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cooper_smith
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Name: Cooper
Birthday: 12/6/1980
Gender: Male
Interests: Biblical languages, great exegetical preachers, classical Christian literature, Apple (only Mac!), Auburn football, golfing. The fun never ends.
Message: message me
AIM:  shachina
Member Since:
8/20/2004
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| So...my wife and i have our own website now for anyone that might be interested! She does most of the blogging (actually...all of it to date), but there is some cool stuff on there (well...i think it's cool.). Check it out! And so it doesn't shock anyone that hasn't heard yet...Brooke and I are expecting a baby boy on Feb. 3, 2007!!!! It would be great to catch up with all of you!
Click Here for My Website!!! | | |
| If we do but consider what the hearts of natural men are, what principles they are under the dominion of, what blindness and deceit, what self-flattery, self-exaltation, and self-confidence reign there, we need not at all wonder that their high opinion of themselves, and confidence of their happy circumstances, be as high and strong as mountains, and as violent as a tempest, when once consience is blinded, and convictions killed, with false joys and comforts, excited by some pleasing imaginations, and impressed by Satan transforming himself into an angel of light.
When once a hypocrite is thus established in a false hope, he has not those things to cause him to call his hope in question that oftentimes are the occasion of the doubting of true saints; as, 1. first, he has not that cautious spirit, that great sense of the vast importance of a sure foundation, and that dread of being deceived. The comforts of the true saints increase awakening and caution, and a lively sense how great a thing it is to appear before an infinitely holy, just and omniscient Judge. But false comforts put an end to these things and dreadfully stupefy the mind. 2. Secondly, The hypocrite has not the knowledge of his own blindness, and deceitfulness of his own heart, and that mean opinion of his own understanding that the true saint has. Those that are deluded with false discoveries and affections are evermore highly conceited of their light and understanding. 3. Thirdly, The devil does not assault the hope of the hypocrite as he does the hope of a true saint. The devil is a great enemy to a true Christian hope, not only because it tends greatly to the comfort of him that hath it, but also because it is a thing of a holy, heavenly nature, greatly tending to promote and cherish grace in the heart, and a great incentive to strictness and diligence in the Christian life. But he is no enemy to the hope of a hypocrite, which above all things establishes his interest in him that has it. A hypocrite may retain his hope without opposition as long as he lives, the devil never disturbing it nor attempting to disturb it. But there is perhaps no true Christian but what has his hope assaulted by him. Satan assaulted Christ Himself upon this, whether He were the Son of God or no: and the servant is not above His Master, nor the disciple above His Lord; it is enough for the disciple, that is most priviledged in this world, to be as his Master. 4. Fourthly, He who has a false hope has not that sight of his own corruptions which the saint has. A true Christian has ten times so much to do with his heart and its corruptions as a hypocrite: and the sins of his heart and practice appear to him in their blackness; they look dreadful; and it often appears a very mysterious thing that any grace can be consistent with such corruption, or should be in such a heart. But false hope hides corruption, covers it all over, and the hypocrite looks clean and bright in his own eyes.
- Jonathan Edwards | | |
| i've lost all rights to be a part of the xanga cult. i'm ashamed. lots of great things happening though, i.e. getting married. hope that everyone can come. be expecting phone calls from me to get address info. I kinda need that to send invitations. | | |
| Though sick again today, I managed to play 28 holes of golf with my good friend Curtis. It's great that I work at a golf course...it's a cool way to provide free golf for the poor (i.e. my good friend Curtis). Another great thing about today is not only did I play golf, but got to work on my already defined farmers tan. Glorious. On a different note, has Mr. Bedell ever blown anyone away? I revere that man. It is so clear that to those God has revealed the depths and the realities of sin, they are the ones mightily used for His Kingdom. So far to go.
LORD, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive
that the valley is the place of vision.
LORD, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.
-A Puritan's Prayer
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| So it's great that people are starting to begin their pilgrimage back to the Holy Land. By that I mean classes begin soon here in good old C-town. Hopefully this will be my last go-round in the attempt for my B.A. at CIU. Who knows. It could be worse. Well God is good...His Word is totally sufficient...lots of prayer to get me through. (Hopefully more prayer than Halo...j/k). | | |
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