Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Reverend Ben Coopers podcast, offers an inviting space for listeners to explore Christianity and spiritual growth with wisdom, humor, and a deep commitment to biblical truth. Through Rev. Ben's engaging conversations with guests, the podcast not only explores the timeless wisdom of the Bible but also tackles the pressing issues of life, faith, and hope in a way that is accessible, thought-provoking, and enriching. Whether you’re seeking spiritual nourishment, answers to life’s big questions, or simply a place to reflect on your faith, the Rev Ben podcast is a valuable resource on your journey.
In each episode, Rev. Ben guides listeners through profound theological reflections, personal stories, and practical insights drawn from the Bible and the broader Christian tradition.
Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Faith Beyond the Crowd - (#1076 - Elim)
Out of the Crowd, Into Your Calling – Joshua 3 and the Journey of Faith
What happens when you step away from the crowd and follow Jesus into the unknown? In this bold and empowering episode, Pastor Ben Cooper and his team dive deep into Joshua 3:3–4, where the Israelites are commanded to follow the Ark of the Covenant into unfamiliar, uncharted territory—a prophetic picture of walking by faith.
With profound insight and clarity, the conversation tackles how modern society subtly brands us—from social security numbers to social media algorithms—treating individuals as data points rather than divine creations. Pastor Ben invites listeners to examine the “crowds” in their own lives: work culture, digital echo chambers, religious expectations, or even church norms that pull us away from authentic intimacy with God.
“You weren't created to blend in—you were chosen to stand out,” Pastor Ben reminds us. As the Israelites stood before the flooded Jordan River, God was preparing them to witness a miracle. Likewise, when we abandon comfort and conformity, we position ourselves for divine breakthrough.
This episode weaves together powerful Biblical truths:
- Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world.
- Galatians 5 – Walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.
- Ephesians 2:10 – You are God’s masterpiece, created for good works.
- 1 Samuel 17 – David faced Goliath by stepping away from the crowd and trusting God alone.
Listeners are encouraged to rediscover their Kingdom identity, and trust the still, small voice that says, “This is the way, walk in it.” The episode speaks to anyone who feels stuck in a system that doesn’t reflect their God-given identity—and offers hope for those longing to live with holy boldness.
Whether you're wrestling with identity, fear, or conformity, this message will challenge and encourage you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly—even if it means going alone. This is your invitation to step into your God-ordained path, leave the crowd behind, and watch what happens when faith leads the way.
Key Scriptures:
- Joshua 3:3–4 – Follow the Ark into new territory
- Romans 12:2 – Be transformed by renewing your mind
- Ephesians 2:10 – You are God’s workmanship
- Galatians 5 – Walk by the Spirit
- Isaiah 30:21 – “This is the way; walk in it”
Listen & Subscribe:
Available on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, and more.
faith, identity, breakthrough, obedience, courage, calling, Joshua, Romans12, freedom, Spirit, purpose, truth
Christian podcast about identity and calling, stepping out in faith like Joshua, how to leave cultural conformity behind, following Jesus outside the crowd, what does Joshua 3 teach about faith, Ephesians 2:10 explained in daily life, Romans 12:2 sermon for modern Christians, walking in the Spirit not the flesh, Christian boldness and breakthrough, how to follow God’s voice through uncertainty
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, whether you are on Spotify, apple Podcast, google, alexa, amazon Music and so many other platforms. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. We would love to hear from you as you partner with us as we reach the world for Jesus Christ. Please send us an email through our contact form on. Also, you can find our latest books on Amazon under.
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Speaker 2:Good morning. Jesus Christ is alive. He's the coming king. He is the great. I am Wherever you are today. Thank you for joining us on radio.
Speaker 2:I'll be Christian radio for those in the world of podcast, with us at this moment in time and wherever you may be, whatever your time zone is, whatever life looks like, we thank you for joining us and thank you for so many on this live stream on the other side of camera. May God bless you and strengthen you and guide you and lead you in paths of righteousness. We welcome you to coffee and prayer and for everybody that downloads these podcasts, we thank you too, for whatever nation, whatever city, wherever you are across this beautiful earth. May the Holy Spirit lead you today. You know, whatever life looks like, whatever you may be facing, you know life is good, life is powerful when we follow Jesus Christ. But the Bible says you must be born again. So we welcome you this morning, whether you're in faith, out of faith. You know people scroll onto certain platforms just trying to fill some time, but we welcome those, you know, wherever you are across the world, scattered far and wide, as we gather for prayer, as we just rest in the word of God, and I want to just open up the word this morning by his grace and his mercy, and just trust that the Lord is leading us and we are right now.
Speaker 2:We're in Joshua. We're in the book of Joshua, chapter 3. And I want to pick it up from verse 3. And it's about crossing the Jordan. You know, this is a really interesting scripture. We understand that. The Bible is completely interesting. But I just find that at this moment in time, I believe that the Lord is calling us to step aside, step outside of the crowd of everything that's going on. Because when you look at this and follow the ark, he said when you see it, when you see it, get ready to move out from your positions. And I feel that this is very relevant for us as Bible-believing believers. I find it very, very relevant, you know, that we step out from these positions that we're in and we follow Christ.
Speaker 2:I find we're at a critical part of time at this moment in time. You know time is very, very powerful. It can't be bought. You can't buy time, you can't get it back. You know it's critical. Time is so powerful. It can't be bought, you can't buy time, you can't get it back. You know it's critical Time is so powerful and I believe that, as Joshua, chapter three and from verse three onwards, it's just a short text that I'm going to read.
Speaker 2:Wherever you are at this moment in time, whether listening through radio, whether you're listening through podcasts, whether you're on this live stream broadcast service, across the world, we want to encourage you to follow Jesus, to be a Jesus follower, to follow Jesus, to step out, follow the Ark of the Covenant. That was the clear instruction from God. So when you follow this through, you might want to read it from verse 1 when you get time. But this was after three days of camping on the side. You know, and it's critical, that we get ready to cross, and where God led them was into an impossible situation. I find that absolutely amazing. I find that scary that God will lead us into situations where we need to see a miracle, every journey, journey that they had, god made a way. I want to encourage you at this moment in time that God is making a way for you. He might be leading you to the river's edge. You might be looking at the Jordan flowing at full flood stage. I want to encourage you this morning to be a Jesus follower. I want to encourage you this morning to step outside of the position that you're in and get ready and say Lord, I'm following you, lord, I'm going to follow you no matter what.
Speaker 2:So let's pick this reading up, let's pick this text up and we're in the book of Joshua, chapter 3, and we are in verse 3, giving orders to the people. When you see the ark of the covenant of the lord, your god, and the priests who are the levites carrying, carrying that you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then it says in verse 4 let's just go a little bit further, then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark, do not go near it. When you look at those two verses verse four it says, then you will know which way to go, but you really haven't been this way before. Hang on, lord. That's confused me a little bit, because it's about following Jesus.
Speaker 2:When Jesus called those on the shoreline of Galilee, he said drop your nets, come and follow me. We've got to follow Jesus, we've just got to follow him, and then we all might sit around this table and you know across the mics and when you really go right down to the brass tacks of it all, it means that it's not church I follow. It's not ministry, it's not a man, it's not a woman, it's not a great preacher, it's not a teacher, it's not a theologian. It's not a social network group, it's not a WhatsApp group. I follow the word. We've got to be encouraging one another to follow the holy word of God again and again and again across your social networks, across your WhatsApp groups. Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your work colleagues. We've got to be Jesus followers. We've got to be Jesus followers.
Speaker 2:When you look across the platform of religion, when you look across the nation at this moment in time here in the uk, because that's where we're based you know we have got to follow jesus. I find this scripture really speaking to me. I find it's really speaking to all of us. To be fair, uh, so in verse three in joshua, chapter three, it says give orders to the people. When you see the ark of the covenant of the lord, your god, and the priests who are the levites carrying that, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.
Speaker 2:I believe that there are many of us glued in a crowd, absorbed, connected to crowds, that we shouldn't be connected to circles that we're walking in, that we should not walk in whatsapp groups, social media connections. I believe god is calling us out of certain circles of culture, of life, maybe work. I believe that we all have serious, serious decisions to make in the time in which we have on this earth. I believe god is calling us to follow him. To follow all god said was give clear instruction. When you see that arc be lifted up and placed on the shoulders of the priesthood, when you see that arc moving, follow that is the scripture from genesis to revelations. Follow the word. That is the only clear instruction that we have got. What does god say to joshua in this amazing book of joshua? Do not let this book of the Lord depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night, then you will be ABCD.
Speaker 2:When you follow the word Ben, follow this scripture. Ben, do not let this word depart from your mouth. Ben, do not get engaged in the crowd of society and life. Ben, do not engage in the world. Ben, do not get caught in groups that will hold you back. Groups, social network groups, church, society, work certain areas of life can stifle our walk with God. It's time to step out, step outside. When you see that, move out from your position. That takes guts, that takes faith, that takes the boldness of a lion.
Speaker 2:Imagine this You're in a large audience somewhere. You're in a large crowd of work, the work culture. Think about the work culture. Think about culture itself. Think about education, think about areas where you are caught in a mass amount of people and actually the crowd starts to engage in many things, from about eight people upwards so it's not many people before suddenly it becomes a crowd and that crowd influences our lives. People in church, pastors influences our lives, music influences our lives, money, government, religion so much is an influence on us.
Speaker 2:And we're at a stage here now, every one of us, where we've got to say Lord, I've got to be a Jesus follower, I've got to get in this word like never before. I've got to get in this holy word and I've got to follow this word. God has given us instruction from Genesis to Revelation and as we pray now, let's pray that we will be word followers, that we're not following the culture. But every one of us has been birthed into a postcode. Every one of us has a national insurance number. We are branded from the womb to the grave. We are like cattle. We have been stamped. The government uses as a commodity. We are just machines to them that are money making robotic. We are a commodity. We are just machines to them that are money making robotic. We are a commodity, but you are not. You are unique. You are a child of the living god, from the womb to the grave. We've got a national insurance number. We're stamped. We might as well put a barcode on our back. We're tracked. But we've got to move out and we've got to be Jesus followers. It's critical.
Speaker 2:I actually believe God is breathing over this nation. I actually believe that this nation is being shaken. I believe that there is such a stirring in this nation. Let's pray, father, in the name of Jesus. We come before you and Lord, we thank you for everybody online, thank you for everybody on radio, thank you for everybody downloading this stuff. But, lord, as Joshua 3, verse 3 and 4 says, follow the ark, move out from your positions. You know, think about that. We come from the womb to the grave and we have been given a number as soon as that breath and soon as we breathe, we have been given, we have been branded, we are registered in so many registers within government departments, but we've got to move out. We've got to move out and we've got to move out and we can't be controlled and herded.
Speaker 2:This nation is amazing in the way that it herds us. Church herds us, life herds us. Shopping, social media herds us, even though we might be in our bedroom and sitting on our sofa now at work scrolling. We think we're the only one looking at that, but we are being herded by the invisible machine is herding us to buy, herding us to look a certain way, herding us to stand a certain way, herding us to different areas of life. It will. It will point you to shops, it will point you to music things. It will point you to holidays. It herds. Social media points us because we are a commodity, we are an instrument where they want to draw money from us.
Speaker 2:But, brother and sister, it's really important now to step out, and what I mean by stepping out is to step out and to step up and to be as bold as a lion. Father, in the name of Jesus, give me boldness to be as bold as a lion. Father, in the name of Jesus, give me boldness to be as bold as a lion, to stand on the word of God and when the ark of the covenant moved, get ready to move from your position. Church, get ready, get ready. Are you ready for the coming of Jesus? Are you ready for the coming of the King? Are you ready? Are you ready?
Speaker 2:We are in the book of Joshua, chapter 3, verse 3 and verse 4. Joshua, chapter 3, verse 3 to 4. I'm going to read it one more time. And my brothers are going to clean up the mess that I've left. And my brothers are going to clean up the mess that I've left.
Speaker 2:Verse 3 says Giving orders to the people. When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord, your God, the priest, who are the Levites carrying you, are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourself and the ark, do not go near it. Get ready, stand up, stand out, step outside of the crowd.
Speaker 2:Brother and sister, please don't get absorbed in the social media crowd, don't get absorbed by the cultural crowd. Don't get absorbed by the cultural crowd. Don't get absorbed by the church crowd. Don't get drawn into the crowd scenario. Whenever you go to a crowd, be very vigilant of what is happening in the crowd. Be very careful what that crowd is asking you to do.
Speaker 2:Praise God, father. In the name of Jesus, help us. Help us to be bold, to get ready to cross the river, to cross the river and to go into a land, a land that you have promised. Help us and give us boldness. In the name of Jesus, bless my brothers in the house, bless my brothers and sisters across the world today, everyone that is listening to our voice. Lord, we thank you for their lives, lives. We pray that you will bless them and they will be healed and they will feel the fire of god and they will be as bold as a lion and they will step outside of the crowd that is drawing them in. Protect them, wash them in the blood of Jesus. In the mighty name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, good morning and welcome wherever you are to coffee and prayer this morning. The Lord is good. His mercy endures forever. Glenn, andy, good morning.
Speaker 3:Good morning. Good morning, yeah. What a verse. It just reminds me of the instructions God gives. And the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. It says that again and again and again. The fear of God. I'm sure many of us have found ourselves the lone voice in the crowd 100%.
Speaker 3:Yeah, many, many times. But you're not the lone voice, because Jesus said I'm with you always and he's left us his Holy Spirit to be with us always. Said I'm with you always and he's left us his Holy Spirit to be with us always. But those instructions that Joshua received, you know, don't go. Is it a thousand paces near the ark, it's like be led by the presence. It reminded me of a man called Uzzah.
Speaker 3:When David is coming in to take his kingdom, and as they're crossing this little fjord, the trolley that the Ark of the Covenant was on to wobble looks like it's going to fall. So Uzzah runs. He forgets the instructions. Caught up in the crowd, caught up in the joy, and he tries to steady the ark, steady god. As he puts his hand on the ark, bang, he drops dead. The fear of the Lord. He is God. Well, ben was going through Joshua. I was thinking of Isaiah 30 as well. Now Isaiah 30 from verse 20, and the Lord, and though the Lord's, give you the bread of adversary in the waters of affliction. Yet your teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your teacher and your ears shall hear a word behind you saying this is the way walk in it.
Speaker 3:This is the way walk in it when you turn to the right or to the left yes lord, what's the way? Hosea? I was led to this yesterday actually come on jesus prayer meeting, hosea, verse 12.
Speaker 3:So, chapter 10, verse 12 sow righteousness for yourselvesap the fruit of unfailing love and break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. What gets me there is sow righteousness for yourselves and reap the fruit of unfailing love. Sow righteousness for yourselves. Sow. Sow what's sowing. Well, anyone grow anything. You sow seeds and you get plants. Sow righteousness for yourselves, for it is time to seek the Lord until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. You sow righteousness for yourselves and you reap God's righteousness.
Speaker 3:See, the Bible says when we draw close to God, he draws close to us. Jesus said blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled Hunger and thirst when we realise we have none of our own. So we start to change what we do. We start to reset our values, we start to walk the way Jesus told us to walk as Ben prayed. We start to look what's influencing me. Am I being influenced by the world or am I influencing the world? Do not become overcome by evil, that's correct.
Speaker 3:Now in Galatians 5 life by the spirit galatians 5, verse 13 thank you, jesus but you, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free freedom but do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh oh, jesus rather serve one another humbly in love, for the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command Love your neighbour as yourself.
Speaker 3:If you bite and devour each other, watch out, you will be destroyed by each other. So I say live by the Spirit, come on. It says in Romans 8, those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Jesus said in John 10, my sheep know my voice.
Speaker 3:Isaiah, in verse 30, said and then Amen, amen. The flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh? They're in conflict with one another. So to the spirit, as it says in Galatians 5.16, if you are led by the spirit, you're not under the law. Now, in chapter 6, at verse 7, paul gives an instruction here Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Straight back to Hosea.
Speaker 2:Yes, Lord.
Speaker 3:Sow for yourselves righteousness.
Speaker 2:Come on.
Speaker 3:Start putting on the things of God.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 3:Start following his ways and you will reap.
Speaker 2:Yes, Lord.
Speaker 3:His goodness.
Speaker 2:Follow Jesus, his goodness.
Speaker 3:Follow Jesus, his goodness, come on. The fruit of the Spirit, as it says in Galatians 5.22, is joy. Actually, it starts with love. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. That's the fruit that the Holy Spirit bears in our life. Back to do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh from the flesh will reap destruction. Holy Spirit, whoever sows to please the Spirit from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let's not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Speaker 3:Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of god. So, lord, I want to thank you that you tell us it's time to seek you, and you say in your words that everyone who seeks finds yes jesus, you don't give us false promises.
Speaker 3:You can't lie if you say everyone who seeks finds the truth is, everyone who seeks finds the truth is everyone who seeks finds. Lord, we're seeking you, we're seeking your ways, lord, like you said to the Father, your will be done. We say the same. You told us to pray your kingdom come. Your will be done. And we thank you for your promises that you say, lord, we will hear your voice. You say my sheep know my voice. They cannot listen to a stranger. As you said through your spirit to isaiah, you will hear a voice behind you saying amen, this is the way, come on, walk in it, walk in it. You say, lord, when we're walking by your Holy Spirit, we have peace. Yes, lord, we're led by peace. Though you lead us through the valley of the shadow of death, we need not fear Amen, for you are with us.
Speaker 2:Thank you Father.
Speaker 3:Lord, I want to thank you that, though we may seem like a lone voice sometimes, we're not alone. You're with us and we carry your authority. Amen, jesus, we're not alone. You're with us and we carry your authority. Amen, jesus, lord, when we speak out, things change. When we speak out, though the world may rage, you tell us not to fear them. Don't fear him who can take your life? Then do no more, but fear him who, after taking your life, can throw you into hell please, father.
Speaker 3:Lord, you are God, and by your grace and your mercy you've called us to sow to eternity during this short life here on the earth.
Speaker 2:Hand it all over.
Speaker 3:It's brilliant. Lord, All by grace.
Speaker 2:Yes, Lord.
Speaker 3:All by your calling. We're your ambassadors, here on the earth, filled with your Holy Spirit, bearing your presence, carrying your presence, seeing your kingdom come and you use the likes of us.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:Lord Unschooled ordinary people.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Jesus, Thank you.
Speaker 3:Lord, you're good Amen.
Speaker 2:Amen, hallelujah, father, we thank you. We are so blessed.
Speaker 4:That word grace, that undeserved favour from our Father. And the word says, doesn't it it's by grace that you are saved. Thank you, Father, for grace no one can boast about that because it's his undeserved favour that Jesus actually went to the cross to die in our place. It's a concept really difficult to grasp sometimes that someone would die in your place and you know we can have friends, we can have good friends but would they die in our place?
Speaker 3:I think they draw the line there.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think we would, wouldn't we? But there's Jesus the. Son of God dying in our place. And you know we come and sit before these microphones every Wednesday and quite often we come and sit down and wonder what we have to say today, but it's the Holy Spirit that comes and gives us that appropriate word and I've been looking at Hebrews. Today, hebrews chapter 3 and it's warning against unbelief a warning against unbelief.
Speaker 4:So many people you come across today who have what we would call faith, they have no faith, they don't believe anything. Quite often, and it says here today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion during the time of testing in the desert. You know the people of israel wandered for 40 years in the desert because, of their hardness, of holy spirit and it this verse is repeated several times in Hebrews Keep it sharp, Carrying on into chapter 4, it says Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.
Speaker 4:If you're hearing God's voice today, don't cast it aside, don't go on to something else Listen. Listen, because God will be speaking to to you and he draws you to himself. We all have our stories to tell, don't we, as those sitting around the table, how we come to know Jesus. I feel quite old sometimes when I look back and think, crikey, I have a completely different story from Glenn. I have a completely different story from Ben.
Speaker 2:We're all unique.
Speaker 4:We're all unique, and that's the beauty of fellowship as Christians. In fact, we all go to different churches.
Speaker 2:We're all sitting around here we all go to different churches, but we know each other and we have, uh, this, this bond, because, yes, we know jesus, because of the holy spirit and in the word of god.
Speaker 4:That's, that's all that counts.
Speaker 2:That's all that matters that's all that counts.
Speaker 4:We know jesus and he's in our lives and we've accepted him because we know where we're going. In fact, we were having a bit of a conversation beforehand about um, funerals and things like this. You know, do we know where we're going? And, uh, what I would say to you this morning is do you know? Know where you're going? And if you don't, you need to do something about it. You need to sit down and maybe open the Bible. Open the book because this is God's word to us and I'm still in Hebrews, chapter 4, and there's a well-known verse there that says For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Jesus.
Speaker 4:It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. So when you get into God's word, it challenges you. God's word, it challenges you, um, there is no occasion when you pick up God's word, his, his holy book here, and it will challenge you. Just try that, um, try and read a bit every day and you will be surprised how God speaks to you. And you know, I tell the story of quite well-known personalities sitting down and reading God's Word. And Holy Spirit works in powerful ways through His, his word, and he can change people's hearts. And I know people who've come to faith just by sitting down and reading god's word. They weren't preached to, they didn't go into a church, they didn't, uh, sit in the pew for a week after week, but it was god's word that spoke to them and said to them you know there is more to life than this, and they became followers of Jesus.
Speaker 4:Come on, that's for you today.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 4:Become a follower of Jesus. That's my cry to you today Become a follower of Jesus. This is why we belong to our churches. This is why we talk the talk and speak about him. This is why Ben and Glenn are pastors of churches and speak the word of God.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Jesus.
Speaker 4:Every week they have to sit down and speak the word of God that is so powerful for them and they have such good relationships with God. Isn't it marvellous how the Holy Spirit comes and gives you inspiration? Yes, Lord. Personally, I don't know how you cope and deal with this every week, but… we don't.
Speaker 2:No, we don't.
Speaker 4:It is God's Spirit within you.
Speaker 2:You said it is God's Spirit. It lifts you up, it challenges you. Yes.
Speaker 4:It changes your life.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 4:I was a follower of Jesus for quite a number of years and my Christian walk changed when I was filled with the Holy Spirit. Yeah, Phyllis it just flooded in and changed my whole thinking. It changed me in giving me certain gifts. You know, Scripture says that we've all got a gift we have. We've all got a gift.
Speaker 2:Yours might be preaching and leading.
Speaker 4:We've all got a gift. I think mine is evangelism. You know, pretty obvious actually. You go into your way with Andy and you could be in a cafe and the waitress is going to get the gospel.
Speaker 3:Pretty obvious, actually. You go anywhere with Andy and he could be in a cafe and the waitress is going to get the gospel she's going to get a Bible Wherever you go.
Speaker 4:But it's.
Speaker 2:Praise God.
Speaker 4:It is so powerful to think that if you're a follower of Jesus, if you are filled with the Spirit, you're going to be working for him, you're going to be reaching out, because God's Word says, doesn't it, that we're all witnesses.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 4:We're all witnesses for what God has done in our lives. Hallelujah.
Speaker 2:Hallelujah, God he's certainly changed mine.
Speaker 4:He's been with me, thank, you Father. He's been in difficult situations. When he's come through and we've broken through together, that's the thing you, you do it with him. And so I would say to you this morning if you don't believe in jesus, you've got to change your heart thank you for you have to change your ways, uh, and I challenge you this morning just sit down and open the book and see what happens. Hallelujah.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen. Father, we come to you this morning. Glenn's going to take us in two seconds. Father, we come to you this morning. It's very clear, it's evident this morning that you're speaking to every one of us, wherever we are. Lord, help us, lord, to understand that it's not the calling, as in what the church calls us, it's who you call us to be. So, father, we ask you, father, that the call will be loud. The call will be loud in our heart today, lord, in our spirit, in our innermost being. Lord, keep that call alive in the name of Jesus.
Speaker 2:Help us to not get sidetracked by family, by life, by money, by social media. Help us not to get sidetracked by pastors and leaders. Help us not to get sidetracked by church itself. But, lord, be sharp. Be sharp like an arrow, father, will you sharpen us? Lord? I pray for every one of us, whether we're on radio, whether we're on screen, whether we're listening to this podcast back.
Speaker 2:Lord, will you sharpen us? Lord? Will you give us wisdom, increase the godly wisdom. Help us to be wise, to be good stewards. Help us to be strong and to be bold like lions and not be intimidated by certain leaders, certain people in our lives cultural pressure, church pressure, family pressure, but lord to stand on the rock of all ages. Sharpen us today, lord, and we need to move out of our position and follow the word. We're there, we're coming to the table in a few moments. We've got about five minutes and we're going to come to the table. Glenn's going to carry on and we pray that wherever you are in this globe, across this world, on the other side of the world, now listening, god is calling you to be a Jesus follower. And that means what does a Jesus follower mean? From Genesis to Revelations, because it's Jesus. The whole book is Jesus, every error. Follow the scripture, follow the word. That is the message.
Speaker 3:Follow him, glenn yeah, it's that following. I always find it amazing we never prepare for this. You know, it's one rule that we've got.
Speaker 3:The rule is you don't prepare, we just let holy spirit lead and god always brings a theme, you know he always gets us on a theme and the theme is following him, follow him. Hallelujah. Now for those who don't yet know him, but also those who do know him now, in hebrews 12 verse. End of verse 5 god says my child, don't make light of the lord's discipline and don't give up when he corrects you. Thank you, jesus, for the Lord disciplines those he loves, amen. And he punishes each one he accepts as his child.
Speaker 3:Come on, it's not time to give up Actually popping down to verse 11. So this is Hebrews 12, 11. No discipline is enjoyable. While it's happening it's painful, but afterwards there will be a peaceful harvest again, sowing and reaping of the right living. For those who are trained in this way, verse 12 says and this is for so many this morning so take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong come on, come on and going back to chapter 10, verse 36 patient endurance is what you need now.
Speaker 3:What do you need? Strengthen your weak knees, yes, lord.
Speaker 3:Take a new grip. Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will, amen. Then you will receive what he has promised. Now, going right back to chapter 6, verse 15, it says Then, abraham, the father of faith, waited patiently and he received what God had promised. Actually, he is still receiving what God has promised. Still receiving. He received. He got the promise even though he considered himself dead to God's promise. And yet, against all hope, in hope, he believed and God credited it to him as righteousness. And he received the son of the promise. And then all nations blessed through him, still being blessed. The Messiah came from his lineage. Yes, father, and we're being added daily, that's right.
Speaker 3:Abraham is still receiving what God had promised daily.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Father.
Speaker 3:Lord, I want to thank you that you're far beyond what we could ever imagine, lord, so I pray right across this globe that your people will strengthen their feeble knees and take a grasp again of you. Lord, what can stand against you? Nothing. Jesus, you said you will build your church. Come on, build it, and hell itself does not stand a chance.
Speaker 2:Yes, amen the victory is won.
Speaker 3:You cried out on the cross it is finished. That was a cry of triumph, not defeat. You didn't say I am finished. You said it is finished. You conquered everything, including death, and your promise is that when you ascended, you sent your very presence to be with us forever, until you return. So I want to thank you, lord, that your church is living in triumph, that we are seated with you in heavenly realms.
Speaker 2:Yes, Father.
Speaker 3:Lord, though the world rages, though empires war against each other, your kingdom endures forever.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 3:These other fleeting things will come and go. And thank you, lord, for the privilege of, during this short window of opportunity on the earth, we have the privilege of worshipping you, of praising you when it's hard. Thank you, because in eternity in heaven, there's no more hardship. So, lord, I want to thank you that you are ours and we are yours. Fill us with your presence more and more. Father, let us hear your voice. Lord, give us that instruction from behind what way to go, and we will strengthen our feeble knees and grasp on again to your staff and walk with you.
Speaker 2:Amen amen, father, we we're coming to the table, brothers and sisters, very, very soon. We've got about 16, 17 minutes left of this service. So we want to encourage you, as we've been saying, as not, not, not. What we're saying is what, what we believe, which we absolutely believe of our heart. God is calling us all, god is calling to be Jesus followers. Us three around the mics, every one of you on radio and podcast and screen. Now follow Jesus. So, father, as we come to the table in a few moments, lord, please keep us sharp. Keep us sharp, father.
Speaker 2:Lord, I pray for those that feel a little bit blunt in their faith today. Father, will you sharpen them up? Lord, you tell us that iron sharpens iron and if we are in a crowd, we become blunt. We become blunt because we just get absorbed in the mass and church does this to us. We can lose the sharpness in the church, at work, at home, in life, in school, education, the workplace. If you're working in an ivory tower, you know the devil wants to make us blunt. He wants to make us blunt.
Speaker 2:But let me tell you, god's created you for great things and as we come to the table, be bold as a lion today, be bold as a warrior for God when you think about David. Goliath bought a sword, david bought a rock. It don't go together. How can you defeat a giant with a small, smooth stone? It wasn't the capabilities of david's skill that got that stone to be delivered to the perfect position of goliath's head. God guided you know, brother and sister, wherever you are. We can't, we can't emphasize this enough today. Drop everything but pick up the word seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness, and everything else shall be added 16 minutes and we're out of here. So Andy is going to take us to the table, glenn, and however it rolls for the next, you know 16 minutes. May God bless every one of you. Believe for your healing, believe for your healing today, believe for your miracle today. I pray that God will draw you out of the crowd of society and sharpen you up. Please, lord, sharpen us all today. Amen.
Speaker 4:I've got a verse open in Philippians 3, and this is Paul's letter to the Philippians, and it says here For, as I have often told you before and now say again, even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction. Their God is their stomach and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven.
Speaker 2:Hallelujah, isn't that?
Speaker 4:amazing that our citizenship, yes, lord, you know Ben was talking about identity and state, knowing all our national insurance numbers and all that sort of stuff but our citizenship is in heaven. Our passport is stamped.
Speaker 2:That's where we're going.
Speaker 4:And with this man, this woman knows Jesus Stamp.
Speaker 2:Amen and that's it. The Lamb's Book of Life. That's it Come to the table.
Speaker 4:So, Father God, we just thank you that we can come and remember your supreme sacrifice in sending your one and only son, jesus, to die on the cross, and we remember that now that he shed his blood, his body was broken, his bones were stretched. Oh, such a painful death on the cross, the worst kind of execution ever invented by man.
Speaker 2:Holy.
Speaker 4:Spirit, and that's what Jesus did for us, for each one of us. So we take our bread. If you've got bread at home, now this is a time to break the bread and come before Jesus.
Speaker 2:Yes, Lord.
Speaker 4:Ask him to wash you whiter than snow. All the things that you may have done wrong during this past week, things that you may have done wrong during this past week. Jesus says that if you come before him, he is faithful and just to forgive you your sin he will do that now, so we take the bread amen thank you jesus.
Speaker 3:In 1 corin, 1 Corinthians, verse 11, verse 25, he says in the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying this cup is the new covenant between God and his people, an agreement confirmed with my blood. I always say through the blood, and that alone it's the sacrifice of Jesus, god and his people. An agreement confirmed with my blood. I always say through the blood, and that alone it's the sacrifice of Jesus, his death and his resurrection. For he died literally. The wages of sin is death. He died but he had no sin, so death could not hold him. But he paid the price, not for himself, for you and me, and our confidence, our covenant relationship is in the blood of Jesus. And it goes on to say for every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again, thank you. It's also a prophetic practice.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:We're remembering our confidence and salvation is in him alone and we're announcing he's coming back. He's coming back. Let's drink together in assurance of that. Thank you.
Speaker 4:Jesus Amen.
Speaker 3:Thank you, jesus. We're saved through your blood. Literally saved, done, dusted, finished. Thank you, lord, that we are yours and you are ours, and there's nothing that can separate us from your love. Because of the blood, hallelujah, there's no height, no depth, no angel, no demon, nor the past nor the present nor the future Hallelujah Can separate us from the love of God. There's nothing in all creation that can separate us, because you've done it, amen, amen.
Speaker 2:Father, we come to you, lord, in these closing moments of this service and, lord, as we're here, lord, we just thank you, Lord, for everybody on the other side of the world, on the other side of technology. We thank you, lord, for those on radio. We thank you for those that are listening to the podcast. We thank you to those that are on visuals at this moment as we broadcast this around the world. We thank you for salvation. We thank you that our names are stamped in the Lamb's Book of Life and, lord, we thank you that we belong to Jesus, that you called us. So, lord, those that are out there this morning that just feel uncertain in their faith, feeling uncertain in their calling their identity, lord, again, I ask you, lord, extract them from the crowd of life. Extract them from the crowd of life. The bible says do not conform to the pattern of this world. If you look at sporting arenas, if you look at concerts, if you look at education, if you look at church, look at the pattern that they all follow. Look at the pattern of life. We are unique. You wasn't brought into this world to fit in to the crowd. You wasn't brought in to fit into the whatsapp group. You wasn't brought in to fit into the crowd of church.
Speaker 2:Yes, we understand what church is about, but what church is actually representing in representing, in the new testament church, the church of acts? That is the difference. We're called to the kingdom, you are called to the kingdom of god. You are called to salvation and let's pray. Father, call me, call us out of the crowd because Lord, the crowd has crushed our identity. Do you know what Culture will crush your identity? Do you know what Education will stifle and try to lose you? In the crowd and through the power of education? You know.
Speaker 2:Work wherever you work. If you work in a large organization, the larger the organization, the more controlling it is. If you work in a, in a company, where is jesus in that company? Where is jesus in the school? Where is jesus in the ministry? And in the church? Where is, where is jesus? Sisters and brothers, step outside of the circle. Reduce your whatsapp groups, reduce the social media hours, reduce the way we think and we are programmed into the way of the world. You are not just a national insurance number. You are a child of the God. You are called, you are loved, you are blessed and highly favored. Shine for Jesus, andy, you're going to take us out.
Speaker 4:I've just got this open in Romans, chapter 12, and I think it ties in with what you've been saying, Ben. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Speaker 2:Hallelujah, there we go. Sisters and brothers, we've just got about seven minutes. Let's just use this time for quick-fired stuff. Glenn, will you just pray? Will you just bring us to a?
Speaker 3:Yeah, ephesians 2, verse 8. God saved you by his grace when you believed, and you can't even take credit for this. It's a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things that we have done, so none of us can boast about it, for we are God's masterpiece. Amen, you know you want identity. We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew. You've got to be born again.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Jesus said you can't even see the kingdom of God unless you are born again. That's correct. You've got to be born again, not by works, no, not by works. And it says here to do good things. He's planned for us long ago. When you're born again, your heart has a desire for God's will. David when he faced Goliath, he ran to him.
Speaker 1:Ran.
Speaker 3:There's this giant of a man. Sounds like I can't miss him.
Speaker 4:Well, yeah.
Speaker 3:But can you imagine what an intimidating figure.
Speaker 2:Completely.
Speaker 3:He was a giant. You know, I've seen some tall people. I've seen a bloke who's over seven foot tall. To me he was a giant. You know, I've seen some tall people. I've seen a bloke who's over seven foot tall. To me he was a giant. Goliath would have dwarfed him, he was nine feet yeah.
Speaker 3:A giant of a man, trained in warfare, for evil warfare. He would have been special forces. Yes, he held a spear that you could pierce about five people on and David had a pebble. Yeah, and he ran to engage him. Come on, we have the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Jesus.
Speaker 3:We've been made for the kingdom. We're God's masterpiece. He finds us where we are. The day I cried out to Jesus 40 years ago nearly Come on, lord I was in a school field field 12 o'clock at night on LSD, with my best friend who was a Satanist. I was as lost as anyone can be and I cried out God, save me. Later on I found in the Bible a voice that came to me that night. It said everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Speaker 2:Saved, washed in the blood.
Speaker 3:Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. I was saved in an instant. Took me a few years to work it out but I was saved in an instant. Hallelujah. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The Lord's name is Jesus.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:Call on him and he will come to you. Seek him and you will find him. Knock and the door will be open wherever you are, because he's for you, he's not against you.
Speaker 2:Yes, lord. Thank you, Jesus, brothers and sisters, wherever you are across the world, andy is just going to share something about the gospel, that he always does, about the Bible, and then we'll have our closing prayer. We've got less than four minutes, I'm afraid, so may god bless you today, wherever you are. Thank you for joining us for coffee and prayer. We'll see you this evening for in-house. Uh. Thank you to everybody that comes in into the house of the lord for bible study and, uh, for the human beings that come into the house on a wednesday evening. We go live around about uh eight o'clock this evening on radio and also across the platforms that we are streaming, and uh, you can just capture this. You know many ways you can jump in to the building into the lord's house with us, or you can just watch online, wherever you are across the world. But may god bless every one of you.
Speaker 4:Andy, thank you very much yeah, I've got a copy of a new testament, psalms and Proverbs, which I give away quite regularly and there's a copy available for you. It's not just an ordinary New Testament. It's got lots of helps and guidance in it, from the listing every issue in life that you might come across, and also at the back you can see about god's love, god's remedy, the fact that we are all sinners, and there's a simple prayer that you could say to become a follower of jesus. It's all for you if you want one there you go.
Speaker 2:That's it, brother and sister. We can see your messages. Well, I can see all the messages coming online today and sorry that I can't get to all the messages, um, but I I've been reading them and I just pray. Let's just pray for healing father. We pray for healing lord, for those that are putting messages up and those that are not putting messages up.
Speaker 2:Lord, I thank you that you are healing people in their bed now, for those are in hospital, those are in hospices, those are at home, those are working, those that are. Just pray Lord, for healing Lord that we will see the dead be raised, the blind will be seen, the deaf will be hearing Lord and the lame will be walking. We believe in miracles. We thank you for the testimonies that have come online today. We thank you for everybody across the world and Lord, we pray Lord as we go, as we go out, as we go, as we go out as warriors, as we go out, lord, filled to the full measure of the glory of god, for those that are listening at work, for those that listening at home, for those that are commuting, for those that are wherever you are at this moment. May the holy spirit lead you into the promised land. But, as the scripture that we started off in this morning was very simple and uh, through the power of the holy spirit, the brothers that I'm with and able to minister with through and to uh to each other, the lord has guided us through the scriptures and we honestly believe with all our heart.
Speaker 2:Today. The simple message is follow jesus. That is it, wherever you are across this world. Be that Jesus follower. Be that one that follows Jesus. Follow God. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. So, father, in this minute of close, I pray for my brothers in the house. I pray for everyone in this church today. I pray for everybody online visuals, audio that we will feel the fire of God and you will sharpen us up. We will be so sharp, so sharp. God, keep us sharp. Holy Spirit, lead us in paths of righteousness for thy name's sake. We love you, lord. God bless everybody. Take care, we'll see you this evening. 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 Thank you.
