#CST - Forward Motion Faith

In today's podcast on #Christian Straight Talk is with Reverend Ben Cooper and Simon Pinchbeck as they explore the title of forward motion faith, as they go into the New Testament into the book of James 2, verse 14 -26 Faith and deeds.  Also they talk about self will has to be broken for the power of God to work.  Also they go into II Corinthians  13 verse 5.   Examine yourself to see whether you are in faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you, unless of course you fail the test as they explore Christian straight talk with Simon Pinchbeck and Reverend Ben Cooper, they talk about the God of Israel, the power of His Word. The power of the Holy Spirit and they speak on the goodness of God.

Transcript

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Reverend Ben Cooper: 0:01

Hello and welcome to Elim church when you're joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper for today's podcast, yeah Good morning. We thank you so much for joining us today for coffee and just a bit of a ramble and a jumble with our good friend, Simon Pinchbeck has joined us on this podcast today, we thank him so much for coming and sharing the Word of God. You know, we are living in really solid, powerful spiritual times when I mean solid God is moving really, really powerfully. But there is a heavy weight across this nation across the world. And that is why we've put this together hashtag Christian Straight Talk. And we got a good friend Simon, you know, we gather every week around the mics, we push this out on different platforms. And today, we are looking at a very interesting some more every week is really interesting. But you know, Simon comes to the table, he comes to this podcast and table with what God has placed on his heart. And we just have complete hashtag Christian Straight Talk is just straight out the bow of a very being. God is fueling every conversation and we are looking at forward motion faith Simon Good morning

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:05

Good morning, Ben. It's great to be back with with you. And it's great to be a part of Christian straight talk because this thing is moving really, rapidly. You know, in you know, Ben.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 1:17

its got athlete's legs on it and the minute

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:19

there's some great stuff coming out. And we just want to encourage everyone out there who's listening wherever you're listening to this. This you know, we're not coming to you from theology or or in depth stuff, but we're just putting stuff that God's put on our heart so just bantering together and it's what the Holy Spirit you release is bringing to the table and we're just obedient and mouthpieces for the Lord.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 1:48

Amen. is so important. And it's um, well, when you look, you know, you're just chatting away there. And I was just just thinking what where we sit in the world today if I didn't have my faith in God, I don't know where I'd be.

Simon Pinchbeck: 2:02

We'll be in trouble Ben, but you know, yeah. We're going to come on to this a bit today. Really if you if you don't have faith, because everything else, wherever you put your anchor in Yeah, is being shaken like crazy, right at this moment in time, isn't it?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 2:24

it is, Life is shaking. There's so many people I know myself also. It feels like everything is breaking out under the roof of the house.

Simon Pinchbeck: 2:32

Everything is coming ontop. stuff around your family is coming ontop.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 2:37

Yeah. So you've got work issues, you've got home issues, you've got issues in the church last week, a big denomination, suddenly decided to make her a decision that swept right the way through and made a lot of people think about things, you know, same sex, marriage, all that sort of stuff. We've hit a place in the UK a spiritual low point, I really do believe

Simon Pinchbeck: 3:00

Well, yeah, that was a big thing. And also there was gonna be tabled a bill to that's right for full term abortions. And

Reverend Ben Cooper: 3:11

thank God that got pushed back

Simon Pinchbeck: 3:13

in I send the thing off tomorrow. And I got an email back from her yesterday and it was really nice to that. She said that if there's a conference, she would have opposed it anyway. Yeah, it's been knocked back. I mean, it's off the table for now but they'll come back Ben. They will come back.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 3:29

Isn't it interesting what's on that political table at the moment? Yeah, you got all the jib gab stuff going on. You got the abortion act. One breath they're saying stay at home save lives. Next thing they're trying to push a bill through for, you know, right up to that point of delivery where you can have that life aborted. So murder if murder and don't mess around Don't beat around the bush if murder, isn't it? So you've got all this stuff going on? You've got the Brexit issue, you've got the g7 you've got the One World Government forming. You've got the platform being put up ready for the Antichrist and the church is snoring.

Simon Pinchbeck: 4:04

It's sleepwalk it's late walk

Reverend Ben Cooper: 4:06

in it's just

Simon Pinchbeck: 4:06

it's that that teslin an argument over other stupid things and they're making themselves look really stupid. It's there's no real strongvoice coming out across.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 4:18

what we need. Now some is right what we need is some well, is God gonna do it because it can only be through the power of God. We need strong spiritual leaders, not educators, not fine sounding. Men and women that can speak nice and pleasant and can put a bit of a story together We need someone that is going to preach Hellfire and damnation, the blood of Jesus if you don't change the way you live, you will go to Hell

Simon Pinchbeck: 4:45

yeah, we need when we need it. We need leaders. But it that T bones really nicely into what we're going to talk about today because not only do we need leaders but we need just to coordinate the more we show the ordinary men and women the Yeah, put her arms up and go, Lord i'm broken

Reverend Ben Cooper: 5:03

help me.

Simon Pinchbeck: 5:04

You know, just use me for Your glory and and you know that is the key that's what we're going to talk about today because we have to become I think we have to become ben and don't turn this the wrong way but a supernatural people again where we pray, and we get into the Word of God and and we listen to the Word of God and and we let the you know the Holy Spirit drivers because listen, you know I've been the kingdom of God and and if if you're a believer you're a Christian out there then you're part of the kingdom of God but the kingdom of God is not advance by human strategy but

Reverend Ben Cooper: 5:49

no, not self propelled by myself will. But isn't it interesting that we're seeing a lot of ministries thorugh lockdown lot of churches everything that was self propelled is collapsing. Because it has been propelled by human strength. My will, I will do it. I will make it I will make my ministry I will make my church I will build my church when you when you are self propelled, you will hit a burnout point.

Simon Pinchbeck: 6:15

Well, Jesus made the observation didn't he? It was two houses when it was built on sand. Yes. Which is what you're talking about. Yeah. And the home was built on rock. Yes is the word of God,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 6:27

I've got a build on the word.

Simon Pinchbeck: 6:29

We've got to build on a word you've got

Reverend Ben Cooper: 6:30

to build on the world. Yet and when we build on the word, he gives us that supernatural strength that Simon is talking about, and it's not a Harry Potter strength. It's not it's not a superhero strength. It is it is the power of the Holy Spirit will enable you. He is equip you. He has called you. You can do anything through Christ Jesus, when you know you're calling.

Simon Pinchbeck: 6:53

Come on, Ben,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 6:54

when you press in, if I'm self propelled, I'm gonna run out of petrol. Yeah. But if I'm fueled from the God of the heavens, above, all things are possible to those who believe so my belief and my faith are really really important. Of course, they are course, I can hear people saying wait, what's he going on about course that's true. But I have to have faith comes by hearing. And hearing the word of god

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:20

comes by hearing you absolute. I've

Reverend Ben Cooper: 7:23

open my ears,

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:24

open your ears, you know. And here's the encouragement. Wherever you listen to this. We are calling out today. Yes, the people you're out there, if you're hurting, if you're depressed, if you're addicted. If you feel like you've gotten no self worth, if you're someone out there that people are constantly putting you

Reverend Ben Cooper: 7:43

Yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:44

that that, that they're saying you got nothing to add to society, you never make anything of yourself. You're in a great place for God because, you know, you're calling out enough into nobody's of society, right? He's calling them out. He called them out. And he's calling you into places, the amazing places to glorify Him.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 8:06

That's right. Yeah.

Simon Pinchbeck: 8:07

Not you to glorify Him not human glorification, to glorify himself through you.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 8:14

God calls the lonely things. God calls what the world rejects these works,

Simon Pinchbeck: 8:21

that's how he uses it,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 8:22

but the church works, the church calls those that have got a great CV, or a few quid he calls those that are got

Simon Pinchbeck: 8:27

or a few quid nice white teeth. He calls those that are got a nice spray tan. You know, the church calls the one that looks like the one in the world, the worship leader, has just stepped out of one direction Yeah, but because, you know, in a lot of places we don't see worship leaders over a certain age.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 8:48

Now I want to as we said before, I want to see a worship leader that is like a scaffold or an a bricklayer. Yeah, you know, I want to see a real man down the front proper, a proper fella when he bangs a drum he's put his fist straight through this now. I don't want to see one of these skinny little chaps down the front

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:04

an older guy looking so good you know? I don't know You don't you want to see an older guy in sandals and socks will ya now

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:13

kumbaya

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:15

you won't see it. Because that's not the not the image. That's not really that's

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:20

not the image

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:22

is that Do you know God's I believe, because raising up an endtime army right now.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:28

Praise God and it's an army of faith.

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:31

Wherever you you're listening to this, he speaking to you

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:35

whether you're a doctor, lawyer, Baker, preacher, teacher, wherever you are, an accountant, a cleaner. You know, it doesn't matter what our earthly trade is or what our job is. God is calling God is calling a remnant. God is speaking very clear and loud. And I've got to go out in faith, you know that that that trainer advert that's been around your model mentioned it Nike that great advert. They put out that Just there strap line, just do it. That's what the church needs to adopt. Let's just do it. But hang on a minute, I've got a spreadsheet, hang on a minute, let's have a boardroom. Let's plan Jesus

Simon Pinchbeck: 10:11

strategy strategy

Reverend Ben Cooper: 10:13

is right is a pratajy

Simon Pinchbeck: 10:15

for this thing to move forward. But God's gonna do amazing things through you that only he can do that only you can do so that he will mean glorify,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 10:24

I think it's important to mention as well what Simon is saying that God will move suddenly, two places in the book of Acts come to my attention straight away. When God moves, he doesn't wait for a man to say, okay, on the sixth of December, we're going to hold this meeting and God is going to God move suddenly, God will move not at men's command. God will move when he is ready to move. We cannot plan our Lord Jesus Christ for any meeting for any set time. No wonder our churches are tired and exhausted because we plan these meetings and we expect and we think God is going to show up at that time just for a couple of hours for this meeting for that meeting God is working outside of the church.

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:08

And here's the deal when God shares his glory with no one does he

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:12

Amen. Thank you, Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:13

He don't share His glory. No, no,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:15

no.

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:17

if you don't want to, you can take the encouragement by all means.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:20

Yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:20

but the glories

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:22

but then where does the encouragement go? Someone pats on the back you think? Oh, yeah. i'ts all me. I'm the daddy of this show.

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:29

And that's the frightening point is as

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:31

the frightening point when you get to that

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:33

Yeah. Then Then the Lord. When the when the glory shines a little bit on you.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:39

Yeah. arrogance,

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:40

arrogance, pride, ego.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:42

You've got the lot world done, or they're welcome to my ministry.

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:48

Yeah, I mean, I'll say it again. But that quote from Spurgeon, when he stepped off the stage and the guy said to Mr. Spurgeon, you preach marvelously today. Spurgeon says yes i know, because the devils just told me so. So

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:01

Wow.

Simon Pinchbeck: 12:01

So that's, that's

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:02

Yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 12:03

that's where it all has to point the sign post has got a point to Jesus. And the glories got a bit of bonds

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:11

it's great to have encourages around you. But we've got to be careful where the encouragers are coming from as well. encouragers are important and we got to be careful of using all these ridiculous church strap lines. I'm gonna I'm gonna see my spiritual director Come on, I'm gonna get myself in trouble for these are now i am i'm going to go see my spiritual director. I booked an appointment four weeks ago, the best thing anyone can do is lay flat on the floor and say, God, I need your now, in the name of Jesus, you know, pick up the phone and say, I'm sorry, my friend. I don't need you anymore. I found Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 12:45

Because we've co written this before Ben havent we,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:49

what is the point of going to a man and putting your full whack out on the table? And you don't speak to Jesus?

Simon Pinchbeck: 12:56

You've got to be broken. Get on your face. Yeah. And save, you know. Lord, listen, no, I just led to this little bit of Scripture this morning to Corinthians 13 five says this spelling says Examine yourself to see well examine

Reverend Ben Cooper: 13:15

yourself.

Simon Pinchbeck: 13:16

test yourself do not realize Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 13:22

There you go. Examine yourself.

Simon Pinchbeck: 13:25

You failed a test. Examine yourself it says so.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 13:29

Yeah, okay i on that I understand about. So we got more motivational teachers and talkers in, in the church in religion. We've got people that are labeling themselves with spiritual directorships. We've got people labeling themselves with this and that when actually, the Bible says very clearly in the new testament, you don't need man to teach you because the Holy Spirit will. But we've got ourselves into a business model where I'm going to go and see my coach, and my coach, I'm going to say, now I'm accountable. Now I've got to go and See, this fellow over there? I'm accountable to him. And I've got to see my spiritual director at three o'clock but I've got no room for Jesus. And I've got no room for Jesus because I'm busy. I'm busy. I'm busy.

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:10

And then what we get is Yeah, but so and so said this and so and so said that in such grapevine What did Jesus say

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:19

who's Jesus?

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:20

I'm not sure what he said, but so and so said this. Yeah, we're stepping over to get to mans word we've said it so many times. You need to come to your own personal garden of gifts, you need to be open Yeah, and that should god will use ben right this one just want to pray for anybody quickly. Since they started to be encouraged by what we're saying, because Come on farmer you know, please I just want to say, Lord, we pray that we will stand on your word. Thank you God the glory you are not gather and keep knowledge but to move forward by faith in Jesus name. I'll come I mean,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:00

Amen

Simon Pinchbeck: 15:02

Ben, one bit in the book of James talks about faith and it does talks about faithfulness is a great bit. It's from James to a. It's from James 214. That goes all the way through to 26. One, any discusses works, and faith done it works. And then it says, Yeah, I like this bit in it. It says it says, it says, but someone will say you have faith and I have work. Show me your faith. Without your works, and I will show you my faith by my work so you believe that there is one God you do? Well, my friend did he do? Well. Even the demons believe in tremble.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:47

There you go. It's really interesting that texts even the demons, it's like when the demonic forces will face in Jesus. And they say we know Jesus, but Oh, who are you?, just get back in the worship band. You can sing your happy clappy songs. But that Jesus, I can't get near him. or know him here. But God, I know Jesus. But what band are you from? Are we okay? What? Yeah, what? You're not even from the church. Because if you as a church, you'd recognize I'm a demonic force. But you don't even recognize me. I reckon it's really interesting that the spiritual entities, bow to the name of Jesus. But the disciples went up to him. Was it Philip? Chester, father? I can't remember. But yeah, yeah, Philip went up to Jesus. He said, Where's the father on Christ said, Philip, get a grip yourself, son. The father standing in front of you see, the church and religion cannot recognize when they're in the presence of God, because it is so caught up in religion and with itself.

Simon Pinchbeck: 16:54

And with that, people just accumulate knowledge.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 16:58

And we become a very knowledgeable, highly educated institute that has got cobwebs all over it.

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:05

But unless that is moved into action, yeah,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:09

faith,

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:10

what God is. And so in the end, at the end of that, of that second chapter, James says this, he says, For as the body without the spirit is dead,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:20

exactly

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:20

So Faith without works is dead. Also,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:23

no risk assessment can run along with faith.

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:27

It says, He says, you know, you might have faith and you see a poor man in the God bless you, my son. Yeah, don't do nothing not to show him yet. Yeah. What good is it?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:40

That's right. This is really, really important, especially to me that this very moment in time, there are lots of pastors, there are lots of leaders, there are lots of men and women in ministry at the minute and your desk is absolutely awash with risk assessments. roadmapping, back out of COVID, are we going to open? Are we going to do that? And we're spending so much time trying to work our way out? calculating? Is it a risk? Is it this is it that the Bible says go by faith? There comes a point when you've got to get put your round across the table and sweep everything off? And go, What does the word tell me to do? What is the word telling me to do? It might send in, in the church, in my home life in my personal life? What is this word telling me? Because you can't even get out of bed without writing a risk assessment anymore?

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:29

No, we're in trouble.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:29

You're in trouble? Oh, yeah. Are you sure? Okay, be careful, be careful. What's the risk? What's this? What's that? You know, the chair shall live by faith risk. Assessment does not go along with faith through faith, it doesn't mix. So the political agenda that is in the church, which is laced up with all the governance cannot run with the Scripture.

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:53

No

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:53

recall. You know, it's impossible.

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:58

Just a quick example, and I'll speak about about you guys here in the church here. But a quick example is the alpha course. And

Reverend Ben Cooper: 19:09

yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 19:10

I remember Nicky Gumbel saying that they had a Christian fellow who was retired from banking, and they invited him into to run the finances and do all that sort of stuff. And, you know, at the end end of every alpha course, there was a set of money that needed to be paid. And this fella was going off his head to kasane. Look, the young got that money. We haven't gotten that money because they when they go out for weekends, ever Nicky gamble should say, Now you'll come in, don't worry. Why come and go five year old come in. And of course it always did. But he couldn't. He couldn't. Because he was trying to put out the world system. Yeah, it's a gold system.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 19:51

That's it. That's a great analogy. That's a great story. When you look at that, because we're so proud. Even though we're believers, we're so programmed with the world planning When it comes to a five move, we can't believe it.

Simon Pinchbeck: 20:04

We can't believe it

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:04

not because it doesn't line up on the graph, or it doesn't work out my fingers don't my fingers don't work. Well, my ways are lower than his ways. My thoughts are lesser than his thoughts, the book of Isaiah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 20:17

we've made thirty grand to pay for this. And we've got five.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:23

Praise the Lord.

Simon Pinchbeck: 20:24

gotta show up. Thats fine, that is great. Yeah, no, no, but do you realize we need to find the Lord is? And it always happened?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:32

Yeah.

Simon Pinchbeck: 20:32

So whenever they asked for an offeringthe money always raise

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:36

You know, that lovely scripture, you know, that's, that's tucked away in the New Testament. It says, We serve a God that calls are things that are not as though they are, that is the way that I should be speaking, we serve a God. So I serve Him. He calls the things that are not as they are. So where do we take a reference from that we go to Genesis, and God said, Let there be light, then there was. So we the power of speech, but then there's a fine line isn't there, of going into the prosperity in the name of claim it. So there is a fight, there's a narrow path to tread,

Simon Pinchbeck: 21:09

you can proclaim stuff in the name of Jesus, and you've got to hand everything over to Jesus and say, fruit is nothing on nothing. And I want nothing.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 21:21

That's right

Simon Pinchbeck: 21:21

it is your will. And, you know, true faith Ben, moves into something that only God can do.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 21:28

And that is where that scripture backs up with what you just said, We serve a God that calls the things that are not it's not me, that calls it, he has spoken it. So I if I, when I serve him, I come under him, I surrender to Him, I follow him, I lay my life upon him, but he's already spoken, the blessing, the blessing, the miracle is already there. But then my faith comes. So it's forward motion faith, I have to think and understand not like not like the world, I have to I have to put myself into a position of faith and say, God, you're gonna supply all my needs, according to your riches and glory.

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:07

That's it, and you're gonna glorify yourself through me. And what you said earlier is, you know, learning is not faith, knowledge is not faith, you can know that it's limited back to from inside and out. But in Greek, Hebrew or latin, but

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:23

knowledge puffs up

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:25

if you're just sitting there just getting fat on knowledge, and not actually

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:30

yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:31

using that knowledge to spurt to move your faith in a forward motion. Yeah, then you're just rotting and stagnating away, aren't you? And I wonder sometimes whether or not you're even got a relationship with Jesus Christ

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:46

Because knowledge can't go with faith. Now, because when you're in a knowledge of knowledge, or you're very acute with knowledge, and you can you can work things out with your brain, not that that is just your natural self. But to go with God, you go with nothing. You go in faith.

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:04

What do you know? Paul says in and in, in that two Timothy three i think is three. 70 says in the last days, which you believe that we're in, in the last days, there'll be all people will be always learning.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:18

Yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:18

but not moving forward.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:20

Always learning but not perceiving. You're never you're never you're never like we are in a world when you think of the educational department within the UK i'll get in trouble for saying this. But the the educational system has driven the kids to one thing, depression and anxiety, because it is knowledge knowledge, knowledge, learn, learn, learn go to school, when you go home, do your home work. It has been such a hard driver for so many years now. We are seeing children and the counselors, we're seeing children with suicidal thoughts because they can't be children. They are pressed so hard. So we're in a culture in a society where you've got to get a job, you've got to get educated, you've got to get a PhD, get a PhD and where do I end up working in McDonald's?

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:03

Yeah, no the totally and and also you know there's there's stress coming from social media yet the children and there's also expectations on them and and also I've been you know, I hear this a lot amongst Christian youngsters is What, whats god got for me?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:24

What God got for me.

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:26

I you know, they read Jeremiah 2011. And stay there don't they

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:30

plan to make a great plan.

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:32

What was God's plan for me is not the police is the other way around.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:37

Yeah, we won't find out that plan until we follow him. And we give him our heart.

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:42

You're totally right Ben, you're bang on pointing you know, favors allowing God to use you done what he is destined for your life. That's right. Yeah. Not taking the glory for yourself.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:54

No. And there comes a point isn't there when faith will take you to a very lonely Place a very lonely place. Oh,

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:03

yeah, totally because everyone else around you. Yeah. Okay. Look, you know this this goes right to the to the, I guess the one of the top guys in this was no I wanna Yeah,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:15

yes. Sun was shining

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:17

they were laughing and joking. Yeah, you know ain't crying on

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:21

living, partying

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:22

partying and they're laughing at this guy is building this

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:25

whats he doing? building a boat, what's he doing in his garden?

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:29

You know, he's like crackers, but is an interesting point. And

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:35

so what we're saying is God, God is calling people to do unusual things in in dark times.

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:44

Exactly bang on point and and the thing is, listen, listen that is wherever you are, please listen to this because for what you are called to do. listeners, God has given you everything that that you need to accomplish the things that he made you do and don't add or take away that.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:02

No, he's giving you wood to build an ark. He's given you all, it gives you the nails he's giving you the structure, he's giving you the formula. Just do just just do it what God is calling you to do. Just do it. Don't ask pastor don't go to the bishop, don't send a text to a friend. Seek Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:18

seek jesus. a classic example in the Old Testament is in the book of Esther. Esther, you know, they asked,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:28

I asked her, I asked her

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:33

I asked, What do you need? And she said, I need nothing. Because she knew that God had given us everything. And then she went on to save the nation and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:43

what great place to be. What do you need? Nothing.

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:45

Nothing.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:46

I've got everything in God. Well, where is it? It's inside me.

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:49

I don't need the money. I don't need I don't need any material. Things are done.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:53

I've got it.

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:54

God's given me everything he needs here. And I've just got a come to him and go use me.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:59

I'm ready. But we can't get ourselves ready. We he got breaks in man cannot choose God. God breaks in and God, God draws us. But as a cycle draws it. Yeah.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:13

But drawers, try to do ben, fight him. And say, I need to control this.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:19

I'm going to control this.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:20

He says and so they pull up a scheme and you said here's a six point

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:26

way out plan 101 prayer points. I'd say oh goodness gracious. I gotta be careful. I'll go. So God has given God as God has given us the Word of God. So what is the word of God? The Word of God is instruction for man to follow. So why am I putting God's instruction to one side and following IKEA and mixing it with a b&q? I'm not going to get funny shaped furniture if I was

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:52

a great analogy

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:55

if I go

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:56

is difficult enough to pull up anyway so

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:58

if I switch all the switch all around all around yeah wonder we got wobbly people. You know, I mean, with a leg missing

Simon Pinchbeck: 28:06

of chairs eventually gonna collapse

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:08

it's gonna collapse in it. So if I I've got make sure that the instruction that I have for my life to build my life is purely on the Word of God

Simon Pinchbeck: 28:17

is purely on the Word of God. Look for ladies and gentlemen out there, please look for the Bible that the mighty men and women of God at no plan and I'll plan what God has given.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:31

Look at look at King Joseph. And look at this mad story that we've mentioned before King Joseph that quickly sought the Lord the enemy was coming over the hill. In the morning God said, we'll tell you what we do. Go down face your enemy. But send the praises out before the army. completely the opposite. Praise me. Praise me in front of your enemy.

Simon Pinchbeck: 28:51

Because the ways that God a foolish world Ben

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:54

do yu want me to Take a tambourine. Yes, Lord, do me a sing. Yes. You want me to lift your name up in front of Goliath? Yes.

Simon Pinchbeck: 29:02

Look, is look at David he loves this. Seriously, this is nine foot nine giant of a man who's been you know, great people red warrior, easier to use got to a spear that was that 15 pounds. The tip of it was like, you know, he was he was standing there.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 29:22

And what a lot of people dont mentioned is he was driven by Lucifer. He was driven with a satanic see when someone is bred for lucifers army, because they come from the sons of God and they come they come all the way through. So these these giants were bred for fighting and they was not just driven by their flesh. They was driven by satanic darkness. So with all that in the size of what he was you got no chance,

Simon Pinchbeck: 29:55

no chance. So what did David do? goes to the stream and he gets five smalls stonesYeah, yeah, what's this geezer doing?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:03

We'll see. What

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:05

was this little little fell a little david doing?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:07

This little bony little kid over there

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:10

is not got any armor on he's just got a look at it. You know look at that fella, Goliath

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:17

you come against me with sword, spear and Javelin, but I come in the name of the Lord. See words are powerful. You don't need anything. I come in the name of the Lord and the God that you defy today is going to drop you gone he's gone gone one stone, it wasn't David's ability to with a sling. It was God God God guide in that stone. Yeah, God guides, God guides, God guides because that was that was God's word. God, David put to fly the Word of God. It was dressed in a stone. It was dressed God's word was dressed in a stone, and it hit that Goliath in the perfect place and he dropped. But isn't it interesting? How did David take Goliath out? He he used the weapon that was turned on him.

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:11

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:13

So what the enemy is point in bringing to you, the enemy will die and will turn on itself.

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:20

Well, heres the thing you see because

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:23

it will die by the sword

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:24

if you know and we will get into this another time. But you know, the Bible clearly tells us if we resist the enemy, he comes out as like a Roaring lion, but if we just resist him, it will turn and flip. Why because if you watch the enemy time and time again, always overplayed his hand.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:44

Always

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:44

he gets excited. Yeah, he thinks it and right now this time, you know, throughout the world, we're seeing the enemy over plays and he thinks he's, he and he and but it's it's in his excitedness to to get where it wants to go. He's overplayed his hand and he's exposed many things and people are going Whoa, hang on a minute. Hold on, man. I just don't sound right to me and so so that's exactly it. You know this exactly what you're saying. You know when? What did he give to what he got give to someone like Moses, Ben, he just

Reverend Ben Cooper: 32:24

gave him a stutter

Simon Pinchbeck: 32:27

a step stick on a 197

Reverend Ben Cooper: 32:30

and what Let my people go

Simon Pinchbeck: 32:32

What did this was the Egyptian army at the time, the pharaohs the most powerful

Reverend Ben Cooper: 32:37

man on the earth. Pharaoh was probably a pharaoh dude. I bet he was a right Renegade or no. And you got this little grandad walking up to him with a dirty old smelly cloak on probably I mean limping along stuttering with a stick in his hand saying let my people go Let my people go well, who is this God I don't even know this god of yours surrounded by as you know this Granger that the gold and the armory and everything and Moses trust in Leon Zimmer frame

Simon Pinchbeck: 33:11

people. You got to imagine what this thing was like?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 33:15

Yeah, it's like, with his little ol beard stuff are in there. Let let my people go. Who's bought this old granddad in front of me on my throne? Who is he? And then he said, Who is your God? This God of Israel. So you're telling me you want me to let the Israelites go to go into the wilderness for three days to have a festival and sacrifice to what God

Simon Pinchbeck: 33:40

and you want me to let him leave Egypt?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 33:44

There feeding him now there is an interesting that. They was keeping Pharaoh in his lifestyle. Yeah. And that is exactly what's happening in culture today. There are people that are slave to the system that are keeping the fat cats in their position.

Simon Pinchbeck: 34:02

Very interesting. Very, very interesting. So it's a great analogy

Reverend Ben Cooper: 34:06

and let my people go.

Simon Pinchbeck: 34:08

Let my people go. And

Reverend Ben Cooper: 34:09

no we're not letting you go.

Simon Pinchbeck: 34:10

Do you know what you're offering? That's what God's saying now when it Yeah, faith who is this? God, you know, he let him

Reverend Ben Cooper: 34:14

I believe I really believe Who are you? I can hear the authorities across the sound of the UK. Who is this God of Israel? Who is this God of Israel? We're not going to open no churches will fill the stadiums with football will filled up pubs with drinking, but you ain't gonna sing on a Sunday. have get back to why I've ever done but we'll ever Yeah, we roll this down. Yeah, yeah. Hold on a minute. Hold on. There's a few people sticking around. I'm going up. Yeah, no. It's really interesting the way the football has fallen at the perfect time, the perfect time. So it gates are flying open, yes, go celebrate, everyone's letting off their steam and all that. And then behind closed doors, more deals are being made more, our eyes have taken off of a certain little subject. And now we're concentrating on a little ball being kicked around the field. Why? Pharaoh is getting his next plan. Ready?

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:21

You guys next plan ready?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:23

Because people might think this is a bit crazy way of putting this but let my people go. Okay, I tell what we do. We give them something to do give them football for a little while. But we're going to come back for you. Oh, yeah. And we'll, we'll come back for you, we'll come back, there's something else coming. We can't let you go. Because you're feeding you're putting money into the system will open the bars will open this will open that will open all the eateries will get them spend, spend, spend, spend, spend, satisfy our lifestyle, we are living in a very we are living in a nation that that that is governed by humanism, with Pharaohs with the jesebel spirit and the Kundalini spirit.

Simon Pinchbeck: 36:05

And if you let all that weigh on you, you think what can I do? You think? Where am I going? If you feel like you're surrounded? Yeah, I don't think listeners that may have felt like we feel like that

Reverend Ben Cooper: 36:18

we feel the way single day every day.

Simon Pinchbeck: 36:21

So you you know you've got it, you have to get up and yeah, and what this message is, this is for those weak people. If you feel weak, if you feel nobody if you feel you're nothing if you feel that you can't get out of bed in the morning, God's saying get out of bed,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 36:37

you've reached a good place,

Simon Pinchbeck: 36:38

you've reached a great place, you've reached a break. If I want to know more about the people of the Bible, Hebrews 11 is a great place to go to and it because it tells us all about a week and yeah, people that got to us, you know. So what we want to do this morning, Ben, I think we want to, we want to challenge the listeners out there to let faith give you a forward motion, put your faith give you a forward motion, not just to get you out. But to get you into something, let it drive you and drive you to get into something not just to get you out of Egypt but to get into the promised land. Yeah, amen.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:12

Come on. Getting the promised lands or

Simon Pinchbeck: 37:14

Promised Land. Yeah, your faith gives you the desire to let yourself be used to the glory.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:21

Yeah, amen. You know, that Pharaoh that Pharaoh is let let my people go, there's a bit of a bit of movement there. There's that there's an enticement there. But the forward thinking of the believer has to be I've got to press into the word forward motion faith because once they won't be long, you're here the wills of Pharaoh coming again. And it will feel like that you're penned in by by the sea if it will feel that you're pend in, and you've got nowhere to go. You've you've almost escaped from this trouble from the system and you're 5050 almost in the promised land and suddenly you're here for the land. You're here the hoofs of the horses, you're here the sound of Pharaoh, you'll see the dust in the backdrop coming and in the feel that you've got no way forward, but God will part the sea for you have faith in Him, He will do it, he will do do the impossible. You

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:11

know if when when you stick around that and go on for Jesus, then that guy that gets God's attention, done it.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:18

That's my son, that's my daughter.

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:20

What did he say? What did he say?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:22

Who's that popped out of the religious bracket there? let's

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:26

let's let's back that person. let's get let's put some weight on her heart. Let's Let's drive them forward.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:31

I can use that.

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:32

And for too long. You may have been tied down and believe the enemy's lies but you know now it's time to stick your hand up and get out of bed. Get off the sofa, get off the settee, get out, let go and stay You know, I've had enough.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:47

I'm going for Jesus. I'm a Jesus follower. I follow Jesus, I'm a disciple. I'm a son, I'm a daughter of the living God, you know, is another you only got a few minutes left of this podcast. But there's another great text that I caught the references scopes my mind at the moment cuz I'll be honest, my mind is just racing away at the moment of the goodness and the power of God. And there's a great text where that soldier goes up to Jesus and he says My daughter is ill unwell and he says you just say the word of my daughter will be healed. And then he drops that other line back to him and he says, I know that she you can heal her but help me in my unbelief. So with faith runs a certain amount of unbelief that that'd be frightened of unbelief, just address it and just do it just say Lord help me

Simon Pinchbeck: 39:38

you said it earlier Didn't you just do it? You might think are in the enemy might may have got you further you're no good Who am I? I can't do anything. But if you think like that, you just kind of stay where you are and you're just gonna rock you know, no, come on, put those thoughts and your thing over to the cross of Jesus Christ. Stand up wherever you are. A bed and say no. And I'm going to move forward, I'm going to let God use me. Because he's going to give me whatever I need. I refuse to lay down and be defeated.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:11

Yeah, don't be a brother or sister that has a business model and a business plan. Don't be a brother or a sister that has a pie chart and a flow chart.

Simon Pinchbeck: 40:20

And don't just use words, show him through your

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:23

I'm going to stand up, I'm going to start, life. I'm going to follow in life. I am going to start I'm going to build upon the rock, I'm going to build on the Word of God. I'm not building any more on paper, straw, I'm not building any more on sticks. I'm going to build on the rock, I'm going to build my life. I want to build me on Jesus,

Simon Pinchbeck: 40:44

Jesus. And wherever you listen out there, wherever you you know, you're listening, in the car on a park bench or, or in a bed or wherever you are the entire of God you are you choose to make that forward motion of faith.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:59

I'm here lord,

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:00

stop anything that's holding you back which said it. You said it come to get on your face and say, Lord, take this away. It's not my will, but your will be done. It's not about you anymore. It's about the Christ who lives in you.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 41:15

Amen. It's the power that's invested in you.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:18

Im going to say that again, because it's important, because it's not about you or me. It's about a Christ who lives in me Galatians 220, I've been crucified, crucified by crist, now I live, but Christ who lives in me and when I get that, you will know that Christ is living in you. And you have that the power to do whatever God wants you to do to with his glory.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 41:43

Praise God.I can do it. I can do it. Jesus. Don't need money that need education. I don't need the pie chart. I don't need a flow chart. You don't need a business plan.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:55

No, we don't need the business plan. We don't need a seven year business plan of five years and we don't need any of that to take to the Lord.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:02

I'm here. My heart is hungry.

Simon Pinchbeck: 42:05

Just take yourself to God.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:06

I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty for the truth.

Simon Pinchbeck: 42:10

The Gospel we preach is about dead men and women living in it.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:14

That's right. Yeah. Lazarus, come back. Lazarus are being resurrected. You are a new creation. Yeah.

Simon Pinchbeck: 42:22

But that new creation,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:23

amen.

Simon Pinchbeck: 42:24

step forward in faith, raise your hand up today and say, I want to be I want to be a mighty man or woman of God, but I want to be glorifying God in what he wants me to do.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:35

Lord, where do you want me to be? Where do you want me to be us? Me? Lord, come My heart is hungry. I'm thirsty for you. I need to living water. I can't keep drawing from Jacobs Well, Jacobs well is always deep. It's dark. It's hard work. But Jesus says come to me all of you that are thirsty. Yeah,

Simon Pinchbeck: 42:56

yes. And I will give you living water, living water.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:59

That's what we need. That's what the church needs in the UK. That's what I need. That's what Simon needs. That's what our families need. That's what we need in the UK. We've got to be drawing from Jesus, not from Jacobs.

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:12

Amen. And, and as we come into land with with this one, but

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:16

yeah, that's it,

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:17

because it's a subject that we will only turn to and there's so much more in this. But we just want to say this prayer, really that wherever you are out there, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances are. My friends, Jesus died for you.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:33

Thank you.

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:35

He took your place. And as you believe in Him, my friends as you believe in him. All those promises in the Bible are for you. Praise God, as you let God use you to his glory. And I pray that anyone who's who's listened to this talk this morning, Christian straight talk, I believe that we've really hit the nail hit it hard and straight talk this through and we believe that anyone who's out there listening who thinks that they can't do anything they can because if you're in that place, just bring yourself to God and say, use me and you know, he's not looking for massive organizations, huge fans. He's looking for you to start your neighbor or someone close to you or maybe a member of your family, but he's looking for you, to use you wherever you are. You're part of God's plan. Not man's plan.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 44:35

Simon, beautiful. May God bless you everyone that's listening to this. We thank you so much for joining us today. Hashtag Christian straight talk wherever you are across the world. Hold on to Jesus because it's not over until he says it's over.

Simon Pinchbeck: 44:48

Amen.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 44:49

Amen.

Close: 44:51

Thank you for listening to Elim church on this latest podcast. You can find us on buzzsprout Spotify, Apple Music, I Heart Radio Google Play Alexa, mixed cloud, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.