2018 Passover

March 22, 2018March 29, 2018 / Charles Cooley / Leave a comment

Passover is coming! This year it begins in the evening of March 30th and goes to the 31st. The Hebrew month is Nisan, which is the first month –

“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.“ – Exodus 12:1

Later in this article, I will explain why this important. But, there are many facts about Passover that we should remember.

First, it marks the beginning of deliverance from slavery. Most of us think we have never seen slavery but, we have! Jesus taught –

“Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” – John 8:34 Continue reading →

Deliverance

August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 / Charles Cooley / Leave a comment

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me to preach good tidings to the poor: … To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” – Isaiah 61:1, 2

This is the message Jesus began His ministry with, a ministry He passed on to His Church – those who believe in Him and put their trust in Him. It is not a message of “greasy-grace” or “sloppy-agape” as some would teach. God has not changed, nor have His standards changed. God still hates sin because it separates us from Him. What this message does do is present all of us with a way to escape the consequences of sin. The Bible declares –

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

Free at Last

Mankind’s old nature is corrupt and cannot change so God made a way for us to be “born again”, to become a new creation through the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The consequences of sin is death so Jesus stood in for us – though He was sinless, He was willing to die in our place on the cross of Calvary. If we are willing to repent of our sin and acknowledge Jesus as our substitute, His Holy Spirit will do a re-creation in us, then the Spirit will begin to work in us to help our “new man” grow strong enough to overcome the old nature and follow Jesus in a new life. Though this will be a life-long work, as we daily choose to follow the Spirit’s leading, we will begin to look and act like Jesus. Continue reading →

The Acceptable Year

April 7, 2015April 12, 2015 / Charles Cooley / Leave a comment

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” – Isaiah 61:1-3