in a local church. Some are looking for fellowship in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, others have other motivations, but for me one thing stood out from this visit: the passion and accuracy of the Gospel message preached.

This month at HBC brother Archie Norman is preaching a series of messages concentrating on the Gospel. His text today was John 3:36. While I would love to dig deeper into this chapter, the summary verse reads as follows, the very words of Jesus Christ our Lord:

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life,

but the wrath of God remains on him."

Brother Archie drilled down on one point that, to me, is the essence of what is missing from many false gospel messages. So often, this last phrase is neglected. I have seen this phrase left out entirely, and even had a few explain to me why they leave it out. I was told that God's wrath abiding on a person sounds too heavy, too harsh, even cruel. So, they took God's wrath out and left it that "whoever believes has life, and whoever does not obey the Son misses out on life, but is still a good person generally". This is not at all what God's Word says, even the very Word of Life Himself, our Savior, said that God's wrath abides on every person who does not believe, and that they shall not see life.

In our family ministry, we have had the privilege to meet Christians from all backgrounds, many cultural and denominational convictions and beliefs. Here lies the heart of what we really have to worry about when we discuss with whom we should work: How is one saved, that is, passed from death to life? We see from this passage (and many others that were shared) that it is by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, by truly believing and obeying the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Human reasoning and intellectual belief in God will save no one. Belief in Jesus as a good teacher or prophet is not enough. God's Word says to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. This changing of the mind, turning from sin and self righteousness to agree with God and receive life through the blood of Jesus Christ is the true Gospel,  and this is what gives us fellowship with other believers. 

I have great convictions about many  things that I should obey. There are things in God's Word that we must agree on, and our fellowship in these things is in Christ. On the more practical side, I might not join this or other churches that we have visited, and we differ some on the practical out working of leadership, worship, or even the pattern of the meetings. Still, we have fellowship in Christ. We preach the same Gospel, we serve the same Lord, and we are commanded to have unity within the body of Christ. 

This unity is not the same as uniformity or unanimity. Some may prefer different music, give lengthier messages, or be called to different aspects of ministry. Some will meet in homes, others in rented buildings or large campuses, and yet we are to be unified  in Christ. Those who have been born again, saved, redeemed, bought by the blood of the Lamb, we are all one in Christ and will spend eternity together with Christ and all those who have called on His name  for salvation. Sadly, there are many who have "done church" for years, feel comfortable talking about the Lord, but have never truly come to obey the Gospel and believe on the Son in truth, passing from death to life, and becoming a new creation in Christ. My brother pleaded with such people to give up religion and give their life over to the Lord in truth today. This is the heart cry of every true Christian, that all would be saved. This echoes the heat of God, who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Can we Christians unite under the Gospel, or will most continue to divide and refuse fellowship to those who rightfully deserve our love and would be a great asset in reaching the lost for Christ? I pray that we see more unity among Christians, and I know it will take great humility and patience with one another. Eternity is a long time to avoid talking with someone, and I personally don't think God will allow segregation and denominationalism in Heaven.

I just wanted to share this with you all today, as the message, music, and fellowship were a great blessing to our family today, but most of all the Biblical truth of the Gospel was preached and for that we praise God. We know the Lord's people gather in many places, by many names, and in many ways. Some are looking to the pattern of God's Word, some disagree on exactly what that looks like or feel that there is not a specific pattern to obey, some are looking to please the world and draw people in. I don't generally desire to point fingers at any, but rather to encourage those who I believe are true and faithful to what they believe according to God's Word. Let us find fellowship in the person and work of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, and walk in unity, laboring together for His name's sake.

For a list of churches where we have had the privilege to minister and have fellowship in Christ, see the Churches tab

Gospel Tract Friday

This week, I have been considering many aspects of the Gospel message. We have talked about redemption, grace, forgiveness, and mercy just to scratch the surface. I would like to continue to put together some Gospel materials that would be well received and even get people thinking, but I don't want to waste time reinventing the wheel. While I work on another Gospel tract of my own, I continue to enjoy the resources provided by others also. I know it is hard to catch people's attention nowadays, and I do so appreciate what others have labored over to share the Gospel. This week, I would like to highlight some Gospel materials by Living Waters.

The first is these curved illusion tracts. We have used these with kids for years, and they are always well received. Even if you have a hard time speaking to kids about the Gospel or fear what parents might do or say if you talked to their kid, you can share this tract with little interference.

The text on the back shares some trivia about how your eyes are easily deceived and a short Gospel message. We passed these out one Halloween and shortly after a family came back to us to talk. The kid had gotten no candy, as he was too busy showing his friends the trick. They all came back to get these tracts from us, all in all a pretty easy night's work in getting the Gospel out.

Another great tract from Living Waters is this "Ticket to Heaven" which is printed on paper that cannot be torn. It is also water and oil resistant, making for some fun when talking to teenage boys! I have loved watching people show off their strength with this one, get frustrated and humbled, and then often sit and listen to the Gospel message while they recoup their energy from the effort.

One reviewer writes of this tract: "Perfect for giving out after football games when guys are throwing the ball. "Good arm. How's your finger strength."

We hope these tracts get you thinking about sharing the Gospel, who the Lord has placed in your path, and what it is you would share with a lost soul if they were willing to sit and listen and talk with you. Be ready all the time, the Lord uses those who are obedient, prepared, and available.

CBD feature Wednesday

This week, our featured CBD product is the Faith Like Potatoes DVD. We have enjoyed this true life story of God's power and the trials endured by a man who fought God for far too long. When Angus Buchan came to the Lord for salvation, God began to use him for His glory. Along the way, Angus's faith was strengthened as he learned to rely on God for even the unimaginable. Click on the link below to purchase this DVD and a portion of your purchase will be given to support our family in ministry. Find other products via our CBD affiliate search engine in the right column of this blog.

Faith Like Potatoes DVD By Affirm Films Where there's love, there's hope. Adapted from the best-selling autobiography Faith like Potatoes, this inspirational film weaves together the moving journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith - unseen until the harvest. This powerful DVD includes God's Farmer, a gripping, 54-minute documentary on the real life of Angus Buchan. Rated PG. Approx 116 minutes. DVD Features: God's Farmer: The Angus Buchan Story (54-Minute Documentary) Making-of Featurette English, French and Spanish Subtitles Widescreen Closed Captions

GNOM visit to our house

We had a pretty busy weekend, met some new friends and got to see some friends from long ago. Our family spent Friday evening hosting the Love and Respect DVD study and fellowship time. We spent New Year's Eve with some of the Christians here in McDonough, but got home long before the new year arrived in the Eastern time zone.

Sunday, our family went to Gwinnett Bible Chapel just north of here, met some families that were quite welcoming, and we also saw our friends Sam and Elsa Matthai from Dallas. They were visiting for the first time also, so it was providential that the Lord let us see them for a quick visit after the meetings. I was invited to speak during the teaching hour, but due to seizures I was not able. I had a 5 minute long seizure that led a string of other seizures that lasted 1/2 hour or so. Tough morning, but I only had one seizure that night during the meeting at the Scarbrough home. One brother, John Michael Thomas, who we had met at Gwinnett that morning came to visit. This was a blessing, as he shared from God's Word in a lesson that blessed the youngest to the oldest in our group.

Also visiting our meeting in McDonough Sunday evening was the Groover family from Augusta, GA area. One of the ladies Sara meets with regularly from our church was not expecting to see her mother, brothers and sisters all show up at the Scarbrough home, but it was a welcome surprise. We had a blessed time of fellowship and fun, and then came the GNOM team!

The young men from Good News on the Move arrived at 730pm and the fellowship turned up a notch. This lively, fun, godly young men brought lots of energy and joy to our meeting, and we had a blast. Last night, JJ Ferrier, Caleb Harris, and Josh Baker stayed with the Scarbrough family, while Caleb Caeton, Josh Blessman, and Ian Milbrath stayed at our home. This morning the Scarbrough family had to drive to Albany for a funeral, so we hosted the team for breakfast. We then spent the rest of the morning talking, preparing them for Florida, and playing games on the Wii. You can see pictures, along with Mark's tongue-in-cheek commentary on our Picasa album online.

All in all, we had a great time with the guys, especially seeing Caleb Caeton again, with whom Mark had a great talk until about 1am. After the guys left about 1130am, Sara headed for a nap (missed 2 days worth of naps with the chaos of the weekend) and Mark kept the kids under control. That was all fine, well, and good until Mark had another string of seizures that lasted about 15 minutes and was more difficult to recover from than most events like this.

That is our update for the day. Sara is feeling better after a good nap, Mark is recovering and writing this all down as folks have asked for more information. Sara is talking with a friend on the phone while Nathaniel makes supper, and the youngest three are playing princess and prince. Some sort of argument about princesses, ballerinas, and what a servant's job should be. Just another day here at the funny farm.

Pleases pray for us in this trial.

Many of our regular readers on this blog have known our family for quite some time. Others have known us primarily since we entered full time ministry in January of 2009, and thereafter. Many have heard the stories of trials and difficulties that have come our way. You have heard how the Lord has brought healing, comfort, strength, finances, and miracles of all sorts. We don't often publicize our trials until they are long since past, and then only to share God's goodness and mercy. Today I want to share with you a current need for prayer, as we are not sure how this will turn out. We are trusting the Lord and asking for your prayer on our behalf.

This Sunday(Christmas Day), after over 3 years since my (Mark) last seizure, I had four in an evening while we gathered for our church meeting. Two days later, two more in the evening. These seizures are known as partial complex or absence seizures. While having a seizure, I can hear and see most of what is going on around me, but I cannot speak or react. I lose ability to move for 30-90 seconds and when I awaken I feel very tired and groggy. I slur my speech and my face droops for 5-10 minutes, and then over the next 1/2 hour or so I will return to [as close as I ever get to] normal.

Some of  you remember from years past what this was like, what we went through with doctors, medications, and such. You will also recall that we believe it was God who brought healing for a time, which allowed us to fulfill the ministry to which the Lord was calling us. That ministry has continued, and we have no plans to quit even if some things may need to change. We may have to do less, or maybe more but in different ways. This is all new, and the Lord may remove this trial tomorrow. We are asking you to pray.

Part of our understanding the call to public ministry was after feeling the desire to go and praying about the leading, I was still having seizures from time to time. Would we be able to travel the country, spreading the Gospel, preaching and counseling, organizing outreaches if I could not drive or even be counted on to be capable of speech? Could we do what we felt God calling us to do if I was physically handicapped like this? We prayed at length, and the Lord took my seizures away for a time. August 2, 2008 was the last seizure I had until this past Sunday. We are asking for prayer, for wisdom and if it is God's will, healing.

We don't presume to know that the Lord wants me healed. We have examined our lives and asked the Lord to show us any sin that would be causing us to be chastened. In light of that examination, we have found nothing that should lead us to believe that is the case. From here, we trust the Lord day by day to continue to give His direction, strength, energy, and ability to do whatever He calls us to do. We presume nothing, but to continue on in His work as He has clearly shown us to do. If there is never another seizure, we will praise the Lord. If I have 20 a day for the rest of my life, I will praise the Lord! If God allows some other circumstance of health, no matter the cost, we will praise the Lord. He is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. He is worthy of our praise no matter what difficulties come!

For those we will be visiting with and laboring among in the coming days, please understand if we have to back out of certain commitments, take a day off, or otherwise cannot do all that we have been doing in the Lord's service. We are not done serving, but we may have to take a lesser responsibility for a while. What tomorrow holds, we do not know. We ask that you make it a matter of prayer. Thank you for your continued support of our family and ministry. We love to serve the Lord and His people, and even if what we do changes, we will seek the Lord's guidance in what other doors He may open for us that can be done well despite circumstances that might get us down.

Mark for the Cowperthwaite family

Faithfulness and integrity

I recently spoke with a missionary friend. His family has labored for the Lord faithfully for years, serving his wife and children and all the responsibilities of any husband and father. Beyond those responsibilities, he has given his life to the proclamation of the Gospel and service to the Lord in many churches. The hours included in this man's work would outdo even the most fervent workaholic, but his labor is for the Lord and he wouldn't have it any other way.

One would never know from the outside appearance, but this man has missed eating more than one meal so that his family can eat instead. He has sacrificed many a night's sleep and rather spent it in prayerful petition to His Heavenly Father for today's bread, though it is actually well past midnight and tomorrow's bread is a current need. The prayer is one of desperation, knowing that there are scores of Christians who have the means to help support this faithful missionary's work and yet he will probably continue to scrape by and hope that nobody notices his family didn't bring any food to the last few fellowship dinners because they had nothing to share.

The worst part of this story is that hundreds of families and churches among whom this family has labored have promised monthly financial support to go along with their prayers. The rate of fulfilled promises of regular financial support is stagnant at 0%. That is not a misprint, as this man has NEVER received regular support from a single church or family that promised it in the amount or regularity they promised. Some have given at times, but only one person has given more than two or three months in a row, and then often trail off after a while. I believe people really think they will be faithful, but at least in this case, not one person has done what they promised over the long haul. I know of a few missionaries who have left the field to return to secular work due to this issue, and that makes me sad. We need more missionaries, not less.

In other cases, there are a few faithful ones who think of their missionary friends often and pray for them, even sending financial help, but the vast majority seem to forget too easily. I believe that the average Christian in the United States has never had to make the choices my friend's family makes every day and yet most would feel qualified to judge how and when it is acceptable to make his needs known. The often quoted "The Lord's workers never make their needs known to men, but only to God" lacks solid Biblical support.

I wonder why every other Christian attending a prayer meeting can ask for prayer about finances, the sale of a house, a new job or promotion, but this man would be chastised for "begging" so that his family can eat and have new underwear once every couple of years. People think I am being dramatic, but truthfully I am sugar coating this to some extent. Some have had their commendation revoked (still looking for a Biblical case of this) for daring to get a part time job to help meet needs, as if they no longer serve the Lord if they take a paper route. I am sure that some leave the Lord's service due to being led elsewhere, but more often than not the ministry goes undone because of lack of finances. Most men can go longer in need than his family could due to sheer strength and self sacrifice, but it gets hard after a while to explain to the kids why everyone else has more than they need while they eat discarded food that may not even be safe, let alone healthful.

I have to ask what it would really cost people to live up to their promise to that missionary who left your church 5 years ago, and has spent every day of the interim laboring without fail for the Lord? Did you promise to give $10 a month, or was it $25? When was the last time you sent that check? Would your phone, internet, or electric service keep working if you forgot about your promise to pay? People set reminders for themselves via email and bills that come in the mail for such things, and yet pledging to send a gift to the Lord's servant regularly is frowned upon as presumptuous in some circles. I think we have our priorities mixed up.

Let's just presume that people cannot afford, by their estimation, to send a gift. Times are hard, but does that mean the missionary doesn't need to eat today? What could you give up in order to support a missionary, maybe your Netflix account? Is God really in control of your life, or have you lulled yourself to sleep by the flicker of the new TV you got for Christmas while your missionary friend went without again?

I don't presume to know how much or to whom the Lord will lead you to give, but I know He has called us all (even missionaries) to give. Pray about it, ask the Lord what you should do, and then do it. James 1 carries a sobering reminder to "... be doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. " Will you delude yourself, or will you obey the Lord in whatever He leads you to do"

Out of the Comfort Zone review

In "Out of the Comfort Zone", Ray Comfort, founder of Living Waters, chronicles the events that brought him to his current ministry with Way of the Master and Living Waters. Ray's casual, witty, and yet spiritually deep and challenging biography shows the difficult and dangerous situations he has walked through in his desire to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From the inner city park filled with drug dealers to the streets where he preached, you will never be left bored or even able to put this book down. God has protected this man and given abundant fruit from the Gospel proclamation paired with genuine love for those to whom Ray ministers.

My one complaint with Ray Comfort's books is repetition. This book is not terribly repetitious in itself, but if you have read some of Ray's other books, you will find repeated content takes up about 1/3 of the book. Of course, this information is beneficial to consider more than once, as the repetitive sections are largely concerning how best we ought to share the Gospel. I greatly enjoyed the book, getting a look past the "Way of the Master" course and into the daily life of a man on fire for the Lord. I think any Christian would enjoy this book also, and highly recommend "Out of the Comfort Zone".

Below is the Publisher's notes on "Out of the Comfort Zone". Please follow the linked image to purchase the book from Christianbook.com. A portion of your purchases through this link will support our ministry.

Out of the Comfort Zone By Ray Comfort  Most of us have our own "comfort zone"---the place where we feel safe and satisfied. However, circumstances often drive us out from that area in which we feel most comfortable. Such was the case when Ray Comfort found himself being taken 7,000 miles from his homeland in New Zealand, to speak to the daunting residents of the most dangerous part of Los Angeles, California. MacArthur Park was infamous for being the home of murderers, drug addicts, thieves, pimps, prostitutes, and unfortunately, the destitute and homeless. At times, this fast-moving and true-life drama will make your hair stand on end as you enter the dark side of the supernatural. It will also encourage you and lift your faith as you learn how a celebrated Hollywood actor teamed up with Ray Comfort to bring an amazing message to America. Originally published as My Friends Are Dying! and The Power of Darkness. Includes the previously published Miracle in the Making.

Water on the fire

Yesterday, I posted a new gospel tract that I put together. Just a simple verse from God's Word and a short message on the back of this 2.5" x 3.5" card, but a message that needs to be shared. You may be wondering what this has to do with water and fire. There are a few ways in which we can allow water to put out our fire, so bear with me as I share some things that have been on my heart. 

One incidence of water on the fire happens when a Christian gets excited about sharing the Gospel. Those who are not obedient to the call of every Christian to go and tell the good news are sometimes guilty of watering on the fire. You have probably seen this before, or maybe even been guilty of it yourself. A believer has such a fire for the Lord, they want to see all their friends and loved ones come to Christ. I have to add that those faithfully obeying the Lord's call to share the Gospel should never become prideful in their obedience, but rather desire to serve the Lord and be an example, to encourage others to come along in the work. This is to be done in love and exhortation, not judgment.

Let's be honest here and admit that when someone else is excited about the Lord and we have become apathetic about reaching the lost, these fired up new believers make us feel guilty. And well they should! We ought never let the fire burn out in our hearts. Those with more years following the Lord should be serving as an example to the new Christians, teaching them to follow what the Lord commands. We should stand with Jeremiah the prophet in saying:

"If I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it. 

~ Jeremiah 20:9 ~

Moving on , we see another way we can have water on the fire. We can also water down the Biblical message so that it will be more palatable to the hearer. While I have no desire to be offensive, and I have great love for those I wish to reach, I must see the importance of being honest to what God's Word actually says. The message of the Gospel is offensive to those who reject God, hate Him, or deny His existence. Not all are ignorant of God, and many unknowingly have placed themselves in God's place, deciding for themselves what is right and wrong for them. God's creation proclaiming themselves wiser than the Creator is offensive to God, and we ought to remember that we belong to Him, purchased with the blood of Christ.

Christians are called as ambassadors, to speak on behalf of the Lord, not to be politically correct in an attempt to please men. There is a reason that when Paul spoke in Acts 17, the result was mixed. Some mocked, others agreed to hear more. Of those who heard, not many believed. We must be honest in our proclamation of the Gospel. Paul spoke of God as Creator, of judgment, and of repentance. Note the text of the message I wrote: 

God created the Earth and all it contains. Some day He will destroy the Earth in judgment, by fire. Do you think God will save from judgment those who hate Him and deny His existence? Sin separates you from God and makes Him your enemy. God is just, and those who die in their sin will spend eternity in the lake of fire. Please humble yourself before God, for you, as all others, have sinned against Him. Jesus Christ took the judgment on Himself., to redeem those who will repent and believe. Only Jesus Christ can save you.

This was a hard message for me to write, even after all these years of preaching the Gospel. Why? Because in the flesh, I want to be liked, and I know that most will reject a message of judgment. I would like to have more space, more words to say, but if I only have so much time, what is the most important thing to say? Due to the watered down message so often preached, many don't believe God will judge anyone. It has been said by many that God forgives all by default, but that is not the message of the Bible. God will punish eternally those who die in their sin. God will burn up the heavens and the Earth, the elements will melt with a fervent heat! That is God's Word, and a warning to those who are attached to the material world and neglect God. 

God's Word says that being friends with the world is to make oneself His enemy. James 4:8-10 is a harsh passage, written to Christians. Proclaiming God's righteous jealousy when His own cross the line, going from seeking and saving the lost to dismissing sin, and God calls it adultery against Him in James 4:4. This passage does not paint a pretty picture, but rather speaks of the need for purity, mourning, weeping, and humility as we approach the Lord. 

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

We don't find in the Bible anyone being led in a "sinner's prayer", telling someone to "just ask Jesus into their heart", or any such thing. The message of Jesus was "Repent, or you will all likewise perish" and "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Peter's message to the Jews was that they killed the Messiah. Stephen preached the history of the Jewish nation and pointed his  finger at those responsible for the murder of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, I believe some have gone too far in the love movement and forgotten that sin separates us from God. Sin deserves the payment of death. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty of sin, and that is a just penalty for all, as all have sinned and fallen immensely short of God's glory. All have sinned, but not all have been saved. One must repent and believe.

I don't believe we should join the crowd who is crying "God hates you" or protest funerals, as some have done. I also don't think we should create crafty slogans and fun church services to attract sinners to attend, lulling them to a false sense of security if they indeed are headed for Hell. We must love the lost enough to show them the Light. We must do as Jesus commanded, to go forth, preach the Gospel, and live a life that is a living sacrifice as an example of what it truly means to follow Christ. In our desire to bring people to Christ, let us be careful not to lead them to water that will not satisfy, to a false sense of security for those who have not repented or trusted in Christ. They cannot just come to the church and try to clean up their lives in their own strength, they must come through Christ. 

I urge you to consider how you ought to share the Gospel in your home, workplace, school, and neighborhood. I am not saying the same methods will be used by all, but the message cannot be changed to make people accept it. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and is for all who believe. Let us proclaim the truth in love, and let God convict the hearts of the hearer. We must not attempt to do the work of God, or even worse, to subvert the power of God's Word in order to see what we believe to be better results. 

Custom Tract Friday

I wrote a short tract today using Gotprint.com's "Collector's Card" parameters. This 2.5" x 3.5" card is easy to keep in your pocket, and contains a short message on it. This one is Psalm 100:3 "It is God who has made us, and not we ourselves..." When we consider our lives in the grand scale of things, we can agree with God's Word, to see that it is just a vapor, which quickly vanishes away.

This tract pinpoints the issue of God as Creator and Judge, that His creation will be burned up in judgement. I know this is not the tract some were hoping for, but I believe we ought to balance the whole message. Often, the tendency is to share the grace and mercy of God through Christ, but sometimes that comes at the expense of the truth of God's righteousness, holiness, and the devastation that sin causes.

Download the PDF from our Google Docs page. 

Print using GotPrint.com and you can get 1,000 for just $14.44 plus shipping. The cost for 500 is nearly the same, so go for the larger order and give some to others to share. We recognize that this type of tract is not everyone's choice, but we will continue to create custom tracts for many occasions, in multiple formats, and targeting varying Scriptures. You can share this post or picture on your social media pages, or email folks the pictures.

Fishless Fishermen- video and review

I was sent this video by Way of the Master. Emeal Zwayne shares a cautionary tale with a very important point of obedience that should be heeded by every Christian. Please watch this short video (3 minutes) and see what we should be doing as those called as fishers of men by our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.



My experience tends to imitate this video. For some time I was passionate about sharing the Gospel. I had lots of experience and stories to share, and I praise God for the fruit He brings out of our faithful obedience to spread the seed, plant, and water. It is God alone who brings the increase.

As time went on, many figured that my passion for sharing the Gospel was the gift of evangelist found in Ephesians chapter 4. Sadly, I believe that though God granted much grace and fruit from this ministry to the church, I am not truly gifted as an evangelist. I do know a few who truly have this gift, and I am happy to share names and contact information for those seeking this ministry for their church. The gift of an evangelist is, according to my understanding of Scripture, a divinely given desire and ability to share the Gospel in truth, to labor hard in the field of harvest, and to equip others to do likewise. Many believe that a true evangelist  will also have great fruit to show from his labors, but this lacks certainty from God's Word in specific.

Partnering with a true evangelist, a brother we still minister in partnership with today, we took the job seriously of not only sharing the Gospel but also equipping others to adequately do the work. Time was spent teaching from God's Word what the true Gospel is, sharing tips on how to start conversation for the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel. I still often encourage and teach others in the work of evangelism, and have written custom Gospel literature for many outreach situations. I plan to put together a new tract each week and post it here on the blog. All these tracts are free for download, though you will have to pay printing costs for whatever you would like to have printed. We do this because we love the Lord, we love God's people, and we love to help any way we can in the proclamation of the Gospel.

What saddens me most as I think about the difference between a faithful witness and an evangelist is that most every time I see a young man or woman who is passionate about reaching the lost, they are told they have the "gift of evangelism". I have not yet found such a term in the Bible. Instead, Jesus commands all His followers to preach the Gospel faithfully, to be true fishers of men. There are those who are gifted as evangelists, that is what I believe we see in Paul's words to the church at Ephesus. For those who are scratching their heads as to the difference, let's look at God's Word.

And [Christ] Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. ~Ephesians 4:11,12 NKJV

Let us all be careful not to relegate the spread of the Gospel to those who are often called "evangelists" but take up the work of spreading God's truth and the message of eternal life ourselves. It is the privilege and responsibility of every Christian to share in this work. The evangelist is doing that work, to be sure, but also helping to equip others to do their part by God's grace in the work of fishing for men.

I hope this short message was an encouragement to think more and then DO more about your desire to share the Gospel. Truly James was correct when he said the following:

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." ~James 1:22-25 ESV

May we all be doers of God's Word, not leaving the work for others to do, nor spending all our time talking about what we ought to do. Prayer is necessary in preparation for Gospel proclamation, and planning is needed when putting together a large outreach, yet the day to day interactions with your friends, neighbors, coworkers, fellow students, and family members are often the most fruitful times of evangelism. Be faithful to not only hear, but to obey God's Word. Great blessings are in store for those who love Him, and remember that Jesus said "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Thanks for listening, until next time, may the Lord bless your faithful service for His glory.
Mark Cowperthwaite

Cherish today

Many of you may already know the story of Denise Sproul. The wife of author and pastor R.C. Sproul Jr. passed away last night after a battle with cancer. Leaving behind her husband, eight children, and many lives that were changed through her ministry, many across the country are weeping today as they get the news. One of which is Doug Phillip's family, who ministered together often. Doug writes about Denise's impact on his family and especially his wife. Doug writes a cautionary tale of how we ought to cherish each moment with those we love. Read the whole story on Doug's Blog. Below is a short excerpt:

Tonight, stop and take a really good look at your spouse. Next, look at each of your children. Look really, really long and hard. Take a moment and thank God for every whisper of a moment that God has given you with them. Thank God for the little kisses offered, the stories told, the tickles dispensed, the games played, the readings shared, the silent moments cherished, the victories experienced, the losses endured, the kind words presented , the songs sung, the glances exchanged.

Though we never had the chance to meet this precious woman of God personally, we feel like we have had a chance to see her life through the ministry of herself and R.C, as well as the wisdom shared in R.C.'s writing. A book we recently read and highly recommend is "When you rise up" We will be posting a review of this book soon on Sara's blog and our Cowperthwaite Family Resources site.  See our Resources page for a purchase link. 

Through the pain of loss, still we can see a brighter side to this story, in that a child of God has been ushered home, into the presence of her Savior. For this, we shed tears of joy, knowing that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. What a precious promise! We will be praying for the family, especially for R.C. and the children as they prepare for life without Denise, knowing  that the Lord will work mightily for His glory in all things. 

When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling By P & R Publishing Who should teach your children? What should they be taught? What is the goal of education? Drawing on Charlotte Mason's and classical methods and encouraging parents as God's chosen teachers, Sproul offers a biblical approach to learning that defines instruction as discipleship; and its purpose as seeing your children bear fruit, grow in grace, and become more like Christ. 152 pages, softcover from P & R.

Leaving the war zone not leaving service

I remember when my brother was in Iraq. The fear that gripped the hearts of so many friends and loved ones when their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers left their homeland to fight in a foreign land filled with danger and unknown struggles. Being the apolitical type, I don't get terribly involved in the policies of war, nor do I have passionate arguments about who is winning or losing, whose fault it is, or when the troops should come home. Still, I rejoice in knowing the last US troops are leaving Iraq after many years of war, which resulted in the death of many soldiers and civilians alike.

I am not naive enough to believe that there will be no more conflict in Iraq or anywhere else in the world, nor do I think that there are not a hundred more places to which many of these soldiers will be sent. We continue to pray for the soldiers and their families as they serve their country, along with those responsible for leading and making decisions. My oldest brother, Bruce, will retire from the United States Marine Corps on January 13, 2012. Just less than a month from now, this man who has given his life to the protection and service of his country will be without a job for the first time in years. However, leaving the active service does not mean forgetting what you live for. Of all the former service members I have met in my years, I have never met a "former Marine". I am reminded of a friend's grandfather, in his late 80's. Ed still flies a Marine Corps flag at his home, and decorates his vehicle, hat, and much more with the USMC insignia. Ed is not a former Marine, though he served over 60 years ago. Ed is a Marine until the day he dies. 

On a more spiritual note, I don't believe that soldiers for Christ ever really retire either. Sara and I read a book last night written by Jim and Sharon Fleming. This couple served the Lord for years overseas and now live back in the United States. This very helpful book shares how people on the home front can be involved in the work of the Lord, in prayer and correspondence, and many other ways. On the specific side of missions, there are tons of great ideas for your family, small group, or the whole church to put some thought and effort into getting to know the needs of a missionary family. You could take most of these suggestions for encouraging missionaries and also apply them to encouraging soldiers who are far from home

This book is just 64 pages, with quite a few of the chapters/ideas being 2 pages or so, a quick read during your family devotional time. Most of the suggestions in this book, updated in 2009, are either free or very inexpensive to implement, yet can impact lives across the world from the comfort of your home. The publisher's description of the author confirms that a soldier never really retires, as this couple who faithfully served the King of Kings still have a heart for those in current service, and in fact are serving the Lord still today. I might add to the publisher's introduction that Jim and Sharon Fleming will be soldiers and ambassadors for Jesus Christ until the day they die. I pray that each one of us maintains the outspoken loyalty for our Savior that Ed has for the Marines.

An Evening in Mingouwee By Jim Fleming & Sharon Fleming / ECS Ministries Jim's current ministry is that of International Coordinator for Emmaus Correspondence School, a division of ECS Ministries, where he has the goal of seeing these Bible study courses used to give Bible training to even more people around the world. In 2008 they relocated to Dubuque, Iowa from where they continue the international Emmaus correspondence school work with frequent trips overseas. Although their hearts and minds remain on the mission field, they believe that, for the time being, God’s purpose is for them to be close to parents and college-age children.

Buy this wonderful little book by clicking on the book cover above or go to our Resources page. It might change your family's life, and implementing the ideas found within the pages will impact the lives of many others.

We were not paid for the review of this book, nor have we received a free copy of this book. When we review a book that has been offered to us free for purposes of review, we will note that. Our reviews are offered as a free service. If you want to support our family ministry, buying from the above link or any links on our Resources page will earn affiliate revenue for us. For those seeking to send direct support, find our Paypal link in the left column of our blog site. Thank you for your encouragement and fellowship. All glory to God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

News on the home front

Just a quick email to let everyone know that our time in McDonough, Georgia has been such a blessing to us. A time of learning together, encouragement, and blessing in many ways. With so rich blessings this past few months, it is going to be hard to leave. Yet, the Lord is calling us again to leave some of the comforts and leave behind many friends who we will miss greatly.

We have prayerfully considered for some time going back to Maine to work with the Christians in the Mid Coast area. We will be laboring for the Lord with Grace Fellowship Bible Chapel in Union. We do not yet have a date specified, but it looks like we will be moving the end of January and heading towards Maine. We will be looking for a place to rent, and appreciate your prayers as we have much left to do in our time in Georgia. The Christians gathering in McDonough are such a great blessing to us, but the Lord has confirmed that this is indeed His plan for our ministry in the near future.

Even more exciting is another little tidbit of news. We found out yesterday that we will be welcoming another child into our family, with a due date of August 6th, 2012. With our already anticipated move to Maine coupled with the need of prenatal care, we hope to leave our current rental home the end of January and should arrive in Maine early in February. Short update this time, but we wanted folks to know.

For the Cowperthwaite family (slightly larger than it used to be) ~ Mark

I am a Christian and I DON'T VOTE....

Now that I have your attention, I want to explain why I don't vote, and also talk about the documentary film "180" recently put out by Living Waters, hosted by Ray Comfort. This video shows interview footage of many folks who do not even recognize the name of Adolf Hitler. Hitler, for those who missed the notes on a world war or two, was the zealous mouthpiece of the Nazi movement. Hitler's beliefs about Jews, mentally handicapped people, and everyone but those he deemed to be acceptable, caused the death of 11 million people by some of the most dreadful means known to modern history. Sadly, it was not just this maniac Hitler that caused such destruction, but millions of educated, seemingly intelligent people who were deceived into following,  funding, and putting into action these Satanic plans of genocide.

Ray Comfort in this video speaks of the Nazi's disdain for certain types of people, considering them to be less than human, and therefore making it acceptable to order mass murder of anyone in these subhuman groups. The abortion issue is brought into the spotlight in "180" comparing the sanctity of human life for the Jew or other less than perfect by Nazi standards, with that of the unborn child. Comfort explains the issue on camera to people, and encouraged those being interviewed to vote against abortion. It might seem to those who do not know Ray Comfort's work very well that he supposes that voting for pro-life politicians will change the minds of the populace and cause them to stop having, paying for, and providing abortions, also known as the government sanctioned murder of babies. 

While Comfort does ask people to vote differently, this is surely not the main point of the film. I assume it is not the voting conservative or Christian public that is having the abortions, but I could be wrong. If it is those identifying themselves as Christians who are paying for or having abortions, then I would argue that they don't understand Christianity very well, as Jesus told us not to kill, or even be angry with our brother as the desire to sin is just as sinful as acting on said desires. Still, some have told me over the years that the likes of Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority could have fixed our country if only Christians would have voted more.

I have an issue with this political fix to a heart issue.

You see, I have not voted in any election since about 2000, and I wonder if I had been wasting my time

Ministry update..... get a chair, it's kinda long!

We have now lived in McDonough for about 2 months. During that time, we have continued to be blessed with opportunity to minister in our home and also have some time to travel to visit churches we have worked with before.  We have the regular meetings of the church on Sunday afternoons starting at 4pm. We gather with the other Christians at the Scarbrough home for a meal. We then have a time of fellowship, teaching of God's Word, remembering the Lord Jesus Christ in the Lord's Supper, and often a men's study will conclude the night 4-5 hours later. This weekly gathering has become a great source of encouragement, challenge, and learning as we search the Scriptures and seek the leading of the Holy Spirit in our meetings.

We also get together on Wednesdays as a group to pray together and share what the Lord has been doing in our lives in the interim. We are happy to report that often the prayer requests don't need to be spoken, as the group is very close and in constant contact throughout the week visiting, praying together, and having fellowship with one another.  Sara meets weekly with one of the younger Christian sisters in a one-to-one for the purpose of edifying one another and searching out the Biblical pattern for wives and mothers. This has been a great blessing to Sara, and we hope to have more opportunities as the days go by for this type of ministry. Mark spends a few hours with some of the brothers weekly as schedule allows. These times of discussion, prayer, and study of God's Word have proved to be quite encouraging to Mark, and have helped us get to know the saints here locally. Between all this and correspondence, phone calls, emails, and teaching our family, we are all pretty busy, but a good kind of busy.

In recent weeks, we have discussed at length many important issues as a new church, and we have been blessed by the time with all of the Christians we know in the area. We have a weekly Bible study in our home with a local woman who was initially contacted almost 2 years ago when the Good News on the Move (GNOM) team was here. We just started going through the Gospel of Mark together, with a verse by verse discussion of the message of the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus.

"In my seat" Video

This brother in Christ, Steve Scheibner, shares his story. A pilot for American Airlines, he was scheduled to fly on flight 11 on September 11, 2001. See how his heart stirring story shares the Gospel. Many may not be willing to listen to the Gospel, but would watch this 15 minutes video about the day America was attacked by Muslim terrorists. I hope this video reminds us all that we have today to serve God and make the Gospel known. We are not promised tomorrow, so let us live in gratitude and obedience to the Savior who bought us with His precious blood.