Originally Posted by Brother Strange
This is exactly right.
Has anyone sought to find the root of the hurt-turned-bitterness? Of course bitterness will lash out? Does anyone understand what caused it all? Perhaps a thread might be started in an attempt to honestly flush out the bottom most of the cause. Coop may or maynot be willing to cooperate. That is another consideration.
Just mere submitting is not the answer. Blind submission is not the answer unless he loves having his mind raped and family abused by some tyrant...which so often happens. Not saying this is the case in Coop's instance.
The bible commands us...(that's you and me)...to KNOW THEM that labor among us. Unless husband/father assumes the God given role in the primary responsibility of being the priest and leader of his own home, that is, the priest in the first church God ever formed, he is a fool to ignorantly subject himself and family (the first church) to someone that could just as well send them all to hell from abuse. Seen it happen too many times.
There is no authority apart from divine love. Authority is abrogated in the absence of divine love coupled together with the calling to office. A pastor that does not love the sheep and who are not only willing but ready to give himself for them has NO authority from office alone.
So, since there is so much concern for COOPER, why not try pouring in the oil of understanding and the wine of inspiration rather than passing him on by with ideas and suggestions without attempting to lift him upon their own donkey.
The Priest could have said, "Well, you poor victim, get up out of the ditch and quit whining about have been beaten and robbed, you should have listened to others and not have made this journey anway."
The Levi might have said, "Well, just look at you down in that awful ditch. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? If you would have submitted to your former pastor and not went off looking for another church to attend, you would not have met up with the highwaymen and got beaten up and robbed. Why don't you get up from there and crawl back to your former pastor and submit?" Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Wonder what the Good Samaritan might have said? "Oh brother, I don't even count myself worthy to be your servant, being only a Samaritan, but I see that you have been grievously treated and left in a terrible condition. Without reward or recognition for myself, I will examine your wounds and treat them. I will pour in the oil to soothe and speed the healing of the wound, I will pour in the wine to ease the pain. Then, after I bind up the wounds, I will take you upon my own beast of burden to a place where you can convalesce with all bills paid until then." Curiously, the name of the Good Samaritan was never known. Such men care not for the glory and fame from good works.
I of course disagree with a lot of people here. With that being said, it naturally follows that there are those that will disagree with me. Big deal. That does not matter at all. But, what does matter is at least these few words might be considered.
Of couse, I do agree with prayer and what I feel is OPs' true heart felt concern for Bro. Cooper. The value of prayer cannot be estimated.
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It's ALL good!!!
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