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 -10th-commandment - (CST37) PT1
Podcast Show Notes: Rediscovering Spiritual Authenticity and Hope in the End Times
What if the spiritual journey you've been seeking is closer than you think? In this powerful episode of Hashtag Christian Straight Talk, we promise to guide you through the tough terrain of maintaining hope and faith during what many perceive as the end times. Through a heartfelt exploration of the Ten Commandments and the life of Jesus Christ, we challenge the tendency to stray from pure biblical teachings and encourage a return to spiritual authenticity.
As we reflect on our modern world, we paint a vivid picture of societal struggles, comparing the UK to a neglected garden in desperate need of spiritual renewal. In this time of uncertainty, we emphasize that personal and collective transformation is not just needed—it’s absolutely crucial for the future of our faith.
In a world drowning in materialism, we ask: How often do we pause to reflect on what truly fulfills us? In this episode, we confront the vicious cycle of envy and material desire, sharing powerful personal stories about the elusive satisfaction that comes from chasing worldly possessions, like the allure of a luxurious car.
Drawing from Scripture, we delve into the emptiness that material wealth can leave behind. We also discuss the dangers of debt, which silently ensnare many in the pursuit of worldly riches. Using wisdom from Jesus and King Solomon, we unfold the profound concept of a "God-shaped hole" that only a genuine relationship with the divine can fill. We caution against the false allure of wealth, often portrayed on social media or amplified in certain church practices, that pulls us away from the life-giving truth found in a relationship with Christ.
As we draw toward the conclusion of this episode, the message of hope takes center stage. We focus on the unwavering promise of peace and fulfillment found in Jesus Christ, encouraging you to hold fast to faith even in the darkest moments. Reflecting on the cross of Calvary, we urge you to embrace spiritual resilience by serving Jesus at the foot of the cross. By holding onto the liberating truth found in John 8:32, we aim to guide you toward a life of spiritual awakening.
Through this episode, we hope to spark a movement of faith that will help you discover a life rich in devotion and purpose, free from the chains of materialism and worldly distractions. Our prayer is that this conversation brings you closer to living an authentic Christian life, rooted in truth and guided by the eternal promises of Jesus Christ.
Join us in this powerful conversation on Hashtag Christian Straight Talk, and let’s journey together toward a more meaningful, purpose-driven life.
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
Good morning and welcome. It is Thursday, the 19th of January, and it is two minutes past 11. Good morning world, wherever you are. This is Hashtag Christian Straight Talk. It's myself Ben. I am Ben today, and we've got Simon, and we've got Simon with us today. I forgot my name, I forgot who I was. God, what's the matter with me? Good?
Speaker 2:morning. It gets everyone like that. Sometimes it's a bit cold. My brain is gone. Your brain freezes up, doesn't?
Speaker 1:it. My brain is gone. I'm iced over. I need some defrost on my one brain cell that I have. Good morning wherever you are today. Thank you for joining us on this live stream broadcast and this podcast. You can find us on Buzzsprout, spotify, amazon Music and so many other platforms. The book is out, the second one is on its way and we just welcome everybody. But wherever you are across the world, never give up. There's always hope. We are living in very powerful times. We are living in end times and God is moving. Never give up, simon. We're in. It's great to be back across the mics.
Speaker 2:And Ben, you're right, you know, don't give up. We put these podcasts out, you know, Ben, to encourage people. Yeah encouragement, encourage people, encourage people. And the greatest encouragement is the life of Jesus Christ and the cross. So that's what we're always going to look at, always come back to. But it's true, sometimes you do forget your own name, don't you? That's why my wife's sewn my name in the back of my head. Clothes, clothes, yeah, yeah. It's always handy, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 1:it's fantastic, just in case you forget, it's always there.
Speaker 1:Do you know what? In all seriousness, we have got to encourage one another, the brothers and the sisters in different denominations. We cannot put any weight on any denomination, trusting that denomination is going to get us to heaven, because we are in a great falling away and what we are experiencing is denominations are crashing, ministries are crashing and congregations are hungry for the Word of God across the platform of denominations. So, whatever denomination you are from, I would urge you and encourage you that, if that denomination at the top isn't preaching Matthew, mark, luke and John, genesis, revelation, creation, the birth, the death, the resurrection of Christ, the blood and redemption the fundamental points of Christianity exit the denomination.
Speaker 2:What's the point? You've got to question it, haven't you?
Speaker 1:So, if it's not, pointing to Jesus if it's not pointing to Jesus and it's not in the Bible.
Speaker 2:You have to…. Why am I going to church?
Speaker 1:What is the purpose of church when we have been looking very, very briefly and we thought that we was going to do these 10 commandments so quickly and smoothly that we might have ironed them out in in a couple, one or two.
Speaker 2:We have been weeks and weeks and weeks we have, and do you know what it's like this when they used to say it's like painting the seven bridge? You know you? When they finished it, they had to go back and start again.
Speaker 1:Back to the other end.
Speaker 2:So when we finish this, we could go back again and go through and we could just spend the whole year going through this stuff. Because it's great, ben, because it looks at how we're living. It looks at how we're living and it puts that check on and what you said is right there, ben, and I sent you something over yesterday and I forget who said it, but whoever said it it's really wise. And he said there are five Gospels. He said there's Matthew, mark, luke and John and you as a Christian. He said, because most people out there won't read the first four, but they'll read you, yeah so this is where we're at let your light shine.
Speaker 1:Wow, that that's what it's about is let your light shine, let let the word you know. The scripture says, psalm 119 your word is a lamp unto our feet, a light for our path. So what this has done for me personally, looking into the Ten Commandments, it has honestly put the fear of God in me. Honestly.
Speaker 2:Well, it has because, you know, our lives are a bit like an onion layer, and as we peel back, as we peel back, there's even more layers, and so you're right. So we look at ourselves and we go. I mean, you said that prayer, didn't you Ben?
Speaker 1:Oh, simon, strip me back.
Speaker 2:Strip me back and the thing is, when the Lord strips you back, you get closer to him, but you also reveal your flesh is further from him. You are Really you ain't a nice person.
Speaker 1:I'm not a nice person underneath all this stuff, and stripping me back is exposed stuff I need to deal with, but it brings me closer to the Lord, so it makes me more of a light that's shining out Ben if you understand what I'm saying and we also clearly understand when the Scripture talks very, very powerfully about where God says I am the gardener, the vinedresser, and I'll strip stuff away, that is, that is not bearing fruit and we want, we can always go well, I'm all right, actually. But when you go in the garden of gethsemane and you walk with the word of god under your arm and then you open up in the garden of gethsemane the 10 commandments, oh, lord help me.
Speaker 2:I mean, this is, this is serious stuff in our lives. But as well, you know this stage, at this point where we are in the timeframe of your life it ain't good out there, you know no the UK is a skip.
Speaker 1:You can't get around it. The UK is a skip and it smells, it's old, it stinks, it's wet. We have never seen so much corruption. So now we are living at a time when. What do we need? We need the truth.
Speaker 2:The truth, and we just come out of last week, was the shout not bear false witness, do not lie. That's the thing.
Speaker 1:And the thing is… We've had the Westminster accounts. We've had the Westminster accounts. We've had the political stuff.
Speaker 2:But just on a one-to-one basis, ben. We lie to each other every day when we go…. We've said it before.
Speaker 1:How are?
Speaker 2:you? Yeah, I'm all right, are you?
Speaker 1:No, you're not mate. No, you're not. I'm blessed and highly favoured.
Speaker 2:Praise the Lord. Have you got your praise on today? You know? So I had a lovely encounter with a lovely lady in a coffee shop yesterday and as I walked up she just smiled at me. She said how are you? And that's unusual. So I said how am I? I said how am I? I said have we got a couple of hours? I said let's have a chat. And she smiled at me and we had a laugh and I said how much is the copy? She said no, it's on me.
Speaker 1:That's amazing, because you went ministering yesterday, didn't you? And you had an interesting journey yesterday and that lady had to be a Christian.
Speaker 2:That was a God-given encounter. Honestly, there's light shining out of her.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So it's got to be a God moment. Isn't it interesting how we need these God moments to actually encourage us in the journey of life, and this is what we need in denominations and within church. We need encouragement to go. Do you know what? We're going to be? Okay, we're going to make it.
Speaker 2:I think that's it, you know. I think just that you're going to be okay. I think that's it, you know. I think just that you're going to be okay. I think that's fine.
Speaker 1:You will be fine.
Speaker 2:I had another thing. I was trying to get up to London yesterday and the trains were all up the chute and I had to go on the tube train, which is not great, and I tried to find a parking space and I went to a couple of car parks. There was no spaces, no room.
Speaker 1:At the inn Ben no room at the inn, Ben no room at the inn.
Speaker 2:And just as I was about to think, oh Crocky, where am I going now? I looked and there was a little space, not a designed parking space, but a space in front of a gate. Just enough room for me to put the huge SUV in Just enough space for me to pull in, pay the ticket and jump into London and I thought thank you Lord, thank you Jesus.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:Lord. Yeah, because those little things are meaningful.
Speaker 1:They're meaningful and encouragement, and it takes the stress out of life. Thank you, lord, yeah, yeah, and it's so often pass that by, when that when god does make a way where there seems to be in every area of life, because he's in everything, he's interested in our lives.
Speaker 2:He's interested in our lives because he is our life and he is, he's leading our lives I mean, I don't know where you are if you listen to this or watching this or whatever, but please pay attention to what ben just said, because that is the truth. God is interested in every small aspect in our lives, because what we say is, well, that's too small for God. But do you know what? Everything's small to our God, isn't it A grain of sand?
Speaker 1:Everything the scripture says.
Speaker 2:The biggest incident in the world is not too big for our God to deal with.
Speaker 1:No, isaiah says this, isaiah 40. I can't remember the exact verse, but it says it like this. It might be a bit paraphrased. It says he is seated on the circle of the earth and the people are like grasshoppers to him. People are like, yeah, and he is stretching out the heavens like a scroll and he knows the end of the earth from the beginning to the end. He oh man.
Speaker 2:I mean mean, we could go, we could go on. How big is our, big is our god?
Speaker 1:yeah, and that ties up with what we got here, because who is our god? Is it materialism, is it the world? Well, that's a question we've got to ask yourself, you know and that that is where we are going today, isn't it? Do not cover, do not want what your neighbor has. Well, it's the last of the commandments in it, ben the last one, it's not last, because, but then it brings us to the front again.
Speaker 1:It's huge, it's like painting that bridge, isn't it? Yeah, because when you, when you read that out, so what's he say? Ben, read it out, let me find it, let me find it on 20, verse 17 verse 17.
Speaker 1:You shall not cover your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male or female servants, his oxen, his donkey or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. Why is it? Why is it that we look out with these natural eyes, these eyes of the world? But also we're born again, spirit filledfilled, and everything of the world, materially, and what the world is offering can be attractive. Because I want a new sofa, I want a new TV. Oh, that car's nice, I want this, I want that, I want that holiday. Looking into someone else's world is always, you think, is better than your world. The grass is always greener, actually no.
Speaker 2:You know, both you and I have got astroturf. It ain't bad. It's the best thing I've ever bought. It's the best few pounds I ever spent was getting that artificial grass, the grass they say, is always greener on the other side, and it's the truth. You know, I've experienced this in my life before I was a Christian. You know women and cars and stuff, and what used to happen is that. You know, I want that, I want that, I want that.
Speaker 1:And when you get it, it's nothing. It's feeding this. I would say it could be like this it's feeding a vacuum that God has given us, that only God and the Holy Spirit can fill that vacuum. And we try and fill that vacuum with materialism, with having a social life around us, with money, with cars, with lifestyle, with with materialism, houses, loft conversions, this job, that job, everything that the world is offering. And every time we grab what we think that we want, suddenly it becomes empty and meaningless and we're climbing again for something else, we're moving on and I don't know if you are a believer listening to this out there, but you might have heard this phrase a God-shaped hole, ben.
Speaker 2:and that is it. So we want to because, ben, we've said it this morning the opposite of coveting, the opposite of jealousy, the opposite of wanting something that's not yours is contentment, and we're always seeking contentment.
Speaker 1:Peace.
Speaker 2:And we think contentment is going to come through money and material things, or even an affair, you know, which can split marriages.
Speaker 2:It busts everything. But so here we are. I got a few quid nefariously, but I got a few quid. So I went out and bought this 4.7 litre Cherokee Jeep. It was all black, it was blacked out windows, it had the registration mark. And this is the truth it had the registration mark WAR. I thought, oh, that's a bit of me, really. Yeah, I thought I was Billy Big Bananas driving this thing around. Six months later, they bought out a brand new model of the same vehicle all of a sudden. I didn't want this, I don't want that I want that.
Speaker 1:So that is a classic example of materialism at its best. I thought that was going to be it. I've made it. This is me, oh I like that.
Speaker 2:Hang on a minute. He's got that, what? And?
Speaker 1:suddenly what we're driving, and and that can be so many things becomes empty and meaningless.
Speaker 2:And this is the crazy thing about that particular incident was that I paid for that vehicle. Bang Off, paid for it, cash Gone you know off. The next vehicle, I had to take out a car loan. You know, just to get it, just to get it. So I'm in debt.
Speaker 1:You know, isn't it interesting? The trappings of the make the world, the matrix, the trapping of the system. It's so, it's so clever how the I will use the word, the biblical term how the enemy works. Yes, you can have this. Take from the tree, it's all right, you'll be like god, do it. He's it's okay, you'll get contentment, you'll be happy that's what will make you happy.
Speaker 1:And what happens is we get mortgages, we get lifestyles that actually we can't keep up with Hired mortgages, payments, wrecked car stuff, the kids going to this club, that club Even if you went to David Lloyd's, what's that going to stripe you up 250 large a month to get your family in there? Gym memberships, swimming clubs.
Speaker 2:They call it keeping up with the Joneses, don't they? Just to keep up with your neighbour, you end up in a mountain of debt. So for me, having this car all of a sudden….
Speaker 1:It was stopping your stretch, it was limiting you. So that's what happens in the world of work and living, and the word cover is basically meaning I want what someone else has got. It's jealousy, yeah, jealousy, and it is a continuum, because we are flesh, we are human beings. So if you haven't got Jesus, or if you have Jesus, you will still have all these wants and this stuff that goes along with it. But how do I get away with? I like that car, I want that tv, let's get a new sofa, let's, let's belong to this, let's belong to that, let's join this, let's go on this holiday, let's get a, b, c and d. Then, as a believer, you're more, and what can be quite harrowing is when you realise how trapped you are as a human being, but as a Christian, and you've got no movement, you've got no financial movement.
Speaker 2:I'm telling you now the Lord and there is a scripture, because we've mentioned it before but the Lord does not want you in debt and he doesn't want you in hope no no no, the first thing to do is to get out of debt, is to pay off credit cards.
Speaker 2:Give yourself a couple of years pay off credit cards. Give yourself a little cash reserve, but pay off. Get out of debt. Don't get involved in car fleecing, or car leasing as they call it. So you know you will find a wealthy person who does not have infinite amount of money on credit cards. They do not lease cars, they buy a car that's a couple of years old. So the first thing to do is and if you're a Christian, here's a deal and you're in that situation of, oh, I want what they've got, then you are putting yourself in danger because… but the prosperity?
Speaker 1:gospel…. But this is a commandment, isn't it? This is a commandment, do not cover.
Speaker 2:This is not advice. This is the commandment.
Speaker 1:This is written in the stone, and the Israelites at the bottom of the hill went to Moses at the bottom of this text went we ain't coming near you. That God is so holy and so pure. We can't come near you. We'll burn up. Just read it to us. We can't come near you, but what we're talking about is very interesting that we can find this, because the prosperity gospel that has been preached and taught and with the motivational drive, can tell you that God wants you to be rich, god wants you to have this, and it is material based. So there is a very fine line. God doesn't want you to have that car, because that car will suddenly become that. What could you idle to you?
Speaker 1:He doesn't want you to have that material stretch like that. But there is a fight.
Speaker 2:Yes, god wants us to be blessed, god wants us to prosper, but he wants your heart to be right first and you need to put the cross in your life.
Speaker 1:What he wants is us to almost so hungry. For him, everything else in the world is meaningless and empty. It has no value, ben.
Speaker 2:Matthew 6.33,. What does he say? Seek first a kingdom and everything else a foreign place. So if you're not seeking first a kingdom, look what he says in Ephesians 5, ben. It says but fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let not even be named among you as is fitting for saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving thanks. He goes on to say, for this. You know that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man who is an adulterer has any inheritance to the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1:So everything wrapped up in that scripture? You have no Wow. But this is the issue. I'm born again, spirit filled, walking in the presence of God. Scriptures are alive, we're following Jesus, but the world is frying all this stuff at me.
Speaker 1:The hardest fight that anyone will ever have is when you realise that he is a holy God. There is a heaven and there is a hell, and there has to be a lifestyle change. There has to be a lifestyle change and that can be a week. God could transform you in a second. God might take you on a journey that could last a week, an hour, a month, a year, four years, five years, six years, but we are on a journey and no one escapes the fact of all, of all of these commandments that we are looking at.
Speaker 1:So, when it talks about coveting, having what the world is offering because when I have what the world wants, and the church and I will use the word church, the prosperity church is telling us our transatlantic friends that preach that gospel. God wants you to be a millionaire, god wants you to be rich, but if I am rich and I have all the trappings of that, will I serve him? Yes, well, I'll walk with him if I've got the house, if I've got the cars, if I've got my bank account brimming over, I'll be serving you can't serve two masters.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I was at the City of London yesterday. I was speaking to a number of people and mate. That place is Sodom and Gomorrah.
Speaker 1:To be honest with you, you know it's all about, you know, know, climbing the next rung on the ladder, all all about very darwinistic evolution, trampling on the survival of the fittest, destroying who you're going to destroy to a smile in in in the face, but then, as they, as they leave your workspace wanting the next little office, wanting the next you know wanting the label on the door. Yeah, the label. I want the top of the tower.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. But Jesus said you can't serve two masters. But he also said this, ben. He said then Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 16, he said if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses life for my sake will find it. So that's your material life. So what? And he goes on to say and this will hit people in the city of London very hard, for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul, loses his soul? So what profit if you, you know these millionaires, these billionaires who die, they don't take that with?
Speaker 1:them do? They Can't take anything in that casket, Can't take it with them. How many people, through their complete business skill sets, climb this CV, getting their CVs looking greater, doing this, doing that, and then suddenly a sickness, and illness comes out of nowhere and suddenly you realise that every penny that you've got, you're the richest person on earth. Elon Musk is worth £302 billion, but you can't buy eternity.
Speaker 2:See what does he say. After that he goes on immediately. He says that. He says or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? There you go.
Speaker 1:Wow, oh wow. You can't buy Simon the Sorcerer. Let's talk about him a minute. The gift of the spirit. Now, this absolutely flattens any ministries that are saying that if you come to us for a few weeks, we will make you an evangelist. We will give you a certificate. You will us for a few weeks, we will make you an evangelist. We will give you a certificate. You will be a prophetic, uh preacher. You will be a teacher, you'll be a all, all that sort of stuff. You'll be an evangelist, you'll be healing on the streets, you'll be doing all this, but if you give us five large ones and at the end of that you will definitely have that simon the sorcerer lord yeah, I mean give us fire.
Speaker 1:Or putting it in the church language If you would like to sow into this ministry, we will, you will be anointed at this. No, don't lie to me. So it comes back to that scripture that we was in last week the church. I will say the church because that's the way I see it, cause that's the label, cause that's what the ministry is. The church ministry is lying because when I fulfil that course and do the 12 weeks or the year across the other side of the pond in certain ministries that are charging 30 grand a year to be there, Well, we had the fellow, didn't we, who was asking for money to go to.
Speaker 1:Florida.
Speaker 2:To Orlando to do a course on evangelism 15K. And do you know?
Speaker 1:what.
Speaker 2:He got it he got it.
Speaker 1:He got it. Who's the crazy one? I know, yeah, you've got to ask you that.
Speaker 2:But, Ben, what did Jesus say? He said you will reap what you sow. Oh, dear me Simon, and if you sow it into certain ministries and you've got blood on your hands, You've got to be very careful and you've got to be very careful. And here's the deal, Ben, You've got to be very careful with the motive that you reap. So if your motive is to get more from God, blessings you might as well, Because Jesus said this, didn't he? He said don't store up on this earth.
Speaker 2:He said store it up in heaven. And if your motive is to get more of an earthly material, then it's a waste, a complete waste. Because if you're listening out there and you're saying, oh, these two are a pair of cranks or whatever, then please read the Bible, read the account of King Solomon, read Ecclesiastes and see what the richest man who ever lived on the face of the earth says about acquiring all this material things. He said what he said. It's vanities of vanities, he said it's meaningless.
Speaker 1:It's absolutely empty. So then you come to the New Testament when it says Christ makes this very clear. He says the streams will rise, the rain will fall. If you build on sand, you will fall with a great crash. If you build upon the rock, you will be able to stand. So building on the rock is building on God, and we're not saying that God wants us to be sitting in a cardboard box living our lives, because god blesses, god makes a way, god provides. But what is first? Is it jesus or is it materialism?
Speaker 2:well, that's interesting, ben. You say that because you and you say god doesn't want us to, to live in a cardboard box under under a bridge, and that's the truth. But if we, if you, if you, and if you took, uh, the scripture of the rich young ruler, if you took that literally, then that's what you'd think. But that scripture is about that ruler's heart.
Speaker 1:It comes back All this weaving and bobbing and going through the scripture. It brings you back to your heart. It brings you back to your heart. God doesn't want anyone to be homeless. God doesn't want anyone to be thirsty. What does he say? He says come to to me, all of you, that we're in land, I will give you rest, come to me. And he talks about feeding you and clothing you. Why do you worry about tomorrow? Why are you worrying about a, b, c and d?
Speaker 2:see, ben, you're right I mean that rich young ruler.
Speaker 2:The account is in three of the gospels, right so it's a very important account and in one of the gospospels right, that's correct, so it's a very important account and in one of the Gospels I forget which one it now he says Jesus looked at him and he loved him. He loved this guy, so he knew his heart. He knew his heart. So when he came to him and said, well, I've done all these things, I've kept all the commandments, he knew his heart. His heart had covetousness about material things and so he said go away. So if he'd have fell at Jesus' feet and gone yeah, that's what I'll do I'll guarantee you, jesus would have gone. Get up. There's no need for that, because it's your heart. It comes back to the thieves on the cross, ben doesn't it?
Speaker 1:Jeremiah 29, that great, famous text, for I know the plans I have for you. The preachers shout it and holler it and dance around it and do all that sort of stuff around everything. But it says if you follow me with all your heart, David had a heart. After God, it comes back to the. I'm hungry for Jesus. I need God. I need the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Like never before in my life I really want to know the word. I want to follow Christ, I want to walk with you, lord.
Speaker 1:I don't want all this, these trappings of this world, because it traps you and it holds you and it is empty and you're lacking so much. So do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth. That's what this coveting is. Do not keep looking over the fence. Do not keep looking into the car showroom. Do not keep looking on the social. Do not keep wanting what. Look at the TikToks, look at the socials. Look at all that. What they are offering is nothing. It's all empty. But it draws you in. The socials draw you in. You can spend hours of scrolling through and when you look at a lot of people, the way they are on these socials, you can almost look at that with your eyes and go God, it must be nice, it would be lovely to have all that. But then suddenly you're wanting what is empty and not as fulfilling for your life.
Speaker 2:Let me tell you, ben. You know I used to see a lot of guys post things on Facebook and stuff and how marvellous their lives are, and I'd ring them up and I'd go you're having a good time, brother.
Speaker 1:You're having a good time. Yeah great, You're living the dream.
Speaker 2:Living the dream. Yeah, yeah, cruising they go. Oh, actually mate. I just lost my job and things ain't so great, but I want to show you that I'm having a good time Because we can't for society. It's a complete lie. It comes back to the other text. It comes back to the other text, the other one before this. It comes back to the commandments, which comes back to seek first.
Speaker 1:Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And everything else shall be added unto thee. There is something so powerful about seeking Jesus, so when else shall be added unto thee? There is something so powerful about seeking jesus. So when I seek him and um, I'm hungry for him, he says come to me, all of you that are thirsty. There are people that are thirsty for truth, and they're looking for truth in empty earthen vessels of what this world has been told alive, been told alive, sold alive.
Speaker 2:They've been sold a lie by the companies.
Speaker 1:Come and get the sofa. You'll have it then.
Speaker 2:Come and get the car.
Speaker 1:You'll have it then.
Speaker 2:You don't have to pay for it for six months.
Speaker 1:It's fine.
Speaker 2:By the time you want to pay for it. The sofa's wrecked, the dog's chewed it.
Speaker 1:There's foam all coming out of it. The car's got punctured. Electric car. I'm going to get that electric car.
Speaker 2:There's a company out there. I think it's called DFS, right so DFS? And they guarantee you don't pay for it for 12 months. You can have it now. We live in that microwave. Have it now. Well, dfs stands for, I think it's, direct Financial Services. They're a financial company which wants to get your money through selling you and locking you in to a two, four, five year because that's what happens we get locked in, and then, when I get locked in, I become a slave.
Speaker 1:Oh, you're not allowed to use that word this day and age I, I become a slave to the system I become, I became and I become entrapped and the snare has been like the snare layer is always laying it out and it can catch us financially and that is the biggest entrapment for many believers that we can hear these preachers saying God wants, god wants, god wants, and then you can easily think that materialism is okay because these preachers are preaching it. They've got four aircraft, six aircraft, everything.
Speaker 2:And you'll find. You know, you've got people who are down to maybe their last few pounds, yeah, and they look at something where a preacher will go give me your money and I'll….
Speaker 1:It's on its way. I'm looking for… there's a blessing coming for you. I'm looking for 1,000 people to send me 100 quid, the first lot God's going to bless you what James says, james 4,.
Speaker 2:He says where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure? That war in your members you lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain you fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
Speaker 1:Well, you don't ask with a right you have not because you ask not. So what is the right way of asking, lord, strip me back, help me. Lord, work in my life. Lord, speak into me. Lord, bring me to the cross of calvary, lord. I repent, lord, of what, what I might want as a human being, because I want to know what is your purpose for me. Lord, how many hours can a believer or a human being spend in a covetous position of always wanting? I want, I want, I want. I want the next level of work, I want the next car, I want the next tv, I want the next house, I want the next extension, I want the new patio doors, I want. Wanting is a continuum and we've got to be careful that we don't become into a person that god doesn't want us to be. So where should we go first if you got that hunger?
Speaker 1:because it is a hunger and a desire go first I've got to come to jesus, I have to come to christ, I have to find that that place of prayer first.
Speaker 2:So I had a mate last year, a christian guy, and um he rang me, he said I want your advice. He said I've seen this bike, I want, I want this, this bike you know costing. I don't know these things cost fortunes.
Speaker 1:Shoot me figures.
Speaker 2:And he said I want you to give me advice. What he wanted me to say was it's all right, go and get it.
Speaker 1:That's what he wanted me to say. I've got a word from the Lord. God wants to prosper.
Speaker 2:you Go and get the bike in the name of Jesus, go and get the bike.
Speaker 1:You have something like that. He would put an envelope in your pathway that was the exact amount of money, with a note from heaven, and you would not have to sign yourself up for finance, because finance you whatever way you look at it, finance is is a an entrapment. It's an entrapment because again the word that you're not allowed to use you become a slave to the system.
Speaker 2:Totally. And look what Paul says In 2 Timothy. He says and we talked about the perilous times and end times, didn't we? He said, but know this that in the last days, perilous times will come. And I think we're there, aren't we? We're at that point, for men will be lovers of themselves, oh, lovers of money.
Speaker 1:Did you look in the mirror this morning? Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, lovers of money. Did you look in the mirror this morning? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Lovers, of money boasters, proud blasphemers disobedient to their parents and thankful and holy unloving, unforgiving slanderers without self-control. And this is where we're at self-control, brutal despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of goldenness and design, denying its power. And from such people turn away. He said to me, ben, for such people, turn away, so that… what is the company that you keep? What is the company that you keep?
Speaker 1:Who are you walking?
Speaker 2:with? Who are you looking up to?
Speaker 1:What ministries are you involved in? What are you sowing into you? Looking up to. What ministries are you involved in? What are you sowing into? It's checking your heart it's checking every area of bringing it back to the cross, then come to the cross, come to me, all of you that are weary and heavily laden, and I will give you rest and if you're come to jesus listen to this on on a podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm not watching it live. Then we have a cross.
Speaker 1:That's behind us, man don't we a we A big cross that's behind us.
Speaker 2:So we can't escape this.
Speaker 1:You can't escape the cross. The cross is the centre point, and we're not lifting up symbolism, please. We're not lifting up the fabric of that material, but it's what it reminds us of. And what does it remind us of? It reminds us of salvation, justification, hope, redemption, the blood-washing power of Jesus Christ, hope. It reminds us of God. It reminds us of everything. The cross is something that crosses cultures, that crosses lives, that crosses everything. There is something within the power of the cross of Calvary that is a conversation starter and a conversation stopper the cross. Wherever you are, brother or sister, whatever you are doing at this moment, it has to be the cross.
Speaker 2:It has got to be the cross and I know we're coming up short, so we're going to jump out. But let's finish on this scripture from 1 Timothy 6.10. Now, many people get this wrong, Ben. Many people say money is the root of all evil, doesn't it? But it is the love of money, and it says that in the Scripture.
Speaker 1:It's the love of.
Speaker 2:For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Yeah, the love of I'll say it again the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, all kinds of evil for which some have strayed from the faith. Yeah, and their greediness, and their greediness some of us are in their greediness and that pierce themselves through with many sorrows.
Speaker 1:Wow. So you see what that brings that love of money, Because you're putting that first, aren't you Ben?
Speaker 2:The love of. And he goes on to say but you, o, man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, to which you were also called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Speaker 1:So he's saying put that to one side, put the other stuff first, put everything to one, everything that you have got, everything that you're thinking about, everything you're walking with, everything that you're holding on to and we don't realise what we hold on to. Come to the cross of Calvary, and Jesus is calling again and again. Come to me, all of you that are weary and heavily laden, Because when I come to him, this commandment that we're in drops away. It drops off the page of living, because I've got fulfilment with the Holy Spirit and God.
Speaker 2:We'll probably go on into the next podcast, but if we finish off with this, ben, you know I'll just ask anybody who's listened to this out there and if this has touched your heart today. So, anything you want to go out there, anything you know, it's very easy. The world makes it so easy to click on Amazon, paypal, anything so easy to buy something. Check with the Lord first. What do you want from me? Do your due diligence? Do you want me to have this father? Have I got enough clothes in my closet? Do you really want me to buy another pair of shoes? Do you really want me to go down there? Check with him first. He's the first port of call. Bring it to the cross. See what he says we're there.
Speaker 1:That's that's it. That's that's that. You can't gosh. It's christ, it's jesus, it's the father, the son, the holy spirit. You've been listening to some of myself as we just just chat and just look and just uh, just discuss all this stuff, but you can't get away from the fact that christ is the fulfillment that we need, wherever you are today. Never give up hope. God is always there, god is with you and we will catch you soon. You can find us on buzzsprout, spotify, uh, hashtag. Christian straight talk. The. The literature is out, there's other stuff coming out, and, uh, we just want to make sure that we want to let you know that we are hopefully leading you to the cross of calvary, or guiding you and encouraging you, and uh that that, because that's where I want to be, simon wants to be.
Speaker 2:We want to be at the foot of the cross serving jesus christ we want to tell you today, ben, if you're out there, we're me, and ben want to tell you then that it's, it's going to be okay if you do the right thing if you do the right thing and we'll leave you on this scripture. John 8, 32. You will know the truth and ben the truth will set you free praise god hallelujah, god bless, we catch you soon.
Speaker 1:Take care, every blessing.
