Jesus Calls Us Out of the Crowd and Into His Kingdom (#1114) Elim

When was the last time you felt as though all hope had completely drained away—when life felt too heavy to carry, and despair seemed louder than faith? In this powerful recording from London, England, Reverend Ben Cooper unpacks the words of Lamentations 3:21-26, uncovering the unshakable truth that hope is not rooted in institutions, political movements, or even religious performance, but in the mercies of God that are “new every morning.”

We live in a world marked by constant division, cultural noise, and endless demands. Many of us are exhausted from juggling work, family, finances, and expectations that never seem to ease. Too often, we reach for temporary pleasures or quick fixes that promise happiness but leave us empty. Reverend Ben reminds us that true renewal cannot be found in the noise of the world or in man-made religion. Instead, we are invited into the refining fire of God, where He strips away our false securities and brings us out as purified gold.

This message draws a striking contrast between institutional religion—which may place barriers, demands, and costs upon its followers—and the free, life-changing gift of salvation that comes directly from God. Reverend Ben speaks boldly against the prosperity gospel and other false teachings that promise ease and wealth, pointing instead to the apostles who endured hardship, persecution, and even death for the sake of Christ. Their lives testify that authentic Christianity is not about comfort or convenience, but about transformation and faithfulness in the midst of trial.

Through scripture, personal reflection, and spiritual insight, this message asks each of us to pause and consider: Who is shaping your life and your choices—Jesus Christ, or the shifting patterns of the world? It is a challenging yet freeing question, because when we recognise the futility of worldly pursuits, we are ready to encounter the living hope of Christ.

At its heart, this devotional is an invitation into God’s peace—a peace that endures beyond politics, culture, and circumstances. The world may offer momentary bursts of happiness, but only Christ provides lasting satisfaction. When you encounter the faithfulness of God for yourself, the hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness becomes more than lyrics—it becomes a lived reality that strengthens your heart every morning.

Whether you are weary from carrying too many burdens, disillusioned by church experiences that felt empty, or simply searching for real answers, this message offers timeless hope. God’s compassion is not limited by yesterday’s failures or tomorrow’s fears—it is new every morning, and it is available to you today.
Lamentations 3:21-26 devotional

God’s mercies new every morning

Reverend Ben Cooper London England

Christian encouragement podcast

Authentic faith versus religion

Exposing prosperity gospel teaching

Bible hope and faithfulness message

Daily devotional podcast UK

Christian transformation through trials

Great is Thy Faithfulness explained

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and Introduction
• 9:12 Finding Hope in Lamentations
• 17:51 The Refiner's Fire of Faith
• 26:55 True Salvation vs Religion
• 35:10 Breaking Bread Together
• 42:49 Final Call to Seek God First

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Welcome to Rev Ben Cooper's podcast, your source for faith and inspiration on RB Christian Radio. Love what you hear, support us by buying us a coffee and help keep this ministry thriving. Don't forget to subscribe and find us online at rbchristianradionet. Stay encouraged, stay faithful and know this you are not alone good evening, good evening, good evening.

Speaker 2: 0:33

God bless you wherever you are on the other side of the world. We're so sorry. What happened on monday evening, um, you know facebook got a little bit uh upset with us saying happened on monday evening. So god bless for those that may have watched the rerun and for those. There was a little bit of issues and things were going on Monday evening back in the studio. But we're back. I believe we're okay, everything's okay today. We've been a little bit careful. It's something to do with the music we play. It's something to do with the algorithms and all the old razzmatazz that goes along with what's coming across Facebook. But, as we've been saying, if there's any trouble when you're listening to anything on Facebook, that is the worst one. That always kicks us off. But it was always clear on RB, christian Radio, also on Twitter as well. If you can watch it, the picture on Twitter is a lot clearer. The picture on Twitter is a lot clearer than it is on Facebook. So those that want to listen, you can capture this just audio live on radio now. So welcome to everyone, wherever you are across the world.

Speaker 2: 1:30

Let's get straight into the Word of God. You know we're running out of time. We're going to break bread together and we're just going to gather around the Word. So, wherever you are tonight, we just pray that the fire of God, the presence of the Holy Spirit, will be with you and the presence of the Holy Spirit with you. And as we just gather for Scripture, we're turning to the Old Testament.

Speaker 2: 1:44

Tonight, we're turning to the book of Lamentations. We're turning to the book of Lamentations, chapter 3. Chapter 3 of Lamentations, chapter 3. And we're going to turn. Let's turn to verse 21. Let's go to verse 21, lamentations, chapter 3,. As we settle down this evening, god bless you and welcome to those that are in the house. God bless to everybody that's online, wherever you are at this moment in time. May the presence of God bless you and carry you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Lamentations. We very, very rarely turn into this book. I can't even say the title, you know.

Speaker 2: 2:17

Lamentations, chapter 3, verses 21, verse 26. Come on, let's read. Father, in the name of Jesus, we just pray as we read this scripture now that you are, open, our hearts, our minds. You are the coming king. You are the great I am. You are worthy of all praise. Spirit of the living god, we pray for such an outpouring of your spirit in our lives tonight that we will feel your presence, your love, your mercy, your goodness, your saving grace. Lord, we worship you, we adore you and father, we thank you for this text tonight. This text is going to give us freedom in the most beautiful name, in the name of the lord jesus christ. Amen you.

Speaker 2: 2:51

When you look at this text, this is a really interesting uh verse that we're in this evening and wherever you are, we want to thank you for joining us right across the world. And we are going to start in verse 21 and it says uh, yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope because of the lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never foul. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. I say to myself the lord is my portion. Therefore I will wait for him. The lord is good to those who hope in him, to the one who him, it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. May God bless his word. You know these are beautiful scriptures. You know if you're in trouble tonight, if you're weary tonight, if you're tired tonight, when you look at the writer of lamentation as you just bring this. He says therefore, I bring this, I call this to mind and therefore I have hope.

Speaker 2: 3:43

Do you feel that you've lost all hope? Do you feel like all hope has dropped out of your boots? Do you feel like you need hope tonight? There is power in the name of Jesus Christ and I just want to give you some hope tonight that it is the word of God. Yes, we are living in a land that has got masses in the area of political division. We are living in a land where everything is pressed out against us, but I just want to let you know that god is restoring. God is restoring and god is moving by the power of the holy spirit and wherever you are across the world. We thank you for joining us on on radio, on podcast, thank you for those that are joining us in the house right now, on the social networks, but we want to encourage you right now to never give up hope. We want to encourage you to stay in the word of God. We want to encourage you, just to remind yourself, it says yet this I call this to mind and therefore I have hope Never give up, never give up in whatever you're doing in your life. Never give up. There is power in the name of Jesus and he is the King of Kings and he is the Lord of Lords. Be hopeful in whatever is going on in your life. Be hopeful and never allow the circumstances and the situations before you to change your mind. Be strong, be focused In the book, in the great book of Joshua.

Speaker 2: 4:53

We really clearly see what it says there. It says to be strong and to be of courage, to be men and women of courage. This is a time when we've got to be courageous, be strong and never let this book of the Lord depart from your mouth. But we've got to be courageous, be strong and never let this book of the Lord depart from your mouth. But we've got to be hopeful. We've got to be hopeful in every situation that you face, wherever you are across the world. You've got to be braggadocious. You've got to trust the King in every area of your life. Be focused on the living word.

Speaker 2: 5:17

And if you turn to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12, hebrews, chapter 12, you will read very clearly what it says at the very beginning of that text keep your eyes on jesus. Keep your eyes on jesus. So when you look at the old and the new testament. They run absolutely beautiful together. You cannot separate the old and the new. There is power within the old testament and the new testament. But I want to encourage you tonight, just to remind yourself keep your eyes on Jesus.

Speaker 2: 5:44

Hebrews, the Hebrew writer. Chapter 12 1, 2 and 3 and 4. Just read those scriptures down. But it clearly says keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of your faith. It is Christ that will get you through. I won't get you nowhere. The church won't get you nowhere. It might get you to a place of euphoria, of a place of emotion and a bit of euphoria, or a place of emotion and a bit of a stirring and a bit of excitement now and then. But let me tell you this religion can't get you. Church can't get you where God wants you to go. You've got to keep your eyes on Jesus. Wherever you are this hour, whatever your life looks like, keep your focus on Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Never give up. So in the Hebrews, in the book of Hebrews, the Hebrew writer writes extremely clear Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of your faith. He's the writer, he's the author, he's the perfecter of your faith. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you're looking for answers to your life, it's got to be through the word of God. I won't get you there. Ealing won't get you there. No church will get you there. Religion certainly will not get you there, but God will get you there.

Speaker 2: 6:54

Do you feel that all hope has dropped out of your boots this evening? Do you feel that there is no hope? As the darkness starts dropping in? And it's very interesting, the season that we are in, the political season that we're in and the winter that is coming. I actually believe that we're going to have a real strong, heavy winter and I believe that that is depicting the heavenly realms, what is happening across the face of this nation in which we live. But I want to encourage you, wherever you are, grab yourself a bible lamentations, chapter 3, verse 21. Yet Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope Never give up hope. He is the God of hope. What sort of a day have you had? A bad day at work? A bad day at life? A bad day in relationships, at school? Wherever you've been today, what has your day been like Never give up hope. He is the God of hope, he is the redeeming King, he is the great I am, he says, because of the Lord's great love, which we are not consumed. Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

Speaker 2: 7:55

If you have a Bible, turn to 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, and you read that text on love, it is so powerful. It is a book that really stirs. It is a book that really leads. 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, roundabout verse 4, and it tells us about love. It says love is patient, love is kind, it doesn't envy, it doesn't boast, it's not proud, it's not rude, love doesn't keep any records of wrongs, it doesn't delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. And then the writer says he writes off. Paul writes off and he says God will never foul you.

Speaker 2: 8:32

If you are hungry tonight, if you are seeking tonight, if you are really thirsty, you know Jesus says come to me all of you that are thirsty, and I will give you living water, and I will give you living water. We need this living water. It's no good popping a bottle of spring water out of Asda for a few quid or Marks and Spencer's. If you're living at the posh end of the stick, you need some water that Christ can only give you. You know, the Bible says man doesn't live on bread alone, but by every word that perceives out of the mouth of God. But he is the God of love, he is the God of hope. He is the God of love, he is the God of hope, he is a God of faithfulness. He is a God, a just God. He is a judging God. He is the great. I am. Christ is the coming king.

Speaker 2: 9:10

You know, when you look at what is happening on the political divide across this nation, we are watching this nation being torn apart by political jargon. We are watching the nation being torn apart by propaganda, by fake news, by this and that. If you want hope in your life, you can't turn to the political wills, you've got to turn to Christ. If you're looking for miracles, you can't turn to a doctor, you've got to turn to Jesus. If you're looking to hope, you can't turn to social media, you've got to turn to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you're looking for a feel-good factor, you won't get that anywhere in the world.

Speaker 2: 9:45

You can't live your life. I can't live my life by emotions. I've got to live my life by faith, because the Bible says the just shall live by faith. So I've got to learn to live by faith, and that is living outside of what I see within this natural realm with my eyes. I've got to live outside of faith, I've got to live in hope, as the writer writes in the book of Lamentations.

Speaker 2: 10:07

So let's just take a moment. Let's just take a moment, verse 21,. And it says in Lamentations, chapter 3,. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed. There is nothing in this world. There is no flame that can take you out. There is a flame that will refine me. There is a flame that will refine us through the refiner's fire, through the strip back. Are we prepared to go through the strip back? Are we prepared to go through the refiner's fire?

Speaker 2: 10:40

And what happens when I go through the refiner's fire? I go through. I go through with all the plasticness, I go through with all the arrogance, I start the journey through the refiner's fire with all this stuff around me, and then suddenly I come out, and I come out the other end of that, refined and retuned and ready, and got to strip back the plasticness of life. He stripped back the humdrum of life. He stripped back everything that I'm carrying. He takes off the baggage through the refiner's fire. He takes me through the refiner's fire and I will come out as what? As a gold bar. Pure, you know pure, and all the imperfections have gone, all the plasticness, all the fears, all the worries, all the doubt. God wants to take us through the refiner's fire. You know redemption is so, so powerful.

Speaker 2: 11:27

I don't know where you are tonight. I don't know where you are spiritually. I don't know where you are in the world and whatever is going on in your life. We don't know who you are on the other side of the lens of the mic, but we know over 24, 26,000 people now. You know across, listening, watching, all that stuff that goes on, especially in the world of podcasting and recordings. You know all the downloads, all the social media activity.

Speaker 2: 11:51

You know it is critical that we trust God, that we walk with God and we stay in and we be hope. You know we got to be hopeful. What are we hoping for? You got to put your hope in God. Be careful of the people in your life. Be careful you invite in to your close circle the people that are with you now.

Speaker 2: 12:11

Are the people that are with you now are they leading you to Jesus or are they leading you to another territory? Are they leading you to worldly activities or are they leading you to the king? If they are leading you to and you are a born again Christian if they are leading and the leading is stronger and I'm not saying in God's calling, it can't be that but there is a tendency within the flesh of the natural realm that we seem to want to go and sit and just be like Lot. We want to go and sit and stay. Many people just want to go and sit and stay in the gate in the beginning of Sodom and Gomorrah. Who is leading you? Where are people taking you? Are the people in your life taking you to Jesus? Are they carrying you to the cross? Are they praying with you? Are they taking you to worldly things that are going on? If they are taking you to worldly things, it should be the reverse. You shouldn't be being taken to worldly events and worldly situations. We should be being taken them to the cross of Calvary.

Speaker 2: 13:09

We got to make sure that we're strong, that we're braggadocious, that we're strong like the lions. You know, we're strong and we're powerful in the word of God. I'm not being not talking about our own physicality, in our own realm. I'm talking about being strong in the word of God, because the Bible says when I am weak, then he is. When I am weak, when I'm at my lowest ebb, when I'm at that place of probably doubt and worry and fear, that's when the word comes in.

Speaker 2: 13:34

I want to pray tonight for each and every one of us, wherever we are, that the fire of God and the power of hope and the power of faith. We are waiting for the second coming of Jesus. The world is telling us that Jesus don't exist, or the world is trying to tell us that Jesus don't exist. The world is telling us that there will never be a second coming. But let me tell you the prophecies of the Bible are being fulfilled as quick as you can chew on your Big Mac tonight in the name of Jesus. The prophecies of the Bible are alive and well and they are coming forward so, so fast.

Speaker 2: 14:10

The Bible is alive. It is the most powerful book in the world. There's no other book like it out there. It is spiritual, it is power, it is practical, it is the word of God, and the God that we serve is the God of all hope. The God that we serve is the great, uh, god. That said, let there be light. And there was the God that we serve. He is the I am. He is El Shaddai, jehovah Jireh, jehovah Nissi, jehovah Shalom. He is the living word. You know, it is Jesus Christ. He's calling you and, as he is calling you now for this end time harvest, for this end time bush, he is raising up a remnant.

Speaker 2: 14:49

Do you want to be lost in the crowd? Do you want to stay lost in the crowd of life or do you want to come out of that crowd and be found in the word of God? We can't be found to be resting in the crowd of the world. We've got to be found in Christ, because there's no hope in the crowd. There's euphoria and there's activity and there's socializing and there's noise and there's strange things happening in the crowd of the world. But if you are hungry for Jesus, you've got to tell the crowd around you. I'm going to follow Jesus. I'm going to follow Jesus and you might be leading me to that crowd. I'm going to follow Jesus. I'm going to follow Jesus and you might be leading me to that crowd, but I'm going to get out of this crowd and I'm going to lead us to Jesus. And are you going to come to the cross with me? Are you going to walk to the cross with me?

Speaker 2: 15:34

Where are people leading each and every one of us in our lives? Are they leading us to the cross? Are they leading us to the word? Have we got people around us that are taking us to the cross of Calvary, to the scripture, to the power of the living word of God, or have we got people around us that are leading us to what the world is doing? It's critical that we look and we analyze what is happening to each and every one of us. What is the journey that we are on? Are the people on our journey? Are they Christians? Are they Bible believing believers? Do they believe the word? Are they coming under the cross of Calvary? Are they seeking? Are they spiritual? Are they looking? Are they tentatively looking? Even when people are tentatively looking and just looking and watching, you know God has already called and God is already stirring their spirit, because salvation comes from above.

Speaker 2: 16:27

Salvation doesn't come out of a religious book that a man has written up. This book that I read, this book that I love, this book that I follow, has been written by 40 authors 66 books. Packed with power, packed with Holy Spirit, packed with God, packed with revelation, packed with healing, packed with correction, packed, you know, line after line filling me afresh. If you are hungry tonight, if you are empty tonight, you've got to get in the Word of God. And this is what it says. It says His blessings are new every morning Because of the Lord's great love. We are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning because of the Lord's great love. We are not consumed, for his compassions never foul. They are new every morning.

Speaker 2: 17:08

Great is thy faithfulness, great is your faithfulness. His faithfulness is so great and so powerful. His love is unconditional, his love. There is no conditions in the love of God. Even while I was sinning, even while I was doing the greatest sin that I could ever do in my life, his love and his faithfulness was so strong over my life, over our lives. You know, his love is so powerful, it is so rich, it has so much authority. And even while we were sinning. He showed and displayed his rescuing properties and his rescuing way that he had over our lives. Even in our darkest moment. God stepped down from glory and he stepped into our lives and he pulled us out of the mud, out of the mire, because great is thy faithfulness. His love is so great, his love is so powerful. Even before I was pushed out of my mother's womb and came into the world, when he was at the cross of Calvary, he died on that cross for my sins. Too much for the mind, too much for the cognitive processing, too much for me to analyze, too much for me to depict, too much for me to understand as a human being, that before I was birthed, over those 2,000 plus years ago, christ went to the cross of Calvary and that's where he took my sin, that's where he took my shame, that's where he took my punishment. The judgment that should have been on me was upon him. Great is thy faithfulness. There is nothing that God cannot rescue us from. There is no sin, there is nothing too great. He loves you unconditionally.

Speaker 2: 18:51

You might feel empty, you might feel worthless. Work might be a chore. Life and relationships are hard. The children are wayward. Your wife, your husband, your brother, your sister may be causing issues and troubles situations at work, lifestyle choices, things in the house, things in the community, things in the culture. You're struggling like you've never struggled before.

Speaker 2: 19:14

I'm telling you now. I'm telling you now lean into Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, the life you know. No one gets to the Father except through him. Prayer is the way, god is the way. The word of God is the way.

Speaker 2: 19:29

Do you want to be healed? Do you want to be healed of past traumas? Do you want to be healed of hurts? Do you want to be healed of these physical ailments that we carry? Great is thy faithfulness. Your blessings are new every morning. He will never foul you. He will never let you down. He will never discourage you. He will never let you down in any way, shape or form. His goodness, his mercy, his favor is over your life.

Speaker 2: 19:55

But don't get caught, ben. Don't get caught in a crowd. Don't get caught in a crowd of the world. Don't get sucked into that crowd of the monotony of life. Don't get sucked into that crowd of the monotony of life trying to find the happy button, trying to find this for a few hours, that for a few hours over there, for a few hours, here for a few hours. We're always looking for that happy button. There is no happy button in the world, but there is a place called a place of rest. He is is your refuge, he is your shield, he is your rampart, he is your safe space, he is your tower.

Speaker 2: 20:32

The Bible says the righteous run into him, into the tower. They are safe in the arms in the presence of God. It is God you need. It is not the crowd of your life, it is not your family, it is not your friend, it is not your husband, your brother, your sister, it is not me. It is Jesus Christ that we need in our lives to get us to that place of fulfillment.

Speaker 2: 20:55

The Bible says seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else shall be added unto thee. Everything will be added unto thee, but I got to seek him first. He's a God that is faithful. He is a God that is just. He is a God that will always show up. You know he has showed up. He has shown up more times than we can count. He is in your life, even if you're clicking online, even if you're listening on radio at this moment, even if you say you don't go to church.

Speaker 2: 21:22

But I'm telling you, if you don't go to church, that's great. Church can attire you with a brush that can be damaging. I'll tell you this now if you're seeking Jesus, jesus is already opening your heart. If you are online tonight, if you're on radio, if you're on the other side of the world, wherever you are, let me tell you this boldly God is calling you, god is calling you. You may have never stepped into church, you may have never thought about Jesus, but God is calling you. God is calling you. You may have never stepped into church, you may have never thought about Jesus, but God is calling you. God is calling you out of the humdrum, out of the crowd, out of the culture. God is pulling people out, and it's what we call the days of the remnant. God is pulling us out, god is drawing us out. It's amazing that we haven't got to go to church to find salvation, because salvation comes from above.

Speaker 2: 22:08

Let's get a little bit further in these scriptures. As we look at these scriptures, I'm going to pick it back up in verse 21 again, in lamentations, chapter 3, and it says yet this I call to mind and therefore, I have hope. Never give up hope Because of the Lord's great love. We are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. I say to myself the Lord is my portion. Therefore, I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the one who seeks him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Speaker 2: 22:47

Salvation don't come from church. It don't come from religion. Salvation doesn't come from Catholicism. It doesn't come from Helium. It doesn't come from AOG, the Methodist movement. It doesn't come from any denomination. It doesn't come from the Church of England. It doesn't come from any preachers. It doesn't come from any teachers. It doesn't come from any evangelists on the streets. It doesn't come from any pastors, reverends, bishops. Salvation cannot come from any human being. It cannot come from any institution. It cannot come from an institution. We are so institutionalized across this nation. It is absolutely wacky and crazy. We are so institutionalized across this nation. It is absolutely wacky and crazy. We are institutionalized in church, in work, in culture.

Speaker 2: 23:34

The political divide at this moment, everything that is going on on the roads, on the towns around there, is the biggest political, cultural divide this nation has ever seen. We're told to walk a certain way, to dress a certain way. The Bible doesn't talk like that. I'm telling you now if there's anything you do in your life, it's cut all ties to political parties, because political will take you to one place and one place only. A rabbit hole of confusion. Political divide will take you to either to the right or the left. We've got to make our stand. It doesn't matter what we think or what we imagine.

Speaker 2: 24:15

What we need, this nation needs prayer. It doesn't need another Union Jack flag up the telegraph pole. What it needs is the church to pray. What it needs is the church to get out on the street and not allow the politicians to drive us. We are driven by a political agenda, a colour agenda, a certain culture agenda. We should be driven and carried along by the gospel of hope. We should be carried along by the word of God.

Speaker 2: 24:43

But the church religion has fouled us. Religion has ducked its head in the sand. Religion hangs and swings around in political parties. Religion is controlled by the charity number that it has over its front door. Religion is controlled by number 10 Downing Street.

Speaker 2: 25:02

But let me tell you about a kingdom that can never be controlled. Let me tell you about a king that never can be controlled, like the monarchy from number 10 downing street. His name is Jesus. He is the king above all kings, he is the king of the Jews. He is the great I am, he is worthy of all praise. He said it is finished. He is the God above all gods. He is the great I am, he is worthy of all praise. And he is this God, this king that we read about from Genesis to Revelations.

Speaker 2: 25:36

Let's just remind ourselves in verse 26. It is good to wait quietly. The Bible says be still and know. But we are living in a world that is so chaos, so chaotic, so fast. If there's no noise in our life, it's not really happening. We have found a way to live and it is simply by having noise and having such pressure over us. We have adapted a way of living and how we shouldn't be living. We are living in noise, we are living in chaos, we are living with more plates spinning than we can imagine to keep spinning. We are tired, we are exhausted, we are weary, we are down. We are trying to find some form of spiritual walk in the way of the world.

Speaker 2: 26:27

He won't do that. You will only find peace in God. You will only find peace in the Word of God. You will only find peace in the Scripture. There is power in the Word of God. Are you looking for a miracle in your life? Are you looking for change? Are you looking for healing? Are you looking for a powerful word? Are you tired of your life? Are you exhausted? The way the children are running you ragged dry? Are you tired because your line manager is beating you over the back with an iron rod? Are you exhausted because life itself is so boring? It is so boring. The drum is just beating the same.

Speaker 2: 27:08

I get up at this o'clock, I go to bed at that o'clock, I eat the same food. I walk the same way. I sit on the same train. I sit in the same car park. I eat the same bag of crisps every day. I have the same sandwich every day. I walk this way, I walk that way. I A, b, c and D. That is not living.

Speaker 2: 27:28

I scroll on social media more times than I read the Word of God. That is not living. Living is in the Word of God and it will take everything I've got, everything we've got to break away from the crowd and realize great is thy faithfulness. You won't find no faithfulness in religion. You won't find no faithfulness in certain areas of culture and lifestyle. You won't find no faithfulness in social media. It will run you over as quick as you can blink. It will throw you and they will throw you under the bus. But let me tell you about a king. His faithfulness is forevermore. His mercies are new every morning and he has you in more ways than one. He loves you unconditionally.

Speaker 2: 28:17

And it says in verse 26, it is good to wait quietly for what? For the church of the Lord. It is good to wait quietly for religion. It is good to wait quietly for religion. It is good to wait quietly for ministry. It doesn't mention anything about church. It doesn't mention anything about religion. It doesn't mention anything but salvation, because salvation comes from God. You don't pay any money for a prayer of salvation. Salvation is a gift and it comes from above.

Speaker 2: 28:51

And Nicodemus, we understand John 3, 3, you must be born again. And that word born again has been stretched and has been changed and been put into a funny language in the church. Oh, there goes Ben. He's that funny born again pastor. He's that weirdo, he's that strange one. He's not like me, born with a lovely cloak and a lovely collar. He's that one that's wired up. He believes in miracles, in down the road. He believes that God will raise the dead. He believes in the second coming. Here comes that born again one, that whack pot, that crazy one. Here he comes. He believes that you've got to be born again. I believe you've got to be born again. I'm not wide odd. I'm filled with the Holy Spirit. I'm not strange. You might think I'm odd, but I'm blessed and highly favoured and wonderfully and fearfully made. I believe in the Word of God.

Speaker 2: 29:43

Don't get trapped in religion because you can't get born again in church. You can't get born again in religion. You can't get born in ministry. You can't get born again in ministry and all that stuff. It comes from above. God uses any vehicle he wants to use to get you born again.

Speaker 2: 30:02

You might be sitting on a train in the morning, you've never heard of the name of Jesus, and you're sitting on a train and suddenly God speaks to your heart Suddenly. You might be sitting on a train in the morning, you've never heard of the name of Jesus and you're sitting on a train and suddenly God speaks to your heart. Suddenly, you might be flying in an aircraft and God speaks to your heart. You might be linking into certain people in your life where your paths have not crossed by coincidence, because coincidence doesn't even exist in the kingdom of God. God put people in your path, my path, simply for the good work of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Speaker 2: 30:31

See, you don't need to go to church to receive Jesus. You don't need to go to a religious place to receive Jesus. You don't need to go to Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve and pay a tenner to sing carols to receive Jesus, because religion will charge you to go in their building. Religion will charge you to go into a cathedral, into a place that's got art all hanging around the wall and we've got a marking on the floor and it's oh, it's marked up. Saint Billy and Fred was here. They died a thousand years ago.

Speaker 2: 31:04

Hallelujah Jesus, actually we got George. Saint George is in the stained glass. Hallelujah Jesus, actually we got George. St George is in the stained glass window. He ain't going to save me. He ain't going to set me free. Stone won't get you free. Fine art won't get you nowhere. Religion is so tight. When they walk, they squeak. They won't give you a loaf of bread, they won't feed you, they won't water you, they don't care. Religious people don't care about you because they can't surrender Religion, cannot surrender. Religion cannot move in the kingdom. Because to move in the kingdom of God, you've got to be stripped back, you've got to sell your fine art, you've got to be brought to a place.

Speaker 2: 31:49

The scripture that we was in on Monday, absolutely so powerful Paul wrote I was shipwrecked, I was beaten. I was hit with a rod 40 times minus one. I went without food. I was poor. I was naked. I was beaten. I was kicked down. I was shipwrecked. Tell that to the prosperity preachers. I was beaten, I was kicked, I was pushed out. No one wanted to know me because I am a Jesus follower. When you look at Paul's life, when you study the life of Paul, it is absolutely amazing what that man went through.

Speaker 2: 32:29

And God said to Ananias Ananias, keep quiet, just go and pray for him. But God, do you know what he's doing? God said Ananias, just be quiet, go and pray for him. I will show him how much he is going to prosper. No, got that wrong. That's from. That's from the Kenneth Copeland Bible, because he'll tell you your prosper.

Speaker 2: 32:54

Did it say in the Jesse DuPont's Bible that you're going to prosper? No, it actually says in the word of God Ananias, just go and pray, I will show him how much he's going to suffer for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Oh Lord, get me out of here. In the name of Jesus, I don't want to suffer. Job, oh Job. Now there's a tender one, paul. There's a tender one Matthew, mark, luke and John, who lost their head for the gospel, who was crucified upside down. When you look at that. Who was stoned? Stephen was stoned, while Saul saw, stood a little distance away. The Bible says Saul. Saul stood at the stoning of Stephen and they laid their coats at a young man called Saul. And this Saul is the one that we read about the epistles. The great writer, this is the one that God said Ananias, shut your trap, get going and go and pray for him and I will show you how much he's going to suffer for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When you're following Jesus, you're going to suffer a while, but actually it's not suffering as we know it, it's what we call through the refiner's fire. But I don't want to go through the refiner's fire. I just want the prosperity gospel. I just want everything laid on the plate. Thank you, jesse Duplantis. Thank you, kenneth Copeland. Thank you, peter Popoff, for spinning me.

Speaker 2: 34:28

Lie after lie after lie, I want to know the truth. See, when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. When you know the power of God, you know that when you go through the valley of the shadow of death, in your midway point he will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. He will sustain you when you're weary and tired. But I can't hang around a crowd. We've got to come to the table in just a few moments. I've got to tell you this tonight Salvation doesn't belong to the church. I've got to tell you tonight that there is power in the name of Jesus. I've got to tell you tonight that the love of God is with you. We got eight minutes and we're out of here.

Speaker 2: 35:06

In the name of Jesus Christ, we're going to break bread. Wherever you are across the world, grab the bread, grab a bit of grape juice, a bit of wine, whatever you got. Let's break bread together. You know, maybe you've never done this before, maybe you've never broken bread, maybe you've never taken a cup. Excuse me, it is really critical that I understand that.

Speaker 2: 35:27

This is not about religion. This is about walking with Jesus. I've got to tell you tonight that we've got to walk with Jesus. I've got to tell you tonight that it is Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. So what we're about to do, we're going to break bread and we're going to take it as cup.

Speaker 2: 35:48

It is so powerful to break bread, it is so powerful to take it as cup. So this bread is just bread in itself. It's not going to change, it's not going to do anything, because it's symbolic. So what the priests say about it? They're spinning you a little lie, because this bread is symbolic of the body of Christ. So when you take this bread, it will always be bread. When you actually eat this bread, it will always be bread. When you consume this bread, it will always be bread. But what it symbolizes is the body of Christ that hung on the cross of Calvary. So I want to encourage you tonight, wherever you are under the sound of my voice, just to take this bread and say Jesus, lord, I've never been in church in my life, lord, I've never read the Bible. But, lord, I'm just hearing something that is resonating in my spirit. And, lord, as I take this bread and I don't even know what I'm actually doing tonight, but I take this bread and I just break this bread as the church online is doing this, and I thank you that this bread symbolizes your body. And as I break this bread, I thank you. It is a symbol of the body of Christ that was broken for me at the cross of Calvary. Bless this bread as I take it in Jesus' name, amen.

Speaker 2: 37:13

When Christ sat around the Passover table, he took the cup, the cup of redemption, the cup of hope, the cup of new beginnings, the cup where sin gets washed away. The human mind and the basic principles of life cannot understand the spiritual way that God works. It's impossible for the human being to understand God's way. If a human being or a Christian could understand everything about God, he wouldn't be God. God reveals things, god moves through his word. You might read it one day and then suddenly you go back a week, a year later and suddenly it comes alive again, suddenly it stays quiet, suddenly the next text opens up because it's being revealed through revelational knowledge.

Speaker 2: 38:03

And as we take this cup right now, I pray that he will cleanse us from the crown of our head to the soul of our feet. We're not doing it because the church of our feet, we're not doing it because the Church of England tells us. We're not doing it because I tell you to do it. We're doing it because the Bible tells us to do it. As often as you gather, do this together in my name, as often as you be together, and even when you're on your own, I would encourage you to do this on your own, at home, at your desk, at your workspace, wherever you are. So, father, will you bless this cup tonight that symbolises the blood of Jesus that was shed at the cross of Calvary? Father, will you cleanse me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet. Lord, I pray tonight that the fire of God will descend on us, cleanse me, wash me in the crimson tide in Jesus' name, amen. In the crimson tide, in Jesus' name, amen.

Speaker 2: 38:57

The word of God is power. You won't find any satisfaction or any fulfillment in anything of the world, but what you will find in the kingdom of God, you will find peace. See what the world offers. It is for moments, it might be, for 10 minutes, it might be for 30 minutes, it might be for a few hours, but when you leave that situation you're still empty. There's only one area of life where you will find complete fulfillment and that is within the kingdom of God. There is only one place that you'll find complete and absolute satisfaction in your life and that is through the power of the Holy Spirit. And I'm not talking about satisfaction as in the world and all that gravitates to the world. What I'm referring to is more than satisfaction, and the word is called peace. If you're looking for peace tonight, if you're looking for hope tonight, the're looking for hope tonight. The world doesn't give you none of that. We are listening to wars, rumors of wars. Food banks are rising like never before. There's poverty over the nation. We've got the biggest political and color divide we've ever seen across this nation. We've got all things happening under the sun in this nation. We've got everything happening.

Speaker 2: 40:09

The only place that you're going to find fulfillment is in the love of God. There's no other place. You won't find it here, in this church. You might find it for a moment, but you won't find it in any church. You won't find that complete fulfillment in religion. You might find it a moment in worship. You might find it a moment in certain areas, but there's only one place you'll find it and that is in the love of God. It is in the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus. They are interwoven Father, son, holy Spirit, and I've got to tell you tonight, it is the power of God that will give you everything that you need for your life.

Speaker 2: 40:43

Don't follow me, don't follow Reelium, don't follow this church, don't follow those churches out there. Follow God first and then find yourself a church that is Bible-based, that is talking about the doctrine, talking about the Word of God. Find yourself brothers and sisters that are really born again. Don't hang around with the dead and I'm not talking about graveyards, I'm talking about religion. Don't go and hang around in cold tombstones. Religion is like that great analogy, that great story in the Bible when the angel sat, one at the head, one at the foot where he laid, and it said why are you looking for the living among the dead? Don't go to the cathedrals, don't go to religion, don't go to all that stuff. You won't find God there. You'll find him in the highways and the byways. You'll find him outside of the cold tombs of coldness. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else shall be added unto thee.

Speaker 2: 41:48

God is calling you tonight, in this minute of closing, in these moments of just clicking out. You know, stay on the radio tonight, please just click. Stay on radio tonight and just sit and be still and seek God. Seek the Father, the Son, holy Spirit, come away from the crowd. God has a greater calling over your life. God has a greater calling.

Speaker 2: 42:10

Those people in your life, are they edifying you with scripture? Those people in your life, are they leading you to God? Are they leading you to the cross of Calvary or are they taking your miles away? If people are taking you away from Jesus, if they're taking you to worldly things, different areas of life, we've got to stop. We've got to say God, I've got to take these characters into the cross. Sisters and brothers, we're out of here. In the name of Jesus, I pray that you will find rest in the arms of Jesus. I pray that through the scriptures, that you will find hope. He is the God of hope. He is the God of all things. May God bless you and carry you wherever you are across the world. We will see you Sunday morning, live online and in the house of the Lord. May God carry you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Good night, and God bless and remember. Stay in the gospel of hope, follow Jesus Christ, take care. God bless, bye-bye.

Speaker 1: 43:17

Thank you for joining us on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We hope you feel inspired and uplifted. Don't forget to support us by buying us a coffee. Your generosity keeps this ministry thriving. We'd also love to hear from you, so please leave us a review and let us know what you think. And, of course, for more inspiration, visit us anytime at rbchristianradionet. Until next time, stay encouraged, stay faithful and know this you are not alone.