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
10-commandments - 9th-commandment - CST36) PT 2
Podcast Show Notes: Breaking Free from Religious Constraints – Embrace a Personal Relationship with Christ
In this powerful episode of Hashtag Christian Straight Talk, we explore a thought-provoking question: Are religious traditions hindering your spiritual journey rather than enhancing it? Join us as we dive into a discussion about breaking free from the constraints of traditional religious practices and discovering a more authentic, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Drawing on the liberating power of truth from John 8:32, we emphasize the significance of honesty and authenticity in our faith journeys. "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." This scripture serves as the foundation for our conversation, urging listeners to reflect on whether the rules of organized religion are creating unnecessary barriers to experiencing the full, transformative power of Christ's love and acceptance.
Throughout this episode, we challenge traditional perspectives on sacraments like communion and baptism, urging a deeper understanding of their true significance. While these practices are meaningful in many religious contexts, we explore how they can sometimes become overly ritualized, overshadowing the core message of salvation and a relationship with Jesus. Christian Worship Music and worship traditions should always serve to elevate our connection with God, not restrict it.
We also examine the story of Jesus and the thieves on the cross, emphasizing His immediate and unconditional offer of forgiveness. This powerful moment shows us that faith is not about adhering to rigid systems but embracing the freedom and grace that come with a personal connection to Christ. The gospel message is one of profound simplicity, not complex theological frameworks. The truth of Jesus' sacrifice transcends rules and regulations, inviting all to experience the life-changing power of grace.
As we delve into the influence of modern belief systems, we critique how ideas such as Darwinism and secular education systems can shape the way we view truth and faith. It is essential to ask: Are we truly learning the biblical principles that help us understand the fullness of God's plan for our lives, or are we being influenced by doctrines that conflict with Scripture? Faith is rooted in the truth of God’s Word, not in restrictive man-made doctrines.
One of the most critical aspects we tackle is the role of religious education. Church schools have a vital responsibility to remain faithful to biblical teachings despite the cultural pressures of modern society. In an era where people are often misled by false teachings, we advocate for truthfulness in all areas of life—whether it's in how we raise our children, the education we provide, or the honesty we demonstrate in our everyday decisions, such as tax declarations.
Our conversation highlights the importance of honesty and integrity in both our personal lives and spiritual practices. When religious leaders mislead their followers, as warned in John 10:10, it becomes even more critical for individuals to return to the simplicity and purity of faith found in Christ. This episode is a call to reject the manipulations of organized religion and embrace the liberating truth of a personal relationship with Jesus.
We encourage you to reflect on these powerful themes and ask yourself: How can I deepen my personal connection with Christ beyond the confines of tradition? By embracing the freedom of faith and living out the truth of God'
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
Good morning, we are back. We are back for a second stretch. We carried on even though the internet dropped off. We carried on recording that podcast. We record these podcasts. Welcome to Hashtag Christian Straight Talk, even though we are streaming to the church sites also. You can find us on multiple platforms this morning and we are really sorry if the internet drops off, but we have had issue after issue. Talk Talk, that great internet provider. Please help me, just pay the bill, ben. Just pay the bill. Oh no, you've got to pay for it. You've got to pay for it. I thought it was free. That's the bill. Oh no, you've got to pay for it. You've got to pay for it. I thought it was free. That's the problem.
Speaker 1:So yeah brothers and sisters, you know that we've had issues with the Internet. There's something going on around here and we really apologize, seriously we do. But welcome to Hashtag Christian Straight Talk. But you can capture that whole conversation back on hashtag Christian Straight Talk on Spotify and Amazon Music and other platforms in the world of podcasting, so you can capture that back.
Speaker 1:So we're back and we're going to carry on, because this is an enormous subject and we're going to break bread. So we're just going to break bread together. If you have a moment to grab some bread and some, uh, grape juice or some wine, wherever you are, we're gonna. We're gonna do this together, but I pray that you are all well, in the name of jesus. We are living in very powerful times. We are living in very encouraging times and I honestly believe that, as believers, we need to be encouraging one another those in other denominations, those in leadership, those that are in business, those that are in areas of all shapes and platforms of work, in every platform of life. So that's what we try to do here at Hashtag Christian Straight Talk is just to encourage and bring Simon and myself and all of us to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the cross, because there is something so powerful about the cross of Calvary and we're going to pray for the bread and the wine and we just want to welcome everyone that's jumping online. I can see you wherever you are across the world.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for all this stuff and again, I'm going to apologize for the drop-off of the internet and if the internet drops off, we will just carry on this podcast, because that's primarily what we are doing. This is the podcasting time that we do and you can find that as the screen says. Hashtag Christian Straight Talk on Amazon Music and so many other Spotify. You can find us quickly there and you will find all the conversations. Again, I'm repeating myself, but if this drops off, visuals drop off. We won't be chasing and trying to connect ourselves back. We'll just carry on on, but we're going to break bread together now, so do you want to join us? Please do, because simon's going to pray for the bread as we start, but the scripture that we are going to start with in a few moments is john 8, 32, continuing what we were talking about. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free, simon.
Speaker 2:We're back, my friend okay, it's great to be back, ben, um, and yeah, we're going to um right jump into the communion this morning and I'm just going to pray for the bread. And, father, let this um, let this representation of your body build us up, let it edify us, let it, um, give us the power to follow Jesus and let us be encouraged as we take this bread and remember you and remember your cross and what happened at the cross. We just remember that glorious time at the cross where you died but you rose again to conquer sin and conquer death, and we just want to take this bread and give it to you now, in your name and the name of your son, jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:Amen, thank you, lord. Father, I thank you that we're able to break the bread, as Simon has said, but, lord, we come to the cup now and, lord, as we take this cup together, lord, wherever we are across this earth, whether we're at work, whether we're at home, whether we're at university, lord, whether we may be, live with us now as we broadcast, father, we just want to thank you, lord, that we don't need anyone from the religious order in any way, shape or form, dictating and telling us when to take the bread and the wine, because, father, the word of God tells us as often as you come together, lord, and we're together, lord, where two or three are gathered and our sisters and our brothers and the world is streaming with us at this moment, father, we do this in remembrance of our Lord and our Saviour. So, lord, I ask you and I come to the cross this morning and I say, lord, I repent of my sins. Everything is in my head and my heart that is not of you. I bring to you and, lord, help me to lay it at the cross, help me to be obedient, help me to be obedient to your word, but, father, father, I thank you that I'm covered in the blood of jesus, along with my sisters and my brothers online. Lord, as we come before you, cleanse us and wash us from the crown of our head. Lord to the soul of our feet in the blood of jesus christ, amen, amen.
Speaker 1:You know we're talking about the truth and we're coming out of um, exodus 20. Aren't we talking about not not telling the truth, not delivering the truth? Not, uh, talking about the way that we present things, the way that we do things? Now we've just taken of the bread and the wine and straight away my little brain has gone straight to the priest telling us that if we do not do a, B and C and D, we are not worthy of taking of that cup. When Jesus says as often as you come together, do this in remembrance of me.
Speaker 1:So when you look at religion and what religion has made up, it's holding the truth back, it is manipulating and it is trying to shape the scripture. So if you take holy communion on its own, the passover because that's what the scripture says, the passover as often as you come together, do this in remembrance of me. What am I remembering, jesus? What? What is the fact? What is the biblical fact? I'm remembering that christ's body was broken for me, I'm remembering that blood was shed for me.
Speaker 1:So when we talk about holding truth back and not revealing the truth, all of a sudden that what we have just partaken, taken with and been involved in, there are many people because I've experienced this that have not taken of the bread and the wine purely because the certain movement out there has said you can't, you can't take that until you get your life right. You can't take that because I'm the priest and I will tell you when and how. How many times on Sundays have we heard that people have been rejected at the altar by the priest, by a man. There you go. It's deeper than that, doesn't it, ben?
Speaker 2:It goes further than that, the whole denomination of Catholicism will tell you that that is actually the bread and the body and the blood that you're drinking. It turns, and it actually turns During the communion thing. And before you can take communion, you've got to do your first Holy Communion. So that means you've got to have your first confession, kneeling down and confessing to a priest. Now, jesus at the cross cut all that religion, didn't he? He broke it and we can go straight to Jesus. Yeah, he's made access. That's the deal.
Speaker 1:So there you have a religious falsehood, a religious spin, a religious hold on scripture that is stopping a lot of people in congregations and as effective people. I've had a couple of experiences of people coming to me and one person told me that they hadn't taken communion for 30 years and they felt really bad because of what the priest said. And he said, no, you're not worthy, and that affected their walk with the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. So the church is accountable. It's the same with baptism Ben.
Speaker 2:Holding the truth, same with baptism. So here's the deal, ben. So, on the cross, with the two thieves, did Jesus turn around and go. Sorry, mate, you ain't ready.
Speaker 1:Sorry, you haven't taken communion and you're not baptised. You're not. No, what did he say? Within a twinkling of an eye? He was with me in paradise. How fast is that, simon, when you look at that, and you would study that within a blink of an eye, within a moment. We have crossed over. We have crossed over from this world.
Speaker 2:I've heard it. Do you speak in tongues? No, well, you're not truly saved. I've heard all this nonsense and it's nonsense. So Jesus on the cross was hanging there and remember me. Can you speak in tongues, have you? Have you tithed have you confessed your sins.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Because he looked at his heart, he looked at his heart.
Speaker 1:So you look at that thief that was on that cross, the thief, the murderer. However, we want to unpack all that stuff with text. Jesus doesn't reject anybody. Jesus told him the truth Within a twinkling of an eye. You will be with me, and we need to encourage brothers and sisters across the globe that Christ loves you, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. We do not need the priesthood, because the Bible tells us there is only one priest, the high priest.
Speaker 2:You know you're missing out on vital scriptures if that's the route you go down, because Jesus says in John 14, 16, he said I am the way, the truth and the life. I am the way, the truth and the life. He didn't say I'm going to pass it on to someone he didn't say I may be the way he kept it to him.
Speaker 1:He didn't say I think I'm the way.
Speaker 2:He said I am the way, the truth and the life. He said no one comes to the Father A very clear statement. He said through me. That's what he said. So for some being to go, sorry, you've got to come through me. Jesus has gone. No, you believe in me. So again we come to the thief on the cross. He didn't say are you right? Have you spoken to the Pharisee about that? Have you called out to the Sadducee?
Speaker 1:about that. So everything comes back to the…. It didn't say that, did it? It didn't say that at all. It points it back to Jesus. Who is Jesus? Didn't say that, did it. Didn't say that at all. It points it back to Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is the living word.
Speaker 2:That last second and you see it Ben in the hospice, don't you?
Speaker 1:I see that a lot. I see that a lot and I experience some miracle moments, moments that can't be documented, moments that can't be explained, moments that can't be revisited. How many people will talk about jesus, even if you've never spoken about jesus, you've never had the conversation? There is something about the end of life when, when the heartbeat is limited to x amount of beats, when, suddenly, from people from different religions as well not just I've seen it many times from different religions, different backgrounds, different upbringings, different positions, there is something at the end of life that brings you where to Brings you to the God of Israel. There is something that has been placed in the human being that will bring you to the cross of Calvary. You can journey your life with all the sweet shop of religion around, but when your time is about to depart from this earth, you need to know what. I need to know the truth.
Speaker 2:There's a battle for your soul, and you will not feel it as strong as that last moment.
Speaker 1:The last moment If you've committed your life to Jesus.
Speaker 2:You know where you're going, that's right. You're going to glory. You're going to glory To a better world than we're in now.
Speaker 1:And that's where the thief went, and that's when everyone else, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Who is the truth? He's Jesus. Who is Jesus? He's the image of the invisible God. So there is a place. Jesus said I've prepared a place for you. If it was not so, I would have told you. So even that scripture alone says I've gone ahead of you and I have prepared a place for you. Who are you talking to? Jesus? You, because you are a believer.
Speaker 2:My friends. Look, if you listen to this out there, then here's the deal. None of this is complicated. Jesus did not make this complicated. The Father did not make this complicated. Man has made this complicated. Man has made this complicated. Religion has made this complicated. Put in control and barriers. So religion is a system of manipulation and control, but the relationship with Jesus Christ is freedom, forgiveness, love, amen. We've got a choice.
Speaker 1:We've got a choice. It's quite interesting because when you look at the church and religion within the UK and the westernised church the way that it is, you can take the prosperity gospel. You can look at that and really really go Lord, did I really get caught in that at some point? And then you've got the name it and the claim it and the healing stuff. But also I've experienced this a lot as well when, when I've had the privilege of of uh having some involvement in someone's funeral, but it might be in within the church of england context. You know, I am not allowed in part, a certain part, a past, a certain part of the gate I'm not allowed in because I don't belong to the holy order. So it's quite interesting what religion actually does.
Speaker 2:Oh mate.
Speaker 1:It's really interesting. So when you look at the life of Christ, the biggest battle I won't say the battle the biggest confrontation that Christ had was against religion, because they were always trying to manipulate and shape what he said.
Speaker 2:You're right, that was the biggest battle.
Speaker 1:That was the biggest battle. Yeah, so when we take education, what we was talking about earlier are our children at school and university being taught the truth, because it changes like the wind. All different theories, all different understandings. You take Darwinismism. Now, as soon as you say that word, you've got people's ears flapping all over the place. You know, because I believe in creation, I believe that god said let there be light, and there was. But then you've got those that that believe in darwinism and believe in in in the string theory and the big bang theory and all these other theories. And then when that is taught to our children and there's no firm evidence, no firm evidence, that is just man's understanding, because you can make science add up to whatever you want it to be. You can make an equation come to almost whatever you want it to be, ben.
Speaker 2:Jesus, many people think John 10.10 is about the devil. Because he says in John 10.10, he says the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly, amen. But what he's talking about, ben? Because if you read it in context and you read it from John 9, all the way through. He's talking about the religious leaders. He's talking about the religious leaders, so nothing has changed.
Speaker 2:They're exactly the same today the thief. So we have religious leaders and they're coming to steal. Steal your soul, saving your soul.
Speaker 1:Hold the truth back from you. So when it comes to education. So if there is a church school, what should it be teaching in the curriculum? It should be teaching genesis to revelation. It shouldn't even be given a waiver, it shouldn't even be given a doorway to anything else. That's why we have the issue with Christmas Now you'll find an awful lot of church schools.
Speaker 2:My grandchildren go to a church school and yet they had drag queen story time. So you'll find a lot of church schools, even though they're under the banner of a church school. Even though they're under the banner of a church school, even though they will teach Jesus, they have compromised to the world by going down this route. Now, ben, we're still in Exodus 2016, aren't we? That's a big text.
Speaker 1:It's an enormous text and we're talking about lying, aren't we, Ben?
Speaker 2:We're talking about falsehood, and we've examined all sorts of different avenues, haven't we? But you know, around about this time of year, people are putting their tax returns in, ain't they, ben? Oh dear.
Speaker 1:I'm just going to press the button going offline, going offline. So when you look at form filling, if you take the general drum of filling a form in, there's quietness across the earth. Because when I fill a form in, I have to put the truth on the form of whether I'm well, whether I am working, whether I'm not working, whether I am in the UK, whether I'm outside, whether I have a savings account, whether I don't have a savings account, whether I have X, A, B, C and D. But what do you do when you've got a government that is standing up and bringing out line after line after line, literally draining, draining the life, yeah, the life out of you, Out of you? How?
Speaker 2:do I deal? You have energy companies that can just dip into your direct debit and bank account and take what they like. So the tax return, we've got to be truthful.
Speaker 1:You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Speaker 2:So it's a question out there, it's a real question, a heart question really to people If you're filling out your, because this is the time of year that they've got to be in, you know where do you go with that?
Speaker 1:Where do you go with that? So you've got the tax form, you've got the universal credit form, you've got the housing form, you've got the mortgage form.
Speaker 2:You've got the credit form. You've got the housing form. You've got the mortgage form.
Speaker 1:You've got all of that, ben, you've also got CVs people trying to get jobs, Trying to get jobs.
Speaker 2:You know, all of a sudden you're this, you're that, suddenly you become a CEO of a company that doesn't exist, and do you know what?
Speaker 1:It's really interesting, isn't it how the world can get you to a point of the basic form filling to actually make a mistake. But you made the mistake on purpose, because who's going to get peanut? Who's going to get, who's going to get? So the question is, is god, I have got to tell the truth in everything on the form, I've got to put that down. But if I tell the truth in everything on the form, I've got to put that down. But if I tell the truth, am I going to get what I'm going to get? Isn't it interesting what the human being does? Look, come to the scripture, come to the scripture and look at that great man that was called Simon, simon Peter, when you deny me, no Lord, no Lord.
Speaker 1:We're talking about the fire bin, aren't we? We're talking about the fire bin, that great word, that great subject. The fire bin of life. Lord, when I sit round the boardroom table and I'm asked are you a believer at work, will I tell them I am a believer, Lord, I will die for you, Lord, Lord, I will do anything for you. The scripture says I'll die and I'll go to prison for you. He says when you come back. When you come back.
Speaker 2:And Ben, it's even a notch lower than that, because if you're sitting around a boardroom table and your manager says you've got to tell them this and you know that's not the truth, yeah, just shape it like this.
Speaker 1:Just change the facts and the figures. Just say we've had another thousand bags of sand, but naturally we haven't had that. Just shape this a little bit that way. Just turn the blind eye, just that word. You know where did that come from when you look at that word? The serpent, the snake, he said. Did God really say so? When you've got all that going on? Did I hear that right? Did I do that right?
Speaker 2:You know, ben, you can lie to obtain an advantage. When I had a little business and you've had a business, I know that and I was touting for other business, pitching for other business there were several times. You know it was laid on the table. You know, if you cross my hand palm with silver or maybe it was as obvious as that 30 pieces of silver.
Speaker 2:It was as obvious as that once, and you know so what I did with that. I just called the guy and said look, this is the head of the whole thing. And said look this is the head of the whole thing and said look, this is the situation and he dealt with it and we still got the contract, you know. So you know you've got to be truthful, You've got to be really wise, Because once you take that Bribe, You're on the hook forever, aren't you?
Speaker 2:You're on the hook. You ain't going to get out of that because you've taken it. You know You're on yoke. You ain't going to get out of that because you've taken it. That's the thing. So you've got to think about that.
Speaker 1:So life is like skating on thin ice, isn't it All the time? I want to ask you this question.
Speaker 2:Ben, I want to ask you this question Is it a time when it's okay to lie?
Speaker 1:Goodness, it can't be, can it? But when you go to the scripture? But when you go to the scripture, when you go to the scripture, that I think I know that you're one you're going to pull out. When you look at that scripture, you got rahab rahab with the two spies that came into the in, into to jericho. When you look at rahab, rahab lied to the king's men to get her family safe, which is a real. And then you've got Simon, simon Peter. He lied, he denied Christ three times. So you find, all the way through that, the answer that disciples and men and women of old of the scripture wouldn't you think that they would have give. They actually didn't give the line that you think that they would have give because their back was against the wall. Isn't it interesting when a human being, their back, is against the wall and you've got to get yourself out of the arena, oh Lord. Well, look at Abraham, abraham.
Speaker 2:I mean, how many times did he lie about his missus?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's my sister.
Speaker 2:Isaac did the same, didn't he with Rebecca? He lied that's my sister.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so your back's against the wall. So what are you going to say? What are you going to say? How are you going to deal with a situation? Tax?
Speaker 2:man, Batman, David lied through his teeth didn't he, so it's a word word, so I actually cannot get a word gone. Is there a time when you can? It's okay to withhold the truth.
Speaker 1:Withholding the truth I mean it's the same, it's the same sort of, it's the same thing withholding the truth, holding the gospel of jesus christ. Let me tell you this actually you will know the truth. I was holding back one of these.
Speaker 2:I one of these. This has actually happened. Obviously, I don't say the person's name, but this actually happened where a guy was on one of these events that we were doing and was sharing some of the stuff that he wanted to unload, some of the sin he wanted to unload, and he actually said you know, my wife, there's no physicality between me and my wife because physically she can't have a physical relationship. And he said it's wrong, but I'll go and see prostitutes. And, worse than that, he said you know, because I'm in control all the time, I go and see one of these dumb matrixes who tie him up and all that sort of.
Speaker 2:So he's actually confessed all that. He's confessed. He's repented of it. Right, he's going to walk away from it. He's repented of it. His next question was I suppose I've got to go back and tell my wife now, haven't?
Speaker 1:I.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah, truth.
Speaker 1:What can you do? What can you do? What's that going to do to his wife? Oh goodness, truth, truth, that will destroy her, won't it completely?
Speaker 2:He's already been forgiven. He's repented of that. He's been forgiven and he's repented of that the conversation. Why then has he got to go and create absolute mayhem in his marriage so difficult? Because I know from personal experience you can forgive or people can forgive you, but they don't forget. So if all of a sudden he's confessed all this, you imagine going back to your missus?
Speaker 1:The carnage?
Speaker 2:yeah, and he's in a church, he's a leader in a church, he's preaching, he's with his wife, who's a beautiful woman, beautiful Christian woman. He's off doing all this sort of stuff, but he's confessed now, repented of it. Is he going to lay that at a doorstep?
Speaker 1:Goodness gracious, what a subject for them to deal with.
Speaker 2:What an absolute conversation that goes beyond Now a lot of people would say, yeah, he would say that I'm not so sure, because you know what it's going to do to that lady. Yeah, what's?
Speaker 1:it going to do to that lady? You know, yeah, what's it going to do to, and then you can go even further on that one can't you? You can look at business deals on the same way, on the same level. You've got a contract, you've done something, so what you've said and what you've just said also, then you take it to the workplace as well that there's been a situation where you've done something, you've acted in it and it has evolved and it has changed the whole landscape of everything. But you haven't given the truth how you've got there and what you've done. But if suddenly someone goes, no, don't say so. What is truth and when is right and when is wrong? When is right, when is wrong? Yeah, I know, it comes down to your heart. So the conversation.
Speaker 2:This is. It's a real, it's a minefield and really, ben, at the end of the day, where I see it, where I see it sits, it's between you and the Lord. Everything sits between you and the Lord, and if the Lord says, go tell her because I will prepare her and you know it won't be a problem.
Speaker 2:But if the Lord says no, I think it's between you and the Lord. I think we can only advise and say this might happen. If that happens, it's like. I know several people who made enormous amount of money in in, shall we say, well, let's, we'll put it bluntly in in criminal activities, and then come to the lord and they built a lifestyle on their criminal activity. They've got an enormous big house, they've got, you know, immense wealth from criminal activity, and then they decided to see the light. See the light.
Speaker 1:So what do they do with… With the money that you've obtained?
Speaker 2:Life will throw you every scenario under the sun, every scenario, yeah.
Speaker 1:And you have to be very wise, you have to look at what does the Bible say, what does God say? What does God expect of me? What is the word expecting of me in business, in life, in relationships, in home life, with the children, with the tax forms, with the VAT forms, with the gift aid forms?
Speaker 2:I don't think it's a cop out to say it's between you and the Lord, because it is between you and the Lord, because what?
Speaker 1:happens. Is there very clear, isn't it? When you bring it to God, god gives you and God moves in you and God gives you the right way to go through every scenario of life, of every situation of life, of every stretch of life. So, when you bring everything to Christ, christ will, the first person that's got to be dealt with is me, is them, is you, is everybody, because we've got to bring everything to the cross of Calvary and we have to seek him and say God, what is your way forward for me as a human being? What is your way forward for me as a human being? What is your way forward for me as a believer? But I I think, where we sit as the uk, when we look at the governments and education, these are really critical things to us at this moment. When you see what is coming out of the lips because that's what we're talking about is the wording. When things come out of government, things come out of education and education. Where is education taking our children? Where is it taking them.
Speaker 2:Well, I think, as a parent, you've really got to get involved.
Speaker 1:So where do you stand up as a parent when you hear that falsehood coming out? As a believer? So I believe in the gospel. You've got a child at school. They're being taught everything that is the opposite of Christianity, am.
Speaker 2:I going to sit back Well you've got it. What a mindfuck. I'm looking at it with my grandchildren. You've got grandchildren, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:I think it's something. What are you going to do? Are you going to homeschool your kids? You probably haven't got the time to do that. Where are you going to go? Where are you going to go? Where are you going to go? What are you going to do? I think this is the time right and it's the time. All these scenarios that we're saying, every scenario under the sun, has got to push you closer to the cross. It's got to. You've got to come before the lord and the lord's got to direct you what you've got to seek, and you've got to seek him first, right, and then you can speak to other people. Get some counseling get. You've got to. But you've got to take this seriously, because you've got to get involved in what your child is being taught, and if you're not happy, then you've got to make a decision.
Speaker 1:But how many families are trapped, trapped in the position of their children are at a certain school and the certain school is giving every other teaching under the sun. And then you're going to church on a Sunday and we're trying to live this Christian this way. And then, if I don't say something, I'm holding the truth back from my children, and then I'm allowing education and the government to dictate to how my children are influenced through the teaching. So this is a massive subject for life, isn't it?
Speaker 2:I mean very interesting is that you know my daughter-in-law. She's from a Jewish background, my boy's from. He's got a Christian background. And it's interesting just before Christmas because my grandkids are, as I said before, in a church school. But my daughter-in-law rang me and she said Simon, can you? George is my youngest grandson. He said he loves stories of the Bible. He just loves stories of the.
Speaker 2:Bible and I'm reading him, but I've only got an Old Testament. We want a New Testament. Can you get him a New Testament? Can you get him a New Testament? So we got him a New Testament for a five-year-old, you know, and they're going through it. So I think it's important that the stuff at home you know, my son is reading it, with him going through it. He's getting all the stories of the Bible Old and New Testament in a fun way as well. You know, he's only five years old. So I think it's important that we do that sort of stuff with our children. We've always got to be the counterbalance. We've always got to be showing them the way, haven't we as parents and grandparents?
Speaker 1:A hundred percent, because the Bible makes it clear, doesn't it Bring a child up in the way that it should go?
Speaker 1:yeah so as a parent, grandparent, uh, family member, whoever we are believers in christ, jesus, when we got children in our responsibility, within the family context and everything that goes along. It's really important that we make sure that our children know jesus and, as they go to school, say lord, will you protect them as they go into that environment? It's really important that we make sure that our children know Jesus and, as they go to school, say Lord, will you protect them as they go into that environment? Because there will be uncountable parents that are sending their children, godly children, godly families sending their children to school that are being pressed with such a tide, such a tide of untruths and different looks, different stretches, different religions, different ways.
Speaker 2:Ben, it's absolutely vital that, however we do it, we make sure our children know the truth.
Speaker 1:The Jesus yeah.
Speaker 2:I've spoken in many prisons and a lot of the time obviously you know guys in prison. They're at a low point and they've got nowhere else to turn and they're looking for something, hope, and a lot of them do turn to Jesus and it's interesting that a lot of them you speak to them and they've always had someone praying for them.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, and so they've always had a background knowledge, more than sometimes you realise. They've always got a background knowledge of the Bible and of who Jesus was. So we're coming into an area now, a generation now, where they probably haven't got that, where they don't know who Jesus is, because if they're not being taught at school and he's not being taught at home, they're not getting it from anywhere, are they? No, they're not. So we have a responsibility, a massive responsibility, and we'll come on to that in a minute, because there is a scripture that really shows and really points out what responsibility we've got. But here's the deal I've been in a number of churches where they make it a real point to go into prisons and to witness to prisoners, and that's great because it tells us in the Bible you know that's the sort of thing we've got to do. But there hasn't been the same emphasis of giving comfort to the victims, because there's victims of crime out there.
Speaker 1:Victims of crime. Yeah, I know. Yeah, we get that.
Speaker 2:And you know I stand on platforms with people myself as one of them, who've got testimonies of hurt and aggression towards people and, yeah, we've changed. But you may have, by something you've done, you may have ruined someone's life. You don't know, do you and some of these people? Even just by being a burglar or you know? Thieving has ruined someone's life. Yeah, and it's okay. You know you come to the Lord and that's brilliant.
Speaker 1:But the mess that you've left behind. Then the other side, yeah, yeah, it's so much, isn't?
Speaker 2:it.
Speaker 1:It's so much, there's so much in the conversation of life, when you look at all the conversations and you look at everything, just when you really look at life itself and you look from a world view, with eyes, with eyes of the world, but also look as a believer as well.
Speaker 1:It's really difficult to navigate yourself through this life without Jesus. It's impossible. You will get caught on so many traps. But even as a believer you can get caught in a snare. You can get caught in a trap. You can get caught in a mistake. You can get caught in a business deal. You can get caught in a snare. You can get caught in a trap. You can get caught in a a mistake. You can get caught in a business deal. You can get caught in workplace issues. You can get caught in a bullying situation. You can get caught in in not delivering the truth from the scripture. You can. You know, sometimes when you look at life, life can almost frighten you itself when you bring the Bible into your life and my life and look at that and think, god, help me, I've got to get through, I need help in this world.
Speaker 2:I'm sitting under Ben, this whole subject of not telling the truth of having untruths, it's huge. And the truth of having untruths, it's huge. And one of the biggest areas in our lives is sexual sin and withholding the truth. Yeah, and even when you confess it, the trust a lot of times has gone, of course yeah, all that has gone.
Speaker 1:You can't cope with that without Jesus, you seriously can't cope with that.
Speaker 2:Without jesus, you seriously can't cope with that. So, um, where we said before there's there may be forgiveness, but it's still that sexual raw thing where you've actually put you know, maybe had an affair with another person and you've confessed it. It is really raw with the person and I know men who are in their 80s that have been through this earlier in their lives Christian guys Still carrying it. They've confessed it to their wives, but when something comes on the telly, you know where there's a young girl having an affair with an older guy or whatever the wife
Speaker 1:will get up and walk out of the room to this day, and it might be 40 years down the line. Of course it's a big big thing. But then also, on top of that, you can look at the money side of what we're talking about as well, miss, falsehood of holding money back from someone and not confessing what, what money you've got as in. So you look at life, you look at being a human being as a man and a woman, or man and a woman, all the trappings you can get there for, uh, that way of the falling of there, and then you've got the falling of money, then you've got the falling of business, then you've got the falling of business, then you've got the falling of the children not being taught the truth. You've got fallings and failings all around you All over Ben and trying to navigate.
Speaker 2:What we've tried to say through this whole look at the Ten Commandments is that wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone just kept to the Ten Commandments? Is that wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone just kept to the Ten Commandments? It would be an amazing place.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but we know that from the fall of the garden. When you fall from the fall in the garden, it is unbelievable how the world, from that point, the fall in the garden, has affected absolutely everything through life and the corruption started in the garden.
Speaker 2:The corruption started in the garden. Corruption started. So if we look at every single aspect of life, that's right.
Speaker 1:It's been corrupted. Everything, everything has been manipulated and shaped from the fall.
Speaker 2:You can't even have a 100 metres race to see who's the fastest person in the world. Without someone who's taken drugs, you can't even have that. You know you can't have everything that's been. Everything is on the wire and I don't know about you, but it feels like, as we said before, the veil's been lifted and we can now see corruption in government, in governments around the world, across every area, across the globe. Every area we can see.
Speaker 1:And also what we've got to encourage each other in is that there's always a way forward with Jesus. There is always a way forward. So if you are listening, if you're with us and you're a believer and life is bringing really difficult situations to your door and you're trying to work out what way to go forward, it has to be with Jesus, coming to Christ and saying Father, forgive me, for I've sinned and fallen short of your glory. Lord, help me. I can't see properly today, that's your first port of call.
Speaker 1:I need help, jesus, your first port of call is on your face. It is the cross. That's why it's so important to take of the bread and the wine, to do this together as often as you come together, do this in remembrance of me. What am I doing? I'm breaking bread and I'm taking of the cup. I'm coming to the King of glory and I'm resting in his presence. You know there is so much to gather from the communion table, from the Passover table.
Speaker 2:We're in 41 minutes in we're going to have to drop this. We'll jump off in a second. I've just fallen on that scripture that we alluded to in the break, which is Ezekiel 33, and it starts right from the start. It says again the word of the Lord came to me saying son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them, when I bring the sword upon a land and the people of the land take a man from the territory to make them their watchman. Wow, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows a trumpet the watchman on the wall.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Delivering the word of God, delivering the truth, and who does that sit to? It sits to church leaders. To it says the church leaders, it sits to the church leaders. And then also um the bible very clear that we are all instruments and we're all called and we're all chosen of god. So everyone that will call themselves a believer of christ jesus has a responsibility of sharing the gospel of jesus christ.
Speaker 2:And whether that's however we do that. However we do that in our actions or in our words, however we do it. But then he goes on to say he heard the sound of the trumpet, but he did not take the warning and his blood shall be on himself. Oh right, so, but he who takes the warning will save his life. Wow. So, if you listen, if you've heard the warning, if his life, wow so if you listen, if you've heard the warning, if you know it's coming, yeah, and you accept that, you know that warning, and and you, then you've saved your life if you accept that warning. But he said but if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, wow, and the people are not warned and the sword comes and takes away any person from among us. He is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.
Speaker 1:So the church, the church, the leaders, the preaching, the teaching, the worship leaders, the singing, the worshippers, everything comes into that scripture because you will know the truth and the truthers. Everything comes into that scripture because you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. So, if I've been given truth as a believer, and if we've all been given truth as a believer, we have a responsibility in the area of church leadership, in the area of worship leaders, in the area of administration, in the area of congregations, we have a responsibility of telling the. In the area of congregations, we have a responsibility of telling the world the truth about Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:We are living in times within the UK where we need to stand up for the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to stand up. We need to stand up and say Lord, come, holy Spirit, I need you, lord, lord, I need you in the name of Jesus. Lord, I need to share with my colleagues at work the truth, lord, I need to share with my friends, lord, I need to share with my family. I want the world to know the truth about Jesus Christ. And when you start sharing the gospel, and even when you just say God love you.
Speaker 2:God love you. What do you mean? What do you?
Speaker 2:mean by that you're telling someone the truth because god does love you so he went on to say ben, it's so, you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of israel. Therefore, you shall hear a word from my mouth and warn them from me when I say to the wicked oh wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked of his way. That wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I'll require at your hand. Wow. Nevertheless, if you warn a wicked to turn away from his way and he does not turn away, he shall die in his iniquity. But you have delivered your soul. So the warning's clearly there, isn't it? We all have a responsibility.
Speaker 1:There is a responsibility on anyone that is a believer to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. But how do we do that? We need to encourage one another.
Speaker 2:We've got to encourage them, Encourage one another and, like we just said, Ben, you know, in the previous podcast, we just go out and we say with a Jesus heart, we say how are you today? How are you today?
Speaker 1:It's as simple as that, and be encouragers of the faith and we call it having a go for Jesus.
Speaker 2:Just have a go for Jesus. Just say look, you know, and at the end, if you can get a God blessing or Jesus loves you, then and it's not. It don't come out as a nutty thing, you know, but just see the smile on someone's face, see the look on someone's face, yeah, and it will open up a conversation. I go to a drive-through Starbucks quite often. It's really close to me and just by saying to them how are you today, mate.
Speaker 2:It just opens up a whole small conversation. You've got a time of like a three-minute slot where they're going to give you your coffee. You're going to pay for it. You've got a three-minute slot there to encourage that person.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so that is the important thing, that, where we sit and when we finish this now, is that, as brothers and sisters, we need to walk with one another from all denominations, and what I mean by that is to leave the teachings of the denominations and say what does Jesus, what is God calling me to be at this moment?
Speaker 1:And we need to encourage the body of Christ. We need to pray for one another, lift one another up, encourage one another. In the scripture, almost put your arm around your brother and sister and say come on, let's support each other. You know, let let's lift each other up, let's support each other as we walk in the gospel, as we walk in the word, as we walk in the presence, as we walk in the love of god. We need to encourage one another and we need to let each other know the truth that your name is stamped in the lamb's book of life. God loves you. You are blessed and highly favored. Jesus christ loves you and he went to the cross for you and everything will be okay because you got jesus the truth we need to be it will be we need to be encouragers and hope givers, and hope givers in the, in the name of jesus.
Speaker 2:And it has to be a heart thing, my friends. It cannot be a head thing. No.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're so right, simon. We've got to be hope givers. We've got to give each other hope that you can break through the wall of trouble, you can get over the hurdle of life, you can see the blessing of the Lord every morning. You will see that recovery period. You know humanity is trying to recover from so much. Every one of us is trying to recover and every one of us is trying to move forward and to leave just the area of certain stuff that's coming from the world and go. Lord, I need you today. This is the day that the Lord has made I shall rejoice and be glad this is the day of your salvation. Has made. I shall rejoice and be glad this is the day of your salvation, ben.
Speaker 2:That's it, that's the thing, and we just want to encourage anyone out there who's really feeling up against it, whose back's against the wall. We know what it's like You're on the carpet, you don't know where to turn. We want to encourage you that, with Jesus, your breakthrough is just around the corner. Do not give up. No, you'll hear ben say it time and time again do not never give up, never give up, never give up. Press into the jesus, press into jesus. When when I remember that uh quote from winston churchill, he, he went to oxford university and they said to him give us a word. He just got up and he said never give up six times. And he said never give up six times. And he sat down Never give up. I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:I never knew that, never knew that.
Speaker 2:Never give up. There's hope with Jesus Christ. And hang on, hang on, hang on. Some days we feel like we're just hanging on with our fingernails. But never give up. He's reaching out to you. He's reaching out to you.
Speaker 1:He's reaching out to you, he's, he's, he's his hand is there ready to pull you out?
Speaker 2:yeah, whatever mess you're in, yeah, yeah, yeah, put you on.
Speaker 1:You're so right, follow me and on. On that note, I just quickly must say this send a text, send a phone call, send an email to someone that you know that needs real encouragement in your life. Let's encourage one another through text, through the social networks, let's encourage each other in the body of Christ and let's say to one another we can do it, we are breaking through. Jericho is falling because we all walk together. God bless you, amen, amen.
Speaker 2:God bless you.
