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
Unforgettable Journeys of Faith - (#1025)
Strengthening Your Faith: The Spiritual Journey Through Life's Deserts
Hosted by Reverend Ben Cooper
Feeling spiritually adrift or questioning your purpose? Join Reverend Ben Cooper as he takes you on a transformative journey through Deuteronomy 8, a powerful chapter that encourages us to remember God during struggles and seasons of temptation and hardship. In this episode, you’ll learn how God’s guidance through life’s challenges can help you navigate your personal spiritual desert with hope and trust in His provision.
Spiritual Nourishment in Life's Wilderness
In Deuteronomy 8, God reminds His people of His faithfulness during their journey in the wilderness. Just as God provided for the Israelites in the desert, He promises to guide and sustain us through our own spiritual deserts. Reverend Ben emphasizes that true spiritual nourishment doesn’t come from material wealth but from the eternal sustenance of God’s word. His message encourages listeners worldwide to reflect on this truth: God’s word is the true source of life, peace, and joy, no matter where you are in the world.
Biblical Insight for Life’s Struggles
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness... He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna…” (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, NIV). This scripture reminds us that God uses struggles to deepen our trust and dependence on Him, teaching us that spiritual growth often comes from the most difficult circumstances. Overcoming life’s trials with faith allows us to align ourselves with God’s plan, which is greater than our challenges.
Turning Trials into Opportunities for Spiritual Growth
Life’s deserts are not just physical spaces; they are spiritual tests that refine our faith. Christians around the world face different struggles—whether it’s poverty, illness, emotional pain, or loss—but the call to trust God in all circumstances remains universal. In this episode, Reverend Ben shares personal stories about how faith in God’s promises can transform our trials into opportunities for spiritual renewal. Turning struggles into spiritual growth is essential for a deeper connection with God.
Biblical Insight on Overcoming Trials
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3, NIV). This passage affirms that faith refined through challenges leads to a deeper, more resilient relationship with God. It reminds us that spiritual growth during struggles produces perseverance and a stronger connection to Christ.
Aligning Our Lives with God’s Word
As we journey through life’s challenges, aligning our lives with God’s word becomes the key to peace and spiritual growth. Reverend Ben encourages listeners to reflect on their daily practices and invest in their relationship with God through the Bible. Whether you're in Asia, Africa, North America, or beyond, God’s word transcends time and culture, offering spiritual nourishment to believers worldwide. Biblical insight remains timeless, no matter where we live.
Biblical Perspective: Nourishment for the Soul
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4, NIV). This powerful reminder from Jesus underscores the universal truth that God’s word is essential for spiritual survival in a world filled with
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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.
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Speaker 2:Wherever you are across this world, we welcome each and every one of you as we just share the gospel of jesus christ. Whatever your day has been like, thank you for joining us this evening as we just break bread and we take it a cut. Wherever you are, we thank god for your lives. We, uh are really blessed, so blessed it's uh beyond human understanding. You know the amount of downloads that we're getting People across the other side of the globe listening and watching to everything that goes on from this studio and also from the main church. But we welcome you wherever you are. Thank you so much in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, whether you're capturing this through RB Radio, whether you're capturing it through a podcast, whether you're capturing it through live stream with us at this moment in time, wherever you are, we just want to say thank you. You know I mentioned it so much because the online church is so critical the brothers and sisters on the other side of the world that listen and just watch every service that goes on. We do really, really appreciate you. So let's just jump straight in. We're going into the book of Deuteronomy, chapter eight. Deuteronomy, chapter eight. This evening You'll have to forgive my voice. You know I've been speaking all day long. So we're in Deuteronomy, chapter 8, verses 1, through to around about. I think we're going to go around to about 4 or 5. Just depends where we are. But God bless you, wherever you are. Never give up in prayer. The Lord, god, is with you. All things are possible to those who believe. As we just gather and rest and be still, he's the king of kings and the lord of lords.
Speaker 2:The title of this evening's uh study podcast, as we break bread together, gathering around the table, is do not forget the lord. Oh my goodness gracious me. Do not forget the lord. Oh my goodness, lord. How can we ever forget you? But do we forget God? Is there times in our lives when we forget him? Is there times in our lives when we may be so distracted by the world and things that's going on? Do we forget him at work? Do we forget him in church? Do we forget him in religion? Do we forget him in education? Do we ever forget the Lord?
Speaker 2:But verse 1, let's's read you'll have to excuse me from verse 1. It says be careful to follow every command I give you today so that you may live and in increase and may enter into the promised land that the Lord gave on oath to the forefathers. And then it says remember verse 2 of Deuteronomy, chapter 8. Remember how the Lord, your God, led you all the way in the desert. Oh yes, thank you, jesus. The Lord led me in the desert for these 40 years to humble you, to test you, in order to know that where your heart was, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither knew your forefathers or had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. Then it goes on your clothes did not wear out, your feet did not swell during the 40 years. Know, then, in your heart that a man, uh, disciplines his son, so the lord, your god, disciplines you. Goodness gracious, that's a fair old text. You know that's a real deep text tonight and if you're just joining us across the world, we're in deuteronomy, chapter 8. Please forgive my voice.
Speaker 2:Deuteronomy, chapter 8, verse 1, through to around about 5, and I love this text because, as I read this and just read this out to you and look at this for myself at this moment in time, you know there is no preparations and there is no prep that we do. We come in here, we pray, we seek God and we just say, lord, give us a scripture. So we are looking at this, going in blind. I won't say blind, as in the word of the world, we're going in by faith. So when we look at these scriptures here, the Lord is speaking directly to each and every one of us.
Speaker 2:But I want to take our attention to verse three. When you look at verse three in Deuteronomy, chapter eight, it says he humbled you. Really, think about this text. This is a rhetorical question. I'm speaking to myself at this moment in time. When you look at this text, it says that he humbled you, causing you to hunger. That's a really interesting uh understanding on that. He says he humbled you to cause you to hunger, then feed you with manna. So god took them into the desert all these years. When you look at this 40 years in the desert it's really, really interesting these scriptures. You know, 40 is a really powerful biblical number and we're not doing numerology, we're not lifting up numbers, we're not doing anything to do with the numbers on that side of things, but the numbers are really critical. We know 40. We know 7. And we understand how 12 is really critical to 12 disciples. But I just want to keep our attention, if we can, on verse 3. He humbled you, causing you to hunger. That's really interesting. How does that sit with you at this moment in time? How does that sit in your spirit when you think about? God led you in the desert?
Speaker 2:So when you look at life, when you look at our lives and you look at all the things that are going on around us, we automatically well, I won't say we, but I will say many of us may come to the point in our time where we are humbled. It's so easy to put all this weight. Oh, why is this going on, god? Why am I struggling? What's going on here? Is it the fact that God is getting our attention? Now we understand God is a loving God and the Bible says that he is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. So when you look at these scriptures, I really believe God keeps this word, as he did all these thousands of years ago right up to this moment in time.
Speaker 2:If you are struggling, there is a reason why we are struggling, it is not because God has left us. It could well be that God is shaping us on the potter's wheel. If we are struggling and we're saying, what's going on here? I've got no money, I'm struggling, I'm in doubt, I'm tired, I'm weary, I'm this, I'm that. There's every possibility that the Lord, thy God, is shaping us through the valley of the shadow of death.
Speaker 2:Now, psalm 23,. I love Psalm 23,. The Lord is my shepherd. When you think about these scriptures, when you think about these scriptures, the scriptures are so powerful and what it does? It erodes and it eradicates all this baloney that is out there in the celebrity church world, where you're going to be rich, you're going to be cash rich, you're going to be dripping, you're going to be having money in every pocket, in every your coat's going to be overflowing. You're in abundance.
Speaker 2:God tells us that we are in abundance and that is fact. But he doesn't tell us that we're going to be in abundance financially. He doesn't tell us that we're going to be brimming over with cash flows here and everywhere. The Bible says greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world, and what we've got to remember is by he being within us, my God shall supply all my needs according to thy riches in glory.
Speaker 2:You might be in a desert experience. Are you in a desert experience tonight? Are you in a position where there is a lack of See? There's nothing wrong in our lives when there is a lack of, because we have to ask ourselves what is the lack of. Because we have to ask ourselves what is the lack of and why is it the lack of.
Speaker 2:Is it because god is stripping us back? Is it because the holy spirit is leading us in a dry place? Not because god wants to chastise us and to cause us harm, but to god wants to, to humble us? You know, that's a really important part. You know, the clappy church, the celebrity church, is telling us yes, yes, yes, hallelujah, praise the Lord, all this, all that sort of stuff. But the Bible, in many occasions, tells us that God will strip us back. Are we ready for a strip back from the power of the Holy Spirit? Are we able? Do you think that God could be stripping us back as a nation? Do you think that God could be stripping you back as an individual? Do I think that God could be stripping us back as a nation. Do you think that God could be stripping you back as an individual? Do I think that God could be stripping me back as an individual? Because when you look at this scripture here, he says that I led you the deeper we go with this text. It says be careful to follow every command I give you today. So what is the command of God? The command of God is Genesis to Revelation. It is this book that I'm holding in my hand. This is the commandments, this is the word, this is the given word, this is the instruction book. This is everything that we require to get full prosperity, full healing, cleansing by the blood of Jesus. This book is the greatest book the world has ever seen. This book is the most beautifulest, the most powerfulest book this world has ever seen. But when you look at it, god tells us. He says be careful to follow every command that I give you today so that you may live and increase. So there is a very interesting part of this text that it's obvious. It's obvious to natural thought line, let alone going into the world of the spiritual world outside of the natural thought line. But when you look at this scripture, it says be careful to follow every command I give you today so that you will live and increase and may enter into the promised land, the promise on oath to your forefathers God has promised. There is a place. There is a place flowing in abundance. There is a place that is set out for you. There is a place that is flowing in abundance. There is a place that is overflowing. There is a place that God is calling you to. But sometimes we've got to go through the valley of the shadow of death. Sometimes we've got to go through, sometimes we've got to go through that place. Sometimes we've got to go through the valley. Sometimes we've got to go into the desert. Sometimes we've got to go into the garden of Gethsemane. Sometimes we've got to go down the valley of Bacchus, the pilgrimage route. Sometimes we've got to go to these places of almost loneliness and when we look at our lives and we say, hang on, lord, there is a lack of. Are we lacking because the devil is doing it or are we lacking because god is leading us into the, the wilderness or the desert? Is? Is it because god is leading you? Is it because god is leading you? Is it because God is leading me? Is it because God wants to get our attention. Is there something in our lives that God is about to do? But our eyes are taken away by this and by that so often?
Speaker 2:What is so clear in this scripture here? I love the fact. And it says be careful to obey every command that I give you today so that you may live and increase and may enter into the promise that the land that the Lord. Verse 2. Remember how the Lord led you. He led you all the way in the desert for 40 years. Just take time out a moment and just think about what that scripture says there. Remember how the Lord. God led you all the way into the desert. God is leading us into the desert. There is no revival coming for this nation. God is leading us into a place. What for? To humble us, to judge us? God is bringing us to a place, and that place will be the cross of Calvary. God is bringing us to a place. God is bringing us to a place, and that place will be the cross of Calvary. God is bringing us to a place. God is drawing this nation. We haven't got to worry about the devil, we haven't got to worry about what Lucifer is doing. It's just. We've got to be focused on the Word of God, because God is taking us through the refiner's fire.
Speaker 2:Do you want to go through the refiner's fire? Am I prepared to go through the refiner's fire? Am I prepared to go through the refiner's fire? Am I prepared to be stripped back? Am I prepared to go to the potter's wheel? Am I prepared to go into the? Uh, into the garden of gethsemane? Am I prepared to go into that place and to worship god and god alone in a place of loneliness? When christ went into the garden of Gethsemane, he went into that place. He went into that place in stillness. He went into that place.
Speaker 2:Now, the question we could ask ourselves did God through Christ, did Jesus in the garden, did he hit a fear point? Yes, jesus has experienced fear. So when you look at these scriptures, does God lead us to a place to sharpen us? Does he lead us to a place to challenge us? Because when you look at these scriptures here, look, there's so much to gather from this. It says remember how the Lord, thy God, led you in all the way of the desert for 40 years. Do you know what of the desert for 40 years? Do you know what? Imagine what that was like for 40 years being led in the desert, seeing the same situation, experiencing the same thing, understanding the same area of life, just being led around and around and around.
Speaker 2:Is god leading us around and around and around? He says he humbled you. He humbled you in verse 3. He humbled you, causing you to hunger. Oh, my goodness, when you think about this scripture, when we un-revile, when we lift up, when we reveal, when we lift, when we look, when we go deeper, when we open up the word of God, he says he humbled you to call you to go hungry and then to feed you. God made them hungry. Is God making you hungry tonight? And I'm not referring to food, I'm referring to a different hunger. What do you mean?
Speaker 2:The Bible says that he'd done this for a set purpose. When you look at this scripture, it wasn't to get them fat, it was to get them right with him. It wasn't to get them plumped up and obese. It wasn't to get them all poked up. It says that he fed them so they would come to an understanding that the Bible says man does not live on bread alone.
Speaker 2:But by every word, see, there is something beyond this text, beyond the educational side of this text, beyond the read of this text, beyond the depth of our knowledge and our strength in what we understand in education, it takes us deeper. What does it mean? What does it actually mean? Let's take, take time again. Let's just go back up. Let's just go back up and just read this for a second.
Speaker 2:It says there be careful to follow every command that I have give you today so that you may live and increase and may enter the promised land that the lord promised on oath to his forefathers, on your forefathers. And it says remember how the Lord, thy God, led you all the way in the desert for 40 years. He humbled you to test you. Hang on a minute, I don't like that word, jesus. He humbled you to test you in order to know what was in your heart. Hang on a minute. This is not what the church is telling me. On a Sunday morning, I can go to church and it tells me that God loves me, correct? I go to church and the bishop tells me to give heavy, to sow heavy, to give, give, give and it will come back to me. And it doesn't come back. Hang on a minute.
Speaker 2:This scripture that I'm reading is not about prosperity in the materialistic way that the church and the majority of the church and the larger denominations and the celebrity side of it tells me that I will get rich. I will do this, it will happen. You're going to have a big house, you're going to have cars, you're going to have notoriety, your business is going to grow. What it says there is that God humbled me. He took me in a dry space, he took me to the desert, he took me to the wilderness to humble me, to test me. Imagine that that the God that we serve, the God of Israel, stripped me back in certain areas of my life. Imagine that that God took me to a place where I was walking in familiar territory, around and around and around.
Speaker 2:Imagine that that this God that I serve, this Yahweh, this King of Kings, this Lord of Lords, imagine if God humbled us and he took us to a place to test us. What's he going to test us for? Is he going to test us to see how strong we are physically? Is he going to test our reading capabilities? Is he going to test our knowledge? Is he going to test what we think about church? Is he going to test the amount of times we've come in the door of church. He's testing our heart. He's looking at the heart of the human. He's looking at that heart of the person.
Speaker 2:Let's read that again. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. When you look at that, god stripped them back to let them know. God stripped them back to let them know that food and materialism won't get you into the promise that I have for you. He had to humble them. He had to strip them back of everything that they had, but he gave them the bare necessities and I'm not talking about Jungle Book. He gave them them bare essentials that they needed in their life. Their feet and their shoes did not wear out. He humbled them and he fed them and he watered them. He gave them the very basic stuff in life. That's what I need in my life. I need the very basic stuff that will keep me focused on God.
Speaker 2:That's why the text starts off and it says do not forget the Lord. See if money comes in the arena, if notoriety comes in the arena. If fame comes in the arena, if all this stuff comes in the arena, will I forget the Lord? God stripped them back of their gold. God stripped them back of, stripped them back of their gold. God stripped them back of notoriety. He took them into the desert.
Speaker 2:Is God taking me and you into the desert? I actually believe this nation is in a desert experience. I actually believe God is stripping us back and God is preparing us. And what do you mean, pastor Ben? By us I am referring to those, the remnant. I'm not talking about the church, because the majority of the church won't make it. Religion isn't going to make this. The only ones that are going to make this are the ones that are willing, the ones that are willing to stand up for Jesus, because there is a test and God is testing all nations and God in the end times.
Speaker 2:The Bible is so clear about eschatology and the rapture of the church. It says that he took them into the desert for 40 years to humble them and to test. Are you prepared to be tested by God? Are you prepared for 40 years or so? Isn't it interesting how the celebrity church and the mega church and all that sort of stuff says that the microwave Jesus that we serve is going to give you what you want right now. When you leave this church today, you are going to be rich, you are going to be this and you are going to be that, but the Bible doesn't teach that.
Speaker 2:The Bible talks about endurance. The Bible tells us that, even though I go through the valley of the shadow of death. Now let me tell you this this is really, really important. We've got to make sure that we understand that God is testing us, whatever you are going through right now. We put so much weight, we put so much energy. The church puts so much emphasis on Satan, when actually Satan isn't in the arena and God is in the arena. The UK and the UK church is in the arena with the living God. We are in the desert, we are in this area. These 40 years, these 40 days, these 40 hours, these moments of 40.
Speaker 2:God is stripping each and every one of us back. Are we prepared to be stripped back? Well, when was Jesus stripped back? Jesus was stripped back in the garden of Gethsemane. When Jesus Christ went in the garden of Gethsemane, the Bible says he went in alone. When you're in a situation and you're on your own and you are fighting for your life. That means God is stripping you back. It's really, really important to understand that the devil has no power over you. The devil has no authority over you, but this scripture is telling us that god will take us to a place. God will take me, god will take alex, god will take you, god will take every one of us to a place to strip us back, to make us hungry, and we are not talking about food. Certain things happen in our lives when we become spiritually hungry. Actually, I feel inside of me I'm getting fired up again. Actually, I feel that through this situation, I feel that there is something inside of me. I'm getting hungry, not hungry for bread, not hungry for manna, but hungry for the Word of God, because the Bible says in this scripture man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that perceives out of the mouth of God. It is critical that I understand that God will strip me back. God will strip pastors back. God will strip worship leaders back. God will strip congregations back. God will strip nations back. God will strip pastors back. God will strip worship leaders back. God will strip congregations back. God will strip nations back. God will strip politicians back. God will strip anybody back to get their attention.
Speaker 2:Let's take this from the top again. Let's read what it says. As you look at that scripture there, you know this is really, really critical for where we are at this moment. We're 24 minutes in and we're okay on time at this moment in time. And it says in verse one be careful to follow every command, sister and brother, this is the instruction book. This is the instruction book. It says be careful to follow every command I give you today so that you may live and increase.
Speaker 2:Tell yourself God wants you may live and increase. Tell yourself God wants me to live and increase. The only way that I'm going to live and increase is in the word. I am not going to live and increase through pastor's books. I'm not going to live and increase through another course. I'm not going to live and increase through a men's course. I'm not going to live and increase through another women's course, the only way. I know what's going to happen here. I'm ready for the backlash, don't worry. Listen, brother and sister, ben and Alex, world church, listen. We don't need another course. What we need are brothers and sisters that will tell us and take us to the greatest book in the world, because if you want to live and increase, the only way that we will live and increase is through the written word of God. It doesn't matter how great the literature is outside of the word, it doesn't matter how educated it is, it doesn't matter if they speak in Greek and in Hebrew, if it's not from the word of God, we will not live and we will not increase.
Speaker 2:The Bible says the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that you would have life and have life in abundance. Do you want life in abundance? And I'm not referring to the prosperity junk that is being preached out there at the moment, I'm not referring to the celebrity names and increase without the criteria of the word of God. And before we can live and increase, there has to be a strip back. There has to be a strip back of everything and everything around us. When you look at this scripture there it says let's take it from the top again and we thank you for joining us on the other side of the world, so many people with us tonight. Wherever you are, may God carry you right now, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. When you look at these scriptures, this is what I would call revival. This is revival when God strips us back, because then, when we are stripped back, then I can live and increase.
Speaker 2:When you look at this, I love this scripture. It says be careful to follow every command that I give you today so that you may live and increase and may enter into the promised land the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Do you realize God has given you a promise through your forefathers? Do you realize God has promised you through the word that there is abundant life for you, that there is abundance? There is abundance for you wherever you are, and it's got nothing to do with money, it's got nothing to do with social networks, it's got nothing to do with the celebrity preaching and teaching out there. It's to do with the word of God. Do you want abundance? Do you want to see the hand of God in your life like never before?
Speaker 2:I'm afraid to say it's not through the worship that you listen, it's not through the prayers that you pray. It is through the scripture that you read, because the Bible says it is the word of God. When you know the word, you know your God. When you know your God, you know your God. When you know your God, you know your King. When you know your King, you know your Redeemer, when you know who Jesus is. The Bible says in this title do not forget the Lord, do not forget the Lord. Many churches have forgotten the Lord. It looks like church, it sounds like church, it smells like like church, it's got all the bells and whistles that look like church. But if the scripture is not at the beginning and in the middle and at the end, if the scripture is not loud and clear and what has happened in the uk church and the west, we have watched the desensitization of the word of god being stripped out.
Speaker 2:When you look at it, when you see what has happened, when you understand the scripture, I've got to say this where are the men in the church? Where are these men when you look brothers please do not ask me outside for a straightener but brothers and sisters, I have to say this when you look at the majority, I'm going to get in trouble. Alex, hold your breath. When you look at the majority, I'm going to get in trouble, alex, hold your breath. When you look at the majority of the church, where are the men? I'm talking about real men. I'm not talking about those weak, fluffy men. I'm talking about the real men that know what life is. I'm talking about the men that would fight their way through the devil until the devil is defeated. I'm not talking about the men that jump into the arena and start punching the living daylights out of each other and start drinking at weekends, because they're not men, they're just animals. I'm talking about men that would do anything for anyone. I'm talking about men that would just tear heaven open to get to Jesus for their friends, their families, their brothers, their sisters. I'm asking you where are the men in this nation?
Speaker 2:We have been given such a flip around to what men are. You know masculinity, that's a word you can't use in church. Man's got to be woke. He's got to be either woke or he's got to be gay to be accepted in the church. It is absolutely ridiculous.
Speaker 2:The church in this nation has stripped out the real men. Where are the men in church? And I'm not talking about the weak fluff oh, I'm going to get in trouble. He's got to come off this. But it's really, really important. It's critical.
Speaker 2:We have had a desensitizing situation going on for years. We've had this where a man can't be a man and a woman cannot be a woman. It's very, very interesting what's going on in churches at this moment in time. We are cloned and we are shaped into be these weak men that are not allowed to grow a beard. Well, some of the women are allowed, apparently, but the men are not. So there's certain things that you just can't do, which is absolutely crazy.
Speaker 2:Where are the men in church? And I'm not talking about those ones that the world portrays a man. I'm talking about that man that is powerful in the word of God, that is silent in life itself but is so strong in the word of God that he's not frightened of telling the world that I love Jesus. You know we need God to lift the men up of this nation. We need God to lift the men up because when you look at these Old Testament scriptures, it tells us you know, he humbled you, he stripped you back. Are you prepared to be stripped back? The church is stripping men and women back. Women can't be women, men can't be men, children can't be children. We're tiptoeing around this church stuff all day long and it's getting really embarrassing. The UK church is so weak, it is so pathetic in many areas. What we need is the fire of God to fire us up. What we need and that's what I'm referring to about the hunger God is making men hungry. God is making women hungry. Are you hungry for Jesus?
Speaker 2:Now, what God is saying through this scripture is something that's really profound and very prophetic. What he's saying is man does not live on bread alone. He doesn't live on croissants and coffee. He doesn't live on the finery foods that are displayed through church. It says man lives on the word of God. Human beings primarily live spiritually first, before the physical food. Yes, I'm afraid that's what it is.
Speaker 2:When you go on the word of God, when you go on the scripture, when you go in the word, you know, when you live your life in scripture. Are you hungry tonight for Jesus or are you hungry for food? Are you hungry for God or are you hungry for burgers? What does it say? Look, verse 3, he humbled you, causing you to hunger. Then feed you with manna. He changes this around Feed you with manna, which neither you nor your forefathers had known to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord, it is the fire of God that will require, not another burger. It is the power of the Holy Spirit will require, not another lame, weak message.
Speaker 2:On a Sunday morning, do you want a message that is going to make you tremble or do you want a message that's just going to scratch your ears? Because that's what the Bible says? In the last days, there will be preachers in the pulpits that will just give us happy, clappy, pink, gay messages that will just scratch our ears. I want a message that is going to make me shake myself for Jesus. I want a message that is going to rip right through my spine and tell me that the Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
Speaker 2:God is humbling us. God is bringing us to a place. He's making us hungry. Are you hungry for Jesus? Are you in the desert at this moment in time? Are you in this place? Are you in this desert experience? Are you looking for food that man cannot deliver to you? Are you looking for this food? Are you always hungry? Are you always looking for something to satisfy the flesh, or are you spiritually fulfilled? Because that's what this message is about in the word of God. Are you fulfilled spiritually Are always you trying to feed yourself cars, tv, money, business life, holidays, social media this A, b, c and D. If you keep feeding yourself the external stuff, you're never going to be spiritually fulfilled. If you get in the word of God and if you stand on the scripture and you get that word, forget anyone else around you and you cover yourself in the blood of Jesus, you get in the holy word of God and you read the word and you get yourself trained in the scripture.
Speaker 2:God is looking for hungry people. He's not interested in religion. He's not interested in the snow machines and the smoke machines. He's not interested in the blacked out churches and he's not interested in all the mega ministries around the world. God is looking for hungry brothers and sisters. He's looking for the mum that's hungry, the man, the dad that's hungry. He's looking for the woman that's hungry. He's looking for the brother that's hungry. He's looking for someone who the world rejects. He's looking for someone that has been rejected and ostracized and set aside. He's looking for someone that has been rejected and ostracized and set aside. He's looking for someone that is screaming out for help. He's looking for you. Are you hungry for God? Are you hungry for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
Speaker 2:Let's see what it says. It says we're going to come to the table in just a few months. Be careful to follow every command I give you today so that you may live and increase. There's only one way we are going to live and increase. It is through the word of God, so that you may live and increase and may enter into the promised land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the Lord led you all the way in the desert for 40 years. Are you ready to be led a long time by jesus? Are you ready? But what I've got to remind myself is when I am led by jesus, he shall supply all my needs according to thy riches in glory. So when I come under submission, when I come under submission, when I come under the authority of God, and when he leads me and he leads you, we become spiritually satisfied. We become someone of peace, we find a place where we can rest. How many people do we know that is bouncing from A, b, c and D? D to E, a, b, c, f, you know, q, r. People are bouncing around all over the place looking for fulfillment and looking for a place where they can go. Yeah, I found it. We won't find it in materialism. The only place that we will find rest is when I'm following Jesus.
Speaker 2:Be a Jesus follower, be a braggadocious, be someone that is radical for Christ, say God, I want you to make me hungry tonight, lord. I want you to make me hungry for scripture, lord, I'm not satisfied with church. Is there anybody out there that will put on the socials I'm bored of church. Are you bored of church? Are you fed up with every Sunday morning? Are you fed up with the way church is going in the UK? I am. I want some radical Jesus. I want some power and Holy Spirit on Sundays. I want it Monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday. I want it all the time. Are you hungry for Jesus? Do we actually think that Sunday morning? Do we actually think that Sunday morning is actually just two hours of God, or an hour and 15 minutes, just because the building is rammed with human beings? Do we actually think that this is it? It's not it at all.
Speaker 2:It is religion, even here in this house, I pray God, please do something powerful. I don't want to lead this church. I want you to lead this church. Lord, I want your word in this church. I want this church to be a church that is on the word, not on me, not on any human being. Lord, this is your church. Come on, god, shape up, lord, and do something. We've got to speak to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. We've got to tell God jump in the arena of life, will you, god, come on. You know I'm bored, lord. I'm fed up with the way of church. I'm tired of religion. I want more.
Speaker 2:If this is church and church, this church and the churches are the face of God, he's not much of a God, is he. Come on, come on, wherever you are across the world. Let's be bold. If the UK church is the face of Jesus Christ, that ain't much of a Jesus, is it? But I know it's not the Jesus of the living word, because that Jesus of the living word is a radical leader. That Jesus of the living word is power. That Jesus of the good book is a healer of the good book. He's a healer. He's the king of kings and the Lord of lords. He's a redeemer. He's a radical king. He's the great. I am this God that we serve. You know, the church is not the face of God in this nation. It's weak. It's green. What do you mean green? I'm talking about the green deal. The church is weak. It's pink, it's green. The church is just like the rainbow, and I'm referring to the rainbow flag that that lot out there wave about.
Speaker 2:Brothers and sisters, I want a radical God, do you? I want a God that is just breathing over this nation. I want a God that is going to turn this nation upside down inside out. If this is church, he's not much of a God. If this is the face of God. All the denominations claiming to be the church, the Church of England claiming to be the church, catholicism claiming to be the Pentecostal movement, claiming to be the Pentecostal movement, claiming to be the evangelical movements, this movement, that movement We've got more movements than we've ever had in our life. I want the kingdom.
Speaker 2:God says do not forget my teachings. I'm going to humble you because I'm a jealous God. I'm a jealous God, I'm a jealous God and I want you to myself. I don't want to share you with the world. God, will you humble us? Will you bring us to a place? Will you bring? Are you, am I prepared? I'll ask this to myself. Am I prepared to go to the desert to see the glory? Yes, I am, and I'll ask this to myself Am I prepared to go to the desert to see the glory? Yes, I am, and I'm actually realizing that I've been in a desert place for many years. God, keep me in the desert, because in the desert you shall supply my needs. In the desert, my God shall make a way. In the desert, in the desert, in the wasteland, god leads. Come on, because in the wasteland and in the desert is growth, is growth. Let's read it. We're coming to the table in just a moment. I'm sorry that I'm going on and I'm barking like a little Jack Russell tonight, but we've got to get on with it.
Speaker 2:It is Deuteronomy, chapter eight, verse one. Be careful to follow every command I give you today, every word in the Bible, every word. Leaders, preachers, ben, alex, everybody that is with us tonight in the world of podcasts, tens of thousands. This is what the Bible says Be careful to follow every command I give you today so that you may live and increase. Do you want to live and increase, ben? Yes, lord, do you want to see the promises? Yes, god, do you want to see demons fleeing. Yes, god, do you want to see Jericho's fall? Yes, god, do you want to see Jericho's fall? Yes, god, do you want to see the dead be raised? Yes, god, do you want to see the power of the Holy Spirit? Yes, god, keep my commands.
Speaker 2:And he says do not forget me. Do not forget me, god. When am I going to forget you, lord? How will I forget you when the sun is shining, sports is on the telly, I've got a holiday coming up, I've got a new job, I've got a nice car. Do not forget the Lord. Very dangerous, very, very dangerous. Do not forget the Lord.
Speaker 2:Be careful to follow every command I give you today so that you may live and increase. Give you today so that you may live and increase. Very, very important, that you may live and increase and may enter into the promised land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Verse two remember how the Lord, your God, led you all the way in the desert for 40 years to humble you and to test you in order to know that was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feed you with manna which neither you nor your forefathers had known to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. It is the word of God that will get you into the promised land.
Speaker 2:It is not the preachers, it is not the teachers, it is not the new booklet, it is not the next alpha course, it is not the next, this course, this course, that course, any course. It is nothing to do with any course written by any human being. Yes, they're great, they're lovely and they will help you bob along on the sea for a little while. But do you want to live and increase? Would you rather read literature from a man that has got knowledge from a second-hand place and has given it in? Would you rather live your life following manuals of man or do you want to follow the word of god? Do you want to live and increase? Do you want to live and see the glory and the power of god? It is the word of god and it can only be the word of god. Lord, I pray, I pray tonight, lord, that I will be rooted in the word.
Speaker 2:We come into the table right now, in the name of Jesus. We come into the table right now. Join us as we come to the table. Let's pray this prayer, Lord, as we come to the table tonight keep us in the desert, because when you keep me in the desert, lord, you're providing for me. When I come out of the desert, lord, you're providing for me when I come out of the desert. The gold, the silver, the frankincense, the myrrh the world is too attractive and would that take me away from Jesus? Keep me in the desert. Keep me in the desert, lord, because when I'm in the desert, keep me in the desert. Keep me in the desert, lord, because when I'm in the desert, you're providing. When I'm in the desert, there's spiritual fulfillment and, lord, I need you to prepare me. There's so much more to this study tonight, because God took them out of the desert when he knew that they was ready.
Speaker 2:That is a critical thing to remember. Lord, keep me in the desert, keep me hungry, feed me and let me speak your word over my life. So, father, I thank you for the bread that symbolizes the body of Christ. Lord, I want to be so hungry for you, lord, when I die, I want my gravestone to say he was a radical Bible-believing believer. He was crazy for Jesus. He believed in miracles. I want the world to know that Ben Cooper is a crazy Christian, that he believes in miracles, that he believes that he's going to watch the dead be raised. I believe that I'm going to see the dead raised in my lifetime. I believe that I'm going to see the blind seeing, the deaf hearing. I believe that God is going to do miracles, and I'm not talking about revivals, I'm talking about miracles. Lord, god, spirit of the Living, god, come, lord, by your word as we break this bread together now, lord, bless this bread In Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 3:Come to the table, to the thief and to the doubter, to the hero and the coward, to the prisoner and the soldier, to the young and to the older, all who hunger, all who thirst, all the last and all the first, all the poppers and the princes, all who fail, you've been forgiven. All who dream and all who suffer, all who loved and lost another, all the chained and all the free, all who follow, all who lead, anyone who's been left out, all the lost. You have been found.
Speaker 2:Thank you, jesus. Lord, we're back at the table and I don't want to ever leave the table Because at the table, lord, the blood of Jesus. So, father, we thank you for the blood of Jesus. Cleanse us from the crown of our head to the sole of our feet. In Jesus' name, amen, sisters and brothers, let's pray, god. I thank you for the desert, I thank you for the wilderness. I thank you for the wilderness because that's where your leading is, because you are going to lead me out of the desert then into the promised land.
Speaker 2:Brothers and sisters, it's not what that weak, woke church talks about. It's not the promised land first, it's not all that stuff brimming over. What comes first is a strip back. A strip back comes first. A strip back comes first a wilderness experience, a refining in the fire, struggling at work, struggling at struggling in the field of life, not because the devil is jumping on your towel, but because God is leading you, because he's shaping you and he's humbling you and he's preparing you and he's getting you ready for the promised land. See God's timing it was 40 years. He led them in the desert, he took charge of them in the desert, but then when he got them ready, and it's only God knows when you're ready, not the pastor. I don't know when you're ready. The worship band don't know when you're ready. Elim doesn't know when you're ready. Your denomination doesn't know you when you're ready. The worship band don't know when you're ready. Elim doesn't know when you're ready. Your denomination doesn't know you when you're ready. It is God.
Speaker 2:Do not come out of the desert under the command of man. Come out of the desert under the command of the word of God. Come out of the desert. So if you're struggling, hallelujah. If you're worrying, hallelujah. If you're skint, hallelujah. If you're double-minded, hallelujah. If you're fearful, if you strip back of everything and you're thinking to yourself is this it God, god's saying? Keep walking, because you're in the desert. Keep walking. I've got your back. Keep walking. I love you. Keep walking, don't give up. Keep walking. Your promise is closer than you think. Your promise is so close to you. The victory is so close to you. But all you see is the inside arena of the desert. You see the mountains, you see the Goliaths. You can't see over the other side of the hill, but God has got the promised land on the other side of the hill. You don't even know how to exit the desert. You don't even know what way to go anymore. You don't know which way you're walking anymore. God is stripping us back. Sometimes it feels confusing. Church is boring, church is weak.
Speaker 2:In the uk church is literally in the hospital. The church is literally in the uh icu ward. It is in the intensive care unit. Church is in the intensive care unit and it is being fed by fake drips. I could turn that into a little bit more than that Fake bastards, fake drips.
Speaker 2:I'm referring to the drip line, the feed line going into the vein. It's being fed from the outside. You've got to be fed from the inside. You've got to be fed from the inside. Jesus said to Lazarus Lazarus, come forth. But the church is being fed from the inside. Jesus said to Lazarus Lazarus, come forth. But the church is being fed on the outside by tubes, by different mechanisms trying to keep it moving. The church is being fed by the world's ways of doing things, by medication. We've got to be fed by the world's ways of doing things by medication. We've got to be fed by the word, wherever you are. If you're just joining this live stream broadcast across the world, you can capture all this stuff back and we're having record numbers of people follow us, downloading stuff across the world and we thank God for your life. You know wherever you are.
Speaker 2:Are you in the desert tonight? Are you in the desert? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Do you feel odd? Do you feel strange? Do you feel that you don't fit in? It's a great feeling not to fit in. It's a great feeling to feel odd within society and culture and in life around you. Do you ever look at the landscape of work and education around you? Think, and you look at your culture and think I don't fit in, I can't seem to get in anywhere, I'm the odd piece and I don't fit in any puzzle of life. Do you feel odd? Do you feel like you've come to the end of the road? God has got you. God has got you right now, wherever you are, I pray that you will feel the fire of God and the love of the Holy Spirit in your life. You know, never give up, never give up. But we are experiencing a desert experience. We are experiencing a desert experience. We are not going to see revival in a desert experience. We are not going to see revival. We are seeing the wrath and the power of God, the judgment of God and what he is going to do and what he is doing.
Speaker 2:God is breathing over this nation. God is bringing this nation to its knees. God is stripping this nation back to the bare bones. God is stripping us back. God is stripping the church back. God is stripping this nation back to the bare bones. God is stripping us back. God is stripping the church back. God is stripping everything back. God is dealing with what's got to be dealt with.
Speaker 2:Do we actually think that this God that we serve, this Yahweh, is going to put up with this weak government? Do you think that this God that we serve is going to put up with this weak church that we have across this nation? Do we actually think that God is going to put up with this nation blaspheming, cursing him? Do you actually think that God is going to allow education to misteach our children? Do you think that God is going to allow church schools to allow a transgender, someone coming into a church school to tell our children you can be whoever you want to be? Do you actually think that this holy God is going to stand for this? No way, jose. God is stripping us back.
Speaker 2:Are you prepared for the strip back? Are you prepared? Are you prepared for what is coming to this nation? Are you prepared to hold tight to the word of God? God is stripping back. God is a God of order. He's a jealous God, but the church don't preach on a jealous God. God is a God that will not be mocked and this nation is mocking this king. This nation is mocking God, this nation, the church, is mocking God. The government is blaspheming this God. Religion is a laughingstock. The church, in 98% of its position over this nation, is weak and pink and it is finished. Do you think that this nation, the church, represents the face of God? No chance. God is dealing with individuals. God is stripping us back and God will do what he needs to do. I'm going to close on something before Alex just says a prayer. Do you remember that book in the Bible called Job? Do you remember that book of Job when God allowed Satan? We're far beyond that Now. God is dealing with us. It's not the devil I'm worried about. I'm not worried about Lucifer, because he's over and finished. The holy God of Israel, the Holy God of Israel. Are you ready for the Holy God of Israel? Are you ready for this strip back over this nation as we come to the close tonight of this live stream broadcast across the radio across the world.
Speaker 2:In the UK especially, do we look at church and actually think that church is representing god? We've got more denominations than we have mcdonald's. We've got more denominations claiming to be. We are the church. We have a church of england that is blasphemous. We have an occult world known as Catholicism. We have the Pentecostal movement naming and claiming with fake healings, all about money. It's all about money. Do we actually think that this is the face of God, what we call church? Sisters and brothers, I would erase yourself from church. I'd be very careful of church and I will get yourself in the word of God. We're out of here. We're closing in any moment. We're overrun, we've overtimed and we're coming to that place. We've done 57 minutes. We're just going to close. Alex is just going to lead us in a prayer out of here.
Speaker 2:I had to find a 20p to put it in a meter 50p in the meter, alex. Yeah, I know the 50p. We need to double up today. We need a pound, wherever you are across the world. As we come to a close, I pray for each and every one of us. I pray for each and every one of us that God, that God will get us out of this hell hole that we're in and God will strengthen every one of us. The occult world has no power over you. The demonic forces have no power over you. But as we duck out of this, just check these scriptures Deuteronomy, chapter 8, verses 1 through to 5 to 6. Just have a read tonight. Just have a cup of tea, a cup of coffee. Just spend time just reading over those scriptures. May God bless you In the mighty name of Jesus, alexlex, take us out.
Speaker 4:let us pray. Thank you for your love and faith and fullness in time of joy and in time of struggles. Help us to always remember you, keep our hearts rumble and your mind focus on your words. Let us not be distraught or distracted by the world around us, but instead trusting you and always Remind us, lord, that every blessing comes from you. May we never forget your goodness and mercy, guidance our steps and keep us close to you, amen.
Speaker 2:Amen, the Lord is good. Good. God bless you wherever you are, and I must say this we thank you so much to everybody across the world. You know, uh, I just thank god for you. We all thank god for you, wherever you are, for the tens of thousands of downloads of these services. You know, thank you for watching. You know, thank you for being with us on these live streams all the way from lockdown. Been an absolutely amazing journey, and may God strengthen you and never give up in your dream. You know we've got something coming soon. You know we've got RB, christian Radio. That's starting really, really soon. Keep your eyes out on social media.
Speaker 2:And you can find us on social media. Yeah, the good old social networks. May God bless you and strengthen you. And just remember that it's not the devil I've got to worry about. The Bible says work out your salvation with fear and trembling. God bless you. We'll see you soon. Take care, god bless, bye-bye.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to us today on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We hope you found inspiration and guidance in today's audio. Remember the journey of faith is a continuous one and your questions and thoughts are important. You can send us a text or an email and we will get back to you. So, wherever you are around the world, thank you for listening to our podcasts and radio ministry. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. Please support us with prayer. Also, you can sow a financial seed into this ministry. You can also leave us a legacy to support and continue the work of this radio ministry. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with others who might benefit. Until next time, stay blessed.
