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
Walking with God When the Cupboard is Bare (#1071 - Elim)
How God Provides in Unlikely Ways
Episode Description (Buzzsprout-Compliant – 500 words):
Have you ever found yourself in a situation so desperate that only a miracle could save you? In this episode, we explore the incredible story of Elijah at the brook Cherith, found in 1 Kings 17:1–6. Elijah was a prophet who boldly declared a drought over the land, but he didn’t expect to suffer the consequences of that very prophecy. Stranded in the wilderness, with no food and a drying brook, he experienced one of the most radical displays of God’s provision.
God used ravens—unclean birds by Jewish law—to deliver bread and meat to Elijah twice daily. This act not only sustained Elijah physically but also revealed something deeper about God’s nature: He often provides in ways that challenge our expectations and traditions. The brook Cherith became a place of testing, isolation, and miraculous provision.
In today’s spiritual climate, many believers are experiencing their own “brook moments.” Churches may be going through the motions, yet Bible sales are increasing, showing a growing hunger for a personal, authentic connection with God. Like Elijah, many of us are in seasons of drought, both physically and spiritually, waiting on God to show up.
This episode is a timely reminder that God’s provision often comes through unconventional means. Whether it’s a surprising relationship, an unexpected opportunity, or strength from a hidden place, God knows how to meet your need—even when the method doesn't make sense.
If you’re standing by your own shrinking brook, wondering how you’ll make it through, this message will remind you that you’re not forgotten. You’re being positioned for a miracle.
Key Takeaways:
- God allows testing seasons to grow our dependence on Him.
- Divine provision doesn’t always look “clean” or expected.
- Elijah received water (refreshment), bread (God’s Word), and meat (strength) exactly when he needed it.
- God often meets us at our lowest point with His highest power.
Scripture Reference:
1 Kings 17:1–6 — “And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.”
Resources & Mentions:
- Full passage on BibleGateway: 1 Kings 17:1–6
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- Follow us on Instagram: [@YourPodcastHandle]
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Call to Action:
If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone going through a tough season. Don’t forget to subscribe for more faith-filled content that inspires and equips you for life’s journey.
Elijah at the brook, God’s provision, 1 Kings 17, Christian podcast, trusting God, spiritual drought, Bible teaching, Elijah and the ravens, wilderness provision, faith in hard times
The Bible
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
https://www.rbchristianradio.net/
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. Thank you, 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:Good evening, good evening. Let's just gather around the word. Wherever you are tonight, we're welcoming across RB Christian Radio, everybody in the house of the Lord with us tonight, everybody on socials, wherever you are scattered across this world. We're going to gather around the word and we're going to go to the Old Testament. We're going to go to the book of Daniel, chapter 3. We're going to go to the book of Daniel, chapter 3, as we just have a look and see this really powerful text that we're in. We're going to go to verse 28. So we're in Daniel, chapter 3, daniel, chapter 3. Thank you for joining us on the other side of the earth, wherever you are close to the house of the Lord this evening, and for those that are in the Lord's house with us right now. So, wherever you are, may God bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. You know, the word of God is power. The word of God is life. The word of God is hope. We are in a deep spiritual crisis here within the UK. We really need the church to break out of this weak and this woke position that it's been in for such a long time. What we need is the gospels of grace. We need the power of the word and I believe that, wherever you are at this moment in time, it's not about getting into the church, it's not about getting into the establishment, it's about literally getting into the scripture. It's about getting into the word, getting into the holy presence of God through his word. So, wherever you are, we thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2:And we're in the book of Daniel, chapter 3, verse 28. This is about Meshach, shamrach and Abednego. It's about their faith. It's about their faith that they had in God, that they would not serve and they would not worship any other God or any other king. They they had clear instruction from, from God. The clear instruction was is not not to move to the left nor the right, to stay strong, and I believe this is where we are at this moment in time. It's not about being in church, it's not about waving the flags in the weak and the woke church settings that we have within this nation. It's about standing on the Word of God and really believing by faith.
Speaker 2:I really believe that God is stripping the church back, that God is moving through people's lives. I believe that God is opening our hearts. I believe the word of God is moving like we've never seen it for many years. It seems very, very quiet in certain areas of life. We shouldn't be looking back at past revivals. We shouldn't be looking at the historical stuff. The Bible says keep your eyes on Jesus.
Speaker 2:And before we read from the Old Testament, the book of Daniel, chapter three, can you just put your hand in that text and, if you're with me tonight, grab a Bible and let's just quickly fly up to the book of Hebrews, because Hebrews I just want to read Hebrews first, hebrews 11, very familiar text that we've been in before. Beautiful text, you know it's a text about faith. I really believe right now that God is saying trust me, trust me in every area of your life, from the youngest to the oldest, whatever culture you're from, whatever the world looks like in your eyes. I really believe God is calling us to walk with him like never before and to literally step out in faith to find peace, to find hope, to find the power of the word of God. God's word will give you freedom. God's word will set the captives free. It is by the power of his word, it is the power of the word of God that will bring healing. It is the power of the word of God that will bring hope. It is the power of the word of God that will break every area of satanic soul ties and everything that goes along with unwanted spirits and everything that go along with negative thinking. You know, if you're keeping the word of God and you keep focused on the word, keep your eyes on Jesus. So let's just quickly read, as we are Thank you for joining us right now, wherever you are across this world on this social network, stream with us through this live stream service, or if you're listening through this hours later, weeks later, down the line of a podcast, or if you're live with us on radio now across the world of a podcast, or if you're live with us on radio now across the world. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your prayer support. Thank you, uh, for your financial giving. Thank you for everything you know. Uh, we are really blessed that there are people scattered across the world through many areas. That means that we are pushing uh these services out. But god bless you if you're on radio tonight and uh, where else you are.
Speaker 2:And it says now faith, hebrew Hebrews 11, verse one. You know it's that. It's that really powerful text you know about faith. Faith is the. It is critical for each and every one of us. But what makes our faith grow? What is the accelerator? What is it in life? Is it coming? Does? Does our faith grow by by going to church? I think there's a a small percentage of that. I think there's a small percentage that faith grows by coming to church, but I think it's way bigger than that. I think it's so much bigger than actually coming to an organization or coming to a church. Faith accelerates, faith grows by the Word of God.
Speaker 2:You know, the Scripture tells us very, very clearly in the New Testament faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of God. So it's through scripture, it's through the reading, the word from Genesis to Revelations, the 66 books, the power of the word of God. You know this book that we have in our hand, it is freedom, it is life. Now, in Hebrews 11, verse 1, second word in it talks straight away about faith. You know, but faith can't be bought. You can't find it in church, you, you can't find it down the shops. It can't be given to you by any human being. Faith is a deposit from God, through Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Faith comes from above. Let's use that analogy. Faith comes from above and we have been given the gift of faith through the seed, the mustard seed. You know so when you look at it now, wherever you are in life, you know prayer. Prayer takes faith, hope takes faith, reading the word takes faith.
Speaker 2:We live in a world that is very tangible and very physical. We live in a world that is touchable. We live in a world that is that everything that we do, we can see everything. We can touch everything through natural perception, by what we perceive, by what we smell, what we touch, by what we hope that's in our hands, everything that is around us. Now we know that it is here because we see it in the physical realm, it's before our very eyes. But faith is that invisible substance.
Speaker 2:So if you're with me online and if you're with me in the Scriptures, let's get straight into Hebrews 11, verse 1. Then it says now faith is being sure of what we hope for. Now, faith, that invisible substance, that glue, that measure of concrete, that invisible ingredients that is so powerful, that is so needed, that is so required in a Christian's life. Now faith, when you look at the scriptures. When you look at the word of God, it is by faith. So as you look at this word tonight, it says there now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. We've read this, we've stretched this, we've looked at this, we've been in this a thousand times Now faith is being sure of what we hope for.
Speaker 2:So when you look at hope and you look at faith, they go together, but they're obviously two very distinct meanings. Faith and hope are different, but they're almost woven together, faith and hope. You know, faith is believing, faith is believing for this area of life that is seen in this realm of the unseen place known as, I won't even say the mindset, because if it's seen with the mind, it is of this natural world. What we need to do is to see it outside of logic, see it outside of our natural capabilities, see it outside of this natural realm. See it. See it, natural realm, see it. See it when you start seeing it, not through seeing it through natural means, but actually seeing it through faith, through the scripture. It says now faith is being sure of what we hope for. So what are we hoping for? What is that measure of hope that we got in our lives. What are we hoping for? What are we looking for? What are we looking for? Are we seeking Christ like never before?
Speaker 2:The Bible says seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else shall be added unto thee. You know, jesus Christ just says to those at the shoreline of Galilee drop your nets, come and follow me. The greatest, the most powerfulest way a human being could ever go is to follow Jesus. But before we can follow, you have to have the call. You don't just suddenly wake up one morning and go yeah, I'm going to follow Jesus. What you find is the body, the natural autonomy, the physical body.
Speaker 2:The physical realm comes in line with the plan of what God has in the spiritual realm. Because God says in the Old Testament I see your unformed body. I see everything, every action that you was going to stretch out and do, every footprint that you had, every area of your life, the good, the bad, the ugly, every setting, every word, every footplace, every area, every area of your life. I see it unfolding, I see it happening before you even was, before the foundation of the world. You know, the Bible tells us that God sees everything. He is the first, he is the last, he knows the end from the beginning, the beginning from the end. He knows absolutely everything, from the start the good stuff, the bad stuff, the stuff that fails, the stuff that rises. He sees every area. He sees every area of our journey because actually he orchestrates our journey and we're not going to bring that word, that really powerful word that the church don't like to touch, the power of free will, because we need to leave that sitting outside at the moment.
Speaker 2:But I really believe God is calling us to live by faith, to live by faith. The only way I can live by faith is to actually live in the scripture, is to trust the word of God. So, whatever your life looks like at this moment in time, whatever lens you are looking at through life, I pray that myself and every one of us looks at life through the eyes of faith. What do you mean? Looking at life through the eyes of faith? The Bible says the just shall live by faith. It is by faith that we live. It is by faith that we stretch out. It is by faith everything that we do. We stretch out, we move forward. It is by faith, every area of our lives. We've got to stretch out, we've got to move, we've got to walk, we've got to keep walking. We've got to live. We've got to stretch out, we've got to move, we've got to walk, we've got to keep walking. We've got to live. We've got to run. We've got to go to school, we've got to go to work. We've got to do our lives everything by faith.
Speaker 2:And that is not being sloppy and just going okay, I'm just going to live in all this mysterious, invisible, spiritual stuff. It's not that at all. Living by faith comes to one thing, and one thing only to complete an absolute surrender. To surrender every thought, to surrender every area of life, to surrender myself to God means to actually live by faith. Because when I'm not in that position of surrender and I'm living by perception but I'm living by materialistic ways, I'm living by the way of the world. I'm living by culture. I'm living by the way of the world. I'm living by culture. I'm living by the way of the church.
Speaker 2:The church lives its life, 98% of what it does, by visualization. Everything that it does, it is for planning itself. It is going to schedules, it is going to planning meetings, it is going to every area of the structure. You know church lives by structure. Faith is structure. You know, living by God is structure. Walking with God is structure. Faith is structure. You know, living by God is structure. Walking with God is structure. It can seem almost impossible to have structure in faith, but you have structure in faith because what you are doing, you are relying in the kingdom and when you rely in the king you are relying in the greatest plan. God has a plan for you.
Speaker 2:It might not look very for coming in the world of faith because when you look at the planning of God, god says just follow me and as you follow him, as a Christian, as we walk by faith, it's about trusting in this invisible God that is touchable by faith and by prayer. That is touchable, not tangible, because when we talk about tangible, we are talking about the physical realm. We're not talking about natural perception through the natural senses. We are talking about touching God with our heart, but via faith. You know the Bible is extremely clear Follow God, but it's by faith.
Speaker 2:Now faith is being sure of I've got to be sure. I've got to be sure, now faith is being sure that I'm going to be healed. Now faith is going to be sure that I'm going to find a way out of this situation. Now faith is being sure that God is going to provide. Now faith. I'm sure God is going to put some food on the table. I'm sure that God is going to provide some money to put in the heating system. I believe God is going to help me get to school this week. God is going to help me on the school run. God is going to provide food. God is going to make a way.
Speaker 2:The purse is empty, the wallet is empty, but I don't need money. I need faith, because money is a stumbling block, because when we have money and we look at the last pound, we put our value and our weight on the, on the actual physical currency, the sterling that we have. You're better off to have no money and to have complete faith, because my god shall supply all my needs according to thy riches in glory. It can be very difficult, can be very awkward to be someone that is a bible believingbelieving believer and have quite an amount of money. Because who do we trust? Do we trust the money or do we trust the God? You're better off to not have a pound in your pocket and to live completely by faith and say God, you're going to supply, god, you're going to make a way. Because so often we find that when we get X amount of money and we surround ourselves by figures in the bank and when we look at the sterling and we look at the credit and we looked at what we have, we put more weight and we put that weight on what we have.
Speaker 2:But the Bible says that you can't serve two masters. You can't serve two masters. It's extremely clear. You know, the Bible is clear. The just shall live by faith. It doesn't talk about living by money. It doesn't talk about living by materialistic ways. It doesn't talk about living by business. It doesn't talk about living by the church. The Bible says the just shall live by faith.
Speaker 2:And what is faith? Faith is this invisible substance, this invisible concrete that's very tangible, that's very real in this spiritual world that is outside of this natural bubble of where we live and what we touch. You know the ceiling's here, the carpet's here, you're here, the cameras are here, that you know. The sound is here because I can see it, I can hear it. So it is real and, as we said before, you know we understand science, we get a degree of science and for the kids that are in the house and the adults that are with me in the house and for those that are online, we understand how gravity works.
Speaker 2:Do you believe in gravity? Yes, I believe in gravity. Why do I believe in gravity? Because gravity is the effect of keeping me on the earth and holding everything down. So we understand how gravity works. But you can't see the power of gravity itself, but you see the effect of by what it does. And faith is the same. You can't see gravity itself, you can't literally hold it, you can't measure it to a certain degree, but we are the effect that gravity is working. The chairs are here, they're on the ground because of gravity. Every structure is here. It is on the earth because it has that gravitational pull. It is invisible, but we see the evidence of its work. It's like faith. Right, lord, I've got to exercise my faith like gravity. Lord, I believe that I'm going to see the evidence of my faith. We are watching the evidence of gravity by what we see with our eyes. Now we have to switch up and go up to the next level. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So I've got to see it in this realm. I've got to see, outside of this natural realm, the realm of gravity, the realm of nature, outside of the realm of church, outside of the realm of ministry, outside of the realm of every area of perception. The way that I perceive Faith is so powerful. Faith is so powerful.
Speaker 2:The Bible says without faith it's impossible to please God. So even faith without faith, without getting into Lord, I'm going to live my life by faith and it doesn't mean throwing everything into the wind and saying, lord, you're going to do this, you're going to do that, because what it means is faith and actions go together. So there is an area of my life where I believe, I'm believing, that it's coming down the tracks. It's coming down the invisible tracks. I get myself farther, I believe your word is true and I'm healed in the name of Jesus. I see myself walking, lord. I feel, lord, that the pain has gone in my body. So, lord, I start walking. You know faith and actions. You start walking to the goal. You start getting out, you start moving, you start getting yourself moving in many ways and to get ourselves moving from mental health we speak to our mind, lord, in the name of Jesus.
Speaker 2:I'm free, lord, from the torture. I'm free from the prison that I've created in my life, lord, I'm free from the prison, lord, that I put myself in. Lord, I'm free because who the Son sets free is free. Indeed, lord, will you open these prison? Will you open these bars, lord? Will you open the doors? Will you open, lord, life to me? Lord, will you make me, will you show me how to see? Extremely different, it says.
Speaker 2:Now faith is being sure of what we hope for. What are we hoping for right now, in the name of Jesus? Hope for your healing, hope for that prosperity move of God, hope that everything's going to be well. Whatever you are hoping for, once you hope for it and you start speaking it, start seeing it. Take yourself to that realm where I see myself well. I see myself changed. I see myself smiling. I see myself in that new demographic place. I see myself in a new job. I see myself in a new school. I see myself in a new church. I see myself moving forward.
Speaker 2:Fear will pin us. Fear will hold us back. Fear will get us to drown on the water with Christ. You know the disciple. He jumped out of the boat in faith. If this is, you, call me, take a leap of faith. There is nothing for us to lose.
Speaker 2:Lord, I'm going to walk by faith. Lord, I'm going to trust you. I'm going to stretch out tonight. Lord, I'm going to walk this journey. You know, the most powerful journey any human being will ever do in their life is to follow Jesus, to follow the voice of the King. And you're saying, and I'm saying well, actually, I can't hear the voice of Jesus. I can't hear this voice. Everybody else is hearing this voice. I go to other churches and they're telling me Jesus is in the room and that he's speaking to them all day. But, lord, I can't hear your voice. God, I can't hear your voice. Lord, I'm crying out for you. I'm always pleading to hear your voice. Lord, I can't hear your voice. Lord, it feels like I've gone deaf. God, I can't hear you, but everybody else is telling me around me that God is speaking. Let me tell you how God speaks.
Speaker 2:If you have a Bible, pick it up. If you have a Bible, have a Bible, pick it up. If you have a Bible, turn to the scriptures with me. If you have a Bible, keep in Hebrews 11, verse 1. And as I read, you read it across the world. In the Lord's house, we're going to read Hebrews 11, verse 1, and verse 1 only, and we're going to read as we go right now.
Speaker 2:Now, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. What has just happened there. We spoke the word of God. Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of God. See, this is the area of the critical issue that we're having in the UK. The church isn't preaching the doctrines of grace, the church isn't getting down to the nuts and bolts of preaching the message. If the church would leave the woke message alone, if the church and I'm not talking about congregations, I'm talking about the preachers and the teachers and the ones that call themselves pastors and leaders and all that sort of stuff we need to leave the wokeness away, we need to leave the scrapbook of ministry away and we got to get back to the word. It is about getting in the word. So how do I hear the voice of God? The voice of God is the word of God. You know, the Bible says in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and he was with God in the beginning. Jesus says I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the father except through me. John, chapter 1, verse 14, says and the word became flesh. So through the scriptures that I've just mentioned and the scriptures that we, that we are very familiar with. This Bible yes, we call it a Bible, but it's actually the word of God. So if I just remove the word Bible and I say I'm getting into the word of God, because this, from Genesis to Revelations, 66 books, the power of the word of God, written over 1,496 years, this Bible is holy, dynamite. This Bible will change your life. This Bible is a radical book. This word of God is radical. This book is so powerful demons flee. But there is something interesting about this word that takes surrender and that takes faith and that takes also hope. So surrender comes from hope and it comes from faith. If you want to live a radical life, this is the book to follow. This is the book because this book is the word of God. So how do I hear the voice of God? The world is telling me that Jesus is speaking to them all day. So how do I hear the voice of God. The world is telling me that Jesus is speaking to them all day long. They're on the phone. You know many pastors are on the phone to Jesus all day, and bishops and all that. You know that's not true. The way we hear the voice of God is that when we read the word of God, god speaks as we speak his word aloud. So I'm going to read it again and I'm going to read Hebrews 11, verse 1. Now, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. What are we doing? We are speaking the word of God. When you speak the word of God out loud, obviously you are hearing the voice, your voice, my voice. When we read the word quietly, and when we read the word quietly, and when we read the word quietly and we read it, you can still hear the voice of yourself. So when you read the word of God and you read God's word and God's instruction, even though it is your voice, you hear. God is using your voice to get his word out aloud. So there is something that is mysterious about this word, something that is so supernatural.
Speaker 2:The Bible says faith comes from hearing. How do I hear? The only way that I can hear is when there's a sound. What is a sound? A sound can be from a knocking to a speech. A sound is anything that my ears pick up. So when the Bible says faith comes from hearing, it is referring to the preaching, it is referring to the reading of the word of God.
Speaker 2:So when we look at the preaching in the UK, when we look at the doctrine where is the doctrine in this nation? When you look at all these denominations and when you look at what's happening in the world of church, it's very weak. The UK church is extremely weak. It is very weak. It is not just on its knees, it is literally flat out. It feels like the church has been steamrollered over by religion. But then we've got to remind ourselves well, hang on, I don't belong to religion and I don't belong to the church. Yes, I'm under the Elim umbrella, yes, I'm an Elim minister, but Elim do not own me, and they know that and that they're clear on that. Because, god, we belong to God. We don't belong to the church. We don't belong to the denomination. You don't belong to your parents, you don't belong to any human being, you belong to God. God brought you in and God will bring, brought me in and God will take me out. Everything is in God's hands.
Speaker 2:So faith comes from hearing. I've got to hear the word. So when we go to church and we don't hear the word of God, our faith is not growing. When we go to church and we hear pastor rambling on about his golf and his good days out on this, and they're throwing a joke up in the air and all that sort of stuff, it even comes to worship. Even when you look at worship worship that we have this day and age we have to be extremely careful and I'm really careful of what I say here because of what we're involved in. Everything goes on because we got to make sure that we're getting the word of God. You've got to get the word in your spirit. The only way that I will grow is getting the word of God. I won't grow by going to church and by going to the mega ministries unless I am hearing scripture, true scripture, preached correctly through doctoring, through grace, through deep theological understanding. Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of God. Now let's go back to the book that I mentioned the first instance that we was tonight, and we just want to welcome everybody again in a house with us. We want to welcome everybody on radio tonight. We want to welcome everybody in the world of podcasts and it's streaming with us on this live stream service. God bless you wherever you are across the world.
Speaker 2:But let's go back to the book of Daniel, chapter 3. Daniel, chapter 3, and I'm going to pick it up in verse 28. And as we look at verse 28, it's a text that we could stay in for such a long time. And it says then Nebuchadnezzar said praise be to the God of Shamrach, meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants. They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any God except their own God. So Shamrach, meshach and Abednego was willing, completely willing, to put their life in the hand of the God of Israel. They said our God is able. If he decides to keep us, praise God. If he decides to take us, praise God. See King Nebuchadnezzar. Throughout, we understand this text and if you want to find out a little bit more it's about the image of gold and the fiery furnace Go to chapter three and read from verse one all the way through. I'm in the back end of that, but something is really, really important. King Nebuchadnezzar, he was told, and they got together. You know, as we paraphrase this, that he created an idol.
Speaker 2:See, we have many idols. We have idols in our homes. We have idols around our house. We have idols at school. We have idols at Bluewater. We have idols where we walk. We have idols. We have carvings. We have ashlepoles. We have these very powerful idols that are encrypted or pushed into badges on the front of cars.
Speaker 2:When you look at certain coffee houses, when you look at the certain way that they portray their trademarking, it's astrology. When you look at certain cars, when you look at symbols Astrology. When you look at certain cars, when you look at symbols Saturn, you will find Saturn. You will find very unusual badges on cars, idol worship. When you look at certain coffee bean shops, look at them. When you look at certain areas of trademarking, when you look at logos and when you look at certain things, we are drawn in. You know it's very clever the power of media, the way the power of media draws us in. We are surrounded. We are surrounded by idols. We are surrounded by golden cast. We are surrounded by false idols, we are surrounded by ashlepoles, we are surrounded by so many things and, without us realizing, we can almost worship these idols.
Speaker 2:You know, when you look at a vehicle, when you look at a vehicle, certain badges on cars, when you look at a said coffee houses, certain trademarks, certain areas of life, it uses astrology. Astrology is powerful. Astrology is really really powerful. So we have to be extremely careful. We live in a world that is very fast and it's very furious. It is governed by money, notoriety, trademarks, symbols. You are looked at and you are lifted up by what car you have, what badge is on your car I've got a skateboard, so everything's all right what car you have, what badge is on your car. I've got a skateboard, so I think it's all right.
Speaker 2:You're gauged in this nation by what your postcode is. When I tell people what my postcode is, what are you talking about? Br870x, that's terrible. That's Swanley. Oh Lord, how can anybody ever live in Swanley? Oh, my goodness. I would like to say I live in TN. I live in TN. I live in Tunbridge. Oh, actually I live in Bromley. Sorry. No, I live in Shortlands. I would love to say I live in Chelsea, but actually I live in good old BR870X. I live right in the thick of it.
Speaker 2:You know, because we are judged by our postcode, we are judged by color, we are judged by work, we are judged by education, we are judged by so many things by the car we drive, the vehicles we have, the phones that we have, the gadgets we have, the house that we have. I live in social housing. Oh, how dare he live in social housing. You must have a mortgage, you must have a five bedroom, you must have two Labradors and a wonderful wife and a wonderful husband. You must have the perfect family. We get judged by where we live, the pets we have, the children we have, the cars we drive. You know, I won't tell you what sort of dogs I see around the street on here and I'm not telling you they're not cocker span, they're not the lovely little handbag dogs, they're a little bit more of a grizzler of a dog.
Speaker 2:You get judged by where you live, by your postcode, by the animal that you have, by the swagger you got, by the man bag that you wear with a certain substance in it, and it's probably just Coca-Cola. But you never know what goes on in BR-870X. You are judged by the car you drive. You are judged as well. Do you know by another way that we judge as Christians, by the denomination we go to? Do we realize the denomination that we are under? Do you realize that the church that you go to there is such an area of class stacking in denominations? Where do you go to church? You will be judged. Yes, I go to. I go uptown. I go into that beautiful large church up there. I go into that beautiful one. I go into that or no? I actually go to that little shed in Cherry Avenue, that one with Elam stamped over the door.
Speaker 2:You know, you're judged by where you go to church, by the car you drive, by the clothes that you wear, by the trainers on your feet. You're judged by the way you speak. You're judged by the way you look. You're judged by the way you walk whether you've got swagger or you walk like someone from Chelsea. You're judged we are judged in every area of life by the dog that is on the lead. You are judged by the house that you live in. You're judged by how many cars are on the drive. You're judged in every area.
Speaker 2:So what has this got to do with the scripture we're in. It's got everything to do because it's about materialistic worshipping. See, when you look at this text that we're in and it says very clearly verse 28 of Daniel, chapter 3, and it says then Nebuchadnezzar says praise be to God, shamrach, meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel. Now there is a clear reference to Psalm 91, for God will send his angels concerning you. So Psalm 91, if you need to check out, and we're not lifting up angels, we're not worshipping angels. It's nothing to do with angels. It's not about you know all that is out there, all that other that razzmatazz about there. You know the angel ministry. It's nothing to do with that.
Speaker 2:You know there are angels that are assigned to your life. We are not lifting up them, we are not worshipping them, but this is how God gets his message through to us. This is how things happen in certain areas of life. You know the Bible is very clear. Be careful, because you might be entertaining angels in disguise. You do not realise when suddenly there could be someone from heaven standing in front of you in a crisis in your life and all of a sudden, that person, that situation disappears and you can't trace them or track them. Let me tell you, it happens.
Speaker 2:So when, in this reference here, meshach, shemrach and Abednego, the God that they serve, the God, sent them an angel to rescue them, to rescue his servants, they trusted in him. They're not trusting in the angel, they're trusting in the God of Israel. We don't trust in the heavenly hosts, we trust in the God that created the heavenly hosts. We trust in the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. But God sent an angel to rescue them. And if you have a Bible, turn to Psalm 91 and you will read that. Read it really, really clear. And it says and God will command his angels concerning you to lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against the rock. Angels are assigned.
Speaker 2:When Christ was in that situation with Herod and Pilate, when he was getting ready for the preparation for the cross, he said don't you think that I have the power of uncountable angels, legions at my disposal to come to me and to minister to me? You know, when Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Bible says that the angel came and ministered to Jesus when Elijah ran underneath the broom tree, when he fell down, and he prayed that prayer, that suicidal prayer. God, I've had enough. Take my life from me. God did not take his life. He sent an angel to minister to him.
Speaker 2:When Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane sweating droplets of blood, god sent an angel to minister to him. I find that absolutely fascinating. That Christ is the living word, is the God of all gods, the king above all kings is in the garden of Gethsemane crying and sweating like droplets of blood. And the angel that came to minister him, he knew that angel because he created that angel. He knew the feathers, if they had feathers. He knew everything about that angel. He knew everything about because God is Christ.
Speaker 2:Christ is God and it says that in Colossians, chapter 1, verse 15, christ is the image of the invisible God. So not only was Christ in the garden, fully God, fully man, fully human being, you have the eternal God. You have God in the garden of Gethsemane and, through the image of Christ, you have this eternal, invisible God on the floor, sweating, crying. And the Bible says Jesus was in extreme sorrow and he was in his full human suit at that point. But what I find fascinating, that angel came and ministered to Jesus.
Speaker 2:Christ knew that angel because Christ was before any heavenly host, christ created that angel, but he was so steadfast to the commitment of the word of god. He knew that angel, that angel knew him. But the angel was just doing what the what the god of israel said. But then, suddenly, we got the god of israel in the visible, in the visible visible, in the visible formation of christ in the garden of gethsemane. But the angel is ministering to the god that created him, to the God that created him, to the Christ that brought him in. Oh, my goodness, it's so deep, it's so powerful. So there are heavenly hosts that are assigned to minister to you.
Speaker 2:So, just like Shamrach, meshach and Abednego when they was thrown into the fire and let me tell you this, there are many people in our lives, like King Nebuchadnezzar, that want to throw you and want to throw me in the fire. There are many people in our lives that love to stab us in the back, to trip us up, to cause trouble, to cause harm in our lives. But what we don't realize is that when we are in the fire, who is the one walking with us? When you read that story, if you're ever in trouble, if you're ever fearful and you think that you're alone, you've only got to read Meshach Shamrach and Abednego, the power of God's word. Three Jewish young men were thrown into the fire.
Speaker 2:The simple reason was is because they said to the satraps, the governors, the judges, the lawyers, the dictators. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar we are not going to serve any foreign God, we are not going to serve you, king Nebuchadnezzar, we are not going to bow the knee. It's very interesting. You've only got to look at certain areas of the political drive that's happening. You know the church bows its knee. I've got to be careful because we're on live stream. We've got to be very careful how I pronounce and I bring stuff over. We're coming to the table in a few moments, but we just got a couple of minutes before we come to the table. So what we find? Religion bows the knee to number 10 Downing Street.
Speaker 2:Religion bows the knee to many foreign gods and we've got to remind ourselves that we are like Meshach Shamrach and Abednego, that we cannot bow the knee to any foreign god and we cannot serve as well. So there is a difference between serving and worshipping. You know, we've got to be careful that we don't serve the gods of this world, the gods of religion, the gods of materialism, the gods of this, the gods of there, are many gods that are out there. We've got to be careful that we don't serve them in the way that we work. And we can get caught like that in the area of business and work and life, and we say, yeah, but Pastor Ben, that's a bit out of order saying that I've got to have a mortgage. Yeah, I know we've got to have a mortgage. I know we've got to have a vehicle.
Speaker 2:I get into certain areas of borrowing money and I start to get in that area and I start to borrow it, and I start to borrow it and it starts to rack up and as it racks up, suddenly that becomes a god that I have to worship and I have to feed that and I have to live under the criteria of that. And then suddenly there comes a point in my life where I have no choice and then suddenly, before before I know it, it's this God that I've, it's this animal that I've got to feed, and suddenly I've gotten myself into this position. I've got myself in in, caught into this, this circle of this life. You know it's, it's, it's a massive subject. You know funds, money, mortgages, cars, hp, this you know credit cards debt. You know debit cards. You know credit cards debt. You know debit cards. You know crypto coins are in the world now, you know.
Speaker 2:You know it's a massive subject, it's a massive area and whether we live in social housing or whether we live under the hand of the mortgage lenders or borrowers, whatever we we got to be careful that all of us, or any of us, can get caught in the God of money. We can't get caught in the God of money, you know. We can't put our hand in our pocket and think, well, I've only got a jack saliva left, I've got a five, I've got five pound, and that five pound's got to do so much. As soon as I start looking at the five pound and start analyzing the five and start stretching the five, I start to take my eyes off of my God and what I've got to say is Lord, I thank you that I've got five, but, lord, I believe in the God that went up to that place and he called the disciples in and he called that young boy with the fish and the bread and he said what you've got, give it to me, because there's the answer that we need.
Speaker 2:So we might say, well, how do I find increase? What I have in my hands, lord, I give it to you. Lord, I have nothing. So, lord, what I've got, I've got to give to you. Lord, I've only got five loaves and I've got a few fish. I've got a basket of food here, lord, I've got to feed the kids, lord. I've got half a tank of petrol and I've got to go here, there and everywhere, drop the kids off, pick them up, take them swimming, do this and do that. Lord. I've only got this, lord. I haven't even got enough to pay the rent. If I pay the rent suddenly, I'm not going to be able to do this. I'm not going to be able to do that. Lord, what do I do? We physically hand it over.
Speaker 2:So that's where Hebrews 11, verse 1, comes back into play. Like Meshach, shamrach and Abednego, our God is able because that's what they said Our God is able. Whether you throw us in the fire, all is well. And it's the same with money and with life. And looking what's in the cupboard when we open up the cupboard and go God, blimey, I've only got a little bit of food here, and I've got 18 kids to feed and I've got this and I've got that. I've only got 10 pounds worth of diesel and I've got to do more, more miles than this is going to allow, and you know. And I've got to get the children's clothes for school and I've got to get new work boots, I've got to get a new, a new tool for work. The van's breaking down, I can't afford tires on the vehicle and I've got to get an MOT.
Speaker 2:What am I going to do, god? God says come to me, you know, like that boy, like the disciples, they went. Jesus, I tell you what, just get rid of these crowds. We ain't got enough money. We can't feed them. That was the disciples, that's the church. We can't do it, we ain't going to do it.
Speaker 2:And suddenly we know the text, that this, this young boy, they just got these loaves and fishes, and and Jesus goes this is this. This is fine, it's okay, because what you got I'm the God of increase, that's what I've got to remember is God that increases. And what's really interesting is that when Jesus lifted it up and he prayed for the fish and the loaves, when he handed it back, it was the same. It was the same, but they didn't question him. It just went, go out and feed.
Speaker 2:Because what we have in our hands, when God has blessed what we have in our hands and suddenly we realize now it's God's responsibility to get this fiver to stretch, to get the kids schools closed, to stretch, it is God's responsibility to put gas in the system, electric in the system. When I hand it over, god, I've got 10 pound to put on this charge card. And it's cold, it's the depth of winter. We're all happy as Christians. When summer comes, I can turn the electric off, praise Jesus. I can turn the heaters off, I can flick the boiler off, hallelujah Jesus. But as soon as winter comes, oh God, hallelujah, lord.
Speaker 2:I've got the same money and I've got to put the heating on, lord, and I know as soon as I put it in it's going to go in reserve and it's going to nick it and it's going to do this, it's going to do that, lord. I've got to run down the sweet shop, lord, it's cold. I've only got flip-flops on. I've got to go down there my dressing gown on. I've got my PJs on, because that's what we wear in Swanley. I've got to go and I've got to put electric on my card.
Speaker 2:I will work with the least that you've got. I can do unbelievable with nothing. What do you mean, god? Prove it. You want me to prove it, ben? Have you read Genesis, chapter one, that I pulled beauty out of darkness? Haven't you read Genesis chapter one, ben, when I said let there be light. And there was See. It's about surrender. It's about faith. I believe God created the heavens and the earth. I believe God is going to give me enough diesel to get to work. I believe there's going to be enough money to get another Oyster card. I believe God is going to be able to put the kids on the bus and on the train and get them to school and get them back. I believe God is going to give me food. I believe that, however that may be going to food bank, doing this or doing whatever, I believe I'm going to be fed this week and the children are going to be warm and safe.
Speaker 2:It's about speaking. It's about believing. We're going to come to the table. We've got to quickly come to the table. The camera is going to click out in less than nine minutes. We're going to come to the table in the house and wherever you are across the world. We want to encourage you to break bread with us right now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2:But it is critical that I speak over my life. So, father, I thank you that it is by your word I'm healed. Lord, I want to thank you that it is by faith. The electric is moving. I want to thank you by faith, the gas is working. I want to thank you by faith, lord, that the fuel that I have in the car and the van is going to get me to work. I thank you, lord, you're going to provide me enough money, lord, to get the vehicle through the MOT. I thank you, lord, that you're going to provide for me, lord, health. I thank you, lord, that somehow this week, lord, I'm going to be able to do some shopping. I thank you, lord, that somehow this week, this universal credit issue that I've got is going to come right.
Speaker 2:I thank you, lord, that this job that I'm worried about. See, that's another area. When we go to work and we put everything we got in the job I put everything I got in the job because the job pays me Then suddenly that becomes my God, suddenly. I put everything I've got into that. I've got to live by faith and I do it and I don't do it and I achieve it and I don't achieve it. It's the hardest thing you'll ever do is to live by faith and to realize that I don't actually need money because my God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory. Seek ye first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else shall be added unto thee. So imagine, imagine this Sunday coming. The pastors across every church, every platform are preaching the doctrines of the word. Imagine if the church got straight in, straight into the Lord's prayer. Imagine that Just take that one prayer and pray that for a month over your life, you will see drastic change that you've never seen before.
Speaker 2:The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6. Father, as we come to a close of this service, it is by faith we believe. So, as we break bread together right now in the name of Jesus, it is by faith we understand that this is bread in itself. But as I break bread, I thank you that this, lord, as I hold it, is a symbol of the body of Christ. In Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2:Wherever you are across the world, we want to encourage you to be Bible, bible brothers and sisters, word brothers and sisters. We want to encourage you to be the John 3 16s, to be the John 3 3s. You've got to be born again. You've got to be born again and I believe you are born again. So, lord, will you come, lord, into my life like never before? Will you set the captives free tonight, lord, will you wash me in the crimson tide, the blood of Jesus, will you cleanse me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet? I am a sinner, saved by grace. But the old has gone, the new has come. So the journey of life, lord, will you keep me close to you tonight and forevermore. Lord, bless this cup that symbolizes the blood of Christ in Jesus' name. Amen.
Speaker 2:There is power. In the name of Jesus. Do we realize that we serve a God that is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine? That is what the scripture says. Do we realize that we serve a God that is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine? Do we realize that the God that is living in your heart, the God that saved you, the Christ that is with you, the Word that is living in you, the Holy Spirit that is with you, do we realize, do I realize, that God said, all things are possible to those who believe the power of believing. Believe, see yourself and believe that there's change. Don't settle for what is around, don't settle for what is seen. Don't settle for what the world is telling you. Don't settle for what the world is telling you. Don't settle for what history is trying to define you. You know, come to this place and say dear God, there's significant change in my life. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. You know, the Bible says that we are blessed and highly favored. Wonderfully and fearfully made God created you before the foundation of the world.
Speaker 2:And God does great things out of darkness. The Bible says in Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1 read it for yourself the spirit of God, the surface of the deep darkness. So you got darkness and the waters of the deep. You've got nothing the depth of the darkness. But then, all of a sudden, god clears his tonsils. He clears his tonsils and he says let there be light. And he draws this light, he draws this power. He draws this light out of darkness. See, God does his best work on us when it looks really dark, when it looks impossible. God does his best out of the nothings, because the Bible says there was nothing, just this deepness of darkness, just this stillness beyond stillness, just this nothing beyond nothing. And God said let there be light. And out of nowhere, atoms and molecules and everything started to dance to the voice of the God of Israel. The God of Israel was the God of Israel before he spoke Israel into existence. And as he spoke, and light started to move and accelerate at such a pace that it cannot be measured correctly because it is moving so fast. As God said, let there be light, it became. And then God said, and God said, and God said and then suddenly there is this move where the world starts to creak and to groan and out of nowhere, light comes Out of nowhere, stars are placed Out of nowhere, waters start to spring Out of nowhere, trees are up Out of nowhere, the sun is just where it should be just perfectly placed, just out of nowhere. The moon is working beautiful, with every area of every planet that has been put into the solar system, just out of nowhere. God said so. Suddenly I come to the realization. I come to the realization if God done that and he done all that, how much more is there for me? So this is where we come to a finish. In just a few moments. We've got about one minute and about 30 seconds.
Speaker 2:Wherever you are across the world, wherever you are in the house, wherever you are online, wherever you are in the world of radio, wherever you are in the house, wherever you are online, wherever you are in the world of radio, wherever you are in the world of podcast, let's live by faith. Let's be labeled as radical Bible believing believers, not as religious Christians that go to this church. Let's be labeled as Bible-believing, born-again, spirit-filled, crazy men and women, boys and girls for Jesus Christ that we believe in creation. We believe all things are possible to those who believe. Start seeing your future coming down the track of life. Start seeing miracles on your body. Start seeing the diesel needle turning up. Start seeing new tires on a transit van. Start seeing all things coming together. Start seeing the impossible be impossible. It is possible because it is about the God that you serve.
Speaker 2:So, wherever you are tonight across the world, we want to encourage you to live by faith. Wherever you are across the world, we want to encourage you to get in the Word of God, because it's not about church, it's about scripture. It is scripture that I need. So thank you for joining us in the house with me this evening, thank you for being on the live stream broadcast this evening, thank you for listening to this podcast back in time and thank you for being on RB, christian Radio. May God bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Stay blessed, never give up. God is with you, amen.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to us today on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. 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.
