Sound Teaching  This is the teaching site of the West Side church of Christ in Fort Worth, TX. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials were written and prepared by Stan Cox |
By Stan Cox, on March 28th, 2012
The sermon first establishes that all of God’s promises are sure. Then, discusses the following promises of God:
- To supply every need we have.
- That His grace is sufficient for us.
- That His children will not be overtaken in temptation.
- Victory over death.
- That all things work together for good to those who love Him.
- Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.
- Eternal Life.
Audio
Powerpoint Slides
By Stan Cox, on January 4th, 2012
I recently came across the following quote from the pen of C.S. Lewis in his book, The Screwtape Letters, (pages 41-42). They are the words of a demon tempter to his young apprentice, explaining the difference between God given pleasure, and illicit perversions of it.
“Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s ground. I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention, not ours. He made the pleasures; all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden. Hence we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable. An ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula.”
How true! Sexual activity within the loving confines of marriage is pure and uplifting. Fornication of all types leads to dissolution and complications. The same can be said for illicit drug use, the pursuit of money, and all sorts of activities that are not even objectionable if practiced with the moderation and priority God prescribes.
Remember, the devil seeks our ruin! (cf. 1 Peter 5:8). Sin is alluring, but it’s end is never satisfying to the soul.
By Stan Cox, on November 6th, 2011
Sermon by Wayne Goforth:
The devil seeks to amuse, excuse, confuse and accuse. Each of these four things can derail a Christian as he seeks to serve the Lord.
Audio
Powerpoint Slides
By Stan Cox, on September 27th, 2011
A couple of Wednesday nights ago, in our lesson discussing the discipline of meditation, I admitted to the fact that poetry holds little appeal to me. My tastes run to the prosaic, (some may say uncouth).
However, I did note that a well formed paragraph can inspire me, and I thought I would share a few with you. For example, the wonderful expression of our victory in Christ, from the pen of the apostle Paul:
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created things, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).
Continue reading » Inspiring Prose
By Stan Cox, on August 8th, 2010
The Bible reveals the devil to be a personal and imposing adversary, with devices that need to be recognized and resisted.
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
By Stan Cox, on April 25th, 2010
The sermon establishes three important truths regarding the relationshiop between temptation and sin.
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
By Stan Cox, on April 11th, 2010
An examination of the relationship between temptation, and the sins of man.
Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
By Stan Cox, on October 19th, 2009
Even as we pattern ourselves by those who live righteously… (“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”, 1 Corinthians 11:1), …ultimately our pattern to follow is the Lord Himself.
What did Christ do for us as our example?
- He suffered for us
- He repelled the tempter through God’s word and prayer
- He forgave sinners seeking His mercy
- He was compassionate
- He exemplified humility
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
By Stan Cox, on August 5th, 2009
 Due to the proliferation of murder mystery stories and police procedurals on television, most people are familiar with the term homicide. The term comes from the Latin “homo” – (man) and “cide” – (killing). Another familiar term is suicide. This term comes from the Latin “sui” – (oneself) and “cide” – (killing). Other terms that are well known: patricide (killing of a father); matricide (killing of a mother); infanticide (killing of a baby); and genocide (killing of an entire national or cultural group).
I recently came across another term in the same vein — menticide. The term comes from the Latin “ment” – (mind) and “cide” – (killing). The definition of menticide: The systematic undermining of a person’s beliefs, attitudes and values.
Continue reading » Committing Menticide
By Stan Cox, on February 1st, 2009
(The following article was written by Justin Carrell, a member of the West Side congregation)
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (James 1:13, KJV).
In class last Wednesday, we briefly discussed the middle of James chapter one; particularly verses 13 and 14. This passage is often confused. The reason is the same as we mentioned in class. God creates tempting things. However, the passage says that God does not tempt anyone. How do we reconcile these two things?
Continue reading » “Tempted” VS “Tempted”
By Stan Cox, on June 14th, 2008
Mark 1:9-13
Mark’s gospel is characterized by a concise telling of the events in Christ’s life. While not as verbose as the other gospels, Mark managed to encapsulate the grandeur of His ministry on earth.
These verses are a wonderful example. Here Mark recounts both the baptism of Jesus, and his temptation in the wilderness in just five verses.
The baptism of Jesus contains God’s witness that this was His Son. “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (vs. 11).
The temptation of Jesus expresses His perfect example. “Tempted by Satan,” yet, as Peter later stated, a man “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:22-23).
As such, He left us “an example, that [we] should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
By Stan Cox, on May 3rd, 2008
 In the prim 1950s, college dorms were off-limits to members of the opposite sex. Then came the 1970s, when male and female students started crossing paths in coed dormitories. Now, to the astonishment of some Baby Boomer parents, a growing number of colleges are going even further: coed rooms.
At least two dozen schools, including Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, Oberlin College, Clark University and the California Institute of Technology, allow some or all students to share a room with anyone they choose — including someone of the opposite sex. This spring, as students sign up for next year’s room, more schools are following suit, including Stanford University.
…Parents aren’t necessarily thrilled with boy-girl housing.
Debbie Feldman’s 20-year-old daughter, Samantha, is a sophomore at Oberlin in Ohio and plans to room with her platonic friend Grey Caspro, a straight guy, next year. Feldman said she was shocked when her daughter told her.
“When you have a male and female sharing such close quarters, I think it’s somewhat delusional to think there won’t be sexual tension,” the 52-year-old Feldman said. “Maybe this generation feels more comfortable walking around in their underwear. I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”
Still, Feldman said her daughter is partly in college to learn life lessons, and it’s her decision. Samantha said she assured her mom she thinks of Caspro as a brother.
“I’m really close to him, and I consider him one of my really good friends,” she said. “I really trust him. That trust makes it work.”
May, 3, 2008 ~ Associated Press
Analysis:
Young men and women who believe that they can live together, and not fall into temptation to sin sexually are most certainly (as mother Feldman in the article states) delusional. Such living arrangements ignore the dictates of the Spirit to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18); and to “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
Continue reading » In The News: Co-Ed Dorm Rooms
By Stan Cox, on April 27th, 2008
The Sermon reveals and explains 5 Bible based techniques a child of God can use to help him resist the temptations common to all men.
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .
By Stan Cox, on February 9th, 2008
The three synoptic gospels (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; and Luke 4:1-13) record the temptation of Jesus following His baptism in the Jordan River. Mark records only that He was in the wilderness for forty days, and there tempted by Satan. Matthew and Luke record three specific temptations, and agree exactly in both the nature of the temptations and Jesus’ response to them. We will use Matthew’s account here.
The temptation of our Lord was a necessary part of his experience on earth. The Hebrews writer said that “in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God” (2:17). As such, in that He “has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (2:18).
Continue reading » The Temptation of Jesus
By Stan Cox, on January 18th, 2008
James 1:13-16
Quite often people blame God for things He has not done. This is certainly so in the realm of temptation. As our text indicates, when we are tempted, it is not God’s fault.
God is perfect. Perfect in His righteousness and perfect in His love for man. As such, it is impossible for Him to contribute to the sin of man.
When a man sins he alone is at fault. Though there may be causal factors, (e.g. the enticements placed before him by Satan and his minions), the fault is his.
As the text states, a man sins when he is “drawn away by his own desires.”
When we sin, we can not say that we are not responsible. It is not God’s fault, and the devil did not “make us do it.” It is not the fault of our mother or our father (cf. Ezekiel 18:20).
It is our own fault, and the consequences are dire: “when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (vs. 15).
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