Thank you for joining us today at this podcast, #Christian straight talk. You're joining Simon Pinchbeck and myself Reverend Ben Cooper, as we explore the title. What are you building your house on taken from the Gospel of Matthew chapter seven verses 24 through 27 we talk about self worth, religion, what is close on your heart. The main text of today is the wise and the foolish builder. Verse, 25 of Matthew chapter 27 The rain came down, the strings rose, the winds blew, against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundations upon the rock. Are you building upon the rock, which is Christ Jesus, or are you building upon the sand, which is the way of the world.
Thank you for joining us today at this podcast, #Christian straight talk. You're joining Simon Pinchbeck and myself Reverend Ben Cooper, as we explore the title. What are you building your house on taken from the Gospel of Matthew chapter seven verses 24 through 27 we talk about self worth, religion, what is close on your heart. The main text of today is the wise and the foolish builder. Verse, 25 of Matthew chapter 27 The rain came down, the strings rose, the winds blew, against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundations upon the rock. Are you building upon the rock, which is Christ Jesus, or are you building upon the sand, which is the way of the world.
Hello and welcome to Elim church Swanley you're joining myself Reverend Ben Cooper for today's podcast. Hey, good morning. Thank you for joining us for this podcast today. #Christian Straight Talk. We are in the house we got coffee. We got prayer, we got chat we got scripture and we've got our good friend Simon Pinchbeck as we gather around the mic today and #Christian straight talk you know God is moving for his word we are living in very powerful times and it is so good to be with Simon we've just had a little bit of a ramble before we click the record button but we just want to welcome everybody in in the world and the platforms of Spotify buzzsprout on all the other platforms that we share this stuff on we would ask you that you will push this out but we've we're just talking very straight out the gun today as we always do Christian straight talks simon good morning
Simon Pinchbeck:it's great to be here Ben it great to be part of Christian stripe token as we were saying you know we have a book coming out in just a few weeks we've podcast stuff that we've been doing yeah and it's just flying in it Ben
Reverend Ben Cooper:is mad
Simon Pinchbeck:we just quickly the Christian strike is moving forward so we is caught as caught as a bit
Reverend Ben Cooper:by surprise how it all come together not of our doing on the outside circles it's just coming into being and as Simon said it's just come through to the straight talking down the barrel of the gun
Simon Pinchbeck:now we're just two guys in Swanley you know
Reverend Ben Cooper:in Swanley living the dream Living the dream it will share the recording next rain being on the roof.
Simon Pinchbeck:And I think you know Ben is tentative testimony really if you if you open your heart and say Lord just speak for me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:I'm gonna Well, I've got it Sunday when I listen to this stuff back on where does that come from? And it comes from one placeand it comes from Jesus. It comes from Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It comes from the power of the Holy Spirit. You know, what I love about following Christ is that you don't need money you don't need education, you don't need notoriety. You just need a heart You just need to say Lord I just want to follow you God opens the doors then god god fills you We don't need the money we don't you don't need the Holy
Simon Pinchbeck:God will supply all our needs
Reverend Ben Cooper:according according to his riches in glory so for anyone out there that's listening to this thinking you know what hows Christ gonna use you he's using you now. You don't you don't need to pick out you don't need to trappings of ministry you don't need to tap into religion just giving me a heart just just follow Jesus just seek him just whatever is going on in your life. You will find a way forward
Simon Pinchbeck:find a way forward yeah and you said that to me as you stepped out your Mercedes
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah yes
Simon Pinchbeck:class the other day that
Reverend Ben Cooper:and they carried me in a church you know I've got four bearers carry me on
Simon Pinchbeck:from big gold chain of $1
Reverend Ben Cooper:It looks good fake tan, got me teeth coming in a post soon white yteeth ou know the big
Simon Pinchbeck:one we laugh and we have a bit of fun Don't
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, look at that pastor horse. Look at we? his teeth. Look at the Nashers he's got
Simon Pinchbeck:what you got is a blue transit with Elim Swanley written down the side
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:full of food for the for the needy aint ya?
Reverend Ben Cooper:And I've got to say, and I've got 9 points, beat that. Do you know a Vicar with nine points Come on world. Tell me. Come on. I shouldn't be saying that. But Praise the Lord. I was only on the food run. You know, you'd think that you think the Lord have a little bit of a soft touch on a vicar flying around at midnight with bananas in the
Simon Pinchbeck:maybe hes teach your lessons. I mean, you must back of the van. have been doing a fair speed for you not to have one of them courses.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I've done a few. Let's carry on.
Simon Pinchbeck:Quickly, quickly.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, let's move forward. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well is July 2021? Ben and there's some strange things going on around the world. Isn't there?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Monday? are you looking forward to Monday freedom. Is it freedom? Possibly. Maybe most
Simon Pinchbeck:almost? Yeah. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'll jump on the train in London where you mask I'll get out of London. No mask. I'll go a nightclub. Don't need to be jabbed don't need to be this done. It'd be that I've got the church.
Simon Pinchbeck:I've got me holiday booked on the booked for the balerics,
Reverend Ben Cooper:Can't go.
Simon Pinchbeck:So you know, we're in Strange Times and
Reverend Ben Cooper:confusion.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah, more of his confusion. And more and more of our freedoms are being erouted away and more and more wherever a split society. So it's important to know where you're putting your anchor where you put in your house or you put in your faith and the last couple of podcasts. We've done, Ben, we've sold about five moving us forward.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:Being able to move forward with this one. Ben, is entitled, what are you building your house on? Or what are you building your faith on? And, you know, I really think we should examine ourselves constantly, is every moment,
Reverend Ben Cooper:every moment every moment of life
Simon Pinchbeck:Because he's important. Ben is the you know, the Bible tells us very clearly there is a heaven.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And there is a hell
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And everyone will live in one or the other. If you're going to live in one or the other
Reverend Ben Cooper:simple.
Simon Pinchbeck:Your choice.
Reverend Ben Cooper:You don't need a double jab to get in there either
Simon Pinchbeck:need a passport
Reverend Ben Cooper:so you don't need it. That's not you know, are you going to be this is this will be the sort of question you're asked. Do you believe in me?
Simon Pinchbeck:Did he give you a lifetime? Well, that's Yeah, mass massive, is huge. And
Reverend Ben Cooper:beyond your mask beyond the jab beyond year, doesn't matter how much money you've got? Doesn't matter. Look, we've seen our little friend Brad Branson this week it was it last week flying up very, very high. All that money. You know, you can you can't take that with you can ya, or what's going on or what they want to do what they want to achieve. We come in the same way and we're going out in a little brown box.
Simon Pinchbeck:And the only reason me you only have been is because of the cross
Reverend Ben Cooper:because of the cross of Calvary.
Simon Pinchbeck:Jesus Christ is done. Yes. Yeah, on that cross because he died for us and put him in. He died for that. He will use again
Reverend Ben Cooper:when you think about that scripture. It to save us when you think about that Scripture says while you were still sinning, I chose to save you. See, salvation doesn't depend on the church. Salvation doesn't depend on the pastor and the leader salvation don't depend on your spiritual director, the salvation don't depend on depend on the men's ministry or the women's ministry involved in the leaders that your salvation is a gift from God is a gift. And it can't be what
Simon Pinchbeck:it's amazing. That's amazing. It's amazing. If you think you think the father gave up his son,
Reverend Ben Cooper:john 316
Simon Pinchbeck:he gave up his son he loved this world so much they gave His Son
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:he tried everything else. So and when you think we're gonna come on like that, but when you think that you can't take that for granted, but people do
Reverend Ben Cooper:they do.
Simon Pinchbeck:That is so yeah, the fathers given up his son. And you're taking that for granted. Is it eight right? So you virtually taking the Lord's name in vain and
Reverend Ben Cooper:salvation, then salvation isn't a choice is it because when understand its predestination, salvation is a gift. So when you look at the depth of that, God chooses God, but God,he pull you in, then you have that choice, don't you?
Simon Pinchbeck:You still got a choice.
Reverend Ben Cooper:You still got the choice. So he died, he sent his one who sadly died on the cross, give us a hope gives a future and he has given us the gift of salvation is a gift. You can't earn it, you can't buy it.
Simon Pinchbeck:I'm thinking of someone now that I know I've known quite well over the years. And he was chosen, aren't they? You know, and he has a he is great with the youth this this young man is some very big powerful man. And the Lord shown him stuff and he's spoken out for the Lord but he has chosen to live a lifestyle outside of the framework or cry framework of Christ.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:he's chosen to live an adulterous lifestyle.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Okay.
Simon Pinchbeck:So yes, the choice choice is the choice
Reverend Ben Cooper:How am I going to live? How am I going to live on blood watch some sanctified? God has breathed in my lungs he has set me free is give me a hope is give me a future. So am I gonna build on the word, as Simon just said, and what are you what are you building your house on
Simon Pinchbeck:what are you build your house on
Reverend Ben Cooper:and even when you build your house on faith and in faith, it doesn't mean to say that you all the temptations of the flesh and what the world is offering you is going to is going to evaporate because it doesn't if anything, it gets more lively. It becomes more tangible.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well,
Reverend Ben Cooper:because the devil wants you. He wants to
Simon Pinchbeck:100% and all of a sudden you're realising that
Reverend Ben Cooper:can't live like that.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah, some of the things that you took that you thought were okay yeah, no, okay.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Because the Church says it's okay the Church says is a right to marry same sex with you know, certain parts of denominations have fallen denominations have succumb to the seduction of what the government want us to do. And so you can see kind of that people look at the go well the churches said it's all right. I mean, that denomination of jump in bed with freddie this morning, don't worry about it the church and marry me. Yeah, it must be okay. The church did it right. The bishops engaging in
Simon Pinchbeck:all about love
Reverend Ben Cooper:Oh, I roll over and over again, right.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's not Adam and Eve is it you know, in some cases and and you've got to be very, you know, aware. That's why you got to keep Examine yourself and bring it back to what he says in
Reverend Ben Cooper:what does it say in the word of God God now I've got Massive things wrong in my life. I've got God, you got to clean my house. You've got to clean my heart. You got to clean my eyes, you got to clean my ears. You've got sweetpro It's a continuum, isn't it? He's on when were born again, we're spirit filled. Suddenly life becomes you got to go by faith. If I don't go by faith, I'm going by the world for God by the world. I'm succumbing to the seduction of what the world is offering cars, sex, drugs, rock and roll that the whole shebang. So you got a nation when the government are endorsing anything that is the opposite to the word. gon do it.
Simon Pinchbeck:When it's it's driving a you said it before driving a humanist agenda.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:you know completely and you know, we probably won't go too deep in this podcast but we will on another one you know, we're, we get we get drag queens teaching our kids we get
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes.
Simon Pinchbeck:Right? None of that is right and if you didn't bother Word of God,
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's enough you'll be on a pulpit
Simon Pinchbeck:you
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's gonna be by the way, because anything goes Come on.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:any anything goes
Simon Pinchbeck:and the thing is, you know, I've seen many, many many people say to say that maybe before they know Christ. They say, Well, I'm a good person and and then when they get to know Christ, and when I really get to know Jesus and when it's it's about Christ in you Scripture says in next time you speak to me im such a sinner.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, that's right.
Simon Pinchbeck:And that admission there that you are a sinner and then you is is is the first step on the on the ladder to to let in Jesus us you usual and then the father you issue as he wants to use you is the first step of stripping back that old person
Reverend Ben Cooper:pride
Simon Pinchbeck:and engaging the new person. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:and myself will my my self determination. So if I'm, if I need if I as a believer, I need to build upon the rock to build upon the rock means a complete surrender. complete surrender so that he can build me and not me build
Simon Pinchbeck:surrender. I mean, you said it there, but it is, isn't it is the complete surrender,
Reverend Ben Cooper:given over
Simon Pinchbeck:giving over
Reverend Ben Cooper:handing over
Simon Pinchbeck:completely
Reverend Ben Cooper:completely free falling into the arms of Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:We've continually on these podcasts, it's accepting Jesus becoming a new creation, but handing that life back.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:So that Jesus can use you Well, what exactly is scripture that scripture that leads and says that is, is when Jesus is talking on the Sermon on the Mount, isn't he?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And it's in Matthew seven, it's 21 at 27. And we'll go through a little bit because it really, really I think, Ben, this is one of the most sobering scriptures
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:in the whole of the Bible. Because he's saying, he's talking to the religious leaders. What are you all about? Because I can see your heart.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I can see your heart I can see through
Simon Pinchbeck:what you do on the outside.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I can see past your your dress, I can see pass your facade.
Simon Pinchbeck:pass your big Bible this ministry that can see first you have started, you built it. I can see through
Reverend Ben Cooper:Frank Sinatra ministry.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah. My way. Yes, yeah, it's
Reverend Ben Cooper:got many of them and, and now is the time for the believer, the believer to God, you know what, I'm gonna really give it everything to Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:This is the time and
Reverend Ben Cooper:this is the time
Simon Pinchbeck:Many times this is that. If you're listening out there, this is the time and we've said to you out there in previous podcasts, but if you listen to this for the first time, it's a time to get off his sofa, get off it get out of bed and say, I'm not perfect, but Lord, use me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Okay.
Simon Pinchbeck:And, and so getting back to the Scripture, he's just been, it's just talking about the way he's spoken. And, and in my estimation, the narrow ways getting narrower, or the really wide waves getting bigger and bigger,
Reverend Ben Cooper:more lit up.
Simon Pinchbeck:More lit up more.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's like Vegas in it.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Look, I look at that. Look at the light
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah. Oh, to walk. You imagine, you know, I've been in big crowds, big football crowds. And I've tried to get my way through as a police officer.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Impossible.
Simon Pinchbeck:it ain't easy when the crowds coming towards you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And you're moving through it. You ain't moving fast.
Reverend Ben Cooper:No
Simon Pinchbeck:you just take in small steps.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And sometimes you get taken back
Simon Pinchbeck:at some times you get swept back.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And sometimes you have to go through
Reverend Ben Cooper:the narrow path.
Simon Pinchbeck:And sometimes you need a couple of mates to help you get through.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:and
Reverend Ben Cooper:come on
Simon Pinchbeck:that it's all of that. So, and he said the next bit he said that you'll know them by their fruits. So he's, he's lining people up for this particular scripture. And then he says this, he says in Matthew 721, he says, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, we have, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, there are many wonders in your name. And then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Now,
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's now a big deep
Simon Pinchbeck:its huge
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's enormous.
Simon Pinchbeck:So is not saying there been I never knew because he knew, he knows.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He knows you.
Simon Pinchbeck:But what you're saying is your heart never knew me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Your heart never know me. You, gosh, he's gone quiet. And when you when you really think about this,
Simon Pinchbeck:so
Reverend Ben Cooper:see actions the church sees me acting, the church sees me doing what we do. our family, our friends, our work colleagues, they see this outside that only people can see the outside. There's only one that can see the heart.
Simon Pinchbeck:That's it
Reverend Ben Cooper:the only one that can see the heart, the real us the real me. Am I following Jesus? I think you're really following him.
Simon Pinchbeck:If you're at a today, and you're looking and you have a discernment, and we'll give you the sermon. And sometimes we look at people, and the whole crowd is going look at this guy, isn't he?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And you think I don't see that?
Reverend Ben Cooper:No,
Simon Pinchbeck:I see something different. I don't
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And sometimes you have that discernment, ben dont you It's a bit like the king's new suit. Everybody's saying, isn't he marvellous, but he's naked. And then, and I think, I think by people who are, you know, they fall ministries, they build themselves out. That last name is in lights, the sun is pointing back to me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's me,
Simon Pinchbeck:it's me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's me.
Simon Pinchbeck:And they're deceiving themselves. But
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah, it has my life has to be first and foremost for Jesus, above everything above anybody has to be follow me as me first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added unto the will that there may be people
Simon Pinchbeck:say that again, but because that scripture is absolutely key it goes with
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes, yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:And say that again. Matthew 633,
Reverend Ben Cooper:Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything else shall be added unto thee.
Simon Pinchbeck:Its God first in it. But
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah, and then everything else will flow according to His will and purpose, his will and purpose so what is his will and purpose for me? I don't know. Until I get in the garden.
Simon Pinchbeck:You don't know until you
Reverend Ben Cooper:until I get in the garden. And what is that garden that is that place of stretching, that place of handing over that place of not weakness, but that place of strength where you go, my life is yours. My life is yours.
Simon Pinchbeck:You said it earlier on total surrender, not my will. But your will be done, knock your will out, knock your will down, stamp on your will. And give it over to Jesus
Reverend Ben Cooper:every day. And every moment
Simon Pinchbeck:let him put.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:What he wants And you know, it You're the will of the Father, for you may not be thea name in lights, it may not be the Porpit, it may be bringing up your family.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It may be working in office,
Simon Pinchbeck:you're you've hit the nail on the head
Reverend Ben Cooper:might be driving a truck so what is the How do I get myself into the understanding? Father, where do you want me? Because culture and society, you know, family will drive us as as children. We want you to get your well educate. We want you this what we want in this job. And that might not be the will of what the Father wants for us.
Simon Pinchbeck:No
Reverend Ben Cooper:so there's a lot of people around us driving their agenda for us.
Simon Pinchbeck:This is key, Ben because the next bit he goes on to say and this is what you know, he goes on to say in 20. Matthew 724 says, Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them
Reverend Ben Cooper:now that now to do what God is silence, do they do what God wants you to do? will go against the grain of family, culture, of government of ivory towers of certain people in certain churches, ministries to do what God wants you to do. You will be like a salmon. swimming upstream.
Simon Pinchbeck:That's a great analogy.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Like he got speedos on, by the way. The salmons got speedos on, they gotta get, I gotta get up there. I've got to get home. Where am I going? Yeah, I'm going home.
Simon Pinchbeck:Going home. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:What do you think where they come from that that fish is suddenly at a certain time. The protocol fish, I've got to get back to the fathers
Simon Pinchbeck:That's a great and I love that analogy. So one of these little that fish is in a pool. And then when he's big enough, it goes with the flow and
Reverend Ben Cooper:gone with the flow goes with Joe.
Simon Pinchbeck:And when they're gone, it was time for me to turn around. I'll go, come on, come on. But
Reverend Ben Cooper:what a fight that fish had
Simon Pinchbeck:to get back there leaping up over Iraq, saying that they're leaping up, they're avoiding bears are avoiding all the pitfalls. Yeah, I can't hike, swim again,
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'm going back to my route. I'm going back to my purpose. I'm going back to the fathers who are going back home.
Simon Pinchbeck:So Ben, you can't do that. ben you? We've said it.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I been swimming downstream for years. And you can go with the flow
Simon Pinchbeck:of leisure life, and it'll just the current apparently down big enough, no one's gonna get older me, I'm going to eat the little fish. I'm going to be okay. But
Reverend Ben Cooper:suddenly,
Simon Pinchbeck:but to go on that journey back, you're going to need something you're going to need to
Reverend Ben Cooper:the drive
Simon Pinchbeck:God and you're gonna need to be able to stand on that, and by the word of God. So he says this is therefore wherever he is these signs of mine and does them. I will liken him to a wise man that builds his house on rock,
Reverend Ben Cooper:praise God.
Simon Pinchbeck:And the rain descended, the floods came the winds blew and beat on the house. And it did not fall for it was founded on the rock.
Reverend Ben Cooper:the rocl of my salvation
Simon Pinchbeck:danios on someone this should really shake us all really, he says, but everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them, does not do them
Reverend Ben Cooper:does not do I've got to do it
Simon Pinchbeck:will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah
Simon Pinchbeck:And the rain descended, the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell on this and this but gone. And great was its fall.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen.
Simon Pinchbeck:So here we are, then, you know, you've got two houses looking exactly the same on the outside
Reverend Ben Cooper:looking like a disciple looking like the world. They look but the outside is irrelevant.
Simon Pinchbeck:Outside looks looks pretty good. You know, they look the same.
Reverend Ben Cooper:They look the same.
Simon Pinchbeck:But it's what you can't see that deep deal building the foundation
Reverend Ben Cooper:inside the person.
Simon Pinchbeck:And what he's saying here, look at this. He says, Every one of these is the sign of mind and does not do them. Everyone who is the same the mind and does them.
Reverend Ben Cooper:That's the difference
Simon Pinchbeck:It's It's It's a
Reverend Ben Cooper:what is what is the doing the doing of the word, the doing of the word
Simon Pinchbeck:of the word,
Reverend Ben Cooper:what are certain denominations doing at the moment, not doing not the word of word, not doing a word. So
Simon Pinchbeck:you could stand up there. I could preach every single day of the week. And I could say this is what you've got to do. But then I go back, and I doing it myself. Yeah. This is what he's talking about. So I'm hearing I'm reading the Word. I'm hearing that word, but I'm not doing it. I'm just preaching it. I'm saying
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah, I'm a parish. Am I sad? You see
Simon Pinchbeck:yeah, I'm but but look at me because I know the word. I know.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Educate. I know, it
Simon Pinchbeck:I know it But the ones that. Take the word in and actually say,
Reverend Ben Cooper:Lord, do it. I've got to do this. So then you become the the salmon. On turn. It's time to go back. Yeah, it's the protocol is time to go back. It's time to get back to the father's arms. It's time to get back to the to where I should be.
Simon Pinchbeck:What did you say last week? Is that
Reverend Ben Cooper:Oh, God.i said a lot lask week, Just do it.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:What a great advert. Just do it. Yeah. There's the you know, the church is just like a shoal of fish that is just flowing in the stream of the world. But there's ones and twos in there that are god, they're turning around going, I'm not going to be taken out by the shark. I'm, I'm coming out of this so that the dumped denominations at this moment are heading towards a mass destruction if they continue to agree with certain teachings, and they don't hold on to sound doctrine, as the scripture says, There is coming choices for every one of us to look at the denominations. And am I going to build upon the rock? Am I gonna build upon the sand Am I gonna build on this wishy washy stuff because the stone is starting to brew.
Simon Pinchbeck:Now, you're absolutely bang on the stuff you know we can see the storm clouds rise
Reverend Ben Cooper:its rising.
Simon Pinchbeck:So is your leadership or where you are Is that where is that leading you? And
Reverend Ben Cooper:is it taking you to the cross? Every time you're in church? Was it taken to the offering bag,
Simon Pinchbeck:the one.The one thing that that you need to be doing is we need to be doing every single what needs to be examined in ourselves repentant ism, massive responsibility on the individual.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah
Simon Pinchbeck:to know where the individuals faith is taking them and what they're building on. Because if you just leave it to your church leader, yeah, to give you
Reverend Ben Cooper:don't leave it to me, I fail you, I will let you down, i will stumble you
Simon Pinchbeck:, this has to come from
Reverend Ben Cooper:you have to follow Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:And just before
Reverend Ben Cooper:he's your Shepherd,
Simon Pinchbeck:as we were talking, Ben, I explained this week a guide asked me to be what I call a spiritual director. And it's not, we will examine that. And, and I read, he wanted to meet up with me and I rang him this week. And because of what
Reverend Ben Cooper:we've been talking about
Simon Pinchbeck:what we've been talking about, I said, My you don't need a spiritual director, you need to pick up the phone of Jesus Christ, get on your knees, and as your first port of call
Reverend Ben Cooper:your phone box as your prayer closet, get in that quiet place
Simon Pinchbeck:ill be your mate and we can talk about stuff that you need a ditch stuff, and you need to get yourself right thats right, and asked to be in it. So it's an individual thinking when your relationship with jesu otherwise, when these just empty words, empty hearts in it, you know, and how many times in the Bible does the Bible say Jesus said it many times he said, he said that. He said the words are good, but their hearts are far away from
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes,
Simon Pinchbeck:Simon ozar. And that says, you know, their hearts are for far away from the
Reverend Ben Cooper:look of that beautiful text Jeremiah 29. For now, the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. But no one talks about verse 13 today.
Simon Pinchbeck:No
Reverend Ben Cooper:if you follow me, with all your heart,
Simon Pinchbeck:you will find me if you seek me with all your heart. Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:look about look at David. God said, look at David. He's got a heart after me. Yeah. But when you study David's life, you think he went off the wire a few times, that his heart was always pressing for God that he had a few weeks and a few years of wobbles. But it's your heart. So it's not saying that you are going to live completely pure and completely clean every second of your day. Because we are flesh and we will fall we will stumble, we will say things we will make mistakes, we will drop back into pride we will be arrogant for a moment we will be angry and frustrated but the power of repentance, the power of the blood of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit bringing me to a place of I'm sorry, Lord, I have found you. I reacted wrongly. Lord, I got grumpy again. I've watched saying I shouldn't have Watch now. I clicked into site. I went and had another little scratch card. I had too many sherbert side too many Pinot Grigio is Lord. I'm sorry, Lord, I engaged in something Lord. I'm sorry. I got angry and sorry, I went back to loving money again.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah, yeah, all that stuff. I mean, but if you don't know the word I think you probably think that was okay. Yeah, I can. I can be a Christian but still have a comfortable world. But if you know the word, you know, you can't be in in the world and be a Christian. Living a life close to Jesus. That's right thing isn't work.
Reverend Ben Cooper:That's right, Simon, I think what's important, is the denominations are really glaring, really revealing where they stand. It's the denomination when you look at the denominations where they stand, that they cannot be following the Word of God. For what they are bringing out certain denominations.
Simon Pinchbeck:They want to be more in touch with the world. And then
Reverend Ben Cooper:yes,
Simon Pinchbeck:the world rather than embrace the word
Reverend Ben Cooper:God is love. Yeah, God is love. But God is wrath. God is merciful. God is a God of judgement. God is a God of holiness.
Simon Pinchbeck:is the thing
Reverend Ben Cooper:be holy
Simon Pinchbeck:fish, this storm yet, you know, can equate to the judgement of thought followed by the judgement of God. If he says it says the winds blew and beat on the house, the judgement came. Yeah, and it fell. That's right, because it was built on sand that you couldn't see that you know, and is the deal without then it's very easy to build a house on sand isn't it's
Reverend Ben Cooper:very easy.
Simon Pinchbeck:You know, you don't know
Reverend Ben Cooper:if the world is doing it.
Simon Pinchbeck:You just just build your house. And there you go is a shortcut. It's a nice microwave
Reverend Ben Cooper:its a ping meal
Simon Pinchbeck:he just that's where you live in it. Yeah. Now
Reverend Ben Cooper:That's the only ask that God God asks of the other way, you got to dig deep, you've got to dig deep, you've got to sweat and toil, you've got to put that concrete slab in, you've got bricks in, in that foundation, you've got to work hard, and equate that to your Christian life. You got to get into the word, you've got to put that word manual thing, what does he say? whoever hears these sayings of mine and doesn't, I will liken them to a wise man who built his house on that's what you got to do. And that's what we got. us. Come on, follow me. But when you open unpack that, come on, follow me meditate on the word, stay in the word. Stay me it's got it is such a key thing. When Christ called those at the shoreline of Galilee, come and follow me. And
Simon Pinchbeck:Ben, just if you do totally under percent, right, and this is not
Reverend Ben Cooper:just follow me.
Simon Pinchbeck:This is your church might be part of that. But this is your responsibility.
Reverend Ben Cooper:There comes a point when
Simon Pinchbeck:its your responsibility
Reverend Ben Cooper:for generations, we've been looking at denominations and coming under what but now for this explosion of COVID-19 that denominations have just been ripped into pieces. And it's like an anger and it has been exploded in anger and aid of source teachers all bent on it.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's exposed it all and not because at the same time as this pandemic as overtaken the world in Yeah, also, there's this left woke thing that's come in to the world as well. And where does the church sit with that? You've you a lot of churches are embracing that. Yes, I am.
Reverend Ben Cooper:A woke that you're opening the gateway to steps to satanic activity. Seven gateways to the body. It's the devil uses in its loony spirit the the snake at the centre of the spine that I honestly believe a lot of I will just use this word loosely, revivals have been driven by other spirits because of the feelgood factor the chanting the way it's driven the the way the music comes in.
Simon Pinchbeck:What the enemy is, is the same is an imitator yeah and and the see but he's an infiltrator. Yeah, and imitate. Yeah. And this is how, you know if you're not, in some denominations, in some churches, if you're not shaking around the floor barking like a dog, then you're not a believer of the the spirit of you know, my friend, I'm afraid you might want to want to
Reverend Ben Cooper:leave my barking today. And I'll just get in the prayer closet when no one sees me in the stillness and say, Lord, thank you that I'm washed in the blood of Jesus. Because isn't it interesting that these revivals don't talk about the blood of Jesus? How you feeling? Not feel great? I feel wonderful. What do you What did you repent of? Is nothing.
Simon Pinchbeck:This is the deal with this. You know, Ben,
Reverend Ben Cooper:the music is the vibe.
Simon Pinchbeck:You got to take responsibility. Yeah. To do your own research on stuff. Yeah. It's like with, with with everything good. Do your research, look, get a balanced argument? And if you do your research, yes, some of these churches, some thinking barefoot and I'm thinking song. Yeah, you know, you'll find that they're preaching a different Jesus to the one that's in the Bible.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I think the one in the London is that one that that was Gathering in a Dominion theatre, I think that says a lot. Theatre, theatrical performances.
Simon Pinchbeck:They are performances in
Reverend Ben Cooper:everything performance, everything is polished. Everything is beautiful and smooth. Slick. You know what I mean? i dont think youll see Moses is down there staring at the revenues. Good music is amazing. The music is polished. Everything is crisp and sharp.
Simon Pinchbeck:You don't see a 70 year old with sandals on socks and a cardigan leading the worship. Do you know he's
Reverend Ben Cooper:you've got a handsome man,
Simon Pinchbeck:or a beautiful young lady. You've got an amazing voice.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, oh dear me, I tell you what, this is the time lockdown. lockdown is not locked down has been pushed really hard against us. And what the enemy meant for harm. God will turn for good and what I believe the turning point is for the individual to go. I'm out of that denomination. I'm out of that church. Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:Do your research. Get out of it.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'm the salmon. I'm swimming bangs to Jesus. I'm swimming back. I'm coming back Lord on protocol. I'm sorry. I fouled and now it's quite interesting. When we were talking earlier about ministries when now people that have built ministries know that they've built ministries, they know that they have built them in their own strength with their business acumen with their education with The Millionaire friend alongside them that's got the open chequebook, you can do anything when you've got a friend with an open chequebook, you can do anything. But the Bible says, Go by faith, don't go with anyone. Just follow me
Simon Pinchbeck:Just follow me, Ben, you know, you're so right and
Reverend Ben Cooper:an open chequebook in church. That's not faith, a millionaire standing next year that says, Come on. What? Just go and order it ill do it? I'll pay for it. I'll pay for it. I'll pay for it. Yeah. Have you really been sent of God? Have you really been sent of God? Because God doesn't need money to build his church.
Simon Pinchbeck:But I like coming back to the to the individual person.
Reverend Ben Cooper:That's where we're at.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah. And I like that parable. Or the story that Jesus told about that. That the father had two sons he said to them come on out me and one son said no, I can't be bothered and I'll be there. And then later on the the one who said no 14 himself up, hold on a minute, you know, I'm coming back. I'm going back. I'm going back to the farm. I'm gonna help and I want to say yes. Suddenly distracted him and he went off and he can be at the bar was calling on the phone and he couldn't get out of him.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:he disappeared.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:is is a deal. So you imagine that you've been you imagine that so the father the father said, I've got a load of stuff I want to put it in the van and we're going down to the Auction House we're going to sell and the first one said no, but said in the any turns out on the drive and the father's coming. Oh, brilliant. Come on in. I load all the stuff up. I drive it down. they sell it all. And the young man who said no originally but then said yes gets weighed out. Now the one who said yes but said no. He's going to get nothing isn't going to want something isnt he it's going to ring the fall rubber. So if you had a word attached, yeah, any chance I could get anything? And if father was gonna say no, no. And this is exactly how it is. Yeah. You know, you could have said no all your life to Jesus. But sooner say yes. As soon as you say he changes your life. It turns everything
Reverend Ben Cooper:Seek he first the Kingdom of God.
Simon Pinchbeck:If you you may have said yes to Jesus. In your in your head or wherever. But if you haven't said yes, in your hall, yeah. And he's gonna go I'm sorry. There's nothing for you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I think. I'm probably saying things I shouldn't do. Yeah. I think every one of us has said yes, in our heads. loads of times. But have I really said yes, in my heart.
Simon Pinchbeck:They There we go. That's it
Reverend Ben Cooper:lip service.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's that heart thing? It's no No, no, in a word.
Reverend Ben Cooper:has my heart said, Yes. But then that comes into the arena of the conversation. My heart has said yes. But why am I still leaning on the flesh so much? Because, um, I have been birthed into a fallen world. So I'll always have the battlefield of the mind, I will always have the battle for the flesh. I'll always have the temptations of the world and always have the things on the outside, trying to draw me back downstream. But I've got to be like a nice pink bit of salmon. I've got a Swain. swim, ive got oto swim. I got to swim back up. Otherwise, so every day my life there's a new challenge. How do I fight the challenge? I'll put the gloves on though. I put the prayer on Lord help me. Lord, help me Jesus. Lord, I've got a challenge that a lot. I've got a situation that I don't know how I'm going to get through but Lord, I want to follow you because narrow I've got to build upon the rock of can't build. I've got to build right. I've got to build right Lord, otherwise been? Yep.
Simon Pinchbeck:I'm gonna get out a slot. Otherwise you slot the Judas kiss.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes, it is.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's like kissing Jesus.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. And you've got 30 pieces of silver in your pocket.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah. Oh, imagine that. And is the thing you know?
Reverend Ben Cooper:What happened to Judas? When he realised that he had innocent blood on his hands, he threw the coins back and he killed himself. He went and hanged himself. And you know what? He fruit of coins back to those leaders. They had the cheek to say that money's got blood on it weak. They gave him the money in the first place. They didn't take it back. Then it says they went and bought a field. Let me put it like this. The church has bought a field. The church has bought a field. And in that field is the field of blood. The church has blood on its hands because it hasn't preached the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and john because the church is not building on the rock.
Simon Pinchbeck:Ben, what does it say in what to say? He says let the wheat and the tares grow together and then the day of judgement,
Reverend Ben Cooper:the wheat and the tear,
Simon Pinchbeck:the tear will be thrown into the fire fire. So, man, if you're not building your house, this is the Dave on on rock, then examine yourself. And if if your signpost is pointing back to yourself or you're not getting into or you truly don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ, this is a data's throw yourself on the floor and say, Jesus, I surrender. I serve our Lord and Saviour.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Without that, that is that is that that's it. We've we've, we've reached that point in this nation, in this time where it has to be everything from on to Christ, complete being and that's not becoming like a monk that's not becoming taking yourself into the hills. That is just literally saying, I'm going to follow Jesus,
Simon Pinchbeck:I'm going to follow Jesus and do
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'm going to be in my workplace. And I'm going to be a believer, I'm going to be my family. And I'm going to be a believer.
Simon Pinchbeck:It says it in James it says in many places, but change is a great book is a hard hitting book, if you don't mess about with what James says. And he says this, he says in James 120 to 24 He says, You've got to be not just here as a word, but you've got to be doers of the word. Otherwise, you start looking at yourself in a mirror. Yes, what he that's what he says you got to be a doer. Yeah, the word scriptures right on 831 says, continuing my word, you are my disciple.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So I continue to water down continuing religion.
Simon Pinchbeck:No
Reverend Ben Cooper:I've got to be a do-er of what it says from Genesis to Revelation. I do what it says. And I just concentrate on focus on Jesus. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Now, what about that beautiful scripture? Be holy? Because I am holy? Wow. Does the church look holy to to our eyes? No. So where's the holiness?
Simon Pinchbeck:So you got to examine yourself, but it starts with me, the place where your worship and that's why I've said many times, if your places of worship is embracing all this stuff in a world, you've got to then ask yourself a question. Is this the right place for me as Jesus? Is this the right place for me? Don't just take it for granted. Yeah. Because it you know, we got to take responsibility for our own lives. Yeah. Yeah, this reverential walk. Our spiritual walk is a great responsibility on leaders and teachers, that's for sure.
Reverend Ben Cooper:There is.
Simon Pinchbeck:But listen, as we're coming into lambda, I'm just aware that some but as we're coming into none of this ask this question. Will your house stand the test of the of the Divine judgement? Will it stand the test? Will it be ever No. Will it be held? obedience is the key. When it's not before? It's not performance? But direction? It's not perfection? But direction? Yeah, we're not. We're not just simply professors, but we are possessors of the world and we're gonna work on it. And we're trying and we've got record first thing what you said Ben is exactly right. recognising that you are a sinner recognising your need that comes with a god. recognising that the Cross has done everything for you. Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's it, the blood of Jesus, there's hope for everyone.
Simon Pinchbeck:There's some buildings and restaurants and that's the easy way
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's the easy way that's the world way that's that's Boris way. That's that's the that's the way the government won't want you the way they want you to lean in. Am I leaning into Jesus? Or am I leaning into the arms of Boris? Am I leaning into the structure of the world? What am I What is my mile?
Simon Pinchbeck:What is your Where is your faith based faith, faith has to be based on the Word of God.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And then when I suddenly say, I am going to follow Jesus, then the rule changes begin of, I can't give the devil a foothold. That's when life really begins when you say I'm in the garden, I'm going to live the will. But now go watch out for the foxes. I've got to watch out for the mutual layers of the flesh. I've got to watch out for the demonic that will try and come and get me and put a snare out for me. Because when you decide when when you decide to follow Christ, you will quite almost be a loner in certain areas of life.
Simon Pinchbeck:You'll be alone isn't it? Sometimes it's a very lonely walk. And as we've said today, there is only you know, in our circle is only one or two people that we know that that actually is put around now and
Reverend Ben Cooper:and gone yeah im for jesus
Simon Pinchbeck:The first thing is, get rid of self will be broken, bright me Jesus, come to
Reverend Ben Cooper:the cross shape me Lord,
Simon Pinchbeck:and your own garden of gift cemani way where the prayer is hopefully not my will but your will be done Father, Amen. And then do it. Be obedient. Hear the Word read the word. Take it on you. Heart and do it
Reverend Ben Cooper:done were there
Simon Pinchbeck:Christian straight talk hashtag Christian straighter which spins. Wherever you listen to this around I will have been straight talk in a day. But we believe that this is the truth that the Lord's put on our heart and and we believe that if you take this into your heart then you build your Christian faith on a rock rather than the sand. Amen is really important because the Lord wants to embrace every single person and wherever you are. He wants to say that he loves you and He wants you do the be the very best that you can be with him.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Come on. What a beautiful way to go. Just follow Jesus. You've been listening to Simon Pinchbeck myself here, hashtag Christian Straight Talk. We will catch you next week. Have a good week. Continue to follow Jesus and be that salmon. Yeah, Be the salmon and be the salmon oh jesus name story. Amen. God bless.
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