Now That I Believe - Softcover

ROBERT A. COOK was chancellor of the King's College, Briarcliff Manor, New York. He conducted a radio ministry at the King's College and served as president of the National Religious Broadcasters Association.c.1977

People often come to me and say, "I'm through... I've failed... I can't keep up the Christian life." Frequently I'll answer them, "Well, praise God." Shocked they will ask, "What is there to praise God about?" Simply, the answer is this: Thank God you've discovered that you cannot produce nor maintain the Christian life. God must do it, or it simply isn't done! Every one of us has certain natural desires - God made us that way. We desire food, fellowship, self-preservation, a sense of accomplishment - many other things. Then, because we are members of a sinful race, we have certain wrong desires - to cheat, and lie, and be avenged, and get the better of our fellowman. These good and evil desires are mixed together in the chemistry of your soul. Satan operates on the basis of using what you already want as a means of leading you into sin. Of course it is simple enough to recognize temptation based upon wrong desires. If it's a wrong desire, it will lead to a wrong act, and you know it. Never act upon a wrong desire - you will only get into more sin and trouble. Not so easily identified, however, are temptations based upon good and legitimate desires. Remember at the very outset that Satan is interested in taking that which is good in your life and prostituting it to his own devilish ends. It is important to recognize the place of the Word of God in helping you to meet temptation. You may be absolutely certain of this: The only thing you are naturally capable of to sin and more sin, failure and more failure. Only the Word of God taking root in your life can change the natural into the supernatural. Get a good Bible, with readable print. Nothing discourages the beginner more than having to struggle with sticking pages and fine type. Your eyes blur, your mind grows weary: and before you realize it, the devil has won another victory. Get a good Bible! The money you invest in it will be repaid times without number. Make up your mind that youare going to read your Bible every day from now until you get to Glory. You expect to eat pretty regularly until you leave this world, don't you? Let's have as much sense about our spiritual condition as bodies! Believe me, friend, many a life has been wrecked by neglect of this truth: You cannot live successfully and forget Bible. You must feed your soul! Do I Have to Testify? First reaction to this question is: "How can you help it?" True testimony or witnessing consists of vastly more than the spoken word. If you're real, you'll be bound to say something for Christ. Please bear carefully in mind: Whether you are in the will of God or not, whether saved or unsaved, you are most emphatically giving a witness all the time - a witness to whatever rules your life. Like it or not, some of us are witnessing to our selfishness, our laziness, our shallowness, vanity, and pride - oh, a thousand other things! You never successfully conceal anything. You are witness to whatever you are down deep in your heart.

People often come to me and say, "I'm through... I've failed... I can't keep up the Christian life." Frequently I'll answer them, "Well, praise God." Shocked they will ask, "What is there to praise God about?" Simply, the answer is this: Thank God you've discovered that you cannot produce nor maintain the Christian life. God must do it, or it simply isn't done! Every one of us has certain natural desires - God made us that way. We desire food, fellowship, self-preservation, a sense of accomplishment - many other things. Then, because we are members of a sinful race, we have certain wrong desires - to cheat, and lie, and be avenged, and get the better of our fellowman. These good and evil desires are mixed together in the chemistry of your soul. Satan operates on the basis of using what you already want as a means of leading you into sin. Of course it is simple enough to recognize temptation based upon wrong desires. If it's a wrong desire, it will lead to a wrong act, and you know it. Never act upon a wrong desire - you will only get into more sin and trouble. Not so easily identified, however, are temptations based upon good and legitimate desires. Remember at the very outset that Satan is interested in taking that which is good in your life and prostituting it to his own devilish ends. It is important to recognize the place of the Word of God in helping you to meet temptation. You may be absolutely certain of this: The only thing you are naturally capable of to sin and more sin, failure and more failure. Only the Word of God taking root in your life can change the natural into the supernatural. Get a good Bible, with readable print. Nothing discourages the beginner more than having to struggle with sticking pages and fine type. Your eyes blur, your mind grows weary: and before you realize it, the devil has won another victory. Get a good Bible! The money you invest in it will be repaid times without number. Make up your mind that youare going to read your Bible every day from now until you get to Glory. You expect to eat pretty regularly until you leave this world, don't you? Let's have as much sense about our spiritual condition as bodies! Believe me, friend, many a life has been wrecked by neglect of this truth: You cannot live successfully and forget Bible. You must feed your soul! Do I Have to Testify? First reaction to this question is: "How can you help it?" True testimony or witnessing consists of vastly more than the spoken word. If you're real, you'll be bound to say something for Christ. Please bear carefully in mind: Whether you are in the will of God or not, whether saved or unsaved, you are most emphatically giving a witness all the time - a witness to whatever rules your life. Like it or not, some of us are witnessing to our selfishness, our laziness, our shallowness, vanity, and pride - oh, a thousand other things! You never successfully conceal anything. You are witness to whatever you are down deep in your heart.