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
Faith in the Small Things - (#1028 - Elim)
Unshakable Faith - Embracing the Power of Small Faith in a World of Uncertainty
Welcome to this empowering episode with Reverend Ben Cooper, where we explore the transformative power of faith in our daily lives, especially in the face of uncertainty and life's challenges. Drawing inspiration from the powerful parable of the mustard seed, shared in Matthew 17:20, we discuss how even the smallest faith can move mountains. In a world filled with political, financial, and personal crises, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged. But the Bible reminds us that faith, no matter how small, has the potential to do the impossible through God’s strength.
In this episode, we delve into Isaiah 53, which beautifully prophesies the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, reminding us of the hope and healing we can experience through Him. By reflecting on Christ's profound love and His sacrificial death, we gain an understanding of how His sacrifice is the foundation for our faith and provides us with unwavering hope. This reflection will resonate deeply with listeners across the globe, whether you're facing a personal trial or longing for spiritual renewal.
Through impactful testimonies of miracles, recovery, and divine intervention, Reverend Ben shares how people from different cultures, backgrounds, and nations have experienced God’s transformative power. Stories of healing, financial breakthroughs, and spiritual restoration offer tangible evidence that God is active in the world today. These testimonies serve as reminders that, no matter the circumstance, God is always present and ready to intervene in powerful ways.
The Power of Small Faith
It’s easy to feel like our faith isn’t enough, especially when life’s challenges seem insurmountable. But in this episode, we remind you that faith the size of a mustard seed, as Jesus taught, has the power to move mountains (Matthew 17:20). The greatness of our faith is not determined by its size, but by the greatness of the God in whom we place it. This truth brings comfort and assurance, particularly for those who feel like their faith is too small or insignificant. Through God’s power, even the smallest act of faith can lead to profound transformations.
Biblical Insight: Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20, NIV). These words remind us that no situation is too big for God when we place our faith in Him. No matter where you are in the world, God is capable of doing extraordinary things with your faith, no matter how small.
Prayer is the most powerful tool we have to strengthen our relationship with God and build our faith. James 5:16 tells us that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” In this episode, Reverend Ben encourages you to pray boldly, trusting that God listens and responds to the cries of His people. Prayer isn’t just about asking for help—it’s about aligning our hearts with God’s will and opening ourselves to His divine guidance.
Growing Your Faith Globally
In today’s fast-paced, globalized world, distractions and hardships can make it challenging to remain focused on God’s promises. Social media, societal pressures, and personal trials can pull us away from the path of faith. However, this episode calls you to look beyond the noise and focus on the powerful and unchanging truth of God's Word. Whether you’re in the bustling cities of Asia, the peaceful countryside of Africa, or the busy streets of North America, God’s Word transcends cultures and
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
Welcome to Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We are a radio and podcast ministry based here within the UK. Your support is vital through prayer and through sowing a seed of faith. We are so thankful to have so many people around the globe downloading and listening to our podcasts, whether you are on Spotify, apple Podcast, google, alexa, amazon Music and so many other platforms. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. We would love to hear from you as you partner with us as we reach the world for Jesus Christ. Please send us an email through our contact form on pastorbencoopercouk. Also, you can find our latest books on Amazon under hashtag one, hashtag two and hashtag three under Christian Straight Talk hard-hitting, real-life conversations taken from our podcasts.
Speaker 1:Your financial gifts play a crucial role in supporting our radio ministry, helping us share the gospel through these podcasts and providing free copies of the Gospel of John and Bibles around the globe. Please pray for this ministry as we stretch out beyond the boundaries, as we walk by faith. If you'd like to support our mission, please consider clicking the support button on Spotify, apple Podcasts or Buzzsprout. You can give a one-time gift or set up a regular contribution of £3, £5, £8, or £10. You can also leave a legacy by clicking in the links within PastorBenCoopercouk. Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry as we spread the message of hope far and wide through this radio ministry. So, whether you are on the daily commute or at home listening to our podcast, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy.
Speaker 2:Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy. Good morning everyone. This is your podcast this morning. I'm sitting here with Glenn. Unfortunately, ben is away on other duties this morning, so you're going to have to put up with us, so I hope that's okay with you. Can we just pray to start our podcast this morning? Father, we ask you to come now, come by your spirit, come, fill us, fill this podcast room with your power and for all those listening this morning and maybe listen later on, that your spirit will be with them and fill them and speak to them. Today, father, we want to bring your word this morning, your word for each one of us. And this morning I've opened my bible at isaiah 53, and this is a message probably quite well known to a lot of people. And this talks about Christ. It's really speaking into the future.
Speaker 2:Isaiah, a prophet, and what was it? 700 to 800 years before Christ was born. And he speaks this in chapter 53. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. Yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. Isn't that an amazing verse from Scripture? And this was foretold all those hundreds of years before of Christ's coming. And Christ lived his life in that short ministry of what? Three years, and then he went to the cross. For each one of us. He was pierced for our sin and of course, we find it difficult to live a sinless life, don't we? And we have a relationship here, sitting around the table because we love Jesus, and the purpose of our podcast is that that message will go out into the world, into our society, into our country here in the UK, that Jesus is the one, he is the saviour of the world. He was pierced for our iniquities and because of that, god made provision for us to come back to him through Jesus, who took all our sin on the cross, and we can have that relationship again, a relationship restored through Jesus. And we can have that relationship again, a relationship restored through Jesus.
Speaker 2:Now, if you don't know Jesus, I would say now is the time, now is the day of salvation, to come before him. And it's quite easy. I found it quite easy at the time. He called me and he is calling you to come before him and to say Jesus, I want to be in relationship with you, I want you as my saviour, I want you to walk with me and if that's, you say that prayer, come into my life. Lord Jesus, come and fill me with your spirit, direct me and guide me from this day forth. It's simple as that. And if that's you, today, you can say Amen. Amen and Amen means so be it, so be it.
Speaker 3:Or I agree.
Speaker 2:Or I agree. Yes, as Glenn says, I agree to come in.
Speaker 4:so that's a short start for our podcast this morning and, uh, I'm sure glenn has got something to fill in there yeah, um, actually I'm looking at jesus's parables and one of them is he often starts by saying what is the kingdom of god like? I'm looking at luke 13, verse 18, and this is from the nlt. I am enjoying this translation. Then jesus said what is the kingdom of god like? How can I illustrate it? It's like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden. It grows and becomes tree and the birds make nests in its branches. He also asked what is the kingdom of God like? It's like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough. Yeah, I've got a bit of a testimony. It's quite a good one actually. Well, good aren't they? Yeah, we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimony.
Speaker 4:Uh, in my church we're currently going through our fourth back-to-back alpha, and every alpha we've seen people saved, baptized and added to the kingdom, which has been absolutely. What a privilege to see God at work, god's at work in the world. Don't listen to this Western propaganda that says Christianity has had its day. The church is growing globally like never known before. In India, in a lot of the Arabic nations. In China, in the East, the church is vibrant, vibrant, alive, being mightily persecuted. And in the west, god is refining his church, his winnowing fork is in his hands and he's separating the wheat from the chaff.
Speaker 4:Anyway, back to alpha. So we're in our fourth back-to-back alpha course and there's a lovely couple that have joined us. They're in their 70s and literally halfway through the Alpha course, the husband I don't want to say names because you know people might know them or probably not, but anyway, halfway through the Alpha course, the husband, he turned around and said he said I thought I was a Christian. He said I was born in England. He said I've been to church on occasion. He said I kind of believe. He said but there's more to it, isn't there? There's a lot more to it. He said I was christened as a kid, but there's a lot more to it.
Speaker 4:Then, literally halfway through the Alpha course, I arrived back from a preaching venue in Italy. I'd been in Italy for a week, got back and that night I got a phone call from the couple and they said can you pray for our grandson? He's just been rushed into hospital, he'd just been born. It was a traumatic birth. It was a home birth in a birthing pool that went terribly wrong. He was five minutes dead. The paramedics arrived, they managed to resuscitate him, but he'd been without oxygen for five minutes. They then took him to the major local hospital. Who said and he crashed again there. So, similar to my grandson's story, it was uncanny. They got him to the local hospital. They resuscitated him again because he crashed again, but they said we can't deal with this, he needs to go to another. There's a hospital in Medway that he was rushed to that deals with these complications.
Speaker 4:They put the baby in an induced coma and I got the phone call. So I prayed for them both and said been here. So, similar to my first grandson's story, I said let's pray for a miracle, let's just pray for God's peace to come. They said at that point, just over the phone I was praying over the phone they said the peace of God descended on them, that peace that transcends all understanding. They went to the hospital. They met their son, who was in a bit of a state, as you could imagine, and they said you know what? It's all going to be okay. Their son said how can you say that naturally? So you know we're naturally. Things did not look good at all. Five minutes without oxygen, at least five minutes, resuscitated twice. Things weren't good.
Speaker 4:They put the baby in an induced coma and the couple came home knowing the peace of God, spoke to them a couple of days later, said how's things going? They said they're bringing the baby out of the coma tomorrow. They said I said okay. Said okay, well, let's pray that things will be good when he comes out. Phoned them up. I said how's it going? They actually came to alpha first and then the hospital you know, because they're meeting with god and they said this piece it's. What is it? Well, his name is jesus.
Speaker 4:Then, when the baby came out of the coma, they said this is good, let's send him back to the local hospital to have a scan to see how things are going. I then prayed with them let's pray that they'll send the baby home. They took him to the hospital that dealt with the original trauma. One of the nurses who was on scene that night was there and she burst into tears. She said this cannot be. The same baby Cannot be. They're used to dealing with trauma, they're used to dealing with the natural. They then gave the baby a scan and there is no damage at all, nothing, absolute miracle.
Speaker 4:All the staff said this is a miracle. This is a miracle and the baby's gone home. The couple came to my church um the sunday following and testified to the church. Our prayers have been answered. The kingdom of god. What shall I illustrate it like? How should I put it? It's like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden and it grows and becomes a tree actually if I turn over to hebrews, hebrews 6.
Speaker 4:I'm looking at the right verse here, no, no, no, I'm not sorry. Hebrews 6 yeah, hebrews 6 is a good verse, but I was thinking of the other verse where um jesus talks about faith. If you have faith, even the size of a mustard tree, and I was thinking why. Oh, here it is sorry, it's luke 17, verse 5.
Speaker 4:The apostle said to the lord, show us how to increase our faith. The lord answered if you had faith, even as small as a mustard seed, isn't that interesting? The kingdom of god is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds in the garden that grows to a tree. Jesus answered if you had faith, even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, may you be uprooted and thrown in the sea, and it would obey you. We're always thinking of when I get big faith, when this mighty anointing of faith falls on me. No, what we do have, and it may seem small, is the kingdom of God within us. And Jesus says in John 10, my sheep know my voice. And if you hear his voice, declare it. Ezekiel, in his vision with God, god takes him to a valley full of dry bones. Is it Ezekiel 74?
Speaker 2:37. Is it?
Speaker 4:It's in Ezekiel, have a look. God takes him to this valley and he says, look, and what Ezekiel sees is a valley full of dry bones, not just skeletons, dry bones scattered everywhere, absolutely dry. And God, yeah, it's 37. Well, I knew there was a seven in it. Dyslexia and God, yeah, it's 37. Well, I knew there was a seven in it. Dyslexia. And God says can these bones?
Speaker 4:live again In the natural? What a silly question. They're dead, actually dead, rotten, gone, no sign of life. Ezekiel answers wisely and says only you know, o Lord, only you know. You see, the kingdom of God is supernatural. It's not restricted to the natural order of things. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. It's his voice that spoke all creation into being. It's his voice over our lives that have caused our hearts to be born again. The kingdom of God is within you. What God says to ezekiel is therefore, son of man, prophesy over the bones. Speak. Speak what god says to you over your situation. Speak what god says. My sheep know my voice. What's god said? I could have said on the phone to them that night. That's so sad. I pray that god will just comfort you in your loss. No, come on the kingdom of god.
Speaker 4:I'd been in that situation before with my own grandson. Literally it was uncannily similar. The details were near enough like they'd read the script and were acting it out again. My grandson, george, who's now 14, exactly the same. He was rushed to St Thomas' Hospital and put in an induced coma because he was dead at birth, and then crashed again in the ambulance. But we prayed, and boy did we pray, and we prayed and we prayed. George is so good today. He was bapt, baptized last year.
Speaker 4:Well, it's good, isn't it? The kingdom of god? But my faith is only the size of a mustard seed. If you knew my faith, it's so tiny. I'm one of the most skeptical people you could ever see. I struggle to believe. Does that sound familiar? Well, didn't Jesus say if you have faith, even as small as a mustard seed, the kingdom of God is within you. The kingdom of God is within you. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and rose again from the dead? Well, you believe something mightily supernatural. Do you believe he's your saviour, your lord? Well, the kingdom of God is growing in you. And what's the kingdom of God like? Yeast, yeast. And you know that. Yeast, once it's been used in bread, once you've had a measure of it, you can use it again and again and again. It transforms something that's flat and dull into something that's alive and growing. The kingdom of God is transforming you, but I don't see it. I'll tell you what it is.
Speaker 4:A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of catching up with an old friend who hadn't seen me for 40 years. He didn't know me as a Christian. He came away to Switzerland with me and he was struggling. He went you're you, but you're not you. Then he said to me you're not politically correct? I said no, I'm not. I said am I offensive? He said no. He said what are you? I said I'm a Christian. My values are not the values of the world. My values are the kingdom of God.
Speaker 4:We're on a journey of God, transforming us from one degree of glory to another. Let the kingdom of God permeate in you and through you. It is like yeast when we think we've made it, we've only just began the journey. God is stripping us back and, as painful as it sees, he's there in the stripping away and in every battle he's in the fire with us always. So rejoice in the battles. You're going to see a victory. Rejoice in the hardship. It's what James tells us to do, because God is at work in us, bringing his kingdom out.
Speaker 4:And when you look at your situations, you've got a choice. You either see giants in the land or you become a giant. How do you become a giant? Well, you've only got to have faith. The size of a mustard seed, hardly visible to the eye, but it grows in you.
Speaker 4:So, lord, I do pray and I thank you that you say those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. So we've stopped trusting in our own resources, because they are finite, lord. No longer do we trust in our own flesh, because we know where that got us. Cut off from you, lord. We're not trusting in political systems, in world rulers as they see themselves, but we are trusting in you and your kingdom. And Jesus you said where's the kingdom of God? It's within you. And Jesus you said where's the kingdom of God? It's within you.
Speaker 4:So we pray that that seed of the kingdom in our lives will grow and eclipse every situation that is crying for our attention. So, lord, we pray as you told us to pray. Your kingdom come, your will be done over every situation, over our lives, over the things we carry, over the things we face, for you're with us in them and through them. Your kingdom come, your will be done here on earth, here, lord, in our situations, in our lives, through our lives. Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Speaker 4:Lord, I want to thank you that we are adopted as your children. Our citizenship is in heaven. We're seated with you in the heavenly realms, lord, I pray that we'll see, that we'll know, that we'll be at peace. So I do speak peace over the turmoils and the storms in people's lives. And, lord, if, if it's your will for us to go through those storms, then I'll pray. We'll be like peter, carried in your arms, pulled out from drowning, lifted up in your arms and carried back to that place of safety. Lord, through it all, we want to know you more. You said this is eternal life, that we may know you. So, in the name of Jesus, I release that knowing of our Heavenly Father. Come Holy Spirit. It's through you we cry Abba, father In Jesus' name release that have identities in you and in Jesus' name.
Speaker 4:I release in all of us listening today the treasures of the kingdom of God within us, the fruit of the kingdom of God within us, the fruit of the spirit and the gifts following. I release dreams, visions, prophecies, healings. Your kingdom come, lord, your kingdom come. I release evangelists, pastors, prophets, for we've all by grace been called to be building the kingdom together here on earth. Through your holy anointing, anoint your people, release us, release, lord, equip and anoint for your kingdom's sake here on the earth, amen, amen, amen. Your kingdom's sake here on the earth, amen.
Speaker 2:Amen. I'm always amazed how God uses me. I'm always amazed that God uses you.
Speaker 4:You're always amazed that he uses me Get away with this.
Speaker 2:Glenn and I have known each other for quite a few years and we were in Romania together. We'd been on leadership team of the same church and so we got to know each other quite well. And you know, I'm always surprised that God uses me in the way he does. You know, little old me, I thought you know, I'm not really up for this sort of stuff. It's. It's really surprising, and I'm sort of talking at church on sunday and on the miracles of jesus, um, one of the miracles. But um, and I thought, have I seen a miracle? Have I ever seen a miracle and a healing? Maybe, and I have.
Speaker 2:When I was in, we went to Romania quite a lot, probably. I don't know how many times I've been to Romania. We also went over the border into Bulgaria as well, and I don't know. I think I might have been 20 times or something like that. And we went to Bulgaria across and our leader said to me I do the preach and, Andy, you do the gospel message. I've never spoken to a church before. And he said to me you do the gospel message. And I thought, oh dear.
Speaker 2:I thought to myself and we sat down and prayed and that's the only thing you can do, isn't it really to actually pray? And I was astonished how God put words into my mouth and then, when I gave an invitation for anyone to come and make a commitment to follow Jesus, he pointed out these people sitting in front of me and when I asked them to stand, these same people stood up and made commitments to follow jesus, and I would. My mind was blown. You know, this is what jesus does and I'm. I can also remember about a healing story that I heard which has always stuck with me. Someone gave this testimony of someone being raised from the dead. I've never seen anyone raised from the dead, but I'm still astonished at the testimonies that you gave about your grandchildren.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's always amazing. There was this story of I think it took place in somewhere like South America, I can't remember all the details, but there was this person that died and the whole village prayed for him and what happened was that he came back to life. He was raised from the dead. And they asked this man well, did you feel anything? Did you go to heaven or anything? And he said no.
Speaker 2:He said I was in this underground tunnel and this river it was full of fire and I was taken down, led down by these two evil-looking people and they must have been devils and they put me into this boat and I was pushed out into the fire of of the river. And then someone said this chief devil came along and said what are you doing here, here, go back up. And I had to go back up these steps and and then then I woke up and here I am and these people have been praying for him to come back to life and he had that experience of going down into well and that I'm sure that man reconsidered his position with Christ and became a follower. But that was a story that I heard at a conference.
Speaker 4:Did you not meet Ian McCormack?
Speaker 3:I don't know.
Speaker 4:The man who was stung by the box jellyfish.
Speaker 2:Oh no, I've never met him. Oh, I've met him a couple of times, have you?
Speaker 4:Yeah, similar story to what Andy just told Ian McCormack. Actually, if you Google him, ian McCormack, I think if you just put jellyfish man, you'll find it.
Speaker 4:He was a man who was stung by a box jellyfish, fatal quite a few times on a night dive. Quite a traumatic story. But, cutting it short, he ends up in hell, yeah. Or he ends up in this place. That was very, very dark, yeah. While he's there, he's shouting out where am I, when am I? And a voice just tells him to shut up. And he said where am I? Even more. And he said it was absolutely pitch blackness and such a horrible feeling but literally he had.
Speaker 4:As he was dying, he called on the name of the lord. For his mum said to him no matter where you are, no matter in what terrible circumstances you are in, however far you drift from Jesus, because his mum was a Christian. She said when you call on Jesus, he'll be there, For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Funny thing is I'm looking at that in Acts 2, verse 21. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, and I've got to test me about that in a minute as well. So Ian, as he was dying, called on the name of the Lord, just like the man on the cross last minute. But he wakes up in hell and he's going. Where am I?
Speaker 1:And this voice is saying shut up.
Speaker 4:Then he calls out again where am I? Eventually another voice shouts out you're in hell and you deserve to be here. And he's got no argument, no argument at all. And he said then he feels this terrible, menacing presence coming closer, can't see anything, but he just feels it. Then he looks up and he sees jesus standing there and suddenly he's transported from hell to the presence of jesus and he said he tries to go close to jesus but he's just hit with shame and sorrow. And said he tries to go close to jesus but he's just hit with shame and sorrow. And but then, as he's hit with that he's also hit with this love that wipes all that away.
Speaker 4:And he said it. It was like the worst, best entrance you could ever have. And he said he's just drawn closer and closer. And he said, as much as he tried to look at jesus's, he couldn't because of the bright light. And he said it looked like all creation was coming from him. Then, eventually, he's given a choice Enter into paradise or go back to the earth. And he had a vision of his mum praying for him and he said to Jesus well, if I don't go back, she'll never know. So he made the decision to go back. Then it's quite hilarious. From then on, he said, he suddenly can feel himself and he's like touching his arms and stuff, thinking, but it's still dark. But then he sees like a ray of light and he thinks what's that? And he puts his hand on it and it's a zip. Oh no.
Speaker 4:So he undoes this zip and puts his head out of this bag and there's a nurse in the room that nearly faints. He's in a body bag. He's been dead for over an hour. And he said suddenly he feels this warmth coming out of him and basically they've left all the needles in him and he's bleeding and the nurse is looking at him. He's looking at the nurse, they're just looking at each other. He said for a good five minutes and then he said by the way, I'm still bleeding, so she kind of calls the doctor in. He said then the doctor's looking at him, he's looking at the doctor, they're all looking at each other. And he was like, look, I'm bleeding, so they deal with him.
Speaker 4:So he was dead and he spent the rest of his life testifying about God. But this everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Actually, if you read my book on Amazon, that was the verse that came to me nearly 40 years ago when I cried out to God Total change. It's opened a massive door into some high security prisons actually.
Speaker 4:Anyway this fellow on Alpha, the one whose grandson was miraculously healed. Yeah, we was. The week after that we were on the Alpha course. Still, they're coming tonight actually.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And it was Nicky Gumbel talking on this verse. And what happens with Nicky? He's the fellow who wrote the Alpha course, holy Trinity Brompton. He said it was shortly after his dad died and he wasn't sure whether his dad had a faith in Jesus or not. So of course that's very, very concerning.
Speaker 4:And he was reading the Bible and he literally came to this verse in Acts everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. And he just really believed God was saying to him your father called on me, he's with me. But then he thought to himself of course I'm thinking that you know wishful thinking. And then his wife Pippa came in from the other room and said I'm reading Romans, and it's again in Romans, it's also in John. And she said I've just read Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. He said, and I believe God said your dad's with him. He said that's lovely Pepper. He kind of dismissed it, thinking well, she's my wife. Of course she makes me want to feel better about it. Then they went to an evening meeting a home group, and the theme that night was on the verse in Romans that says everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Speaker 1:And called on the name of the.
Speaker 4:Lord will be saved. And he thought that's a nice coincidence and just dismissed it. He went. You know, I get it. Then the next day he's travelling on the London Underground with his mate. They get off at a station and on the billboard in front of him is everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. And his mate said Nicky, do you think God's talking to you Now, at this Alpha that week, the man whose grandson was miraculously healed said I don't believe it. We said what he said. I've read Matthew, mark, luke and John and the book of Acts. He said I'm there in Romans, luke and John and the book of Acts. He said I'm there in Romans. It's not Christian yet, Come on. He said that is the verse I was reading this morning. And Nicky said do you think God might be talking to you? Do you think God's talking to you?
Speaker 1:Talking to me.
Speaker 4:Is he talking to you? Talking to me? Is he talking to you? Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. It's not about your good deeds. It's not about how well you perform at this Christian thing. It's not about how good you are at religious practice. It's about how good you are at your faith. If you called on him, and he started with Isaiah 53. That exchange, the punishment that brought us peace was laid upon him. We have a saviour. His name is Jesus and actually this is Peter preaching to the crowds. It takes his first sermon. Yeah, In the last days, God says. He's quoting Joel here. In the last days, God says in what days? Last days? How long are they? Until Jesus comes back? That's the last days. I will pour out my spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams. In those days, what days?
Speaker 3:Until Jesus comes back.
Speaker 4:The word is teleos. We see in 1 Corinthians 13 when perfection comes, when Jesus comes back, a teleos, when we see face, when Jesus comes back at Telios, when we see face to face, these things won't be needed because we'll be with him. You won't need faith, because we'll be with him. You won't need hope. Who hopes for what they've already got? We'll be with him. But in those days, the days leading up the last days, in those days I will pour out my spirit even on my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy and I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark's all about until God Jesus comes back. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Speaker 4:Father, I want to thank you for that promise. I want to thank you that that promise was for me it took me a long time to believe it that you could save someone like me, that you could save anyone, wherever they are, regardless of their past, regardless of today and, dare we say, lord, regardless of tomorrow. For you say everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Because you have paid. As Andy has already quoted from Isaiah 53, you were pierced for our transgressions, you were crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that borders peace was placed upon you. Thank you, lord, that you have delivered us from a religion of penitence. We could beat ourselves up, we could whip ourselves till we bleed Makes no difference. We cannot add or take away from anything you've done, and you've done all. Thank you, jesus.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen. Yeah, I've always astonished how God interacts with us. Amen. Gospel open chapter7, and I think it ties in with what we've been saying this morning. Verse 7 says ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened. And that kind of ties in, doesn't it, with Revelation 3.20,. Is it when God you know?
Speaker 1:behold, I stand at the door and knock If anyone hears my voice, I will come in.
Speaker 4:Who hears his voice?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Anyone.
Speaker 3:Anyone.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Whosoever, ever whosoever, and uh, but there is a condition on that verse, and because you have to open the door, and uh, holman hunt, um, it's got a famous picture of that which hung in St Paul's Cathedral and one other church. I think he did, I think he did three pictures of the same thing, but I can remember when I was leading a Sunday school class we went up to St Paul's Cathedral and we all stood around this picture of Holman Hunt and the door and the. The question was, where is the door handle? And there's no door handle on the picture Because he got it from Ikea.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not only that. And we asked the kids you know, why is that? And Thumb Bright Spark said well, it's got to be open from the inside. So it's, you've got to open the door. Jesus knocks gently, or sometimes he has to bang very hard on the door, and it's up to you to ask him in. It's up to you to come in to let him come into your life. And that's come into your life. And that's why Holman Hunt painted that picture and he gave that explanation when someone said you've forgotten to put the doorknob on the door, and he said no, that's deliberate, because you have to ask and open the door for him to come into your life. And it's.
Speaker 2:You know, hebrews talks about the certainty of God's promise. It's so powerful that it is there. And there are so many things that come to life in Scripture, isn't it? When you look at what happened, how did Isaiah? He was a prophet, I mean 700 plus years before he predicted Christ coming and Christ dying on the cross. That's astonishing. I'm not sure we get those sort of prophets these days, but it's. It is amazing when you do get a prophetic word. Yeah, but he wrote the whole book and the detail and the detail.
Speaker 2:You know, there's a verse in Hebrews 7, which is dear to me. It says it is impossible for God to lie. We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest in the order of MacArthur. Those words, firm and secure, in the King James Version, it's sure and steadfast, sure and steadfast. It's immovable. That is the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, and that's the hope I have. When I came to him, he gave me that simple question. Andy Christ said to me Andy, are you for me or against me? What's it going to be? Well, I had to say yep, I'm for you and it's a very sensible thing.
Speaker 4:So you know I asked the question today you know, are you for Jesus, but it's a very sensible thing.
Speaker 2:So you know I asked the question today. You know, are you for Jesus or against him? It's as simple as that.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The gospel is simple as that. You are the for him, against him, and there is only one way. You know, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me, and that's what makes our relationship with Jesus so distinctive and it's special. It's like no other, it's like no other. It's like no other. It's like no other. And if you don't know Jesus, I just urge you to offer up a prayer to him, ask him to come. Come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus, come into my life, show me, show me.
Speaker 2:And I started off by talking about miracles and I can remember being in Bulgaria. We were asked to go into this church. It was packed. It was packed. Word went out from the pastor saying the English are coming, and we had a team that went out to Bulgaria. They all gathered stones to meet you. Yeah, and I didn't know what was really going on, really, because it was a bit chaotic and we all sat in the front row on these chairs and underfoot it was kind of three or four inches of sand. It wasn't a firm floor, it was just filled with sand on the floor. So we all walked in, sat down and, uh I I was asked to say my bit, which, um, really scared me at the time because I'd never done anything like this before and I then had a picture of someone who needed prayer and they came forward and they couldn't speak they were dumb and we prayed for them and this lady started to speak, which she'd never done since her childhood, and it's quite a scripture.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It was. You know, we couldn't get over that. There was this miracle happening in front of our very eyes. There it was God gave this lady speech, who couldn't speak before, and that is it. There was the evidence in front of us that God moves in such powerful ways. When you trust him, you mean he's the same yesterday, today and forever. I think that's right. He is the same. I think that's wrong. He is the same.
Speaker 2:And you know, we can carry on talking about this book, and the only way that we actually get to know him is by speaking to him on a regular basis, which, you know, as Christians, we might call that prayer, talking to jesus. But another powerful way that god and jesus speaks to you is by reading his word. This has been passed down by the generations and, uh, it's, it's a way. Quite often, god speaks to us and we're encouraged, aren't we? To read it every day. Read it every day, and I try and read a bit every day, and I have a reading plan that takes me right through the Bible in a year, so that you know you can say that you've read the word of God and God speaks to you when you sit down. Just don't read it like a book, read it and ask God to speak to you through it. And he does, without fail. And it's astonishing, and I've just turned over the page of mine. I've got underlined here which I hadn't realised, for the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, wow. Well, there it is. Have I said enough, father? I just want to thank you that we can come to you, thank you that we can read your word, thank you for the Bible. How amazing book this is. It is your word, your word to us today.
Speaker 2:Father, we ask you now to encourage folk. Encourage people just to open the book If they don't understand the translation, father, just encourage to find a modern translation. It's as Glenn is reading today. He's reading a modern translation which is so encouraging that we can understand your word. Help us to understand your word. And when we read it, we ask you, father, god, to speak to us. Drop those thoughts into our mind. Drop those thoughts so that we are encouraged. Even further than that, father, help us to be messengers for you. Help us to be witnesses so that we can encourage other folk.
Speaker 2:It's important, father, as I understand the way things are in our country, around the world, all things happening. You know, we have news every day about Russia and Ukraine and we want, father, your flag to be raised higher than all these disputes that are going on. We want you to intervene in this, father, we commit these issues to you. We sit here and just don't understand how things are going to be resolved, but you know, you know the beginning to the end and, father, we want revival to come in our land.
Speaker 2:Um, I just pray revival, that people will come to know you, that people will be touched by your spirit and maybe not even knowing why, they want to come before you and to confess that they haven't followed you in the past but want to now, to make that commitment. So we pray that, father. We thank you for jesus. Thank you, holy spirit, that you come and revive us and encourage us and fill us with your power. Give us eyes to see, give us those prophetic eyes to see what you're doing. Thank you for those who do minister the gospel to us. We pray, father, for more power, more power. Come Holy Spirit, amen.
Speaker 4:Amen. Yeah, andy, were you in Valencia that time when First Night was preaching? The fellow from next door threw a punch at me. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:There's a way to start a service.
Speaker 4:Another mission. Yeah, that was another mission, yeah. So yeah, I remember it was the first time I had an interpreter. So I'm preaching with this interpreter. So I was kind of falling out of the flow, yeah. And I must admit I got rather distracted when I had to avoid his fist landing in my face. I kind of got out of the way and he missed me. Fortunately, I don't think he was too happy. Anyway, I kind of dried up.
Speaker 4:After that I ran out of words and Andy just said before he prayed there. He kind of he said I think I've said enough. And so there I was thinking where was I and I wanted to go and preach again. And then I just had a time of stillness that to me felt like about an hour, but I think it was seconds, and I just heard jesus say have an altar call. There's two people ready to give their lives to christ. Wow, yeah, so I did. And do you remember? The first one was that eight-year-old girl said to her mum I want to give my life to Jesus. And her mum took her to the front and I knew there was someone else. Turned out it was that Romanian gangster who was on the run from Interpol. It was, yeah, god distracted.
Speaker 4:And sometimes, you know, we do run out of words, or sometimes we're commanded not to speak. And in Acts 4, when Peter and John are called up before the sadducees and pharisees over a healing, and they said we warn you not to speak to anyone in jesus's name again. But peter and john replied do you think god wants us to obey you rather than him? John replied do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard. And then they were released and when they got back they all prayed so this is post-Pentecost, okay. So if you're thinking, oh, I've been filled with the Spirit before, well after. So this is Acts 4, verse 31. After this prayer, the meeting place shook and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Hang on, there was already filled with the Holy Spirit, yeah.
Speaker 4:And again, and when you read through the book of Acts and again, and when you read through the Bible, and again it's not a one-off Be being filled with the Holy Spirit. That's a better translation. When we start relying on our flesh, we can run out of words and then it leaves room for the Holy Spirit to speak. Then they preach the word of God with boldness. We're coming to a time of communion. If you don't know Jesus yet, you can join him with us because you can know jesus. Like that, everyone who calls in the name of lord will be saved. You can call on jesus to save you from yourself and everything that you've done and everything that you're reaping for the devastationation. You can just say Jesus, save me. You know what he will. And, as an act of faith, if I do the bread and you do the wine, yeah.
Speaker 4:Back to where we started, isaiah 53. And this is our faith that we've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Every single one of us, all, like sheep, have gone our own way. But God so loves the world, he's not talking about rivers and earth and trees, he's talking about you and me. God so loves you and me that he sent his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. He didn't come to judge the world, but to save the world through him. So if you want to know Jesus Christ as your saviour and you've asked him into your life, as a response, get some bread. Break it as his body broken for you. Put your trust in him. Take that bread as a faith celebration that he has saved you by paying for your sin through his broken body on the cross.
Speaker 3:Amen, let's take the bread together, amen, amen. Cheers left to give, just for the shape that we were in and just when all hope seemed lost love opened the door for us.
Speaker 2:I still got a verse of a verse from Hebrews 4 open in my Bible and it says Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, and I thought that was extremely relevant and there is a footnote to it in my Bible and it says as long as it is called today, this is still the day of divine grace and opportunity to trust god, but it will not last indefinitely. You are my son. Today I've become your father and that's so amazing that we can trust when you hear his voice. If you're hearing his voice today, don't delay, don't harden your hearts, come before him and just. We just thank you, jesus, that you went to the cross and died for all those wrong things that we have done. We will do that you come to bring our salvation. We thank you that we can trust you, that you have gone to prepare a place for us and we remember that by this blood that you shed Amen for us. And we remember that by this blood that you shared amen you are my son.
Speaker 4:Today I have become your father. True for many. And he did mention earlier as well, and says in hebrews 6, verse 13, for example there was god's promise to abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, god took an oath in his own name, saying I will certainly bless you and I will multiply your descendants beyond number. Then abraham waited patiently and he received what was promised.
Speaker 4:Now, when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it, but without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath so that those who receive the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable, for it is impossible for God to lie. Father, I want to thank you that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. For those who've put their trust in you, lord, you would not deceive them. You would not lie to them, for it is impossible for you to lie. We would not deceive them. You would not lie to them for it is impossible for you to lie.
Speaker 4:We pray, faith would grow like that mustard seed, and from today on, lord, we'd see your church grow in ways we couldn't even imagine. Amen.
Speaker 2:Oh yes, I've got a Bible somewhere. Amen, amen, wow, oh yes, I've got a Bible somewhere. If you want a scripture, if you want a New Testament as I say every week that I have access to scriptures and if you want one, just communicate with us and we'll get you a New Testament. Psalms and Proverbs Get you on the road to reading.
Speaker 4:Yes, Would you like to close us with a prayer?
Speaker 3:Certainly Today's prayer. Let us pray I come before you today, trusting you in your boundless love and mercy. You are a great healer, the one who restore and renew us. I lift you up every pain, every burden and every sickness, knowing that you are able to bring healing in your perfect ways and time. Lord, straighten my faith and all around us and help us control our thoughts and our mind. Keep us going and always look on the bright side, in Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen, amen.
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