Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Reverend Ben Coopers podcast, offers an inviting space for listeners to explore Christianity and spiritual growth with wisdom, humor, and a deep commitment to biblical truth. Through Rev. Ben's engaging conversations with guests, the podcast not only explores the timeless wisdom of the Bible but also tackles the pressing issues of life, faith, and hope in a way that is accessible, thought-provoking, and enriching. Whether you’re seeking spiritual nourishment, answers to life’s big questions, or simply a place to reflect on your faith, the Rev Ben podcast is a valuable resource on your journey.
In each episode, Rev. Ben guides listeners through profound theological reflections, personal stories, and practical insights drawn from the Bible and the broader Christian tradition.
Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Transcending Religion: The Transformative Power of Personal Faith (#699 - Elim)
Discover the transformative power of faith as we explore how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ transcends the confines of organized religion. Could the commercialization of faith in modern religious institutions be overshadowing the true message of the Gospel? Join us for a thought-provoking discussion about the challenges Christians face globally, particularly in regions where they experience persecution, and learn how the legacy of King David highlights the profound impact of a personal connection with God.
Journey with us through relatable biblical stories, such as Elijah's earnest prayers and their astonishing effects, which demonstrate the immense power of words and faith. We challenge the prosperity gospel and its focus on material wealth, urging listeners to embrace genuine spiritual growth and the foundational teachings of Jesus. Our conversation emphasizes that salvation and divine love are not transactional but deeply rooted in a surrender to God's will, where personal sacrifice leads to spiritual fulfillment.
Uncover the perceived disconnect between religious institutions and their congregants, especially during times of need, as we examine the priorities of churches like the Church of England and Catholicism. With a critical lens, we question the commercialization of faith and propose that the true essence of salvation lies beyond institutional confines. By calling on the enduring message of Jesus, we encourage you to seek solace and strength in a direct relationship with God, finding transformative power in the personal journey of faith.
Best Christian podcast, Christian podcast, Bible podcast, Religious podcast, Bible study podcast, Daily Bible podcast, Christian music podcast, How to grow spiritually as a Christian, Faith-based conversation podcast, Encouraging Christian podcast.
Christian Podcast, Best Christian Podcasts, Bible Study, Christian Living, Faith-Based, Daily Devotional, Christian Motivation, Christian Parenting, Christian Leadership, Faith and Culture, Bible Teaching, Christian Women, Christian Inspirational, Apologetics, Christian Theology, Christian Marriage, Church, Christian Mental Health, Christian Apologetics, Christian Music, Spiritual Growth.
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
Welcome to Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We are a radio and podcast ministry based here within the UK. Your support is vital through prayer and through sowing a seed of faith. We are so thankful to have so many people around the globe downloading and listening to our podcasts, whether you are on Spotify, apple Podcast, google, alexa, amazon Music and so many other platforms. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. We would love to hear from you as you partner with us as we reach the world for Jesus Christ. Please send us an email through our contact form on pastorbencoopercouk. Also, you can find our latest books on Amazon under hashtag 1, hashtag 2 and hashtag 3 under Christian Straight Talk hard-hitting, real-life conversations taken from our podcasts.
Speaker 1:Your financial gifts play a crucial role in supporting our radio ministry, helping us share the gospel through these podcasts and providing free copies of the Gospel of John and Bibles around the globe. Please pray for this ministry as we stretch out beyond the boundaries, as we walk by faith. If you'd like to support our mission, please consider clicking the support button on Spotify, apple Podcasts. Thank you, £10. You can also leave a legacy by clicking in the links within pastorbencoopercouk. Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry as we spread the message of hope far and wide through this radio ministry. So, whether you are on the daily commute or at home listening to our podcast, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy.
Speaker 2:You know we've had a bit of worship. You know let's just gather our thoughts and bring everything Welcome to everyone around the world. Wherever you are at this moment, we thank God for your lives and as we just rest in the presence of Almighty God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he's worthy of all praise. Let's pray, let's just rest, let's be still, let's trust the hand of God tonight, you know he's with you wherever you are. Father, in the mighty name, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we come before you, lord and Father, we thank you that there is power in the greatest name and Lord. As we rest, dear God and heavenly Father, as we be still, lord, as we reflect over our lives, over every situation, we thank you that there is power in the one and only name, that, at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow on the earth, under the earth, through the earth, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. So, wherever you are this evening, may God bless you and strengthen you. May God just touch your heart, your mind, your body, your soul. May you feel the refreshing presence of the Holy Spirit over your life and I just pray tonight that you will be healed, that you will feel the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, that you will feel the presence of the redeeming King in your life and you will know that, because he lives, we can face tomorrow. So, wherever you are scattered across this beautiful earth at this hour, we just pray that you will just find the love of God in your heart, your mind and in every situation. So, Father, as we come to the word tonight, will you open up the scriptures, lord, will you open up our hearts, will you open up our mind? Will you feed us and strengthen us, lord, and just lead us in paths of righteousness for thy namesake? So, lord, let your word come alive, let your presence, lord, be felt, lord, in the Lord's house, for us that's here and for those that are online, wherever they are across the world, whatever our situation is. We thank you that we're healed, that we are redeemed, that we are blessed, that we are rich in Christ Jesus. So, father, bless us from the crown of our head to the very soul of our feet, lord, wherever we are. In Jesus' name, amen, good evening and welcome wherever you are across the world this evening. We thank you to so many people across the world. I believe that we're in around about 71 countries and 976 cities, you know, pushing this stuff all around the world. So may God bless you and carry you wherever you are, and may the hand of God always be over you. So we thank God for the tens of thousands of downloads. People live streaming with us all the way you. So we thank God for the tens of thousands of downloads people live streaming with us all the way through.
Speaker 2:So let's get straight into the scriptures. Let's not mess around any further ado. Wherever you are, you know we've got to pray for this nation. We've got to pray for this government. Either God will save Keir Starmer God will move in his life or God will literally remove him from post. You know he's not fit for purpose.
Speaker 2:We are watching certain things happening within the political agenda around this nation. We, as we always say and you look at Sadiq Khan as well, you know serving foreign gods. We just pray that God will save them, god will bless them, god will heal them. If God is not going to save them and give us a Christian Kirstama, so to speak, lord, will you remove him from post. Will you bless him, lord? But give us a Christian government, give us a government that believes in the word of God and give us a government that is not frightened to stand up for the truth. And also, as you look at Sadiq Khan, you know, as he serves foreign gods, as he worships through Islam and foreign gods and all that stuff that they're involved in, we just pray. We need stability in this nation. We need the truth. We need the truth in government. You've only got to look across the pond and see what's happening in America. You've only got to look into China, korea, afghanistan, all the things that are happening around the world. We are living in critical times and I just pray that you will find peace. But we're in Psalm 40, 40 and we're in verse 1. It's really, really important that we watch and we we feel. Obviously we feel the temperature of what's happening at the moment in the political agenda within the UK. Everything's happening, you know, and all the stuff that's happening around this, this nation in which we live. There's so much going on and we've got to be steadfast, you've got got to hold on to the word of God, you've got to trust God in your life and in every situation. We can't trust governments, we can't trust number 10. When you see what's happening, you've got the occult that is very alive and very real. You've got devil worshipping that's happening at this moment in time. You've got black magic, white magic. You've got all that sort of stuff that's going on. 've got free masonry. You've got everything happening. There's so much happening within the world of politics. You know we need to know the truth. You know the bible says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. So we've got to pray that god will either bless this government that we have in post and god will save those two leaders, especially um kirstama and uh sadiq khan. We just pray that God will give them peace, but they he will give us leaders that believe in the gospel of truth. We understand what's coming through the political agenda. We understand exactly how they're driving things and you've only got to look at the farming situation. You've only got to look at the, the stocks, the shares. You've only got to look at certain areas of this nation and you can see that it is buckling under the weight, under education. You've only got to look at the church of england. You can see what's happening this week. Um, that's gone on with the church of england all that abuse and everything, and the leader had to step down and there is carnage everywhere. We need stability. We need stability. So if you're with me online, wherever you are scattered across the world, may god bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of jesus christ. It's really important that you never give up. You never give up and you're never giving. God is with you wherever you are. Maybe you just dropped on the social networks by chance. You know God is in your life. God is in your life. There are great things happening across this world. You know all things are possible to those who believe. So if you have a Bible term with me for those that are in the church, or in Psalms 40. Let's go to Psalms 40. We're going to go to verse one and we're just going to read it down very, very gently. I do apologize. I must apologize that we put. Well, it was me I would put a podcast out the other week on Spotify and I should have put a bit of a warning underneath. It was about my journey. I was being interviewed, and so it's quite an involved journey. It's quite heavy hitting. I've had a lot of things come back through. It's on Spotify, it's on all the platforms. So please be careful. When you listen to it you will get a sense, you'll get a flavor for it straight away. So just turn it off if you don't want to. Just please don't listen to it. But we should have put a warning out. You know it's quite, it's quite a punch, but you know you can survive. You can and you will survive. Whatever you've gone through in your life, you know there is always a way forward. It takes time, it takes effort. It might take you to some strange places, it might drop you to a certain level in your life, but if I can come through and if I can get through and it's a long road and it's a long road to recovery and, trust me, it really is you know. So if I can, if I can, you know anyone can. So let's let's get straight into the scriptures, verse 40, verse one, sorry of Psalms 14. It says I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and he heard my cry. He lifted me up out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet upon the rock. He gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes his trust in the Lord and who does not look to the proud For those who turn aside to false gods. May the Lord, thy God, and the wonders that he has done, the things that he has planned and planted before you, no one can recount to you. You know, let's just hold it there a moment. I just want to hold a moment in verse one. If you are with me and you're looking at verse one and we can see there's lots of people across the world and people in the Lord's house this evening. Psalms 40. Now David. David is an amazing king, I should say. In historical terms he was an amazing king. He had experienced everything under the sun. He had experienced everything, he had done everything. He had seen everything. He was a young shepherd boy. He'd come through the ranks of life. He was a warrior. He fought his way through. He was a great musician. He was a poet. He was a shepherd. He knew what it was like to work. He came out of his father's business that was very, very clear as a shepherd boy. Now, king David experienced every activity under the sun and God was with him in everything. You know, whatever is going on in your life at this moment in time maybe you're searching, maybe you're looking, maybe you're just inquiring about church. You know, I will tell you this keep away from church. I tell and I mention this, you know I keep speaking about it Don't come to church, get to Jesus Christ, because church is damaging. Church will damage you, religion will damage you, but Jesus Christ will give you a hope and a future, because it's about being a Bible follower. It's about being John 3.3. We know what the scripture says in John 3.3. We talk about, we speak about, we podcast it, we preach over it, we dissect it, we unravel that text. John 3.3, you must be born again. And there's that complicated understanding what Nicodemus says to Christ I can't be born again. And there's that complicated understanding what Nicodemus says to Christ I can't be born again. I can't go back up that root, up that womb. I can't. It's impossible to do that. Christ, how, what do I do? And Jesus simply says to him you've got to be born from above, because it's out of the hands of humanity. It's out of the hands of church. Church will not get you saved. Church church will not get you saved. Religion will not get you saved. What church is for is basically a place where we come to worship, to be together and to serve the king of kings and the lord of lords. It is not a place where salvation sits. Salvation sits in the hands of god and god alone, in the creator of heaven and earth. You know the world, the whole world, is talking about Jesus Christ. It's the only religion and I will use the word religion for the quickness of speech it is the only religion around the world that is causing havoc. It is causing havoc. Why is it causing havoc? Because governments hate Jesus Christ. If you look at the persecuted church, if you go and you've got a device in your hand, go on to Open Doors and you look in the World Watch List, you will find the Muslim nations hate Christianity. You will find the top 50 nations around the world. They are either run by Islam you know Muslim leaders and you find that you will have Buddha. You will find that in areas of Pakistan. You find North Nigeria, south Nigeria. You find all these areas. They are completely against Christ. It is the only religion across the world where they're trying to destroy it. This UK government cannot stand Christianity. They cannot stand Christianity. Why do governments hate? Why do they hate Jesus Christ? Why don't they lift up the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? Because it is life-changing. Governments are destroying churches. You've only got to look at Iran. If you look at Iran, you will find it very, very difficult to find a church standing. The governments have bulldozed the church. They have done everything. You've only got to look in North Nigeria, south Nigeria, you've only got to look at Bukharan. Everything that goes on within the persecuted church. The Christians are running for their lives. It is the only religion, and I will use the word religion. I don't like using the word religion because I am not religious. I have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I don't have a relationship with the building. Yes, I come under reeling, yes, I am ordained under them, but I'm anointed and I'm blessed through Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The church is just a place, just to be, still to gather, do you know? But there is a kingdom outside of the church. So governments, governments, can't stand Christianity. We have a government that we are watching at this moment in time. They are the biggest anti-Christ government that we've ever seen across this nation. They are not for Jesus Christ, they are not for the cross of Calvary. When you look at Christianity, when you look at the book itself, how many times have we said this? How many times have we unraveled the page? Just the bible alone, written by 40 authors over a time span of 1496 years you take islam, as we said, islam. Their book wasn't written until 600 years after the cross of calvary, after the cross. So you've got pre-cross, the old testament, you've got the new testament after the cross, after the death of christ. This book that I have in my hand. The world hates this book. It is the greatest book the world has ever seen. It is history, it is wrapped up in poetry, love. It is war, it absolutely everything. Science is in this book. Mathematics, reasoning, understanding, kings and the history. The history of the world, the history of the world, the greatest book the world has ever seen. 40 authors. It took to write this. And where did they write this book? They wrote it in prisons. They wrote it on the run, they wrote it in caves, they wrote it when their lives were at complete risk. Again, the Quran. You look at the Quran. You look at what they serve in Buddha and all them. Them books have been written by one person. So if you take Islam, the book of Islam, the Quran, was written 630 years after the cross of Calvary. It's irrelevant. Do you know what you can't get healing from any other book? Let me tell you this this book will heal you. This book will transform your life. This book is the most dangerous book in the world. Governments burn it. Terrorists can't stand it. When you look at Israel at this moment in time, whatever your political persuasion is, however, you look at Israel at this moment in time, israel is the only nation in the world that has never changed its name. Israel was brought in by God. Israel, the size of wows within the UK. Israel, the smallest, tiniest dot on the landscape, less than 10 million people, and it has got all the Muslim nations. Few weeks ago, go back online and you will find that we've done a study and we watched and we see the size of Israel on the world map and all the Middle East wrapped all the way around it, packed around it, trying to destroy Israel. But they won't destroy Israel because the book speaks about Israel. The book is about Israel. It tells us so clear no one will be able to destroy Israel, less than 10 million people. The Middle East, iran, afghanistan, all around, even Turkey. You've got to be careful of what Turkey is doing at the moment. Don't go on holiday to Turkey. You've got to watch yourself. You've got to watch yourself. All these Islam worshippers are wrapped around the Middle East. It is a hotbed. And this is not a political war. This is a biblical war. We are watching the scriptures unfold. The Bible says in the last days, israel will be coming under attack by everyone wrapped around it, but Israel is pounding. Israel won't let up because God's hand is with Israel. Israel will not foul, is with Israel. Israel will not foul. Israel will stand. Israel will get through. You are watching a holy nation with 10 million people Break that down even more. Three, four thousand, just in the army alone. Think about that. And then you've got Iran strapped around the edge. You've got Egypt on the bottom. You've got Turkey. That are up to no good, all full of Islam wrapped around the holiest nation in the world. I stand with Israel. I'm not frightened of telling the world I do not stand with the political Israel. I stand with the biblical Israel and God is moving. God is moving powerfully. We have an issue. We have a serious issue in the nation the leader of America got in. What has he declared across the whole world? That every house in America will get. What A Bible. What we find with Mr Trump, whatever your political understanding, whatever your persuasion, is that that man believes in God. You can't take that away from him. It is a miracle that that man is still on the planet. However you think he is and whatever you think about him, you know God uses, god moves. So when you look at Mr Trump, at this particular moment, he has declared that every house will get a Bible. And what that has caused Mr Trump getting in position has called trouble for who? For the UK. Why is it called trouble? Because Mr Trump is supporting and he will stand with Israel. When he stands and supports Israel, what is going to happen? It is going to have a catastrophic effect. On what nation? The UK. Why? Because we have number 10 down in street. That will not put any weight against Israel whatsoever when you look at number 10, they will not in any way, shape or form, give their weight to Israel. Kirstama will not support and he will not stand up. Why won't he stand up for Israel? Simply because we are awashed. We have a flood of what? Islam. So you've got Kirstama, who's bringing in so much stuff, euphanasia he's bringing in everything. And also you have Sadiq Khan. Who does he worship? Who does he follow the Quran? So what you have? You have a holy war. So suddenly, this nation is going to find itself really soon in a critical position because this government has really marked itself. It's marked itself so clear. You look across the streets of London, the Palestinian flag being lifted up everywhere. Let me tell you this when you hear people say Jesus Christ was a Palestinian, he was not a Palestinian. Jesus Christ is a Jew. He was birthed in Bethlehem. He is the king of kings and the lord of lords. The whole world is talking about Jesus Christ. The whole world is talking about him. The whole world is moving forward for Jesus Christ. Let me tell you this the king of kings and the lord of lords is coming back. Are you ready for the king to come back? Are you ready for the great I am? Are you ready for Jehovah Jireh to reveal himself to the world? Because the scriptures are being fulfilled. So, coming back to Psalm 14, I waited patiently for the Lord. Let me tell you this Don't wait for the church, because the church is on the back foot. This. Don't wait for the church because the church is on the back foot. Wait for God. God is calling you. God is calling you. What to? He's calling you to the word. He's calling you to the scripture. He's calling you to himself. God is calling every one of you and you have a fiery hedge around you and God has your life in the palm of his hand and you are blessed and highly favoured and you are wonderfully and fearfully made. Don't worry about the political temperature around the world. Wait patiently for the Lord. He turned to me. Read it out loud If you're online with me, and we can see we've got a lot of people online. Turn to that Psalm 40. Look at verse one. I waited patiently for the church. No, I waited patiently for the Lord. It's God, it's Yahweh, it's the King of Kings, it is the Lord of Lords, it is the great I am. It is Jesus Christ, it is the Holy Spirit. It is God that breathed this world into existence through the power of speech. Do you know what the Bible says about Elijah. Elijah was a man just like us. What is he referring to? He's referring to that prayer that he prayed. What is he referring to? He's referring to that prayer that he prayed Lord, stop the rain. And it stopped raining Three years, three and a half years later, up the mountain, he prayed and he said to his servant you keep going out, you tell me when it starts to rain. Because there is power in your speech. There is power in the tongue. James says the tongue is the smallest muscle in the body, but it will do the most damaging. Why? Because there's power in words. If you are hanging around people that are running you down, get your suitcase, get your towel and get out. In the name of Jesus, you need people around you that will encourage you, carry you when you're tired, put their arm around you and say Ben, don't worry, all is going to be all right. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are blessed and highly favoured. We are wonderfully and fearfully made. We are stamped in the Lamb's book of life. The blood of Jesus is over us. All sin has gone, all fear has gone. I waited patiently for the Lord. Look at the Church of England, the scandal that it's hiding the abuse through the Church of England all the way through the Fred of the state church I'm not saying it doesn't sit in any other denominations, because it does and you get pedophiles and child abusers hiding under the cloak. Trust me, trust me, trust me, you do so. The Church of England cannot be the Church of Jesus Christ. The conspiracy of silence that is going on, the court amongst courts, within the Church of England, within Catholicism, hiding things, pushing things aside, everything that's gone on. This is why God says clearly don't put your weight on the church. Put everything you've got in me, because religion will foul you. Religion will buckle you. Religion will buckle you. Ministry will crush you. Church could turn you into someone that Jesus doesn't want you to be. You can get manipulated in church. You can get manipulation in a large ministry. Give us your cash, we'll give you a prayer cloth. We'll give you some chip fat out of the fryer around the corner. We'll send you a holy bottle of oil for $5. Don't get caught. Get in the scripture. The Bible says I waited patiently for the Lord, john 3, 3. What does it say? You must be born again. It doesn't talk about church. It doesn't speak about church. Go to Exodus, chapter 12. Where do you read about the church? Nowhere you read about the blood. The blood will be a sign, the blood of the lamb. Are you marked in the blood? Are you marked in the blood? Are you covered in the blood of Jesus tonight? Are you a bible believing, spirit filled, braggadocious, radical Christian for Jesus? And it's got nothing to do with lifestyle, because we're all sinners, saved by grace. We're all fallen when we get out of bed in the morning. We make mistakes, we think the wrong things, we act the wrong way. So all of us are sinners, saved by grace. There is no one greater than anybody else except the lamb. So David, a renegade, a murderer, a sinner, a fighter, how many people did he have put to death by the sword? How many people did he stamp over, trample over? How many wrong things did he do? But bang, in Psalm 40, he said I waited, I waited patiently for the Lord. He's not interested in church. Church didn't exist. Church wasn't around. The Pentecostal movement wasn't around. Religion wasn't around. The Church of England, elim all the ministries. They weren't around. There was no ministries. There was no preachers, there was no teachers. There was no one. The scripture says Israel had no teacher. In the book of Judges. At the end of the book of Judges, paraphrasing it, says each man done what he see fit in his own eyes because there was no king in Israel. It tells us in the Old Testament that they was lacking priests, people to give the truth. It's where we are today. Just because church is over the skin of the door doesn't mean to say it's church inside. Just because it says the minister's name doesn't mean to say that the minister is born again. Just because it's a large movement doesn't mean to say that it's of Christ. Just because it's brimming over with this and that happening doesn't mean to say that God is moving in that ministry. The Bible is clear. God doesn't tell us that in any place that you must go to church to get salvation. Jesus says to Nicodemus you must be born again and you can only be born again from above. From above, not from me, not from my brothers and sisters before me tonight, not in front of everyone in the camera. No one can give salvation to any human being because it belongs to God and it is God's to give. No pastor, no lecturer, no celebrity preacher. It doesn't matter how big the congregation is. It doesn't matter how wonderful they think they are. Let me tell you this no man, no woman, no human being can give you salvation, because salvation comes from where Comes from God, and God alone. Turn to Psalm 91. Turn to Psalm 91. I thank God that salvation is out of the hands, out of the hands of man, out of the hands of humanity. Remember what David said I waited patiently for the Lord. And what was happening in David's life, carnage. Everything was breaking out in his life. He was broken, he was lost, he was unsure of himself, he lost his identity. He had to wait and he had to be still identity. He had to wait and he had to be still. So often we get taken to the wire of life and we think this tarmac is going to run out in a minute. It's like running, riding, driving your car on a pier and if something doesn't happen at the end of that pier, I'm going to drive straight off the end of this pier and I'm going to be in the sea. That's how God takes us. Do you really want to be a disciple, ben? Yes, lord. Do you really want to be a born again, spirit-filled believer? Yes, god. Do you really want to serve me Ben, yes, god, okay. Are you prepared to be stripped back of yourself? No, lord. Are you prepared to have no money in your pocket? No, lord. Are you prepared to live your life by faith? No, lord. But Lord, why? The church tells me that I'm going to be rich. The church tells me that I'm never going to have any problems. The church tells me I'm going to have a sound mind. The church tells me I'm going to sleep, all right. The church tells me all this stuff, but the reality, god, the reality of my life is it looks like a car crash, it looks a mess. God, it's not mirror imaging what the celebrity preachers say. It's not mirror imaging what Kenneth Copeland tells me about money. Why is he almost a billionaire, lord, and I'm struggling to buy a McDonald's hamburger today? In the name of Jesus, why is it, god, that I feel tired and exhausted? And you've got these healing ministries out there telling me I shouldn't even get a cold, but I've had COVID seven times. Why me, jesus, lord? Why God? Why is this stuff happening in my life? And the church is telling me the complete opposite. And you hear, god, couldn't you Say well, that's man, that's wolves dressed in sheep's clothing, they're salesmen, they're abusers, they're manipulators, they're control freaks. Church, to them, is a business. Jesus walked on the shoreline of Galilee. And when he walked on the shoreline of Galilee and he called those disciples, he called them away from their business, he called them away from their life, he called them away from everything. He said drop your nets, come and follow me. One of them said I've got to go and bury someone. He said let the dead bury their dead. He said leave your purse, leave your nets, leave everything that you've got. If you want to follow me, drop everything you've got. But, lord, it's the opposite to the church. Drop everything you've got. But, lord, it's the opposite to the church. The church is telling me I should be rich, I should be driving a big car. I'm struggling, I'm on a skateboard at the minute. Jesus, lord, the prosperity gospel, is telling me that people are going to keep giving me money all day long. And, lord, I'm struggling to put electric in the church. Lord, it's the opposite, father, because Jesus says drop your nets, come and follow me, leave your purse, let the dead bury their dead. Are we prepared in this nation and this is rhetorical, sorry to myself Am I prepared to have a full strip back, a full strip back of everything. When was the last time we had a little read in Job, when was the last time we dipped our toe in the book of Job? And the devil was roaming backwards and forwards and the fallen heavenly hosts in the most darkest and evil way. They was roaming backwards and forwards and Job was a righteous man. He had everything. He worshipped God. Everything was good. And the devil had a conversation with God and God said have you sinned my servant? Have you sinned my servant, job? Yeah, but you can take everything from him, but you can't touch the man. God, I hate that scripture, jesus, god, that makes me want to shut the Bible. Get on my skateboard and go on. Get under the duvet, god. Would you do that? You wouldn't do that. God, my God, I'm out of here. In the name of Jesus, let's look at salvation. Psalm 91. Psalm 91. Ben, are you prepared for a strip back? Are you prepared to have everything stripped out of you, within you, around you? Do you really want to serve me, ben? Yes, god, because when I look at the transatlantic ministries, when I look at the Coatlands, when I look at Creflo Dollars, when I look at all them and the certain bishops in certain cultures in this nation and certain celebrity preachers in certain, under certain banners of the. You know what I'm talking about. I won't mention their name because I'll get kicked. We understand the celebrity church not too far from here, within Kent, within London, within certain areas. They'll tell you you're going to be rich, god wants you rich. God is telling me tonight you're going to be healed. God is telling me you're going to walk out, you're going to get out your wheelchair, you're going to be healed in the name of Jesus and the hype and the euphoria and everything in the church, and that the church is packed and it's making a noise and everything is happening and nothing actually happens. Give, god is telling me to tell you tonight. Give the first 10 people that will give a thousand pound. You are going to get so blessed you won't know, you won't be able to contain it. Jesus is telling me to tell you tonight cast your bread upon the waters and watch its return. God wants to make you rich over there to the left, you sitting down the front. God wants to make you a millionaire. God, I've got British gas chasing me in your building, lord, my shoes are wearing out the petrol needle in the car is bouncing off the yellow button. Lord, I'm running around chasing this and chasing that, just trying to find a Creflo dollar somewhere. And Lord, it's so difficult, jesus, but Lord, that fake church out there. We need to call them out. It's fake, it's not a Jesus Christ. Be prepared for a strip back. Why do we reference that scripture that the Bible talks about? Should we go down to the potter's house? Should we hold hands? Who would dare to go down to the potter's house to surrender everything, to say, god, you are the master, I want your hands wrapped around me and I want you to shape me as anyone bold enough to pray the prayer from within. Shape me by the master's hands. Do you really want me to shape you, ben? Do you really want me to strip you back to the bone and beyond the bone? Do you really want to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ for me, ben? Yes, god, are you prepared to pay a sacrifice that goes beyond human understanding? Yes, lord, hang on, jesus. I didn't think it was going to be this rough. I thought, following Jesus Christ, it was going to be roses and beautiful. I thought everything was going to be all right. I thought, father, everything was going to be okay. Everything will be okay, ben, when I strip you back. God, is it possible that I could swerve the garden of Gethsemane? I'm afraid it's not. You've got to go through the garden, ben. If you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ, ben, you've got to step into the garden. You've got to step into the place where it's just Yourself and me. You've got to step into the place where it's just yourself and me. But, lord, I don't want to go through this process. If it's possible, lord, will you remove it? Does that sound familiar to your ears? Does that sound familiar to your heart that the greatest man that ever walked the earth, the king, the greatest man that ever walked the earth, the king, the greatest king that ever walked the earth, the savior, the word that became flesh and made his dwelling among us? Do you realize that Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, the great I am, the seven I ams, went into the garden of Gethsemane and he was flat on the floor, sweating like no human being has sweat before in their life, crying out to himself known as God, if it's possible, take this cup, see, the church is not in control of salvation. The church is not in control of your destiny. The preacher is not and does not own you. The denomination does not own you. The ministers do not own you, because salvation doesn't come from the pulpit. Salvation comes from the eternal God. Psalm 91,. At the tail end, verse 14, psalm 91. Because he loves me, says the Lord. If this was written by the clergy, it would say because he went to church, said the Church of England, I might rescue them if they pay heavy. It would say because he went to church, said the Church of England, I might rescue them if they pay heavy, I might protect them. But maybe I won't, because they acknowledge the name of the church. But it doesn't read like that. Let me tell you how this reads. Because he loves me, because the human, because the human being loves me, says the Lord, I'm going to rescue him Because I see the pain they're in. Just like King David, I waited patiently for the Lord. I waited patiently for the Lord and I kept waiting. You keep waiting. And the Psalmist in 91, verse 14, because he loves me, says the Lord, I will protect him. I will protect him. For he acknowledges Elim, for he acknowledges the Church of England, because he acknowledges Creflo Dollar, because he acknowledges the preachers, the TikTok preachers, the fake preachers, the social preachers, because he knows let's read it properly, read it with your heart, read with what it says. Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him, I will protect him. For he acknowledges my name, yahweh, the King of Kings the great, I am the saviour of the world. Jehovah Jireh, jehovah Nissi, jehovah Shalom, the King above all kings, emmanuel, god with us, because he loves me, do you know? That's all that is required. You don't need a theological degree, you do not need a handshake or a prayer from a bishop, you do not need a word from a pastor or a leader, you do not need to be under any ministering. Isn't it great and isn't it powerful to think when the Old Testament was written, even right up until the New Testament and through the New Testament, what is missing? What is missing through these authors? What is missing out of this book, through these authors? What is missing out of this book? Fake church, church is missing. The woke church, the gay church, the pink church, the blue church, whatever color church, the tribal church, the cultural church. It is out of the book, it is not of the book, it is not in the book. The church did not start until after the cross of Calvary and that church is a church that the celebrity church and the majority of church doesn't even understand what the church of Jesus Christ is. Church of Jesus Christ is when you look at the birth of the church, it was birthed when there was 120 human beings in prayer in an upper room and they was waiting and they didn't know what they were waiting for. There was no cameras, there was no internet, there was no social media feed. There was no internet. There was no social media feed. There was no subscribe, share, like, send us a quid. There was 120 people in an upper room waiting and they didn't know what they were waiting for. But suddenly, out of nowhere, the Holy Spirit came, like latter day rain. It fell. And who did it land? On Every human being. There was no church. There wasn't church because there was no church. There was kingdom. It was the kingdom that the Holy Spirit fell on and in. It fell in the human beings. It rested on each and every one of them. It was like, as the scripture said, it was a flame. It was like fire. There's a flame for you. There's a fire for you. There's a word for you, there's glory for you, there's hope for you. Salvation is for you. Psalm 91,. We're coming to the table in about five minutes time. It says because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him, I will protect him. Because he acknowledges my name no mention of church, no mention of bishops, no mentions of pastors, no mention of any movement. Because he acknowledges my name Yahweh, jehovah, jireh El Shaddai, my God, it's all that is needed. He will call upon me and I will answer him. Don't you ever give up in your prayers. Don't you ever let the accuser tell you you're never going to get victory. Don't ever let anybody tell you you're not going to make it. Because the good book tells you I can do all things through Christ. That strengthens me. There are some preachers out there that says I can do all things through the preacher that tells me this I can do all things through Christ. That strengthens me. The joy of the Lord is my strength. David, when he hit a crisis point in his life, david strengthened himself in the Lord. The Psalmist in Psalm 91, verse 15, says he will call upon me. God knows you're calling. God sees your tears, he sees your pain, he sees that heart crippled. He sees that pain within, inside of you. He knows what you're going through. He sees the anxious moment. He sees the tears. He sees the burning, the hunger, the uncertainty. He sees you're scared. He sees the pain. He knows what you're going through. He knows what you've been through. He's gone before you. The cross is before you. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him With long life. Will I satisfy him and show him my salvation? Someone tell me this when you have been in the boxing arena of life, where was the church, when you had everything coming against you, when it was hitting the fan on every corner of your life, when you was at the darkest depths of your life, where was the ministry? Did they wrap themselves around you? Did they walk with you with unconditional love? They might have dropped a text, they might have put a word out on the social media, but you was on your own. But you wasn't on your own when you was crying in pain, when you was lost of all despair. And you're going on the prayer line, you're giving all that stuff out. You're, you're seeking and you're searching and you've got prayerful people around you. It's not fit for purpose. That's why the scripture doesn't mention the church. Let me read it one more time Psalm 91, verse 14,. Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. When you're in trouble, just shout the name of Jesus. When your back is against the wall, at work, at home, in relationships, when you're out, wherever you are, just shout in the name of Jesus. Let me tell you, legions of angels have to be put to flight because God says. God says in the same Psalm when he calls on my name, I have got to make my word come into being, because my word cannot return void Jesus. When you cry out to Jesus, when you call on the name of Jesus, don't call me, I will let you down. I will foul you more times than you can count. The church will let you down. Human beings will let you down. Family, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends, whoever they are in your life, they will let you down. Brothers, sisters, friends, whoever they are in your life, they will let you down. But Jesus Christ will be with you in trouble. Isn't it interesting, when you've got money, like a man with five arms frying it around everywhere, everybody loves you when you're in food bank. Who's Ben? Oh, you, look at the state of him. Now don't go near him at all. You can't even afford a loaf of bread. Isn't it interesting when your back is against the wall and you've got nothing and everything is stripped back. Where are the people? Silence, where's the church? Yeah, I know there's some out there that step up to the plate. Where is the church of England? Where is Catholicism? Where are these movements when their parishioners are starving and hungry? They're in there polishing the fine art, cleaning everything. The church of England is possibly the richest and the largest landowner in the UK, with more properties than you can count. But people in their congregations, hungry, going to food banks, walking in great big cathedrals, great big cathedrals, worshipping foreign gods, swinging the incense, watching the paraphernalia. Going on Rome, the Vatican paying to have to go and scratch the Pope's back, come on, what is all this about? Where did Jesus charge anybody for healing? Someone tell me. Why are we going to the Vatican? Why are we going to fuel all that stuff? The Church of England, catholicism, has so much money and people in their churches Are putting two coats on at night. The children have no cereals. The church schools are struggling, but the church is dripping in cash. Jesus didn't charge for healing. Imagine how much money Jesus could have got if he said to Lazarus I'll tell you what I'll do for your son Give me a couple of mil and I'll pull you out of the grave. You will not find anywhere in the scriptures, you will not find anywhere in the Holy Word of God where there was a cash charge for prayer and for preaching. Cash charge for prayer and for preaching Judas is the only one that we find. And little old Zacchaeus, you know the old tax collector. He knew how to hold it and fold it. That one did, that's for sure. But when you look at Judas Iscariot, he wanted 30 pieces of silver. That is the reflection of the satanic church that we have in the UK. The church is hungry and the church will sell Jesus Christ. It has and it will. But Jesus didn't charge a pound. He didn't have any social media feed. There was no internet. He went to the cross. He gave his life. He died on a cross. He was ridiculed. He died on a cross. He was ridiculed. He was buried in a borrowed tomb and the whole world is talking about him. The whole world is talking about Jesus. They're not talking about the Creflo dollars only in a certain area of fake, name it and claim it. The whole world isn't talking about Kenneth Copeland's Jesse Duplantis. The whole world isn't talking about Kenneth Copeland's Jesse Duplantis. The whole world isn't talking about the preachers of old. But the whole world knows about Jesus Christ. Let me tell you that it is the name that crisscrosses the globe. He is the saviour of the world and David at a critical point in his life. Psalms 40, verse 1, I waited patiently for the Lord. Don't wait for the church because it's counting its money. Don't wait for the bishop because he's parking his Mercedes. Don't wait for the leaders because they're cleaning their golf clubs. You get yourself to Jesus Christ. You get yourself to the cross of Calvary. You get yourself in the word of God. You get yourself studied in the scriptures. You tell yourself I'm blessed and highly favoured. I don't need the church, I need Jesus. Because when I recognise the name above all names, god says I've got to recognize and I've got to rescue Ben because he's just called on a name, the greatest name in heaven and earth. And at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow on the earth, under the earth, through the earth. When someone calls on the greatest name, angels are put to flight. Look what it says in verse 11, for he will command these angels concerning you to guard you in all their ways, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Are we bold enough to speak the word over our lives? And coming to the table right now, he says he will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him With long life. Will I satisfy him? And then the crunch scripture, the one that hits it, and show him my salvation. See, salvation don't belong to the church. Salvation don't belong to the preachers. Salvation don't belong to the church. Salvation don't belong to the preachers. Salvation don't belong to anything but God. Salvation comes from above. Salvation is God, belongs to God. Salvation is that most beautiful gift that money cannot buy. Judas tried to remove Jesus, but what Judas didn't realize is that the scriptures had to be fulfilled. Judas thought, if I sell him, I'll be rich. He didn't realize that redemption was already written in the fabric of the word. And Jesus Christ was going to the cross, with or without Judas Iscariot. Because we are told this in Exodus, chapter 12,. The blood will be a sign. God was always going to bring a redemption plan. God was always going to save. God was always going to take himself, known as Jesus Christ, his son, to the cross of Calvary. There has to be the shed in the blood for the remission of sins. If you're online tonight and you've just clicked on the social networks and you're with us, god is speaking to you, for those that are in the Lord's house with me tonight, god is speaking to me and God is speaking to you. God is calling us. He's calling us to the cross. He's calling us to walk a radical walk. He's calling us to walk in the word that will tear down demonic forces. He's calling us to walk a walk that will destroy the work of the enemy. He's calling us to a walk that the church can't walk. Religion can't walk it because it's gone gay gone. Gay gone, pink gone woke. It's gone everything, and it can't walk it. Do you want to walk the walk that will take you to the other side of the wall? Are you prepared to do the walk? Are you prepared to walk the walk? Are you prepared to walk the walk as much as you can? What does the Bible say? The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Because my steps are corrupted, our steps are corrupted, but God, when he makes a way where there is no way, paths of righteousness, it might look bleak, it might look sinful, it might look painful, it might look impossible, but God knows every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon. Come to the table with me right now, in the name of Jesus. Come to the table right now, in the name of Jesus. Bring your baggage. Bring your baggage, bring your fears, bring your tears, bring your pain, bring everything you got to the cross. Bring it to the cross. Bring it to the table. Everything, everything, everything that is driving you crazy inside yourself. Bring it to the table. Everything, everything that is driving you crazy inside yourself. Bring it to the table. Bring it to the cross, bring it to Jesus Christ. You can just see that backdrop of the cross over my shoulder. Look at that cross. It's empty. The scriptures have been fulfilled. You are not who the world says you are. You're a Bible believer. You're a born again, spirit filled Christian. God is in your heart, god is with you. You are not who your family says you are. You are not who the family says you are. You are not who the world says you are. You are blessed. You are rich in Jesus, rich in the word, rich in his presence, rich in the holy glory. You are a conqueror. You are not downtrodden, you are not cursed. You are blessed. You are not going to hell, you're going to heaven. It doesn't matter what your family thinks about you. It doesn't matter what the government says. It doesn't matter about your work colleagues. It doesn't matter what they said and what they keep saying about you. Find out what God says about you. Stand strong on the word of God. Rise up on wings as of eagles. Out of the ashes we shall rise. Out of the carnage we shall rise Not because of our strength, but because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. Bless this bread in the name of Jesus. Bless this bread that symbolizes the body of Christ. Father, I thank you as we break this bread in the name of Jesus. Bless this bread that symbolizes the body of Christ. Father. I thank you as we break this bread. Come Holy Spirit, rain over us. Tonight, the latter day rain Wash us in the crimson tide. Bless this bread, amen.
Speaker 1:Tell the world around you, crimson Tide bless this bread, amen.
Speaker 2:Tell the world around you, whatever your time zone is, across the world, don't walk with the accusers. Don't walk with the abusers. Don't walk with the line managers that are pulling you down. Don't let your culture drag you down anymore. Don't let society tell you never make it. Don't let anyone in your life tell you you're not no good. Don't let anyone beat you anymore.
Speaker 2:Stand up for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Father, as we take this cup, we rise as warriors for God. It's like Jonathan and David Jonathan and his armour bearer. They looked over and they went. We're having it large tonight. And his armour bearer went. Well, where's everybody else? Have you seen the size of them? Jonathan went. We don't need anybody. If God is for us, who can be against us? And Jonathan and his armor bearer? They took back the half acre that the devil had stolen. They swiped it, they took it back. They went in victory.
Speaker 2:Rise, holding the sword of the Spirit. Remind yourself you have the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, the breastplate of righteousness. Your buckle, your waist, is fitted with the buckle. The gospel of truth, the belt of truth, is around your waist. The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness. You are carrying the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit. Your feet are fitted with the gospel of peace. You are a warrior. You are blessed, you are highly favored. You are not who the world tells you you are. Stand up for Jesus Christ and, as we take this cup together tonight, realize who you are in Jesus. Cover me in the blood Lord, cleanse me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet in Jesus' name, amen, amen. Wherever you are scattered across the world, for those in the Lord's house with me, for those that are online, for those that are listening to this radio ministry, this podcasting ministry, we thank God for every one of you. You're not here by chance, because chance doesn't exist. You're not here because of coincidence, because coincidence doesn't exist. Predestination you are predestined to be exactly where you are at this moment, and it doesn't matter how bleak and how black it looks. You are predestined to be there, here, thou, at that point.
Speaker 2:In the name of Jesus Christ, god does his best work in the dark. Genesis, chapter 1, as we come to a close. God brought, god spoke the universe, the world, the atmosphere. God spoke humanity. God brought out of the dark room. God brought out of nothing. The world in which we walk, the world is actually beautiful. It is full of color, it is full of hope. God done his most greatest work and he pulled it out of the dark.
Speaker 2:What happened when Jesus Christ died on the cross? Darkness fell, the sun didn't shine, there wasn't heavenly hosts. It was another dark time. But out of the dark times comes power, out of the dark times comes glory. Out of the dark times comes miracles. Out of the darkest times, god does great work. That's why he says in the Psalm I'm going to rescue you, I'm going to bring you out of the pit. God bless every one of you. We're out of here in the name of Jesus Christ. We will see you soon.
Speaker 2:Thank you to everybody across the world. Thank you to everybody in the Lord's house with us. Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for praying. You know we are all together.
Speaker 2:I might be the trappy one, but we are walking together. I might be the noisy one, but we walk together. I lock hands and I lock shields of you across the world. I'll hold your hand, I'll stand with you. I've got your back because you are a child of the living God. I love you. I bless you wherever you are across the world.
Speaker 2:May God strengthen you in the name of Jesus. May God carry you, and he will. We lock shields of faith together. We lock word together. We lock together because we are no greater than anybody else. We are equal in the eyes of God. I'm just trappy and I'm just here, but we're equal in the eyes of the Savior because we're born-again believers. We will see you soon. May God bless you and he is going to carry you. We will see you Sunday morning, bright eyed, bushy, toweled, jumping up and down like crazy gazelles, ready for the word of God, ready to worship the King in the Lord's house online. Wherever you are across the world, we want to say from the very bottom of our heart may God carry you wherever you are. God bless you in Jesus' name.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to us today on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We hope you found inspiration and guidance in today's audio. Remember the journey of faith is a continuous one and your questions and thoughts are important. You can send us a text or an email and we will get back to you. So, wherever you are around the world, thank you for listening to our podcasts and radio ministry. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. Please support us with prayer. Also, you can sow a financial seed into this ministry. Thank you.
