#Christian Straight Talk - Christian Courage (#1 Courage)

Simon Pinchbeck and Reverend Ben Cooper - #Christian straight talk we just finished a seven podcast series on fear  - That's going to be the title of our next book. 
# 1 is men's talk. It's on the verge of being released through Amazon very shortly. 
# 2 is going to be the seven podcast series on fear. 
We're going to start a new one today and it's a series on what we've believed that the Lord has dropped on our hearts to talk about. It's about courage, The first one today with #Christian Straight Talk is Christian courage.

Transcript

Reverend Ben Cooper: 0:19

Hello and welcome. Thank you for joining us here across the mics today you're joining myself, Ben Cooper and Simon Pinchbeck.#Christian Straight Talk. We thank you so much for joining us today straight out the barrel of truth. No Holds Barred nothing. We are straight out of the barrel of troops Christian straight talk I'm getting Tongue Tied here because I just feel that this is gonna be great. You know I just feel that this is a real powerful move of God you are listening to Simon Pinchbeck and myself Reverend Ben Cooper here #Christian Straight Talk. As we just completely lay everything out on the table across the mics. I have my good friend, and my brother brother in Christ, Mr. Simon Pinchbeck. Welcome to the arena sir

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:03

it's great to be back in the arena Ben it's great to be back. I really Swanley Ben and you're right you know he says #Christian straight talk and you know what? It's not#Christian small talk it's#Christian straight talk because we got so much to talk about today and we just finished a seven podcast series on on fear Yeah, and that's going to be the top that's gonna be our next book is gonna stick to # one is men's talk. Yeah, he's got it brought really on the verge of being released through Amazon very shortly. And # two is going to be the seven podcast series on fear. We're going to start a new one a day Ben and and it's a series on on what we've believed that the Lord has dropped on our hearts to talk about. It's about courage, then about courage and women. So we've spoken about fear. And now we're going to talk about courage. It's going to end the first one today is with #Christian Straight Talk is Christian courage.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 2:04

That's a big title. That's a big subject, you know, courage because soon as we start talking about courage, we think that we're gonna get pick up the sword and go and stand in the arena with the devil and fight our way through a glut of courage. But we're not coming at that angle, are we?

Simon Pinchbeck: 2:18

We're not but it's interesting to know what our worldviews courage. So I pulled up a quote from a guy, President Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, and many people, quote, quote this when they talk about courage, and he said, courage is not the absence of fear. But the understanding that something else is more important than fear. Yeah. And I think that's a bad quote, been really easy. It's not bad. So not bad. It's pretty good. Courage is not the absence of fear. So you still have fear to have courage but it's the understanding that there's something more important that gets you through that. And that's as a worldly guy as someone in the secular world if you're looking I looked in the Collins dictionary when Crikey you know, we're going on in my house on a little eyebrow one way so yeah. He says there the definition of courage is that it's a quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous, even though they may be afraid. So what we need to do what we're going to do a date and so we're going to look only at at what does it look like courage look like as a Christian, and you said it right off the bat there. If you look, even the Christian YouTube, or Christian podcast talking about courage, that they go berserk, then they go

Reverend Ben Cooper: 3:45

crazy. They start talking about the Goliath in front of you and you're going to fight this battle. You're going to do this and all that, but we are looking. I believe very clearly at what it's like to be a Bible believing believer standing on the Word of God. And the courage that I need is not to fight the enemy but the courage to go into the garden of guest seminary the courage to say to the Lord, Lord, I found you today I believe there is another level of courage that the world of Christianity doesn't even look at and is not familiar with the courage of presenting yourself before the cross of Calvary and saying Lord, I'm a sinner takes courage to admit something

Simon Pinchbeck: 4:30

well that's a different take on it Ben, isn't it yeah because uh yeah we do live in we operate if you're a born again believer if you're a believer in Jesus Christ we operate in an upside down Kingdom Don't we? Yeah, and a lot of these even the Christian podcast and YouTube stuff they'll say you know your as your as bold as a lion. Yeah, you can do all things through crime though use the line scenario, Ben, but there's only real one is only

Reverend Ben Cooper: 4:59

one line and As a Lion of Judah, and yeah, yeah, the Lion of Judah. And that's what we need to hear the roar of the Lion of Judah. So for me, courage, courage has a very different look on it. It's not fighting the devil all day long. Because I know the end of the story. I know what and how, and what is going to happen with the satanic forces. But for me, the courage is to literally present myself and to come to my God, my king and say, Lord, I found you the courage to say, I've slipped, I've fallen, I've made a mistake. That's the deal. Because that's also because I'm admitting to me that, when I say a failure, you've got to be very careful how you use these words, to come to the end of self to come to the end of yourself, I believe is the beginning of the fear of the Lord. To have fear of the Lord takes courage for you to present yourself to the cross a Calvary, and say, You know what, the devil is nothing. But what I have in front of me is His Holy God. And I'm sorry, Lord, that I found you I'm sorry. Courage is a very powerful word. And we go, you know, you're, you're going a Joshua, you're going through the Old Testament, you're coming in the New Testament is about being bold, and about being strong. But also, we need to have the courage to say, you know what, Lord, I'm sorry.

Simon Pinchbeck: 6:24

I think it's massive. This is talking about is huge. And if we look at one Scripture with in, in john, the gospel of john, john 327, or 36, is all all about john the baptist is speaking. And it's very interesting, Ben, and I've read some of the common mistakes, he says, So john answered it, because he said those asking them who was baptizing in the name of them, blah, blah, blah. And john says, a man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven, says, you yourselves bear with maybe witnessed that I said, I am not the Christ, but I've been sent before him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom. But the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly, because the bridegroom's voice, therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. And this is key to what you're saying, Ben, he says, Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled, he must increase and I must decrease,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 7:32

I must be crazy. What is that Bible reference, john? As john 330, john 330, for everyone listening now is the beautiful text. It is very clear that I must decrease for me to decrease takes courage

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:53

takes courage, but you're exactly right, because

Reverend Ben Cooper: 7:56

I'm always holding on to my nets are the fishing nets of life. Jesus said, drop the Nets come and follow me to drop your nets means to drop every area of control in your life, the fishermen, they was businessmen, you look at that story in the book of Mark and, and the other synoptic gospels, when they let go of their nets that took courage, because when you let go, that takes courage because suddenly you're walking in a world that you can't see that exists in the spirit world. So it takes faith. I believe it takes courage to believe in God that alone

Simon Pinchbeck: 8:37

Ben and what you've been saying is massive because it takes absolute courage for you not to believe in yourself but to believe in Jesus Christ. And so you decrease Yeah. And then let him in. And there is another scripture on that subject Ben and one that you love and use many times it's john one john four four, which says, and there's a preamble to this but we'll go straight into the to the Scripture, it says you are of God, little children and have overcome them. Because he who is in you is greater than he was in the world. Come on. So here's the tale. If you have courage, yeah. To for you to decrease, and him to increase in you. Yeah. And great is he was in you. Amen. And he was in the world.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:41

So courage has a very different face at the moment, doesn't it? It takes courage as john 330 says, he must become greater in the New Testament. In the ni v, he must become greater and I must become less So when we look at AI must become less, that is the opposite to what the world and everybody tells us, isn't it? So the world is telling us one thing, the Scripture is telling us the opposite to what the world is saying. So that will take courage in itself to step out of the rhetoric and the crowd and the mess herding that's going on, that takes courage to step out, and to say, Lord, I've got to become less so that your greatness can prevail. I believe the greatest challenge any believer has in life is to become less, so that he can become greater. And then as Simon says, well as the scripture says that you read out greater so there we have the greater there we have the link for these two texts. And it says in john 33, chapter three, he must become greater and I become less and then the other script to that summer read out that we're very familiar with. Greater is He that is in me, then he that is in the world. So suddenly to take your eyes onto yourself, in a way, that is the opposite to what the motivational world is pushing me takes courage to go Do you know what a wretched man am I? But I'm going to take courage in him, I'm going to stretch, I'm going to press into my god, you know, this is powerful stuff. Christian courage has a debt very different face to what the rhetoric on what the world is pushing,

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:35

is it Benny does and and it's what we've said, in other podcasts, Ben, we use a scenario you came out with a scenario about the salmon swimming against the flow, isn't it? You know, all the world wants to go one way. But as a Christian, we have to have the courage to go the other way. And, and we can't do it on our own. No, but we can do all things for Christ. It gives us strength. And that's what that scripture means. We can't do this by ourselves. Now, we don't do this by us. But we have to, in order, as you quite rightly say, in order for self to decrease, we need to have the courage to be broken before the Father, then do I have the courage and confess the selfish things of our life, to get every level to ask the spirit about what is going on in me.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:33

So could I quote the Bible? Search me? Oh, Lord, do I have the courage? Do you have the courage to say, Lord, strip me back? have me? That's true. Go do it. Though I have the courage to search me and try me Oh, Lord, feels painful done it. Search means painful, and try me Do I have the courage to present myself to the cross a Calvary, and present myself to the Messiah and say, Lord, search me and try me. I've got the courage to go into the garden and say, Lord, Your will be done. I've got the courage to, to drop my nets of control. It says that they put their boats on the shoreline, left everything, and they followed him. Have I got the courage to follow him?

Simon Pinchbeck: 13:24

What is to do with that one? Ben, you know, are you hiding anything? Are we hiding anything from the Lord? Are we hiding anything from from the Lord? Because a lot from the Lord. But, but we can't we can't because literally says in Hebrews 1213 it says, there will a word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And 13 goes on to say and there is no creature hidden from his sight.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:01

So why have I got in my head I think I can hide things but all things

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:05

are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:10

everything in my life is exposed to him. The world can't see it. But he sees it before I've even divulged it he sees it before I even think it he knows that my thought process and he knows absolutely everything. So I have I got the courage to admit, Lord, I'm hiding but I'm not hiding

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:32

so my freaking head don't so my friends don't think that you're gonna surprise God. We know what you're gonna come out with.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:42

From the beginning, he knows the end from the beginning the beginning from the end.

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:46

Nobody wants his total opinions and he doesn't want that secret seem to be rolling your life. He doesn't want that that stuff to be going on. I remember once I was listening to something on some On in the cars listen it was on pride and, and arrogance and you know I used to be a very prideful man and I wrote the books and I'm proud to be humbled.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:16

Yeah, read it.

Simon Pinchbeck: 15:19

But I went to I came home and I said to my wife, I said, Oh, not that I'm not that prideful, arrogant man anymore are am I and the look she gave me was you got a long way to go. And I think we just started the journey that's the truth we've all been

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:36

there it's a journey with this stuff and it takes courage to say things like that then it takes courage because there's nothing worse is there than looking at yourself and going you know what? I'm arrogant and prideful. I'm unforgiving You know, I'm I'm treacherous. I'm rash. Look at what the scripture says better. To look at yourself takes courage than to look in the mirror and say, Oh wretched man am I it takes the courage to admit to go god, I'm I'm prideful or I can do all things, you know, yeah. It to say I can't actually anything

Simon Pinchbeck: 16:13

and this stuff that we live with, which we think is okay is still, you know, little things are vanity and stuff, like, you know, skinny jeans, skinny saving, shoe wearing, you know, all that sort of stuff, all that sort of thing. There's there's deepness to it, but there's a massive freedom when we get rid of it. But we increase I am authorized in in us as we accrue a crisis as the scripture says it's not either live but Christ lives in me have room to live in you, Ben.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 16:52

Yeah, I've I've got the courage to pick up my cross daily. I've got I've got a question we

Simon Pinchbeck: 16:59

need to ask and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:00

if I've got a courage to to open this word before me, I've got this. I've got the courage to open up God's word and let God's word talk to me. I've got a courage to be changed. Am I am I willing to have I've got the courage to be stripped back to the bone. To have everything of myself taken away from me. That takes cut that is that is the biggest fight is the fight with me. God I belong to you. Whatever you want. Thank you, Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:35

And have the courage to be stripped back be stripped back and love the world see? Not what you want them to see. But see Jesus in you. Yeah. And the thing is, once we are broken and truly filled with Jesus in the spirit, then we need the courage to follow Jesus Don't we? That's the that's the deal to follow Him and fulfill the will of the Father. I think we should go back to the scripture of Jesus in the garden and see the example of the courage that Jesus had for him to be our example. You know,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:16

have I got the courage to go into the garden of get cemani

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:20

Let's have a look at our scripture but if we look at it in Luke is there's an interesting okay part in what we discussed before and so we go into Luke 2239 to 46

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:32

Okay, let's have a look. Yeah, come on. We're in the garden of guests m&e, what a place to be, is the best place to be, is in the garden of gift 70 because in the garden of gift 70 there is a stretch in there is a there is a place that you will find it we will grow in the garden of gift 70 the perfect place is the garden of gift 70. So I'm what you got for us. Nobody

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:56

says it starts at 39. He said, coming out, he went to the Mount of Olives, as he was accustomed, and he's talking about Jesus. And he says, and his disciples also followed him. So everyone followed him to the Mount of Olives, everyone followed him. He said, when he came to the place, he said to him, pray that you may not enter into temptation.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 19:16

He could have chosen every other word. Be careful, you don't come into arrogance. Careful, you don't come into money. But temptation is that is the center point that draws us into everything else. That one word opens a gateway to everything else.

Simon Pinchbeck: 19:34

It does not it

Reverend Ben Cooper: 19:36

is a massive gateway, that word alone.

Simon Pinchbeck: 19:39

So don't forget, here we are. We have the disciples who have not yet been filled with the Spirit. So we have to remember this. So he's, they're hanging on it. They're relying on Jesus to sort of be their cheerleader, if you like and he's saying to him not pray that you may not enter into temptation. Then he says He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw. And he knelt down and prayed saying, Father, if it is your will take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will be not my will but yours be done. And then it says, we'll come back to that. But when he says then an angel appeared to him from Evans strengthening. Oh, so he's so he is the he we have Jesus Ben, right here we have, and he knows what's coming. Right? He knows what's coming. And I was there after him, he knows is gonna go through all sorts of pain and suffering. Yeah. He could have added on his toes.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:42

he could have said, I'm coming back.

Simon Pinchbeck: 20:47

I've got a few guys around me, I'm gonna enjoy a good life or whatever. He could disappear to another part of the world. And no one would have banned him again. Yeah. But he didn't. He's asking the father. He's saying and right at this last minute for it. To do I have to go through this.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 21:08

Have you got the courage to go to the cross? Or have you got the courage to go to that cross that cross that place, that place that will tear you in shreds?

Simon Pinchbeck: 21:19

And this isn't a success? Watch this, he says and been in agony. He prayed more earnestly, so he was man, this guy was suffering Mama. Then his sweat became like drops of blood for it to the ground.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 21:35

I can't actually compute that it says been in anguish. I've got anguish you've got agony first 44 he says been in anguish he prayed more earnestly when the pain is stronger What do we do? We pray harder we pray harder when the trials are greater and stronger than the flesh and its brain has to anguish we pray harder. And that takes courage to stay in the garden I've got the courage to stay in the garden of gets the money

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:04

because if you got the courage then what's the Lord gonna do he's gonna send what he's gonna eat is like you did with Jesus he's gonna send yeah support and he is going to send support to

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:15

you yeah, ministering angels come to support him but but I want to go back a moment just just to back up a little bit. It says he says father if you are willing you are you willing? So you're going into the garden you're going into this place Lord will you permit this will Are you willing to take this from me? Father take this cup from me well

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:43

is the deal thing right? That you carry you've got a beautiful daughter I've got a couple of sons so they're gonna go through pain and anguish and you know that they're gonna go through pain and anguish and they come to you because you can stop it. You can stop it you've got the ability you've got the ability to step in and stop it we're going to wake in it and they say to you that tightly so I can't I can't do that. Help me Help me dad please I don't want to go through this I ain't gonna make it you know that if they go through it they're gonna be so much stronger and it's going to be life changing

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:22

if you are willing if you are willing if you are willing take this cup from me yet not my will so the will of Jesus was the cup to go the cup to go

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:34

and and everyone everyone I better think about the scripture Ben in it. Everyone goes well that that cup is obviously in Jesus dying on a cross and yes it is but but look what happens before that Jesus ends up totally on his own totally on his own

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:56

completely no

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:58

church the disciples

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:01

are there asleep though they're not around

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:03

now but even when

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:05

even when

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:06

you know john went through naked it all disappears at night in it Ben these guys have been with him week in week out day in day out for three years. Yeah, and all of a sudden looks it's like it's not me and you've been been with each other for three years. We we do these everything. We share food together we you know go out with our families. We're in the hot tub together. We have a great time together. And then I rock up one one morning to do a podcast and suddenly the police are outside the house outside the church and the dragging you away. Because there's something you preached and you're looking to me and the coppers gone Oh, do you know this fella go No, never seen before I'm off. I'll just I want to know I don't get to add Okay. Thank you. You're looking at

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:01

Simon, Simon

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:03

of sculpt away and look in the rearview mirror. They're putting a capsule unit. Yeah, I've gone for that one. But that's that's how it is

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:13

this how it is with. With this with Jesus, Jesus said, among only doing what the Father has asked me to do, I can only do, what the Father has asked me to do is when I'm in the will of the Father Christ is in the will of himself, but is in the will of the Father. Because it says, it says in Colossians, that Christ is the image of the invisible God. So here we have a very interesting deep theological text here that we have the living word in the garden of gaff cemani, crying out to the Father, Kurt speaking to himself, knowing the dialogue, knowing what's happening, knowing that he has to go to the cross, because that is the redemption plan. But for our his and for the rest of the world. He's saying, Father, if it is possible, can you take this cup from me but not my will your will be done? anguish and courage? Do I have the courage look at language

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:15

look at the courage that that it took to, to do that, and then be completely separate from all the friends everyone around operation. And, and the worst was to come because he got tortured. And he still went for it. Not he got beaten, spat upon, and he could have, he could have denied everything he could have given him the answers they wanted for him to be released. Yeah. And then. And then, you know, at a point where there was a chance for him to be released. All the people that have previously been on his side cheering for him praising him. Yeah, worshiping Him. Brabus turned,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:58

give us a favor.

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:59

I was on his own.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:00

on his own. Have I got the courage to follow Jesus,

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:04

have you got the courage to follow the stand?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:07

For him, I've got a courage to stay in the garden of gift 70 and to be stripped back of everything, and know that everything that I've anticipated about my life, and ever dreamt for, for my life is going to not be fulfilled because that agenda doesn't fit with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:25

It's a big one carry Are you going to drop your agenda? Drop your nets. The thing is, and he got worse for Jesus, because when he was Yeah, man, he was nailed to that cross. And the pain must have been agonizing. But the father turned away from him. The father turning away from the Father turned away from his son. Imagine that doing that to your job. It's only

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:51

thinking about you can't you can't get it Kenya completely.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:54

So the courage that this man had to go through that. Yeah, that's right. And what Ben is asking what Ben is saying, if you're listening out there, have you got the courage to go to your own garden of gifts enemy? Have you got the courage, but here's the deal. You know, Jesus at the father and angels, but we've got

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:16

Come on Jesus, me, he we got Jesus, Jesus, we've got Jesus, the King of kings, is with us. If we

Simon Pinchbeck: 28:24

invite Him, to count and be Lord of our lives have we got

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:29

the courage, the courage if we got the courage to, to go the opposite way to the world if we got the courage to stand upon the rock, and just hold on to the Word of God, have you got the courage to? To pick up your cross? Have you got the courage to say to the King of glory? Father, I'm so sorry.

Simon Pinchbeck: 28:48

I've thought of you got the courage to say these words, or not my will but your words?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:55

Have you got the courage to say in the staff room? I'm a believer in Jesus Christ, in the workplace, in the workplace, in your home, in your culture? Have you got the courage to stand up and say, I'm a believer? I believe in Genesis, the 66th book all the way from new to the Old Testament. I believe in the Word of God. That is courage. But the world of the church IE Christianity religion areas, always talks about the courage of David facing the lion and the bear Yeah, going running down and facing Goliath. Yeah, that that courage, but there's a greater courage is to stand in n days. Have you got the courage to give your life? Could you Dart would you die for the gospel of Jesus Christ? Have you gotten a courage to stand in front of a barrel of a gun? It's quiet, isn't it? Is courage, the courage to say

Simon Pinchbeck: 29:50

the courage to stand up for your faith?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 29:52

If your life is on the line? You got 10 heartbeats left? Yeah, and you're being asked by God Terrorists? Have you got lucky you have a choice to denounce your faith or have you the courage to say, I am a believer in Jesus Christ. That's a big one. That's enormous. And it's enormous. The cuts are courage looked very different, doesn't it? courage

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:17

looks very different. As a Christian, it's very easy to pick on on, you know, the one Joshua one nine, you know, be strong and courageous. But this, and as you say, be stronger as a lion like David. But there's always a backdrop to all this. And, you know, David says, he said, it's not, you know, when he faced Goliath, he said, I don't come at you with with spear and sword, but I come up, you win. And in the name of God, I come, I come to you in the Spirit, in the name of God,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:54

in the name of the Lord, and I come before you,

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:58

I can't be for you. And we will go into Joshua. And I said, another in another podcast, but God had to say many times to Joshua, Be strong and courageous, be strong, say many times to

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:11

be strong and courageous, Be of good courage Be strong, and to let him

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:15

know that he is with him. So that is, the courage that that we want is certainly what Ben's talking about is, is that we decreased, he increases, and as he increases, then we have the courage to let Jesus shine out of all of us of our brokenness. So here's the deal so so we come to the garden we get brought we are broken on a rock which is Jesus Christ, we totally get obliterated but God then puts us back

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:44

that is to get Simon that plate the the opposite in it. Scott Walker well tells tells block counsel Lin, what well being and what everything else is offering us. But to come to Jesus, it takes courage in it, the

Simon Pinchbeck: 32:01

courage to be broke, and then to be built up again. But don't forget, we're not gonna we're broken vessels. So it's the light will shine out of our brokenness, man. Yeah, that's correct. Yeah. And listen, you know, I don't know if you go to church out there, but you don't look for the perfect church, because as soon as you go into it, you ain't gonna be perfect. Did you know that? That's the deal. We are broken as human beings. And the Lord just God just wants us to come to him, and put all our, all our rubbish at the foot across and be honest with him, and then follow His Son Jesus. Because when he when you do that, he will say right now I can use you. Now I can use you. Get out, follow my son, Jesus to show you where to go. Jesus will show it away. Follow my son, Jesus.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 32:53

That's right. I'm thinking of the fishermen. I'm thinking of them fishermen, the courage that it must have taken to, to leave their boats on the shoreline or to drop their nets and to go and follow Jesus. He said, Come on, follow me the courage to leave your business. They left their livelihood, they left everything, the scripture says that they left everything, and they followed him.

Simon Pinchbeck: 33:16

Because what they do, they saw something in

Reverend Ben Cooper: 33:20

him. But just before the scripture says, drop your nets, come on, follow me. They was in the miracle it says that Christ told them to fish and they fish they dropped the nets in the deep they couldn't bring it in to get the other boats as two boats were sinking with the weight of the blessing of the miracle catch. They was having a miracle experience. But then there comes a point when you got to bring the vessel to the shoreline and say I'm leaving my business I'm leaving everything that I understand of this natural world and I'm going to follow you follow him leave it

Simon Pinchbeck: 33:57

if that's what is Asher do i mean he may not ask you to leave your business he may want you in that place but there's he may want you to

Reverend Ben Cooper: 34:06

be spiritually cow

Simon Pinchbeck: 34:08

yeah to speak out. He may want you to be light in a dark place. Yes, we need Christians in the business world. We need Christians every every area walk a lot. But the only way you can do that, the only way

Reverend Ben Cooper: 34:22

Where do you want me? Have you got the courage to say in your in your lifestyle? now Lord, where do you want me to be? Because God might want us to be in that sector that we're working in or in that business or in that place. But we are connected we worship that more I've I got, I've I got the courage not to walk away from that situation. But to say, Lord, this belongs to you. A spiritual disconnection as well. You know, because we build businesses, we build life, we build our homes, we build everything. And then we got the courage to say, Lord, I'm going to hand this over to you

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:00

You do what? what you want with it and you do what you want with my life and you be the Lord in my life because you're absolutely bang on Ben. I mean, we've spoke about this many times, but it's worth reiterating that. Give yourself you know, many people say, I said the prayer on my Jesus the Lord of my life. Now he didn't know you didn't know because you're still hanging on to

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:27

you're still hanging on to the, to the next. Yeah, he still they was disciples. Yeah, he's still hanging onto the net, I'm holding on to the nets, I've got courage to let go the nest, they still were fishermen. But they had a greater Colin, they still fished, they still went back, because the Scripture tells us that they fished and they still had that ability to do that in the business world they was, they were still able to use their skill set, they was able to make tense, they was able to do that their work to their life lifestyle, but before my business, or my life and family and everything in the world, Seek ye first the kingdom of God. But that takes courage to say, Lord, I'm handing my net to you. It's like the fish in the loaves, isn't it? They said, what we have is not enough.

Simon Pinchbeck: 36:14

Courage is, as we've said, isn't it coming to your garden, get 70, getting rid of all the stuff self almanacs, and getting out of your nice, safe, pass a driver's seat, getting into the passenger seat, and inviting Jesus to drive you drive, take the will take the wheel tag the will? That's the deal. Because then once we've on the way to get rid of the conviction of hidden sin of stuff or getting involved in if we're truly sorry, and repent full of that. Yeah. And let Jesus be the Lord of our life. Yeah, that's correct. Then everything we do is for the glory of God is not for the glory of us. So, so follow Jesus. And Jesus knows exactly what the Father wants from you. So we follow Jesus, and he will take us places that you thought you never want it to go. But when you get there, you you'll never want to come back from

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:14

you realize it's this, this is where this is where I should be,

Simon Pinchbeck: 37:17

I should be and you know, in our own, you know, says it says done and the scripture that man has plans, but the Lord directs his steps, you know, and, and there's the old joke, you know, how'd you make God laugh? What do you tell him your plans, and that and that is the truth. So in our own heads, we want to be doing this, this and this. But the Lord says, No, hold on a minute. Yeah. Say, I want you to get yourself right. You know, I had the pleasure of meeting a guy called Angus bookchin, some years ago, just to show you came to the UK. And Angus is a great evangelist out in the men and South Africa. And he said three simple things he said, he said, Get yourself right with God. glorify God, and enjoy him. Yeah, and it's very simple. There is really a much more complicated than that. Get yourself right with God, which means say he'd order nonsense seek first the kingdom of God, Matthew six, karate said, glorify Him in what you do, and in where he wants you to go and enjoy, enjoy him. know who you are. Our burden is Christian is not a burden. It's not about trying to do with telling you need to get into the garden, his encouragement is encouragement, because you'll be free up freedom, no freedom,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:43

freedom in the garden of guests cemani come back to the fish in the love. You might be in business you might be in a great and a beautiful job. And you may have worked really hard and you got all that stuff, all the bells and whistles, but you're still not quite satisfied. I think what we need to do here is to hand everything over to him not extract yourself from him. Because when they handed over the loaves and the fish and they said this is what we have and Christ took that on he handed it back but he blessed it asked God to bless your business your home your lifestyle, Lord, is this what you want me to be God Hand Christ handed it back to them and it was still the same vehicle it was still the same model but because it had the blessing upon it, it went further and it was able to do what it was able to do

Simon Pinchbeck: 39:29

that's you know that's a very interesting scenario that isn't because we don't know much about that little boy of not from that fact but the, is massive in the Bible Isn't he so enormous and the thing is

Reverend Ben Cooper: 39:42

handed over all he had

Simon Pinchbeck: 39:45

and and imagine that it's all well I've got a couple of lows a few fish Yeah, but it's what I've got for my family I've got this is here Lord priests con gonna give on it. I'm going to give it to you.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 39:59

It is so is so powerful that well imagine, have you got the courage to hand your last bit of food and your bread over for someone else, if the Lord asked for it, if the Lord asked for it Have you got, and I also believe that, that God has asked for it. And he hasn't spoken and you haven't heard, and you haven't seen it be spoken to your heart, and the business and the world that you're in and your work environment is not so much God is going to strip it away from you and put you to write to the back end of Africa and build a church. And that's not what we're talking about. But what is the area of your life or my life that I am making my god? See, I need to hand everything over to him and say, Father, everything that I have is yours. anything of this, that is not a view, strip it away. But Lord, thank you that your blessing it see when it comes back, it will go further. Where have you got the courage to hand over

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:01

it is a total biblical principle and hand it over and over, don't hang on to it, you we said it before, you can't accept nothing with clenched hands. And the over,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 41:12

I've got I've got I've got to keep saying this, I keep up. I don't normally mention this, but I've got this word business, pressed on my spirit. If there's anyone out there that is holding on to your business, I'm not saying drop it and go and meditate for four years, somewhere in the wilderness. What I'm saying is, is hand it over to Jesus and say, Lord, if my eyes have been taken off for you through this or any other scenario, I hand it to you. I take my hands off it, Lord, and I want you to bless it. Lord, use me in this for Your glory.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:46

Do you have been I know I speak to many, many men and the men who have trouble totally surrendering and making

Reverend Ben Cooper: 41:56

Jesus. That's the key isn't it? Is the surrender.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:59

So total surrender, the men who are the most trouble? Are the men who have made their own business. Yeah, who have who have their own business and build their business up because they're thinking that they've done it all. Yeah, yeah. And I've said it before, but a friend of mine, who's got big bombs, he's got big farm or whatever. And he looked around one day, and he said to himself, that he was a believer. And he said, Well, look, what I've done. Is that Is it? Look what I've done, and Jesus hitting straightaway. Yeah, with the Scripture, john 55. It says, I am the vine, you are grafted into the vine, you can do nothing apart from me.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 42:44

So we get in a mindset of this may mean mindset that I've done this I've built yet. And this is really clear what I'm saying, I'm not saying step out of and hand everything over and walk away and live in a tent. I'm talking spiritually, because we hold on to things spiritually, God may have opened the door for the business, the situation, God may have opened that door. And we've stepped into that scenario in that situation, by Christ. But what I got to remember is, is as I go along, suddenly I take the mindset, I'm doing it, I'm doing it, I'm doing it, hand it back to him every day, this hand it back to him everyday handle loads and the fish back, because when it comes back, he held it up and he prayed and he blessed it. God wants to bless your business, but he cannot bless your business and your life all the time. You're saying it's me, is mine. I've done it's me.

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:33

It's me. And you put in that before the Lord. Yeah.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:38

This is Christian courage. This is Christian courage, take courage to say law raise Christian courage to this business that I have. I want it to be used for Your glory,

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:48

for Your glory. So it takes courage to take our hands off the wheel.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:52

Yeah. put us in a new direction, Lord, where and where are we failing?

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:56

It takes courage bank to get into the garden. It takes courage to get on your face takes courage to get rid of the secret stuff, and it takes courage to follow. Follow Jesus. But then it takes courage to say the words not my will. But your will be done. It takes take courage, then follow Jesus and allow the will of the Lord to be held in your life. Because that's where the true peace that's where the true satisfaction that's where the true purpose for your life.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 44:29

That is the faith you you know, we talk a lot about faith in church and, and the different areas that we all face. Yeah, the just shall live by faith, but it takes courage to live by faith. Because you're not living by anticipation. You're not living by a spreadsheet. You're not living by a five year plan. You're living and it takes some

Simon Pinchbeck: 44:53

courage. You said something there you're not living by the plan of the world are you not living by as you said at strategy or strategy, you're not living by that, you know you're living. You're living for the Lord and following Jesus Christ who says, keep your hands to the plow. Don't look back,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 45:13

Don't look back,

Simon Pinchbeck: 45:14

don't look to the right or follow. Follow me.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 45:18

Yeah. Follow me It takes courage to live by faith.

Simon Pinchbeck: 45:21

Do you want to be part of the farmers plant? Yeah. Or do you want to be part of your own plan? Yeah. Tell us

Reverend Ben Cooper: 45:27

what what plan Am I in? Well, you know, this Christian courage is is is portrayed in the, in the, in the world of the Church of, of standing in front of your enemies and, and doing this and fighting your way through, lifting up the sword of the Spirit. wielding that all the way through, you know, screaming and hollering shouting. Yeah, my warrior can do this. When Actually no, no, no, no, no, that that's the we've got to be careful that smoke screen and mirrors. The biggest courage anyone any believer will ever take is to say, I'm a Bible believing believer. And I follow the God of Israel.

Simon Pinchbeck: 46:02

And we and we come back to it time and time again. But the guys that we know, yeah. The men of faith that we know the courageous men that we have our the men that that hand out the Gideons Bibles week after week after week, day after day after day. These are the guys that got an amazing amount of courage. They don't walk up to someone and go, I want to give you a Bible, Bible Bible. Please take it off me.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 46:29

If you got the courage to talk to someone capatch Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 46:33

Have you got a courage to lay down your life and listen to what Jesus wants wants to do? Yeah, where you want to go? Have you got a courage to follow Jesus? see Jesus. If you look in you read the red stuff in the Bible. Jesus never did anything did he without without salting the farmer? Is I'm the way the light and the truth He said, No one comes to Farber except for Have you got a courage to follow Jesus to the farmer, have you got a courage to lay down all the worldly shackles, lay down the shame, the pride layer, the last layer all down,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 47:08

if I ever got the courage, if not to stand in the arena, with the enemy, or beef that I'm ready for action. It's Have I got the courage to come to this holy God, and be stripped back to the bare bone. And say, you're a wretched man. And I've got the courage to sit to sit on the island of Patmos and to fall like the one as if I'm dead. And I've got the courage to look into the word and be stripped back. I've got the courage to say Lord put me on the potter's will melt me, mold me shape me

Simon Pinchbeck: 47:47

and the courage to follow Jesus and to know that the battle is not ours, but the Lord's Yeah. And once we're owned by Jesus, once you're owned by God, once you power that he will protect you he will but he wants honesty from you. Because what we want to hear is my good and faithful servant, that was what we want. Well, well done. My good and faithful servant. We want aware that

Reverend Ben Cooper: 48:21

you stood up for me. You delivered that message. You stood up in the staff room. You did not. You took courage. You know what

Simon Pinchbeck: 48:32

you walked away from what the world was offering you? Yeah, you walked away from from that deal that was under the table. You walked up and it could have made you a few quid you walked away from that? Because you stood up for me and you listened and you followed my son, Jesus, and all these battles that you've gone through all these trials that you've gone through. You didn't do them alone. No, you didn't with Jesus, Amen. Hallelujah. And that's Christian courage. We are not alone. We caught Jesus with us never think you're alone, my friends, and do what David did. And he carried himself when the Lord is God. We have got that is it and David didn't love Jesus and but we've got Jesus

Reverend Ben Cooper: 49:18

Yeah. Asana said it that beautiful scripture again. And David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord. He got in the Lord he got in what God wanted. He got in the plan. And then he had the courage to over what do I do about my enemy, pursue them and overtake them. So courage first comes to present myself to the Messiah. say Lord, I'm

Simon Pinchbeck: 49:49

yours. Ben we call it all We call it all in his book is all right center Bible, you know, it's still and I will fight for you. And what you pulled out weeks ago was from that same scripture around that same time in Exodus was was, was that marvelous scriptures where where God says, stand still a normal fight for you for the Egyptians you see a day you will not saying,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 50:19

amen, amen. And you know what? There's another scripture that runs beautifully with that Simon, uh, you mentioned that, in the book of Exodus, it says something that is just profound and so prophetic. It says, If God tells the Israelites, he says, I will be an enemy, to your enemies.

Simon Pinchbeck: 50:39

Why you pulled out without a bag? I will be.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 50:44

So when you first look at anything, I will be an enemy to your enemies. So what more can anyone ever ask?

Simon Pinchbeck: 50:52

We can't we mean that's a podcast all by itself and but is the deal with come to the Lord, and He will be an enemy to your enemies. And the Bible

Reverend Ben Cooper: 51:03

tells me and you know what, I will go in confusion. He says, You've got a God of the universe fighting for you. And you know what else he says, on the end of that text, he says, My terror will go before you. The Scripture is so beautiful. He says, My terror will go before you and I will be an enemy to your enemies.

Simon Pinchbeck: 51:27

Our friends, listen to this listen is because this has just been dropped in Ben's spirit from God. He's just been given. It's exciting because he's in the Scripture. So coming to come to come into your own garden, a guest send me get rid of all the nonsense come broken. Allow Jesus, yes, in increasing in your life, follow Jesus. And God's promised to be an enemy to your enemies. Yeah,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 51:51

he promises that in the Old Testament, I will be an enemy, to your enemies. My terror is gone and has gone before you. I'm going to bring confusion to those that are giving you trouble. Can what must that look like? But first and foremost, it takes courage for anyone that calls themselves a believer to present themselves to the Holy One. Be holy, because I am holy. And say, Lord, I need your strength today. I need your word. today. It's taken every ounce of courage for me to stand up in the marketplace. In the in the culture that I'm in is taking courage. The courage is an assignment is going to close in just a couple of moments. The courage this morning is is to follow Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 52:44

Chill I've been I've mentioned it before, but I had this I don't know you call it a vision, a dream, whatever you want to call it. But I had this thing where there was a throne of God and there was a 1000s of people in front of him get couldn't get through. Wow, I couldn't get through. And then I look next to me and there was Jesus. And all of a sudden I just follow the Jesus and the crowd pipe. Wow. is a deal. You know we come we come to to the Lord with with all our hidden nonsense and get rid of it. And follow Jesus just followed you because keep you keep your eyes on the set that didn't we keep our eyes on Jesus. You keep your eyes on Jesus. And you ain't gonna go wrong guy. You're not gonna go wrong. You're not gonna go your eyes on Jesus. He was only when the disciple took his eyes off Jesus, he started to sink. Yeah. This is Christian courage. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Yeah. And be humble, be broken. He'll give courage, great courage.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 53:53

I just want to drop in this biblical reference stuff. I feel this is important. Exodus 23 verse 22. If you listen carefully to what I say, and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies. And I will oppose those that oppose you watch the text again. But the text is Exodus chapter 23, verse 22, that is enormous. But it first starts in the garden. Exodus 23, verse 22, if you listen carefully to what he says, and do what I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies, and will oppose those who oppose you. And the beginning of that text talks that God sends his angel that he's given them instruction and when he says if you listen carefully to what he says, to what the angel is giving you clear inch so there is so much in it so so much in that Yeah, but it takes courage to believe it takes courage to believe. You know, we're there. We've landed We've actually reached the point where we're going to say, follow Jesus. It takes every amount of courage. Whoever you are across the world. You've been with Simon Pinchbeck and myself this morning, we've just gone a very different direction at this moment and we Simon but it's been fantastic and powerful.

Simon Pinchbeck: 55:22

Well, it's been been for me, it's being honest with you. It's life changing. It's seriously life changing. And this is the start of, of a series that we're going to do on courage. And we've already we've set the bar so high today because yeah, yeah, we have#Christian straight talk.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 55:44

That's where we are straight out the barrel of truth now holding back Have a great day. It takes courage to follow Jesus. God bless. We'll see you soon.