Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Join Reverend Ben Cooper from Elim Swanley on a spiritual journey through life's profound questions, offering wisdom, insight, and a touch of humour in every episode. "Embarking on a soul-enriching voyage through the Bible's timeless wisdom and the Christian journey, with a diverse array of inspiring guests, Join us as we explore faith, life, and hope.
Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
#Christian Straight Talk - Courage - To be Bold (#15 Courage)
Reverend Ben Cooper and Simon Pinchbeck take to the mics to discuss the last topic in the series of Courage which is The Courage to be Bold.
We are on Apple Music, Amazon Music, I Heart Radio, Buzzsprout, Spotify, and multiple other Podcast platforms - you will find us under the title Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast.
Good morning, we are in this little room probably for the last time we will be recording in this room because we are moving. We are migrating to the other end of the building. But this is#Christian straight talk. We love you. And wherever you are across the world, we just want to say thank you for the 1000s of downloads to all this stuff that's going on through#Christian straight talk, we are really blessed to be able to sit on the opposite side of the mics and just chat and just share the Scripture with you. So wherever you are, whoever you are today, in the last days never give up. God is on a throne. God is the King of kings in the Lord of lords. But I have the bishop in front of me and his name is Mr. Simon page back. And we are gathered around the mics really good friend of mine, shall I say partner in crime? Or shall I say partner in Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Simon Pinchbeck:Often it works both ways. And yeah, no, I've had a look at the new pod room. Ben, you've done a real great job over there. And it's gonna be so nice. Your chairs a bit bigger than everyone else's.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So that gold one, that one that's got a gold leaf. Real high back that's that's my new sort of
Simon Pinchbeck:look down. Everybody done. Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's not about me. But you know, it's what a dangerous place to be, isn't it when sciences is about me with with just their ministry, the ministry is all about me. This is my church, I suppose an easy place to slip into. And it really is you can see area is an easy place to get to. But we pray that God will keep all of us humble, he will strip us back. And we are living in very powerful and very encouraging times. Isn't it interesting what's happened for the news this week? And there's been a U turn with certain leaders and certain government departments or there's been a backtracking. So the scripture says let your yes be yes and your no be No. And we are living in a world where everything is changing so quick. So we want to encourage you for these podcasts through #Christian straight talk. You can find us online, you can find us on Apple play, you can find us in so many areas, Buzzsprout, Spotify, just type in #Christian Straight Talk. Simon and myself will come up with so many podcasts that we've been doing. And we really believe in the word of God, that one thing I know we have a bit of banter. I know we, you know, bounce around a little bit. But you know, we are really, really encouraged because of the word of God is on time on point and never fails us. But we are living in last days. And we'd love to know your thoughts, any any encouragement, any fours are against these podcasts, please, you can catch us here Simon, you can catch him on his email address. #Christian straight talk, you can find that online and through the different social medias that we are putting in place and is coming together to Simon Good morning.
Simon Pinchbeck:Good morning, Ben. It's again, it's a real privilege to be with you. It's a privilege to be average privileged to see what's happening around this place. And you know, that bit of music we play in the beginning there and at the end, proper music and
Reverend Ben Cooper:it is a real lead bit of music theory, a bit of music
Simon Pinchbeck:and the name of that Ben is Pfeiffer rice is amazing, isn't it? Now even that bit of music is fine right now, when we were choosing it there was there's literally 1000s Isn't there? stuff on there. Yeah, but it's real. The name of that Pfeiffer eyes is real. Put today. And it's really what we're going to talk about today because today we're going to talk about the courage to be bold in the last days. And this is our last podcast. In this set on courage, yes. Yeah. So we you know, in, in fairness, we don't 1515
Reverend Ben Cooper:on one on courage on courage. Yeah, we should be encouraging ourselves. Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:But but you know, if you look around men today and society in general, yeah. The narrative is very bold. The narrative is going away from God. The Bible going away from the biblical truths, and it's very strong, and we stick with a Bible, stand on a word of God are being called haters we're being called dividers will be the old, all sorts of all sorts of
Reverend Ben Cooper:you need to change. The church needs to change the church needs to adapt with the sign of the times, with a flow, we need to go with the world. The Bible says do not conform to the pattern of the world. But have your mind's renewed, do not conform to the pattern of the world. Surely there must be leaders out there that must think we're conforming to the pattern of government with conforming And the government put plans out and then they change it straightaway. So we've conformed into something that isn't there anymore. But we've allowed ourselves to be whipped into a position of a non return flight. We have sold our soul.
Simon Pinchbeck:And society has gone really along those lines. And it's the chasm is getting wider and wider. And it were most definitely we is very sometimes we have to be very careful what we talk about political correctness with, but we stand on on on the world. And opposition to us who stand on the Word of God is strong. And yeah, people are shouting, they're bold, and they're shouting, and we are in the last days. And Ben, if I take you to a scripture, Isiah, three, eight, now, yeah, we're in the Old Testament he had been but like, we love the old. But look what Isaiah says, he says, for Jerusalem stumbled, and Judah is fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory, the look on their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, they do not hide it well to their soul, for they are brought evil upon themselves. Do you know and when you look at that, then that's pretty much how things have gone a day isn't it
Reverend Ben Cooper:really is. It just proves, isn't it that the scripture is perfectly on time when actually, the Scripture doesn't have to line up with time because the world is actually lining up with what the scripture is already for told and for spoken and prophesied. So we are only seeing what the world is doing because the Bible has already prophesied and spoken. So I shouldn't really be alarm should I in the last days, and go what's happening, but actually, I've been told what's happening. So but I need to be bold in these last days, I need to be bold, and to rise up as a believer and go, You know what, I'm not going to be fearful of what I see or hear. Because I've got to be bold in this time, because the Scripture says, in the last days, there'll be scoffers there'd be wars, rumors, awards, there'd be plagues, pestilence, you know, but we've labeled this this plague, or we've labeled this COVID. Out with so many scientific and so much scientific and a lot of data. One of the word I'm looking for we've labeled it up in a pretty box only when actually it's a plague. It's a killer. It destroyed. Yes, we know it's real. But yes, we know that it's been elongated, and we know that it's been stretched, and now suddenly, it's going to drop off the peg, it's going to disappear as quick as it came in.
Simon Pinchbeck:And it's been used for so many things in it. Yeah. You can't open up. You can't have church you can't have do the kind of church but we're gonna go to a party or you have church you got to wear a mask, you know, all this sort of stuff. Yes.
Reverend Ben Cooper:The elite have been doing what they want to do.
Simon Pinchbeck:And what you said brings us nicely on to probably the most famous scripture about perilous times and perilous men in the last days and that is to Timothy free Ben
Reverend Ben Cooper:loving to Timothy Chapter Three for those that follow the the biblical references that we put out to Timothy chapter three.
Simon Pinchbeck:And, and that says, he says it says But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come? Yeah. Four men will be lovers of themselves. Wow. Number one, number one, lovers of money boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents. unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, despises of good traitors, headstrong, haughty lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power,
Reverend Ben Cooper:or like that having a form I have in a form of there is a form of isn't there.
Simon Pinchbeck:There is a form of godliness, which
Reverend Ben Cooper:is dressed that wears the suits, it wears the clergy kit, it walks with the staff, it swings the incense it does all that having a form of a look of
Simon Pinchbeck:all or it's on a stage with the guitars, the yet the skinny jeans and all that sort of stuff. Given it large, yes. But denying its power, Ben.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So to deny its power, is that you do not recognize very clearly the spiritual power of the Holy Spirit you don't we don't recognize. See it's all it's a show. Having a form of having the look of having the walk of having the close of look looking like but actually not delivering what you should deliver. We are living in great times because the scriptures are so alive. They are so powerful. They're on point having a form
Simon Pinchbeck:of a form of godliness but denying its power,
Reverend Ben Cooper:denying it rejection that is rejecting, denying, knowing, but not following that comes in onto obedience, doesn't it? We'll say,
Simon Pinchbeck:were worshiping God. And we'll say, we'll enable throw the name of Jesus in now and again.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah. But
Simon Pinchbeck:really, are we? Are we looking for a relationship with Jesus Christ? Are we looking to confess our sins repent our sins? Are we looking to stand on the Word of God? Are we looking to pick bits out the gospel? Which, which, so which so as an Ambac, a motivational talk? Really? Yeah, that's not from the gospel. So it's a form of godliness. So is using the Scripture as a platform as a platform as a platform to build what I want to build? Because if I use this model, or this, there's a lot in this it says, Yeah, above all, you must understand that in the last days, scoffers will come.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We are there. scoffers and followers have their own evil desires, where there they will say, where is this coming? He promised. And then as you go further on, as you read that fro, and as you look at everything in his text, there is so much my eyes are over the whole text at the moment. That's why I'm a little bit quiet on this. Because it's loaded. It is apps gone somewhat
Simon Pinchbeck:loaded down. We've since led away by various less yesterday, spring, always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So that's interesting, always
Simon Pinchbeck:learning I'm learning about I'm learning about the world I'm learning about the world tells me I'm learning I'm taking in what they telling me I'm taking in what the scientists tell me. I'm taking in what the government tells me, but I've never come into a knowledge of truth, which is the word of God. It's the word, the word of truth. And that's happening as we speak. It's happening across the board, in our schools, in our universities, yes, everywhere where their people are being taught in our churches, this is happening but they're never going to the truth.
Reverend Ben Cooper:This is powerful stuff, the scripture that we are in the last days there will be an it gives us a very clear, a very clear formula gives a very clear word. It gives a very clear scoffers lovers of themselves, you know, rash, treacherous, you know,
Simon Pinchbeck:and this, listen to this, but isn't this in its fire, now as jeans, and jumpers resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth. Men have corrupt minds disapproved concerning the faithful, but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest, which is shown to all as theirs was also and what's happening right now.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We're seeing the folly we're seeing. We're seeing we're seeing the puppet style zone
Simon Pinchbeck:ever tell me that a word I've got a current for, right? It's right on point for the day.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Absolutely. It's on fire. It's liquid, it comes alive the Word of God. Now we got to remember that this was written 1000s of years ago. And you can see how beautifully the world is coming in line with what was prophesied what was spoken about what was delivered for the prophets, for the great New Testament writers for, for everything from Genesis to Revelation, how the Word of God is, yes, and amen. It it is without error. I am the one with error, but by redemption and by salvation. You know, all things are possible to those who believe so we are living in very critical times. If I stay in religion, I'm in serious trouble. We even have to look at the ministries that are about don't we we have to look at certain ministers are about you know, I'm not living completely right for Christ, that's sure and that will that will always happen forever and a day until God calls me home. Because that is the power of the human side of us. But there is always there is always the power of repentance. There is always the power of saying, Lord, I've sinned and fallen short of your glory today, Father, forgive me for I have sinned. And we are always covered in the blood. But the power that we see today that is at work, it is so, so dangerous within religion and within the church because it can lasso you into an occult and not into the kingdom. Oh, so how do I deal with these large mega churches and these pastors and doing what they want to do? What do I do the first thing I must do? It's got to be prior to it. I've got to seek Him.
Simon Pinchbeck:And you've got to say to yourself, let me know what the problem is. On I know many men, oh, what happens is, there's a momentum built with things like these big churches like Hillsong, like Bethel like all of that, and people go out and like, right. So it's the king's new super club. And so without actually drilling down and listening to what is actually being preached or seeing some of their performances and performances in the early comedy. So what happens is people go, yeah, they're great. Their songs are great that so they must be
Reverend Ben Cooper:they must be a lot of it. There's so much adrenaline isn't there? There's so much that the human body loves loves the showmanship loves the phreatic core performances loves the adrenaline rush loves the the lights and the glitz and the glamour but But Christ didn't come for all that did he come to set the captives free? He, he came, and he sat at Jacobs? Well, when the lady came up to him, they've been married quite a few times. And he said to your first they come to me, there are so many places, and in the Word of God, where it doesn't fit with what we see today in in the structure and the culture of certain areas, a church, you know, we got to hold on to the Word of God and we are living in times of boldness. And you have to mention Joshua, don't know you have to mention that.
Simon Pinchbeck:Be bold, be stronger, courageously strong, courageous. We
Reverend Ben Cooper:are living in the Joshua times. I know it's been mentioned before, but But realistically, right now we are we have to be bold, like Joshua and Caleb, we have to take that territory back. We have to be like, David, when, when it says David strengthened himself in the Lord, I gotta keep in the Word of God.
Simon Pinchbeck:You got to keep in the Word of God. Otherwise, what's the alternative? You go with the flow, you bury your head in the sand. You say this is not concerning me? Yeah. And it's certainly an all around Ben today, people are calling evil, good and good evil on it, that it's
Reverend Ben Cooper:in a washing machine of everything. We're all
Simon Pinchbeck:there. So what we've done in the first sort of 1718 minutes, he's just lay out the foundation for what is happening today and how people are being very bold in their outspokenness against the true faith of the Bible against a biblical truths, but we've just in just two short verses, we've just exposed all that. It's just Yeah, yeah, just exposed it for exactly what it is, you know. We we have got to look at ourselves and say, Are we going along with this new world order? Because that's what is is happening? A new world order? Yes, we say that. Yeah. And it's, it's pulling people away from from the True Word of God,
Reverend Ben Cooper:because the Scripture says, You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. So there is freedom in the gospels, there is salvation in the Gospel. And do not learn on your own understanding. It is so easy to lean on your understanding, you know, you got a Proverbs chapter three, verse five, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. It's easy for me as a human being, as a parent, or brother, a friend, whoever you are, and whoever I am, it's easy to lean on our own understanding, but our own understanding is limited, because understanding is just of this natural world, and we serve a supernatural God that spoke this world into being. So Boldness is very difficult to find within the structure of a human being, to to get real boldness you have to go to God, even the most timid his person, when they are filled with the Holy Spirit suddenly becomes a lion suddenly becomes a warrior suddenly becomes not because their physical strength but because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. So there is a transformation, you still are who you are, but you have the God of all to give you the strength and the boldness when I am weak, then I'm strong.
Simon Pinchbeck:So you're totally right. 100% right, then, you know, Proverbs 21 says, you know, the wicked will flee when no one pursues them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. And when you step out, yeah, and you prayer might be God help me use me that's a powerful because strengthen me, God speak through me. Yeah, God help me. And he ain't gonna embarrass you. It's not going to leave you standing is going to be there. If you're stepping out for him. He's going to step out with you and he brews for enablers form and 14 it tells us that there are another group of people come on tell me another group who have got boldness and and I believe that people listening to this now will be encouraged to step out and be bold in in their areas of of saying this you Ouachita stumped for me. This is what Jesus can do for you. Jesus has set me free and Jesus. And Jesus could do the same for you. And, you know, our testimony is so strong, no matter where you've been what you've done the testimony of your life, no one can argue it. Praise God knows. You can't argue the truth of your life. They can scoff, they can muttered like a murmur, they can really kill you. But you've got the truth of your life, which is that Jesus Christ died for your sin, and He rose again. He rose again, to accept you and the Savior.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Hallelujah. So
Simon Pinchbeck:encouraging. Well, it has to be pandemic, because
Reverend Ben Cooper:it can. It can only go one way. And Isaiah 40 Verse 31, says that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. Why? And how can I do what Simon is telling me simply because Isaiah 40 Verse 31, says, but those who hope in the Lord, when I hope in him, I become bold. When I become bold, or become fearless when I'm fearless. God is with me, God is
Simon Pinchbeck:with you. And that ties really great that scripture bento was really great into cube roots for 14 which says, Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus His Son of God, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Yet Let us therefore come boldly into the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So we have don't forget, we've we've got on our side, Jesus has been through everything that we've been through.
Reverend Ben Cooper:If God is for me, who can be against you, we are more unconquered through him who loved us for I'm convinced neither death nor life, nor famine or nakedness by sword. Nothing can separate us from not demons nor principalities, nothing in the heavenlies can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. You are a child of the living God. You are a lion. You are a warrior. Look what look at that conversation with Gideon. Me. I'm the least Mr. Clan, and you're calling mill warrior. But Lord, I'm just printing I'm just treading grapes today. Lord, I'm just sitting at a desk today. Lord, I'm just laying bricks today. Lord, I'm just an accountant. Lord, I'm just cleaning Lala, I'm just struggling through but you're calling me something that I'm not. Lord, you're you're you're calling. You're calling me a warrior. But on the least who feels like they're the least in their family?
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah, yeah, who fall ill feels feels like they're worthless, worth nothing. today. Well, the Bible tells us we don't have a spirit of fear. Do we now have a spirit of, of strength and a strong mind and power? That's what? So we're looking around Ben, we can't let evil know that. But can we we can't, we have to have the boldness to to share our faith, no matter how that looks. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So people might think, well, I don't want to confront the system. I don't want to I don't want to do this, because I feel it's just little on me. Let's make this very clear. The battle belongs to the Lord. What he calls us to do is to be obedient to his Word. So when I take a stand for his word, is that I just don't come in spiritual agreement with what the enemy is doing. And also making myself attached and kin to what the world is doing. We are being pressurized in every area, to conform to the pattern of the world. So the biggest battle any believer will have is not being conformed to the what the crowd is doing. And we have seen there's been a conforming a very narcissistic press, and suddenly they've come off the gas week this week, and they've turned things around and they've dropped certain things. We got to be careful, I think in the future of what they're going to try and get us to conform to because what we had is a former runner of the Antichrist of how easy it is to get the world to react to a satanic move.
Simon Pinchbeck:Oh, that doubt? Yeah, it's very, it's been very easy to, to target through through mainstream media, from governments for that to to pull people in one direction. Yeah. And you know, when you've been looking at the word of God and standing on the Word of God, and if you feel a bit alone, don't yeah, we got to tell you that you're not alone. There are people all over this people To be encouraged, and, and the thing is, if it's no good, just, to me, it's no good just reading the Word. Otherwise, we've got the knowledge, but we haven't usually you're not using its power. So yeah, wherever we go, we've got to look for opportunities to be bold in sharing in sharing our faith. And, you know, there are if you ask for that prayer, Ben, if you say, Lord, show me someone to speak to show me who you want to talk to. If you say that prayer, then then someone will come before you and you can say, Tom, you know, cases, this is what this is what God's done in my life.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. You know, I think Simon is so on the button. Just the one to one conversation, just that one to one moment, you know, not in the auditorium not in not in the pulpit situation. Not in that, that Men's Ministry, women's ministry, that just that moment where you got a one to one eye to eye contact with someone and you're having a real, deep spiritual, personal conversation, there's, I believe there is a window of opportunity for the one to one conversations now,
Simon Pinchbeck:Ben, I'm gonna ask you, Ben, because you're in hospice, we can we can you've done it for years. And, you know, this is you see it, don't you? You see it, you see people with their last breath. You can't afford to say, Oh, hold on a minute, you know, you've got to go on this course or that course or this cappella, you know, you've got you. There. There. There's, it's all over the news. It is, or, or go your way, go your way. So yeah, tell us a bit about that.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's really, it's really interesting, you know, because obviously the world that are working in palliative care and the hospice and that, I am so privileged to be able to have conversations with people at their last heartbeats. And what I find absolutely fascinating beyond the medical care beyond all the systems of life, and the greatness and the power of medicine, and I really respect science, I really respect doctors and nurses, I really respect the structure of all these systems in place there, there comes a point when you when all that has its place, but then suddenly, there is a place that the human being goes to where science and medicine and logic and education and your money can't get you there got the human being steps into an area of when they recognize their own mortality is just a breath away. And it might even be when a person is actually struggling to keep themselves in a conscious state, it might be a time when someone is struggling, right at the last moment. And I hear this over and over and over and over again, from the from the atheist that I work with, from day one, to the people that are strong enough faith, and the people that might renew their faith. And however that looks everyone from different cultures from different religions. They all come to this place and say, what's next? What's next?
Simon Pinchbeck:And you can't let us ain't got time for you to direct what
Reverend Ben Cooper:what do I need to do? What do I need to do? I have people that have that are call themselves atheists on paper, put themselves down as an atheist, but when they are in the arena, with death. I have I have incidents where people will say to me, I've ran from God all my life. I've labeled myself as a non believer, I've labeled myself on forms and in structures and in workplaces, in life in my family. But I've really been running from God. When you hear someone say that and you're looking down the eyeballs of them. And it's just you and them. And they say, I've labeled myself as this I've put myself into or now I've said I've never gone to church have only gone to church for religion, when they've gone through weddings, holidays, and high days and all that. But when that person when a human being is standing in in the doorway, of what is next is funny how the conversations change completely. Totally me what's next. And I've been running. I've been running back.
Simon Pinchbeck:And you ain't got time. You ain't got time. Ben, are you sober?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, in this the simple fact of the matter is is God love you. When you say that to someone. And someone has said to you, I've ran from him all my life, and they're sitting there lying or you're having these moments of complete intimacy with them as in the very depths of their soul. Where they've gone through the system, they've gone through the treatment, they've gone through everything and everything else has helped and given them X and X amount of years and everything but it costs a little bit more time. But there comes the The door is starting to open of what's next, the heartbeats are getting less and less numbered. You can hear it, you can feel it you can, you can get to that position with them. And when you say God loves you, and it will be okay. And people just say to you just want Jesus, I don't know, I don't have any times sight, you don't document something, some things you just can't. The spiritual outweighs the data. The spiritual outweighs the facts and the figures, the spiritual, something happens in them conversations where I honestly feel that eternity is like a free dimensional doorway that opens up. And it feels very angelic. It feels very powerful. It's very fast, it's very quick, we don't have chance to go and get the pulpit to get an amusing place to come down and you've decided to follow Jesus. No, none of that razzmatazz of church and religion. There is just God has already saved you. He's with you at this moment. And he's and his is just I you can feel his hand you can feel the hand because I walk people down the end of the corridor. And I look at that door. And I think you're going to walk through that door any moment. And then you can feel almost this spiritual presence like in the room just, it's not you can't describe what you've got to be in the moment.
Simon Pinchbeck:You've got to be in the moment. Confronting yes, that our mortality, and they're thinking about seriously, where am I gonna go? Yes. Where am I gonna go?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Everybody rejects Jesus, everybody. When I say everybody, you know what I'm saying? The majority of the world rejects Jesus all the time, the wages are coming in the door, the time you're flying IB for all the time, you got an old time you got a new car all the time, you've got all that. But there comes a point when you literally realize my time is up. My time is I'm about to leave. Where am I going? Yeah, I've I've experienced the most strongest atheist I ever experienced in my entire ministry. And when all was said and done, he gave his life to Christ. He would want me to pray with him morning, lunchtime, and evening. Before I left, I had to read Psalm 23 to him. And I had the privilege of doing his funeral. But he met me and he had great pleasure telling me that his number plate was 666. That was the opening conversation. And we got forged a relationship between me and him. That was so strong and so powerful. So I journeyed with a human being that clearly told the world around them and mock God. And his number plate was six, six, and he wanted to tell me when he came in.
Simon Pinchbeck:So that being that just shows you just how much our God cares about every single person, every one every single person. Yeah. And it reminds us of the parable that Jesus told about a workers in the vineyard where he went early in the morning. And he said, I'll give you a denarius for working. And then he went to the last knockings, didn't he the five o'clock wipes who only had an hour to work? Yeah, but he still gave them and they
Reverend Ben Cooper:still gave them still gave them the same. Yeah, salvation is the same. It's the same whether God saves you. We're talking about the physic whether I physically recognize salvation at an early child, or I go right to the 11th hour of ours before I leave the Earth. Salvation is salvation. Jesus, remember me? Find the cross the 11th hour ministry. Remember me when you come into your kingdom, we remember me. Salvation is salvation it has. I cannot work my way to salvation. It doesn't matter if I've been a Christian 1000 years or an hour. When God gives you salvation, salvation is salvation, and you can't lose it.
Simon Pinchbeck:There's no limit to what God can do is no limit to what God can do is only as we put a limit on
Reverend Ben Cooper:it, we limit it. We box it, we frame it up in the church, we frame it up into to evangelists, we frame it up into preachers, we frame it up into all this stuff. When the kingdom of God is so vast, so wide, is as far as the heavens from the east of the South, the north and the west. The kingdom of God is within
Simon Pinchbeck:this ravine and God promises in His Word that yeah, the latter part of so Our lives are going to be greater than a form of password. There's no age limit on this. There's no age limit on it. There's no gods not saying, Oh, you can be bold between these ages and this time, sit down and watch the telly, you know. Yeah, he's saying, it's there for everyone right up until Wow. Right up until then that your last breath, our last breath, because there's people out there with their last breath. Come confess Jesus Christ. Yeah, as you said, yeah. That can go that can be accepted into the kingdom.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Do you know what Simon? I don't know how you do it?
Simon Pinchbeck:I don't know you do. It's you. You must come away in tears a lot of time. And then most wrecked, you know, from, from what you've given out there from being bowled in in that place? Because, believe me, at the same time, as you're there, there are other forces trying to pull that person
Reverend Ben Cooper:out. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, most definitely. When when someone's talking about boldness, but what what I've recognized, what I really have recognized is that if a person just keeps in your colon, if you keep in what God has called you to be, he will strengthen you. But if I was to try and build a ministry, I would I would have, I would say break down and anxious, but not that I don't have moments of that. But I think what we are seeing across the globe is ministries that have been built on the business model, now, the Earth is being shaken left, right and center, you can actually see uncertain ministers, can't you, you can see that it's aged them. It's tiring them. It's wearing them. It's exhausting them because they are building what they want to see in their own strength in their own strength. But when you go, when you go in the strength of the Lord, you ain't gonna have no wrinkle. You think you are going to look well, you are going to look healthy, because he will strengthen you. Yes, I have moments course I do.
Simon Pinchbeck:And that's a great point. And I've written something down. To remember Stephen? Yes,
Reverend Ben Cooper:yes, our little friend.
Simon Pinchbeck:And he was they were really getting rid of the stoning when I right at that moment of his life. But he gave an account of his testimony. And it says the counselors on his face, yeah, changed, changed the countenance the counters on his child, his face changed. And you have to believe that there was a guy in the crowd holding people's coats called Soul at the time, you have to believe that maybe that influenced him a little bit, you know, because here's a man, he's up against it. But he's boldly professing his faith and accountants on his face check. I've, I've seen guys in, you know, 80s and 90s, godly men, and you look on their faces, like a baby smile, you know, because that they are full of the Word of God and follow the spirit. And when you hear him talk, it's like a 20 year old speaking, you know, we
Reverend Ben Cooper:we have so much mental health issues and in the world of church, where pastors and leaders are burned out, because we have all been hoodwinked. And we've all been lassoed in where you can go and do what you want to be and God is with you in everything. God is with you in everything, but he hasn't anointed you to do everything. That's the issue. Very true. Yeah. God anointed David to be what? To be king.
Simon Pinchbeck:Right point, I think so
Reverend Ben Cooper:when you noise listen to
Simon Pinchbeck:this. So again, God, God called all
Reverend Ben Cooper:of us, but he only anoints us for a certain area of ministry. But because we think that we are a jack of all trades, we think that anointing will flow onto everything. We need to be very careful, God anointed King David to be what King, He anointed him to be king. Not as a shepherd boy, although he was chosen. So you have to look at this very carefully. So when we look at burnout, we have got more burn out in, in Christian ministry, we got more people you've only got to look at on social media and certain faces, certain ministers and leaders, and certain aspects of what they are doing. They look exhausted. And, and we are seeing so many books being written. And authors talking about burnout, you can't get spiritual burnout. No, you can't. You can't be burnt out spiritually. Because if I'm burnt out spiritually, who does that reflect to God? God can never get exhausted. God can never get run out. The scripture says you will soar on wings as of eagles, you will run you will do this you will do that that great prophet, that great prophet that ran underneath the juniper tree and he fairly said God, He said, Take my life. This is enough. Now I'm done with this. I'm finished. It is over. God did not take his life. God sent an angel to strengthen him. for another 40 days and 40 nights and he ran he ran on a jar of water and a few pieces of bread that he was charged spiritually.
Simon Pinchbeck:But that is interesting what you say that because that scripts you referred to you know if I if I but the first words say all if I wait upon the Lord, yeah, I will rise on wings like eagles is that wait upon the door? Yeah don't say if I will run before the Lord does it? wait upon the Lord Yeah, I will rise on wings like eagles are run or not get weary, and I'll walk or not get fine.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So it's it's all about him. So when when you it's all about waiting and recognize in your colon. We are anointed, but what am I anointed to do? Am I anointed to preach? Or am I anointed to be an evangelist? Am I anointed to be a host? What has God called you to be? Because when you look at burnout, many people get burnout because they are trying to build a formation. But if you are called God has chosen you and He will give you the strength to get his work done. Because I am not a church builder. I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail.
Simon Pinchbeck:And and that is a great point. And it's one aspect of what we're doing but just to be taught just to talk to an individual. Ben, justice. What about just to talk to an individual? We're all called to do that. Yeah, we're all called to do our Lord. He says in Hebrews 13, six. No, I took this out though he says. So we may boldly say, it says that so we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what can mere man do?
Reverend Ben Cooper:I think what a lot of people take on Come on. Come on, Lord is the boldness is behind the pulpit. The boldness is nothing to do with that the boldness is having that conversation with the other human being and say, You know what? God is with you. It's not a ministry, the boldness has not been front in a ministry, the boldness is saying to someone, God loves you.
Simon Pinchbeck:And God is with you. And wherever that may be, wherever the Lord leads you to speak to. And it may be that you got to walk with someone. Yeah. months and years, maybe years times, you got to walk with these people. And you've got to be bold to kick worldly bold, and you've got to live it out. And you've got to be bold in what you do. And also in what you say, Ben, do you agree?
Reverend Ben Cooper:100% So it's not about the ministry. It's about the bow. It's about being bold in your belief. Men, faith comes into play. Now faith. Now faith, faith is being sure of things that are not seen Hebrews, you know, Now faith so boldness and faith go together. So I've got going faith so as I go in faith, I'm going in boldness as I go bold, I'm going to be like Joshua and Caleb, be strong. Be of good courage. Come on. God was telling Joshua, be strong be of good courage. You will take territory you will. So amongst all this, we have obedience. When I'm obedient, I won't get tired. Oh, yeah. obedient. I will add that one to one conversation, the conversation that that is, that is not letting the church that there are, but it's not for statistics purposes, the conversations we have, but a lot of ministries. One o'clock, how many? What conversations What have you done this week? How many people have have you spoke to about Jesus? That's irrelevant, it doesn't matter. It's the
Simon Pinchbeck:summer is better. It's about where you've been led to that one on one conversation, and radical faith, which comes from a radical understanding of the Bible. We've just given you a few scriptures out there today to angle on radical faith that will lead to radical obedience. And then you'll see the miraculous, then you'll see what God can do. If you're, if your faith is on the Word of God, if you're obedient to what is leading you to and turn you around, you'll see doors open because my friends were at a time. We're at a time when there's when the sinners are forming a parade and they're marching all the way to hell, and we got to save as many of them as we can. That's right. You know what, we've got to be bold in that and Ben has given us some brilliant and encouraging examples today of just what can happen if you are polled, where people couldn't couldn't go. Yeah, because, you know, in hospice, you've seen people come to faith, and you've seen the counselors on their faces like five Yeah, but you've also seen people that last minute Oh, get away.
Reverend Ben Cooper:There's a there's a massive there's a massive difference. There is an it's quite It's eye opening to his eye opening to see that there is such a very big difference. But I've got to be honest, it's very, very, very few and far between the other way, I have have to be honest with that the majority of humanity has this question that at the end of life is, what's next.
Simon Pinchbeck:And when you see people who do pass, who have embraced Jesus, even if it's the last breath, there's a countenance on here, there's a piece is a piece and accountants and people who refuse there's an anguish in their facial expression. Ben, do you agree with that? I
Reverend Ben Cooper:think Yeah. I agree that there's a there there certainly is there certainly is a, a physical element to and it's, it's very difficult about because God gives salvation. So this is a very difficult one to answer. Everybody has the opportunity, but not everybody is called and that is quite a brutal that is, you know, there's so much in this. But yes, answering the question. Whatever way we look at it, someone that goes with the Lord, you can say, and someone that goes to the other side, you can see there is a physical, there is evidence on humanity of what way the button has been pressed. That there is there's evidence is clear evidence on the structure of the physical person. Because practically,
Simon Pinchbeck:if you can imagine that, you know, where you're going, you know, you've got as you close your eyes, you Jesus is reaching out for you take out taking your hand and taking
Reverend Ben Cooper:you can feel the atmosphere, I can assure you I've been in situations that is like very scary as in there is a supernatural presence in this room, there is something happening here that is inner it does come from a different world. There is something happening that is out of the control of the system out of control of medicine, out of the control of science, there is something happening that the human being don't quiet and cannot grasp the power of life and death. Something Yeah. So boldness. Wow, what a conversation we've had today. Do you know God loves you wherever you are. And just be bold. And the boldness is not going to striking up a ministry and going to build a church in in Gambia or wherever it may be the boldness is just going to your family, to stay where you are to stay where you are as your mission field. But we always want to go further afield the further we take me over there when actually God says you Jerusalem is
Simon Pinchbeck:that nice, cozy little Christian ministry and at times. God say no Stay where you are on a building site. Stay where you are in the city. And all you
Reverend Ben Cooper:got your retirement package. Everything it's all sound up. I think God's calling me to ministry. Is he really
Simon Pinchbeck:well, you've got your retirement package and you buy your Easy boy chair and you switch on the TV and watch whatever you want to watch. Now there's work for you to do my friend. There's work for you at the harvest is plentiful. As we've said, there's a variety, these margins straight to the gates of hell. harvest is plentiful, but a few so we pray you if wherever you are out there that you will embrace a boldness, fruit, a word of God. And remember what Ben says, you know, if the Lord is for you, who can be against your karma, stand strong. Tell people about what the Lord has done in your life. And just leave it at that really just let it go. Because you ain't the Alpha and the Omega, my friend. You don't have beginning in the end. You're just we're just these small little cogs in a big wheel that God uses and we're we don't need us to be honest with you, but he doesn't need leaders. He could
Reverend Ben Cooper:use someone else that is the fact of the matter. He doesn't need humanity. Definitely. There's no because the psalmist says he says and he said I see your formation before you even came into the physical that is just beyond
Simon Pinchbeck:Jeremiah one five. So yes, you know, I know you'd be fun with what I Folger done it
Reverend Ben Cooper:unbelievable. We're gonna love you. We're gonna leave you with the Word of God and my God strengthen you and bless you. You've been listening to Simon Pinchbeck and myself Reverend Ben Cooper, here at #Christian straight talk straight out the barrel of truth. Never give up God has called you. You are bold, you are bold. You didn't did not decide to follow him. But he decided to save you and to set you free and to give you a hope and a future. Wherever you are today. Please download these podcasts forward. come on, send them on to your family, your friends, but never give up. God is with you. In Jesus name, amen. Amen.
