Matt W Cook

now playing: Piano Man – Billy Joel (jo-el? Like No-el?)

Hehehehe (devilish laugh)

So, Andy Mack, it seems you have uncovered my plan. I knew you would. I’m not worried though, soon and very soon you will see the light of the sound of the Hindi beats (light of the sound??). Anyway, I’ve made a breakthrough that the whole world can see. Andy Mack’s blog finally admitted to the value of Hindi tunes. The day will come, Andy the Mack, one day you yourself will readily admit to the superiority of the Bhangra beats and renounce the Folk underworld!

Anyway, I really like hearing languages. Ruth is talking to her father right now on the phone, and it’s real neat! Languages just interest me! Even things like ASL (hmm, I have Hindi CDs, but why don’t I have ASL Cds??). Ruth is forced to shout now, seems like the phone connection is not doing too good. I can hear her mother on the other line now, she’s a great lady! Really fun! I really can’t wait until I get back to Pakistan and hang with the in-laws. Soon and very soon…

Oh! In other news, check out Ruth Cook’s blog at ruthcook.blogspot.com. She just started it, so read up and comment all you silly folks!

See ya later! Cook out.

now playing: El Tango de Roxanne – Ewan Mcgregor & Jose Feliciano

Ruth and I just finished watching the movie “The Great Escape”. I recommend it to you all. It’s a war movie based on a true story about a POW camp in Germany. There was a massive breakout through an elaborate system of tunnels and 76 people managed to escape. In the end, however, more than fifty were killed and 12 captured. Only three escaped in the end. One man at the end of the movie asked “Was it worth it?” The answer was “That depends on your point of view.”

I think that we can draw a bit of a spiritual parallel here. We hear stories of crazy missionaries like Jim Elliot or Henry Martyn who die horrible deaths before they reached 30 for the sake of the Gospel. Or Theologins who devote their entire lives to study, study, study. Is it worth it? That depends on your point of view. If you have the view that the world has, then no, it’s not worth it. It’s dumb to die for Christ if your only view is to the world. However, if you’re looking for something eternal, then dying for Christ and devoting your life to Him is the greatest thing possible, regardless of the cost. The same could be said about the movie. Was it worth it? The goal was to screw up the Nazis as much as possible, they accomplished that, in that way, with a view bigger than mere self, it was worth it…These are my thoughts.

In other news, Ruth and I made some killer pizza tonight! Complete with hot Italian sausage, bacon, hot peppers, Frank’s hot sauce, etc. Boo ya, good times, bad gut.

Hmm, a post about God, war, and hot food. Have fun.

Matthew

Ten Practical Preparations for Hearing the Word of God on Sunday Morning

March 1, 1998

Luke 8:18

1. Pray that God would give you a good and honest heart.

The heart we need is a work of God. That’s why we pray for it. Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart.” Jeremiah 24:7, “I will give them a heart to know Me.” Let’s pray, “O Lord, give me a heart for you. Give me a good and honest heart. Give me a soft and receptive heart. Give me a humble and meek heart. Give me an fruitful heart.”

2. Meditate on the Word of God.

Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good.” On Saturday night read some delicious portion of your Bible with a view to stirring up hunger for God. This is the appetizer for Sunday morning’s meal.

3. Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment.

James 12:1, “Putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch. This makes us small and weak and worldly and inauthentic in worship. Instead, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). Your heart will unshrivel and be able to feel greatness again.

4. Trust in the truth that you already have.

The hearing of the word of God that fails during trial has no root (Luke 8:13). What is the root we need? It is trust. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream.” Trusting in the truth you already have is the best way to prepare yourself to receive more.

5. Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning.

1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything.” I am not laying down any law here. I am saying there are Saturday night ways that ruin Sunday morning worship. Don’t be enslaved by them. Without sufficient sleep, our minds are dull, our emotions are flat, our proneness to depression is higher, and our fuses are short. My counsel decide when you must get up on Sunday in order to have time to eat, get dressed, pray and meditate on the Word, prepare the family, and travel to church; and then compute backward eight hours and be sure that you are in bed 15 minutes before that. Read your Bible in bed and fall asleep with the Word of God in your mind. I especially exhort parents to teach teenagers that Saturday is NOT the night to stay out late with friends. If there is a special late night, make it Friday. It is a terrible thing to teach children that worship is so optional that it doesn’t matter if you are exhausted when you come.

6. Forebear one another Sunday morning without grumbling and criticism.

Psalm 106:25, “They grumbled in their tents; they did not listen to the voice of the LORD.” Sunday morning grumbling and controversy and quarreling can ruin a worship service for a family. When there is something you are angry about or some conflict that you genuinely think needs to be talked about, forebear. Of course if you are clearly the problem and need to apologize, do it as quickly as you can (Matthew 5:23-24). But if you are fuming because of children or spouse delinquency, forebear, that is, be slow to anger and quick to listen (James 1:19). In worship open yourself to God’s exposing the log in your own eye. It may be that all of you will be humbled and chastened so that no conflict is necessary.

7. Be meek and teachable when you come.

James 12:1 “In meekness receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” Meekness and teachability are not gullibility. You have your Bible and you have your brain. Use them. But if we come with a chip on our shoulder and a suspicion of the preaching week after week, we will not hear the Word of God. Meekness is a humble openness to God’s truth with a longing to be changed by it.

8. Be still as you enter the room and focus your mind’s attention and heart’s affection on God.

Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” As we enter the sanctuary, let us “come on the lookout for God and leave on the lookout for people.” Come with a quiet passion to seek God and his power. We will not be an unfriendly church if we are aggressive in our pursuit of God during the prelude and aggressive in our pursuit of visitors during the postlude.

9. Think earnestly about what is sung and prayed and preached.

1 Corinthians 14:20, “Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature”. So Paul says to Timothy, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7). Anything worth hearing is worth thinking about. If you would take heed how you hear, think about what you hear.

10. Desire the Truth of God’s Word more than you desire riches or food.

1 Peter 2:2 “Like newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” As you sit quietly and pray and meditate on the text and the songs, remind yourself of what Psalm 19:10-11 says about the Words of God “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Pastor John

I’ve been thinking a lot about my commitment and joy in God. What a great God. I stumble all the time. I’m a sluggard waking up in the morning, my mind wanders during the Lord’s supper. When I’m supposed to be doing holy things, evil things race in my head. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, eh? I have not yet resisted to the point of blood in my struggle against sin. Time to let the blood flow. Cook out.

now playing: Roop Tera Mastana – Kishore Kumar

Roop tera mastanaa pyaar mera dewaana

Bhool kabhi humse na ho jaye

Raat nashilee mast shamma hai

Aaj nashe me sara jahan hai

Haay sharabi mausam behakaye

Aankhon se aankh miltee hai aise

I remember the first time I heard this song. It was about a year ago, right after Ruth and I got together. She was making Curry for my family and I was fiddling around on the computer downstairs. I decided to look for some Indian songs, because I had never really heard any before. So I opened up my mp3 search engine and typed in “urdu”. A whole whack of songs popped up, so I quickly memorized one of the titles and went upstairs to see Ruth. I walked up to her and said “Hey Ruth, roop tera mastana!” It blew her Paksitani mind! It turns out that the phrase “Roop tera mastana” is a very romantic and eloquent statement kinda equivilent to saying “Your beauty is beautiful”, except more nice and pretty. So, to all of you trying to pick up Indian or Pakistani chicks, I highly recommend the phrase “roop tera mastana”.

In other news, I have just become the commander for the Awana club at Ridgeville Bible Chapel. I’m sure this will be a very helpful experience for me, a good chance to learn some more leadership skills. I’m sure it’ll also force me to rely on God quite a bit more than I am right now, which is always a good thing. God is good, and He’s very skilled at putting critters like us in stressful situations that are acually helpful in the long run. Praise God, He’s a really, really intelligent God!

Peace out, be good!

Matthew

now playing: The Old Man – John McDermott

I thought he’d live forever

He seemed so big and strong

But the minutes fly and the years roll by

For a father and his son

And suddenly when it happened

There was so much left unsaid

No second chance to tell him thanks

For everything he’s done

I never will forget him for he made me what I am

Though he may be gone memory lingers on

And I miss him … The Old Man

Matt the Cook here with some killer buddies from the P-dot. I’ve got Mel Bee and Ben Inglis sitting in our house – our first guests!

So, I’ve got these handy-dandy speakers with my computer, and when I opend the box I was very impressed to see 600 watts! Then I say the little letters beside it – P.M.P.O. “What do these letters mean?” I asked myself. Nevertheless, I was excited. Until I read the real specs that came with the speakers. Something like one watt per speaker and three for the sub. In the words of Strong Bad – “What the crap?” It turns out that this PMPO simply measures the amount of wattage that the speaker can handle before blowing up! Sillyness!

Anyway, I’ve got some of my good buddies down for a wonderful weekend of fun, fellowship and frivolity. I really love good friends, they’re…good!

Okay, that’s enough for today, read more, talk less, pray more and preach less. Have fun and be good!

Matt the Cook