Reverend Ben Cooper: 0:08

Good evening, God bless. Thank you so much for joining us around the world, we are gonna jump straight into this. We're in Psalm 139. And I just pray that wherever you are tonight, you will find peace for your heart, your mind, and every situation that you're in at this very moment in time. And please do not worry, do not worry, I feel that there are many people worried about live life situations, I feel people are worrying about certain circumstances that are very before their eyes right at this very moment in time. But wherever you are, this evening, we welcome you here to Elim church. I'm just taking a couple of moments. And then we'll press straight in to Psalm 139. Thank you so much for joining us today on this podcast, this live stream holy communion service, we'll be taking communion in about 30 minutes roughly around about there, we'll take communion, it's very, very powerful thing to do is just come before the Lord and to be with your brothers and sisters around the world to take the bread and the wine. But let's just rest the moment I pray that you will find peace, you will find that the standing and whatever your situation is at work in your marriage, whether you're a single parent family, whether you're struggling with three things, okay, maybe you're just dipping into this live stream services, I just pray that you will find rest for your spirit. Thank you so much for joining us. And for the benefit for those that capture this a week down the line on the world of podcasts. And thank you for joining us on Buzzsprout, Spotify, I Heart Radio and so many other places that we are on. And you can find us in that great place. Amazon music, Amazon music, and also Apple music as well. I'm just my eyes have been taken to the Scripture moment. So let's just dive straight in. Let's just get straight in with this. I think everybody's online. Now you can catch it, you can back watch this. So in Psalm 139. Now I really believe that we are living in very special time very interesting, very powerful times lots of things. family dynamics, situations are happening in a lot of families. We are seeing things through the government, we are seeing interesting things happening in the church, we're interested in seeing things that are happening around the world, there is so many interesting things that are happening, and are happening to human beings to brothers and sisters, wherever you are. But there is bringing a strange sensation, there's bringing a strange feeling. And in the world of religion in the world of church, I just want to try and bring something to the table at this very moment in time. We have been given this this heartbeat this drum for so many years as believers that the church is trying to make us into trying to get us to dress to walk right to live absolutely perfect. And it makes us feel bad. It makes us feel awkward. It makes us feel very uncomfortable. Religion is a very strange, a very unusual thing. And for the last two years I've been struggling with, with whether I'm saved or not. Does God love me? Does God want me and all this sort of stuff purely because I was trying to find my comfort place within church within religion. And I'm a bit of an unusual character, if it's strange character. And without going into the world of past historical things on one thing or another, I've been trying to fit into religion for too long been trying to fit in. And I found it very difficult. And it felt very strange and felt very foreign, in and out of different churches, leaving different churches, all the stuff that goes along with what I've done and trying to fit in churches together trying to fit in certain context of church and religion. And I never felt worthy. I never felt that I was hitting the bar that they was hitting and I always felt a little bit pushed out one thing or another. But that's, that's by the Bible, I just want to I just want to the reason it was not by the by a big read because it is very relevant because it was the scriptures will speak to those that have been in that same situation as me not not so much in leadership. But I'm referring to sitting in church sitting in a very religious box for so long. And sitting under ministers that really make you feel uncomfortable, feeling uncomfortable, not because the Holy Spirit has brought conviction because of sin but feeling uncomfortable, because the type of characters that might be around and situations that are breaking out he just can't seem to fit in, you feel like that missing. You just feel like you don't fit into that context and into that scenario, and to that it's been really difficult for many believers. But I really believe that this is really relevant tonight because the power of speech, the power of words, the power of the process of the mind, the power of the understanding, the power of trying to fit in because everybody wants to belong. Everybody wants to belong. There's nothing. I find more. Being very discomfort feeling a very unusual feeling. This is very different from me sitting out here. This is I'm out of my comfort zone sit in the steel at this moment in time. I would rather be behind The pulpit bouncing up and down like a mad vicar push in the gospels, folks. So for me to sit here trying to be still because, you know, a lot of people have comment commented that I speak in my hands and I, I can never get away from that. And that's just me but so the character that I am, the character I am, you know, because, well I won't go into my character too much. So what I'm trying to say tonight is I believe there are lots of people that have been trying to fit in within the church contact within the understanding of life, trying to fit into to situations that you wasn't made to sit and to fit into, I believe that we was called and we was made, and we was brought to a certain position and God got us to this position and whatever position you may be in at this moment, in time, for certain scenarios, and we understand seasons are very, very powerful seasons, you know, just like the autumn the summer in the spring. And the winter, there are seasons in our lives, there are seasons for, for joy seasons, for morning seasons for, for everything under the sun. So as I look at my character, trying to fit into church, trying to fit into religion, trying to preach a certain way trying to teach a certain way, because that's how I was taught. That's how I was shown, I got to fit into churches together, I got fit into this, this this suit, right, I've got a walk, right, I got a walk as they do. But for many years, for a long, long time, I felt very uncomfortable, I felt that I didn't fit in, I had to watch my words, I couldn't speak like they spoke, I couldn't do what they done. And in this this is directly or very clearly, to a few leaders and to many congregations at this moment. See, I do believe that we have been worried about what we say because words are very powerful. But before the word actually comes into fruition, the thought that the cognitive processing of the mind is a very powerful thing. The mind is very powerful. So a lot of the things that I've been thinking and a lot of things I've been holding back the certain issues and certain areas of life I've held back in ministry, because I've been I've been frightened of what they may say or what the consequences of if I say this, how I feel from the pulpit, it will have a very big and a very strong impact for the wrong reasons. But I realized recently, that what God has done to me, he has changed me he has melted me has molded me he has shaped me into the character that he wants me to be. And he's created me to be very different. And he's created each and every one of you to be very, very different. But why do I always try to fit in? Why have I always tried, I don't try and fit in anymore. I don't try and fit into that position, I just try to be who God has called me to be I I'm not very politically correct. I, you know, so there are lots of I wouldn't even call them anymore character flaws. I believe God has made me very individually as he has made every one of you individually, we've got our own purpose on this earth. God has got his own plan for each and every one of us. So what I'm trying to say is be very careful of the crowd that you are hanging around in. Because I don't know if this applies to you. But certain areas where you might work where you might minister in where you were you journey in your faith, you try to speak and you've tried to react and you've tried to be as those characters are in that church and in that religious box. And have you ever felt strange. And what I'm why I'm saying it right now is because I honestly believe there are many believers scattered across this, this, this nation and across this world that are really struggling to find out who they are in Christ Jesus, because once lockdown came in, and it locked us all back, and certain things happen, we almost lost our identity. But actually the identity that we felt we had wasn't the true character that God really wanted us to be. And I do believe now the lockdown measures are withdrawing, and we are coming into a very unusual place where we are looking at a bit more freedom. I really believe that a lot of people have lost identity and it wasn't who you was meant to be. I believe that who you are right now in this moment in time. And I believe God has extracted and is extracting a lot of people out of churches, and out of the religious organizations and placing you into very different areas. So there's an uncomfortable feeling. And the reason I'm going to read Psalm 139 is because it talks about words, it talks about creation, it talks about God has created you and He loves you exactly as you are. But there has been an issue with identity Who am I who am I in Christ, Lord, am I saved? Am I washed in the blood of Jesus Father, do you love me and how often have we been in the context of church? And I'll be perfectly honest, I've looked around the audience that I've been in and thought I do not fit in this crowd. I do not fit in my often thought that I'm not wired that croc quite right. Sometimes I've ever been in that situation, when you think, hang on that either there's something really wrong with me or God doesn't want me in this situation. So I really believe that there are a lot of believers feeling very uncomfortable in the churches that they're in at this moment in their religious settings. And we've had to watch our words, we've had to watch our mannerisms. We've almost become someone that we're not meant to be. But this is what God says about you. And this is what God says about me. He wants you to be an individual. He wants you to be just as you are. He wants you to rest in who you are. He wants you to find peace in who you are, because who you are, is who He created you to be. Now, I believe there has been many in ministry beyond pulpit preaching and teaching in congregations that have tried to almost be like an actor, act our way through life, act our way through church, but in church, in religion, in life in work, we've been trying to be someone that we're not, we've been very hard press for many years. But I really believe that through these lockdown measures, God is calling you to be the character that he created. Then we say to ourselves, well, sometimes I think crazy things. Sometimes I want to say something that doesn't fit with this crowd. Well, let me put it like this. God knows every word before you've even spoken. God has given you the words God knows your character, God knows you're different. God created created you just as you and He loves you just just as you are, that my mind has been taken to this, this scripture right here in verse 15. of Psalms 139. It says, My frame was not hidden from you, when you may be in a secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body, all the days of my life were before me, and they were written in your book before one of them came into fruition or depending on what translation you're reading from, into being. So what I'm trying to say that every word, every area of my life, every situation that I have been in, we have been, we may have been trying to gauge our words, trying to gauge our conversations frightened to say certain things because the church context, if the church hears me speaking like this, it might find that, that there is something wrong with me when actually there's nothing wrong with you. What it is, is that we've been trying to fit into a religious organization, when God is a isn't about religion, God is about freedom, the kingdom of God. So you are very, you are very interesting, you are very unique, you are blessed and highly favored. Now, this is not a motivational speak, by any way, shape or form. What I'm trying to say is, is that who you are, is God knows who you are. So this is difficult for me to find the words because this is really resonating in my spirit, who you are, is who God created you to be. He knows every word that you're spoken. He knows every thought that you have. He understands you like nobody else, he loves you unconditionally. Your salvation is absolutely secure in him. But you have been watching your words, you've been watching what you've said. And what I'm referring to is because of the area and the context of church and religion that you've been walking and hanging around in an operating in has made you feel very uncomfortable, and it has created you and it's tried to shape you into someone that you're not you've been trying to fit into a box that you can't get into you have been trying for so many years. When I say you I'm directing this straight to me first. And it says in Psalm 139, it says verse, sorry, in verse three, you are familiar with all my ways before a word is on my tongue. You Lord, know it completely. You know it completely every word that I have spoken, every thought that I've had, every understanding every cognitive processing of my mind, every adrenaline rush, every full every heartfelt feeling, every word that I've ever spoke, God already knew how I would feel he knew exactly how I would react to a certain situation. He created me, and he absolutely loves me beyond human understanding. Now, the reason I'm saying this is there are many tonight in the context of church that feel really battered by church really lost by Church lost in religion, because we've been trying to watch words, trying to watch the way that we act. And what we've heard and seen, doesn't sit well in our spirit. But I just want to remind you tonight that every word Every thought that you have had, God knew and God ordained Yes, there is something very powerful about predestination. The powerful thing about predestine is obviously is the word simply says it has been predestined, you know, paths, cross journeys come together, situations happen. But the church and life tries to control us in a very powerful way. But there is no control. Now, this might sound a little bit strange until we get to the end, there is no control in the kingdom of God because what you find in the kingdom of God, you have free will, free will only comes into being after salvation has been deposited. And when I mean deposit, it has been given as a gift. So salvation is a gift, salvation hasn't been given to me by the preacher, on a teacher, or by the religious organization, Salvation has come upon me, and I was saved before the very beginning of time. So however you feel and whoever you are, your character does not FaZe God, your situation doesn't faze God, your lifestyle doesn't faze God, everything within me, he knows every thought, thoughts that I have, that I will never share with the world thoughts that I have about certain situations of life, thoughts that I might have issues of life, worries, fears, doubts, all that sort of stuff that I can never share with people in my life, because people might think I'm wacky and crazy. And there are certain things about our character that we try to hide, and we try to hide that character. And we would call him character flaws. But you know what, God created everything about your life, he knows everything about you. And I just want to emphasize tonight before any word that has been processed through the thinking for the mind, and then call an embryo all the way through our and comes out for your voice box, and comes out before the world, the audience before you actually hears that word before you've even thought that word. God knew every thought, every understanding, because God created the heavens and the earth. But for many years, I've been trying to fit into certain religious organization, certain context of life. And have you ever felt rejected to the point where you can't accept the rejection anymore, so you're making yourself fit into a situation? That doesn't seem to be right, but God knows your character. God loves you unconditionally. God loves you beyond human understanding. So words are very powerful. So I believe there, there is many ministries, there are many churches out there, that would really and they have tried to make us feel very uncomfortable, by the way that they press the gospel, when actually, they haven't pressed the gospel, in the way that the gospel should be pressed. Because when the gospel is preached, it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable. What it does, it brings you to conviction. And before you understand, the conviction is upon you, the power of the Holy Spirit gives you freedom. But when you're in a context of feeling under pressure by a human being, it makes you feel sad, it makes you feel down, it makes you feel lost, it makes you feel very, very uncomfortable in the context of the life that you are living. So church and religion has done a lot of bruising to characters, because we have tried to change our character. And let me just emphasize this no character can be changed until God's hand is upon you. If you was to look in the book of Jeremiah, where, where the the Prophet went down to the potter's house where it's really interesting, sorry, let me just back up a minute, Jeremiah, when he talks very clearly, about four I know the plans, I have for you to click Jeremiah 29, verses 11 through two verse 13. It says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD plans not to harm you, but to give you a hope and a future. And then he says in verse 13, as I paraphrase this very quickly, because at the time, if you follow me with all of your heart, see, it's about following Christ, not looking at the idiosyncrasies, not looking at the issues that I have around me, not looking at the full depth of my science self and saying, Dear God, God won't want me like this. The church rejects so many people, religion rejects so many people but God calls, God opens and he throws open the envelope of salvation and he draws you in. So when I look at my life before I was saved, would the church choose me to put them into that religious setting? No, he wouldn't choose me. But God knew that I had failings. God knew that I would fail. God knew that I would slip and slide on the ice of life, but hey, whoa, do you know what he saved me? Even though while I was lost, and I've said this before, I felt God's hand stretched out when I was in the darkest of the dark is placed and literally grabbed me and pull me God's hand pulled me out of so many situations, but thanks be to God. The name of the living Christ, that my words my actions do not affect my salvation. That is a very bold statement to say that is a very important statement to say, because my words have no forbearance on whether Christ is going to save me or not. Because when I was saved, I didn't realize I was lost. Because when I thought I was just living as I was living, there was nothing to be lost to, there was no measure, there was no gauge to be lost to. So what we find is that when people are saved, they wasn't actually looking for Eternal God because no human being, no human goes looking for Eternal God, because it is not on their radar, it is not in their remit, it is not on their spreadsheet of life, you know, but God comes. This is very complex, this is very deep. This, this is very unusual to speak like this. And also I want to apologize to those. On the other evening, I can't even remember what night it was, I was speaking it was speaking about Moses as a leader. And I seem to have startled quite a few people, and what they got from that, that they thought I was actually leaving the church, I am not leaving this church. Trust me, brothers and sisters, I am not going nowhere. Please do not worry, I was speaking about leaders generally, that have to understand when God is is going to migrate you from one place to another. And being very aware, I was not saying and if you've heard me and you picked it up, please don't worry, I'm not going nowhere I am here, I am not flapping off to the other side of the world. I am here. But what I was trying to get over very clearly. And what was trying to make a point was Moses had clear instruction, that that where he was was the finished place. And he wasn't gonna go any further. Now, it may have sounded like I was referring to me, but I do believe God has got me here for many years, I do believe God is is using this house. I do believe God is moving very, very powerfully. I am not going nowhere, I was referring very clearly, two leaders of leaders should understand that we are in no fixed place for eternity. And it is about being open just because we are open doesn't mean to say that we are going to fly that nest of that church, I am here I am not moving. I am not going nowhere. I am here. But what I was trying to say was was just trying to get across to leaders and to congregations that are you exactly where God wants you to be. And this This is relevant to what we are looking at here tonight. Trust me, I Well, don't trust me trust God, I will fail you that that is really that is fat, I will let you down as a leader I will let you down as a human being I will fail you there will come a point when I will fail you and I have failed. And I have let people down and I have said and I have done and and all that razzmatazz. But I just want to clear this up. I am not going nowhere. I am not leaving. I am here. But I was referring very clicks. I've got lots of messages, lots of questions have been asked over maybe a day and people have, please do not worry. What I was trying to get over in a short space of time is is that leaders and not just leaders, but members in congregations need to we need to understand is Is this where God wants me to be? That is the basic fundamental point that I was trying to get to. Does God want me here? Yes. And it can be very difficult to find what God is saying because we are living in a world while I say we're living in a world of religion. And we are living in a in a position at this moment where there are many false prophets you've only got a look at the Donald Trump scenario you've only got a look at what a lot of the the world renowned preachers and prophets were saying how they were so on. What they were saying was they said I've had a word from God, this is what God is saying. And what they said was brought real discord. So when when you hear someone say, I've got a word from you, this is what God is telling me about you. It needs to be tested so much. It is really really important that that word is tested that that word is solid, because we have seen these the these preachers and these teachers really blurt out all this stuff about the Donald Trump scenario or many other situations. And actually what they said did not come true. So there is a lot to learn for this lockdown situation through. I would say locked down church. God is turning things around. But the reason I'm in Psalm 139, just let me emphasize this again. I'm not going nowhere. Please do not panic. I am here. I am not moving. I am not leaving. I was just referring very clearly to Moses and Moses. was told you are not going to go any further, you will not get into that next position, you will not go to the Promised Land, you will not make it But Joshua was. So it was speaking to congregations, it was speaking to leaders, it was speaking to many of us. But it is important to to ask the question, God, where do you want me to be, and I do believe God has got has got great things for you. Tonight is a very unusual Night. Tonight, it feels very unusual to me sitting here amongst you for the power of technology with you guys, you brothers and sisters, and all those that may be dipping into this live stream service. What I am finding is that what I was taught at college, what I was taught at Theological College, and what I was taught, taught at and shown and directed and almost manipulated, I actually find that a majority of my training, and I won't mention anything, where and how and who what it was, I won't go down that road. I was manipulated and shaped into the character that they wanted me to be. So that's why we find ourselves at this moment. Because religion is broken. Everything has just been disjointed in the world of church as we know it. But let me emphasize this, I am not referring to the kingdom of God, because the Kingdom of God is so far churches there, and the kingdom of God is there. The kingdom of God is where I am and where you are. But we have been trying to hold on to religion we've been trying to, and we have been almost forced characterized, and we have been shaped into someone that we're not, you know, I've got a lot of deep thinking going on tonight. So you'll have to excuse me, because as I speak, and I'm praying that God is just revealing this. But what I want to get over as we come to the table very, very clearly is do not worry about the character that you are, do not let the world push you down. Do not let certain people in the circle of your life try to control you in such a way and a certain measure. It is almost pushing you down so much that you can't flourish as the I would put it like this, you can't soar on wings as of eagles. There are many people that have been in churches for so long, for so long. And the ministers and the leaders that a narcissistic, that are very controlling that are very dictatorial that is either their way or the highway. That is not the kingdom of God. And there has been a lot of people in ministries and in church contexts that haven't been able to flourish not because God is not there or not listening. It is because the ministers and the oversight and the structure is been an has and is still very religious and still stuck in its ways. So what we are seeing is a very big Exodus within the world of the church. We are seeing a lot of migrating, we are seeing a lot of church moving we are seeing a lot of people hopping from one to another. That is because the beauty of lockdown it has freed us to be able to watch online. It has freed us to be able to go to our churches, I believe it's very healthy, to go and visit other ministries, other churches to go and sit on the other ministers to sit on the different teaching and why I say that is because it is for the individual to find out who is teaching sound doctrine. sound doctrine is clear. And it's very important for each and every one of us to have, you know, doctrines are clearly needing sound doctrines are needed in this nation. And I'm afraid to say for many years we have we have lost that the strong doctrine we have lost and it has become a very wishy washy has become a like a circus performance. And almost like a pantomime in some churches where where it's just so so far from what God is really doing. And what it has brought it has brought a very unusual feeling to a lot of believers, and that unusual feeling that has affected their characters. And it has made people quite inward focus it is made people react, how they will normally react. But I'm asking you right now, do not conform to the pattern of the world but also say, Do not conform to the pattern of religion. Do not conform to the pattern, find out who you are in Christ. Now, this scripture that we're looking at, it says the psalmist says if I go to the depths of the world, if I go to the heavens above, if I stretch out to the left or right I cannot get away from your presence you created me in my in my innermost being you created me. So if God created you and if he knows every word before you spoken the word before even your ACT or my actions have actually come into being. The church is very good about bringing us under conviction. And religion brings us under conviction, but not in a way of repentance, but making us feel very uncomfortable. But the Holy Spirit does it in a very different way. The Holy Spirit deals with what's got to be dealt with. That is what repentance is about. But when you look at what the psalmist is saying, He says in verse one of Psalm 139, you have searched me, Lord, and you know me. So before I was created, this goes beyond the natural realm of thinking, this goes beyond the cognitive processing, processing. This goes beyond thinking, this goes beyond knowledge. This goes beyond beyond beyond what we can fathom. And we are very limited, as human beings in in education, education, through education, through great thinking through great learning, there is a place for it in the gospel. But there comes a point when you have to leave the great learning, you have to leave the theological press and you have to enter into that posture into that position of going by faith. Jesus said, just believe. So I believe in verse one of Psalm 139, he says, You have searched me says, You have searched me, oh, Lord, and you know me, you know, when I set when I rise? You know, my presets, you know, my thoughts from afar. God knows my faults before I even came into being. Now the great thing because the great learners, that those that are in now, theological studies are needed so much. apologetics is needed to a certain degree. But we don't need to apologize for Christ. So apologetics has its place. theological studying has its place. The church context, generally has its place. Knowledge has its place prophecy has its place, but above all, that there is revelation or knowledge. So I will never be able to study my way to write to the pinnacle of God, God will always reveal God will keep us at a level and He will reveal, but what I want to press out before we come very, very clearly, to communion, do not worry about your character. I've come a long way around the houses tonight just to get to this simple position, do not worry about who you are, you will not fit in because he was not created to fit into religion, you will not fit into certain context of life because you wasn't created to fit in them context of life, you will not fit into a certain culture because you are not meant to be in that certain culture. There are many scenarios that where we try to fit in, because the crowd is beckoning us and calling us and and it is it is very loud, not to say that God is quiet, and God is not calling. But this is where my faith comes in. This is where I have to leave knowledge. This is where I have to leave theological studies, I have to leave this at a certain level because faith is greater than all of this. I have to believe God, I believe what you are telling me about my character. Yes, I've got character defects. But you love me. Yes, Lord, I say the wrong things. But you love me. Yes, Lord, you saved me even while I was still thinking, and having these strange understandings, the character that you are, is the character that God created. Now that can be quite a deep thing to say, as we come into communion. So the character that you are, has not been created by you. The character that you are, is the character that you are obviously because God created you. Now, where does this character come from this character, the character is created through the thinking, the Create, the character is created through the lifestyle, the character is created in by our actions by the way we speak. But for me to get to that position, got new and he created me as me. I have had no input whatsoever to who I am, because the Bible says that He formed me. If he formed me, as the scripture tells me for me, he knows everything about me. So I cannot worry about my character defects. But the church and religion and certain organizations will try to put a very hard press on us that you don't fit here. Well, thanks, God. Thanks be to God rather than I don't fit there. No, I don't and I shouldn't even be there. I just want to emphasize tonight whoever you are, you are loved by Almighty God, your character does not FaZe god. You're in idiosyncrasies and I'm speaking as myself, do not face God, my thinking does not turn God away from me now that we need to hold that there for a moment, my, my lifestyle does not have any forbearance on salvation. Hold that for a moment. Because while I was sinning, as the book of Romans says, God chose to save me. And he demonstrated that so simply by the cross of Calvary. So God never waits for a person to get the character defects, right, and to remove the character defects. I've got news for every one of us, we are who we are, we are created by our God, you are just perfect as you are, because He created you. Yes. But when I look at myself, I think I'm not worthy. And why do I feel I'm not worthy, purely because religion looks at me as it looked at Christ. It tried to find and to pull character defects from Christ, but could not find any, but But religion now into the cross of Calvary, religion will always try to put me down religion will always try to ostracize me will try to put me aside, but the character that you are, I've come all the way around the house, I've could have cut so much of this out. But I really believe God was been pressing my heart just to share this. And obviously, this is a continuum, this will continue to go on. But who you are, is who God created you to be the way you think, is not gonna FaZe God, the way that you work things out is not going to change the way God thinks or cares about you. Because I was saved, you were saved before the very beginning of time. So now I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm just going to leave this I'm gonna have to leave this just sit in almost hanging where it is because a time is just escaping us. So we're going to come to the table. And what I want to emphasize as we come to the table, God loves you. God loves me just just as I am, just as you are just as I am. So don't allow society don't allow the world to try and change you. Because God created you. He knows your innermost being, He created you, and maybe for the very foundation of the world. So if he created me, as the Bible tells me, he still chose to create humanity, even with the defects that it would have. Now when I say defects, I will change that to sin from the Garden of Eden, he still chose to create this beautiful planet, this beautiful place that we live, because it is beautiful. Yes, there are some issues, but we won't go into them issues. God loves me and he loves you. It has my salvation has no forbearance, or it is not hanging on how I think, because the scripture that we have tonight is Psalm 139. And I would, I would urge you to read that entire Psalm. God loves you loves me, just as we are. So now we come to the table, let's just break bread together. So much to say, time is my biggest enemy. And I find this absolutely fascinating. And just glorious to know that God loves me. When I'm crazy. God loves me when I'm getting it right when I think God loves me. So it's as simple as that. When I think about it, God loves you, and He loves me. Let's break this bread together. Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for the power of predestination, because the power of predestination is beyond human understanding. I thank You, Father, that my salvation is not hanging on me. My salvation was given to me as a gift. So tonight, God, I pray for all those that might be struggling with their identity, struggling with their doubts, struggling with their areas of life, trying to fit into cultural trends, trying to fit under the certain hashtag of life, trying to fit into work environments, feeling very depressed and very down feeling very, very strange. You are not strange, you are loved. You are a son and a daughter of the living God. And just as you are God sees you just as you are. So Father, I break this bread tonight and I say thank you for the power of this bread that symbolizes the body of Christ. And as I take this bread tonight, Lord, I thank you, that you love me that it is unconditional, unconditional. Sorry. So tonight, Lord, just let me Lord, walk out of the house of the Lord finding restroom. My spirit, calmness for my head Lord, and I pray for all those on the other side of the lens as they break bread together right now, Lord, that You will bring peace to their homes. I pray, fathers they sleep tonight there will be angels around their bed. Lord, I pray for those that as they as they they're in, in, in in their outs and their comings and goings, as the scripture says is their turn and they're throwing farther, you'll just bring peace to their hearts and their minds. But Father, thank You for this bread, that symbolizes the body of Christ in Jesus name, amen. You are loved, you are loved. Father, in the name of Jesus, this has been very different tonight. And I thank God, that it's always very different. It needs to be very different. Because if it's the same, same, same, same same, it becomes robotic. It doesn't become authentic. It doesn't become from God, it becomes a religious way. We expect men to be this way we expect him to say this, we expect we expect. The kingdom of God is fluid. The kingdom of God is always moving. So I should be moving with the kingdom of God, we should be you are moving with the kingdom of God. Yes, we're in the same context. We're in the same room. We're at the same table, we've got the same screens, we've got the same technology. But the word will always be very different. Because what God has for us today is very different to what he had for us yesterday. What he has for us tomorrow is very different to what it will be today. So how do I find out what the difference is I read the Word of God, I read the Word of God, I read the Word. Now there's a difference between reading it and trying to understand it, I will not understand it. Until he reveals it revelational knowledge, Paul makes it very, very clear that God reveals it. And God had revealed it as as he was writing the book that he was writing. But let's come now for these couple of minutes just before we say good night to everybody, Father in the name of Jesus. I asked you, Lord that we just covered in the blood of Christ, that you will wash me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, God you are a good God. Lord, I thank You, Lord, that you understand me more than I understand me. I thank You, Lord, that You saved me because I could not save myself. But you did God have saved me Lord, and all my days. Every place that the soul of my foot shall tread upon, has been ordained Lord, you know every path. You know, every person that I would come into being with Lord, you put people in my life, Lord, you've removed people, Lord, you've put things Lord, you've made things happen, Lord, you've you've blocked things, you started things, you created things. Father, you are the God of all creation. And you are a God that creates. So tonight, Lord, I thank you, for the blood of Jesus, wash me from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for joining us, wherever you are, at this moment, whether you've enjoy it, whether you have been listening a week, down the line through iHeartRadio, through Buzzsprout, and Spotify, through the podcast that we are recording tonight. Maybe you're catching us on Amazon music and you can find us on Amazon Music purely by just typing in Reverend Ben Cooper, his podcast, thank you for sharing everything we do here. All the social networks we're on, which is thank you so much. And I pray that every time that we gather for communion, that God will always give us a fresh word that God will always speak to you that you will never find me being the same, saying the same thing. But I know that God's word is the same yesterday, today and forever more. But God presents it a very different way. And I pray that I'll never be robotic, I pray that I will. I will never be the same. I pray that no one will never be able to predict what I'm going to say. And everything that goes through that because I am learning things. I am seeing things. I'm experiencing things that I never have, and I never did. But God has great things for you. And just in closing this, remember what I said midway through, I am not going nowhere, let that world know that I am here. God has got me here. God has placed me here. There is a massive amount of work to do here for God. But I pray that wherever you are at this moment, are you where God wants you to be? Are you in the job that God wants you to be? Are you in the house that God wants you to be in the postcode, in, in the relationships in life in the church and because we always should be saying Lord, where do you want me Lord? What are you is your purpose for me? We can all quote that Jeremiah 29 Easy for no other plans I have for you declares the Lord. We can we can quote all that. But do we actually know what God has for us. But I just I just going to leave you with this. The character that you are the person that you are, does not face God does not throw God off the throne that he's on. But this is what he does. If you look at the great prophet, the prophet that went down to the potter's house, the master that was shaping the clay. He had some he had to deal with the clay that was in his hands. And so often God has to deal with me and shaped me. Now, that is a great texture, maybe God will allow us to go into that next time. Because it is God that shapes God that molds God that turns God that just deals with you know, the clay, the clay, the clay in the Masters hands. That's what we are, we are clay in the martyrs hands. I just pray that wherever you are, tonight you will find peace, understanding, and you will just find rest for your innermost being, I'm going to say again, you are loved. You are precious, God loves you. Don't worry about what the world is saying about you. Because there are a lot of strange manipulators in the circles of life that we all operate in, that will want you for their own gain, and for their benefit. But God loves you, God shaped you, God knows you. God created the character that you are. God is not thrown off that throne of grace, because of the actions and the things that I do, but what he does, for the power of the Holy Spirit brings me under conviction, through the power of repentance, you are redeemed, I am redeemed, you are saved, I am saved, you are justified, I am justified you are washed under the blood, I am washed under the blood. Our name is stamped in the lounge book of life he sees and he has and he has seen every step that our foot has taken. Because the Scripture says every place that the soul of my shirt my foot should tread upon will be my territory. So paths are very interesting the journey of life is, is really interested in the past that that we chose. Now that is a complete study on its own, the path that I have chosen, or the path that has been presented before me, there are paths that are very unusual paths. There are paths that are are almost a blind path because we don't know what where we're going. And the Scripture makes it very clear. But I believe God, God is leading you into paths of righteousness. Now I'm going to leave you because there's no easy place to to leave this tonight. But because of the time because of everything, and because what's happening next door we got this prayer meeting happening and all that that goes along with that I pray that you will find peace just as you are. Do not do not be manipulated by people around you. Just rest. Thank you so much for sharing this stuff out. May God bless you and strengthen you and I will catch you Wednesday evening. We may be in the church we may be here. But wherever we are, God is with you may his word. Just give you peace tonight may his word just refresh you tonight in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. That's it. We're out of there. I'm a vicar get me out. Have a good night God bless and we will see you Wednesday evening at 730 for Bible study whether we're here or there. Take care. Stay safe, keeping the Word of God God bless