Ready to rumble? WS yes, we're in Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I just want to welcome everybody tonight. Thank you for joining us, whether you're catching us on the podcast, or whether you're catching us through this live stream service, wherever you are across the world, you can find us on Amazon music you can find us on I Heart Radio, Buzzsprout, Spotify, and so many other social platforms that we are using. And if you are a podcaster, thank you so much for sharing, literally these multiple downloads we're seeing coming across the globe. Absolutely amazing. It's mind blowing. To see the stats coming through, you know what I'm like for stats and system. I know it has its place and there's good place for it. And I'm starting to see the value of that just by seeing what's happening around the world. So you can catch us on I Heart Radio. That's quite an interesting platform. Amazon music that's a great place that you will find this Amazon music, easy to navigate some people like Spotify, there are so many different platforms that we're on. Oh, you got to just type into Google is Reverend Ben Cooper podcast, you will find us whether you are joining us tonight for this live stream service. I just I just want to let you know that there's nothing to be fearful of what's happening around the world. So this is why we are going to Psalm 23. Some of David, really powerful, really interesting Psalm speaks directly from his heart, no messing about, he's not pulling any punches. And he makes it very clear. You know, it's only six verses a really short Psalm. But it is packed with the depth of theological teaching, it is packed with, obviously God's presence, His Word. And I just want to emphasize tonight, I just want to encourage you, that wherever you are, what we are seeing through certain nations, what we are seeing through certain superpowers, flexing their military might and talking about certain buttons and certain things that they may do, you know, we have nothing to be fearful of. We are having lots of conversations in the world of church at this moment. And they have done for for a number of years, actually around about the word fear and fear really needs to be addressed. Fear grows, fear is very real. Fear is very, very powerful. It's okay to have fear. But what I cannot do is let the fear take me and to hold me I cannot allow the fear. Fear in certain places and certain times is quite a healthy feeling to have because what it will do, it should drive you to the Word of God. But if you are not a believer, and you are suffering with fear, and I know it goes for I've suffered with panic attacks, I've had anxiety moments. You know, I've had some serious moments in my life of serious anxiousness, doubt fears, everything have just come out of nowhere, just like a just like a locomotive, like a train such a powerful feeling. powerful force just coming and attacking everything in your innermost being. And the worst thing anyone could ever say to is pull your socks up. Oh, my goodness, what a wrong thing to say this a fear is a very real is a very powerful. But what it's not it is not power. It is not as not as powerful. Sorry, as faith. Faith is powerful. God's presence is more powerful. The Word of God is more powerful. So why are we seeing burnout? Why are we seeing Christians exhausted? Why are we seeing so many believers just literally holding on to fear more than faith? It's quite simple. And that's not because of where we sit in the calendar regarding is around the rapture of the church eschatology, and times what the Bible is saying where we say it simply because there has been a lack of teaching across the platform of religion, I'll say religion and church to just embrace everything, on on faith to live by faith. But what we've had is a lot of teaching on faith, but how to trust God for money for finances, and for healing and all that razzmatazz that goes along with the prosperity gospel and the name it and claim it. You can have anything you want in Jesus, God wants you to be rich, God wants you to be healed. Well, I haven't heard so much rubbish in so many years. But don't get me wrong by when I say rubbish. What I mean by that is coming out out of the mouth of false prophets. God wants us healed. But let me tell you this. When you look at healing, and you study healing, when you study healing, and you study Christ ology, and you look at Christ and you follow Christ ministry, Christ walked by more people that he didn't heal. Then he healed. Unbelievable. Absolutely beyond human understanding. But we have a rhetoric we have a church We have a false press out there telling us very clearly that you shouldn't have a cold, you shouldn't have a virus, if you've got a virus, your faith is lacking all the stuff that links to the false gospel of Jesus Christ. When actually when you look very clearly at the scriptures, you find that the disciples wasn't very well at some points, you find the prophets became very fearful, you find the New Testament writers hit a point in their life where, where fear was overpowering their being, it's okay to be fearful, but what it's not okay, is fear to control me, I need to know where to go. When a crisis comes into my house, my life, my workspace, my finances, my relationships, because fear is very real. So what we see across the world today is we see this, this big push and what we are seeing through Russia, and what we are seeing through from different other superpowers, the superpowers flex in their military might, and what happens is, is, it's not so much what they are going to do and how they're going to do it. It's the wording, it's, it's the way that they present it. And that is very interesting, because that's what Ahab had was married to that crazy, Queen. And we understand very clearly what happened there. You know, we learn about we understand about Jezebel, we see what's going on there. See, the great prophet had a message. See, there is something very powerful in words, there is something very powerful. In the spoken language, there is something very powerful, that really penetrates the heart, the Bible says words will ever lift you, or words will literally crush you. Words in in, in relationships will either lift you or words will crush you. Words in the workplace will encourage you, lift you or really make you feel bad, you know, university life words are really, really powerful. So it's really important that I'm very careful how I present my vocabulary and my feelings to the world before me. But what can happen is when superpowers when governments when systems flex their muscles, and they speak in a language, and they speak in such a way, and they flex their military might and their strength. So this is nothing new and there is nothing new under the sun, the book of Ecclesiastes mentions. So when we look at military mind, when we look at the military, when we look at the global power, at the moment, this is nothing foreign. This is nothing unusual, because the Bible speaks very clearly. There has been so many battles in though in in the Word of God, there has been such military force, there has been such military power, way bigger than what we see right now across certain nations. The the the enemy in the Old Testament, they was absolutely brutal. There was blood. Firstly, they was bred for war. So when you study in the phillium, when you look at the sons of God, when you look at them, not only were they bred for fighting, and not only were they bred for, for real battle, there was also driven the phillium. And you look at Goliath, and you look at glass brothers, and you look at these enormous they was fallen angels when you people go and people can laugh as much as you want to laugh, but when. But when you look in the Old Testament, and you look at the sons of gods, you will find that these are the fallen angels, so not only were they fallen spiritual entities and spiritual beings what they was, and when you see that what I won't go into the detail because of where we are tonight. When you look at what's happening around the world, we see these military forces and they are flexing their military might. But what they don't have is what we see in the Old Testament that they was driven by an evil force when you studied the phillium. When you look at the sons of God, when you went on, we're not referring to the the Christ when it says the sons of gods, it is talking about the fallen angels and affiliate Leviathan and he's talking about the spiritual forces that are at work when you've got a spiritual force that is picking up and in the presence of a human being. And you've only got to study the sons of gods in the Old Testament. You look around about Noah's time you look at just before that, you look, they were bred for war, they was so aggressive. They were so powerful. So what we see at the moment is nothing what we have seen before through the Scripture, but what we got to be careful of is the word fear. Fear has run all the way through cultures life. Fair is in workspace fairs and families fairs in home life fear is a very real emotion. It is driven very hard. And we see this in so many areas. We Understand, I don't like to talk about this. But suicide rate is higher. Self harm is higher than we've ever seen before. You know the dependency on alcohol and that alcohol leads to recreational drugs, that leads to other substances. And suddenly, because it is driven by fear, there is either faith or fear, fear or faith. Now faith is greater than fear. So the psalm what the where we're in tonight is this is really important for the believer, or whether someone is dipping in watching whoever you may be, if you just if you are suffering with fear, Psalm 23, is a very powerful Psalm. And then read that with Psalm 91. Psalm is a is a is a like a warfare Psalm that will keep you strong. And I love the fact where it says, And God will command his angels concerning you. Now remember what we said we don't lift up and angels we don't worship, angelic activity. But we understand through the power of theology, we understand through Scripture, we understand through the teaching and the correlation of the Scripture, very clearly that angels are used by the God of Israel, to protect us to Goddess to carry us to help us whatever way you want to look at that, theologically, wherever you study angels. And now I'm not telling anyone to study study angels, because if we go into the study of angels, and we lift our angels more, then that becomes a study within itself. And then we are starting to look at that very, very powerful religion that's out there in a cultic religion that's out there that's lifting up and angels and angelic beings. And everything that goes along with that we are not doing that because we are in the Word of God. But what you cannot get away from the fact is in Psalm 91, it says, God will come on these angels concerning you, to lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against the rock. But as you look in Psalm 23, let's look at Psalm 23. Now let's just if you've got a Bible, grab yourself a Bible, if you've got yourself a tablet, flick up the tablet, or computer, wherever you may be, or on your phone, whatever, whatever device you may have in front of you. But Psalm 23, we're coming to the table, we're going to break bread together. And I pray that you are well but I just want to emphasize tonight, do not be fearful, do not allow fear, do not allow the flexing of military force at this time. To get you worried, do not allow fear of sickness and disease to get you down. Do not allow fear of financial pressure to get you down because fear is in many layers of life fear, fear is in the workspace fear fear can be found in relationships, fear can be found within siblings fear can be found within colleges and universities fear, you know, fear is a very real emotion. And it is very powerful. So we are so we have to be very careful when we talk to people that have very real fear experiences. But you will find in many places the Bible talks about fear 365 times it mentions interest in how many days of the year there are so so there is always a biblical answer out of a fearful situation. So Psalm 23 is a Psalm of comfort, is a Psalm of understanding is is a very powerful Psalm six verses, but it is very instrumental and it should be used in a believers life. We we are talking also about prayer. Prayer is a very, very powerful weapon. And also it's not just a weapon, but it's a communication line between our father and ourselves and and prayer is needed. But we are finding that a lot of people are exhausted and tired and almost pushing prayer on the backburner and say I'm too tired to pray. Well, if you take Psalm 23 And if you take Psalm 91 And you just get them Psalms and you maybe you put them on, get printed them off on a piece of paper and put them on your fridge, you know that go to plates, we're always little have a little tuck away a bit of chocolate. I don't know about you guys, but my my fridge, my fridge is laced with chocolate. So when you got a bit of a problem trying to the little fridge, you know have a little read of the Psalm, open it up, get a little cheeky bit of chocolate, you know, to the best place to watch the Scripture is clearly on the fridge. So Psalm 23, Psalm 91, very powerful Psalms they run beautifully together, they run they run smooth together, they they inter woven together, they just blend together whatever way you want to describe that. So it is very powerful to have a psalm on the fridge, where whatever your go to places wherever that may be at your desk at work, you know in your vehicle, you know, maybe put on put on a notice board wherever you are but Psalm 23 is a is a smooth Psalm is a soft Psalm, it takes you in because it straight away it clearly tells us what the Lord is to us. He says The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me, you're rotting and staff, they comfort me, You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflow, Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Come on, let's I wasn't going to do this. But let's turn to Psalm, Psalm 91. Let's quickly Flick, flick up a few Psalms. Let's go right now, Psalm 91, a prayer for Psalm, a powerful Psalm, I will put it down as a warfare Psalm, a psalm that gives peace, a psalm that is very smooth against Psalm 23, in Psalm 91, but we are addressing fear and we can never, we don't have the time and not even really speaking about fear to that degree. But when you look at Psalm 23 says, The Lord is my shepherd. I like nothing, He makes me lie down in green pastures. So when I follow Christ, when I completely give myself over and into Christ, now remembering this, this has really been pressing on me a lot lately. This is not about lifestyle choices, because I make wrong lifestyle choices more times, than I make the right stuff, the right choice in life, you know, so we have to understand that every one of us in the house of the Lord tonight everyone on the other side of the lens, we are human, and we will make wrong lifestyle choices. Now that is really important to understand, because also the church is driving this drum, that tells us that everything we do, we are completely pure, I get that the Bible Bible makes it very clear. But we are, we are not talking here about by the way that I live, because I am not living as I should live. And I'm not trying to tell anybody. I'm not living as I should live. Because if anyone says to me, I am living exactly as I should live, there is an issue with what they understand. The Scripture clearly says, the Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. The Bible also says to have clean hands on a pure heart. The Bible says also remove yourself from certain situations and certain areas of life. Now I am doing that you are doing that. But there are still some lifestyle choices that we make that we don't realize the consequence or the situation or something happens. We speak in anger, frustration. We speak quickly. We don't think about what we do through actions and speak and through vocabulary, how we address people, how we react to people that are angry with us, you know, so lifestyle choices are being really highlighted to me, that I can never look at anybody else's life, and judge anybody because firstly, I have to look at me. So I make some bad choices in my day, trust me, and I'm not frightened to let the world know that I am not perfect. And I will never be perfect until the King of Glory calls me home. But I am work in progress. And God knows my character God created me. And I thank God for the power of grace. Again, we've had some great teaching from Steve for the podcast and myself and, and other stuff like that. And you know, just some teaching on the doctrines of grace on salvation. The fundamental points once I understand His sovereignty wonder, once I understand redemption, once I understand justification, once I understand all these enormous, big hitters in the world of the Scripture, I realized that I will never make that point of complete holiness. But he who began a good work in me or in here, as the scripture says, will bring it to completion, he will finish the work. See, he is starting the work. So the power of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit Spirit brings me under conviction. So when we look at the scriptures, there are many saying and feeling in their lives. Well, my life doesn't seem to fit what we're saying. No one's life will fit to what we are saying, because God is a God of holiness. And if anyone thinks I understand that there are so many, I put it like this. I believe everybody that comes into this, this house of the Lord, this belongs to Christ. This does not belong to me. This is his work. This is his ministry. This is all for Christ. I don't own a bean in air. This is not mine. This is his everybody that comes into his house comes in with a wheelbarrow full of stuff. If he was to look outside of this door, I would have truckloads of issues in my life, my situation. I am far from where I want to be but I am work in progress. And I am not frightened to talk to anybody or express how I feel about my life. But what I've noticed through expressing and speaking, where I think I am, that gives me comfort, peace and rest. Because I've been trying to live to a bar of religion, I've been trying to live to a bar that doesn't really exist. But what I have found is the power of repentance and the power of His Word. So when we are looking at fear, fear also runs in believers, because we can get fearful of not matching and living up to what the Joneses are on the left hand side of the church, and the others on the other side of the church, and we sit in church and go, or DME. Yeah, I don't feel comfortable in environment. Now, let me tell you, God created your character. God knows you. God loves you. God justified you, God saved you, God washed you in his blood, He loves you unconditionally. So lifestyle choices, don't let anybody pin you and push you down because of let me say, my bad lifestyle choices. But the Bible says the power of repentance now, Psalm 23, fear is a very interesting drum skin that many are beating, but do not want to talk about it. Because the rhetoric in religion and the church will clearly tell you tear you down. When we talk about I'm quite fearful, I'm quite stressed on worried, I've got issues that I'm trying to deal with me No, but be completely open, be completely authentic, be completely real. Don't dress anything up. Just be who you are, because who you are, is who Christ died for on across the Calvary. So I cannot dress myself up anymore in any way, shape or form for humanity. I am who I am in Christ Jesus. So as I am who I am, in Christ, Jesus, I will experience fear, I will experience frustration, I will experience anger, I will experience the pride of life, I will experience unforgiveness, I will experience rage and anger, a mallet, all this stuff that the Bible speaks about. But the more we have a dialogue, the more we have a conversation, the more we speak about it and the more we get free from the idiosyncrasies or the character flaws that I might have. But But I am on a journey I am on a journey from from from birth to death, I'm on a journey. Completely my entire life. I'm on a journey of learning about life, learning the issues of life, learning the Word of God walking with Christ, understanding what he's saying. So I understand what he says in Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd, I lacked nothing, you lack nothing, but the world will tell you you lack so much because of finances are not there because of situations that what the world will tell you, you lack nothing, you have nothing because it gauges everything. By materialism, it gauges everything by social activity, it gauges everything by military power, it gauges everything by social media, it gauges everything, and it tries the more that we have materially more money and more notoriety that we have the greater person and the more strength we have. That is completely trash and that is completely wrong. What is really, really important to understand is the Lord is my shepherd, I lacked nothing. You You lack absolutely nothing in your life because you have everything. Because you have the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, you have the deity. You have the God of glory, you have the living word, which is Christ, you have the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, the advocate, you are loaded with Word and authority and power, you have grace, you have mercy. You have everything that the Bible says that is living within you. The Bible makes it so clear. Continue in the way that you are what ways that that is in the Word of God. But as I continue in the Word, and as I walk, it says He makes me lie down in green pastures. He takes us to green pastures. He says He guides me along paths of right he guides, he leads he guides He strengthens he he nurtures He heals. You know, healing is a very important subject, but I cannot keep looking at the word healing. If God is going to heal me, he will heal me. But the Bible says where the New Testament writer writes, We don't know if it was a physical ailment. We don't know if it was a cognitive processing. We don't know if it was a psychological thing. We don't know what that was when when that great New Testament writer wrote Three times I pleaded with the Lord that you would take this from me The phone of the flesh many of us have phones. And I don't mind having a phone because what the phone does, as it presses in my side, it does something very powerful. This as as I filled the phone of life as I filled up the press, the adversity as I filled a struggle, as I feel maybe the enemy pushing that phone in that phone that the enemy thought was going to kill me and take me out. Actually, that phone of life does one thing to me. And I believe it does the same to you. It takes me to Jesus Christ. It's very interesting the phone. Now the New Testament writer writes very clearly, three times i Three times I pleaded with the Lord, take this from me. But if God took the phone if God took the situation out, but what we find is that God doesn't take the situation out. Because God doesn't always take the sickness, God doesn't always take the issue. God never removes all this sort of stuff when I say, doesn't never remove but you know what I'm saying for, for the quick fire conversation that we're in what God does, He strengthens the believer, He strengthens the human, He strengthens the person, He strengthens that person in the phone situation, so that you have the strength, you have the power, not because of you because the Bible says when I am weak, then you are strong. So it has an it has an upside down work into what the world does. When I'm waiting, then I am strong. Why is that? Because I'm going in his will. So the phone in the side of the flesh is a good thing to have. Because the phone will drive us to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. So the Lord is my shepherd I like nothing. Let's read this throne and we go to Psalm 91. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul He guides me along the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Even though I walk through the valley or the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. You're running your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil My cup overflows. Surely, your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. let's flick over Psalm 91. Are you with me? Is anybody there anybody in the area of the platforms that were on Psalm 91? I can see your money mess in your money mess in Psalm 91. Psalm 91, verse one, we have 16 verses I've got to get my glasses I got to have my glasses are. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty, that is very powerful, alone without going any further. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High whoever draws in a show with the most time will rest in the shadow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord. He is my refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Surely he will save you. From the Fowler's snare we understand that a foul a snare. A hunter snare is a very very dangerous weapon. A very simple thing a snare can is a very dangerous thing to happen, an animal sorry. And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers and with his wings you will find refuge His faithfulness will be your shield and your rampart you will not you will not fear the terror of night. Night terrors are absolutely awful. The terror of nights the terror the fear of night the fear of sleeping, not being able to sleep, you can't sleep, your adrenaline is pumping through your body. You're fearful of closing your eyes, night terrors, bad dreams, situations, just the darkness, the fear of the military press that it's out there, the fear of COVID The fear of dying, the fear of living the fear of waking up in the morning, because it's a new day, the fear, the fear, the fear. We've got to make this very clear. Fear is very real, but God is greater than any fear. So how do I deal with the fear? We find very clearly that the scripture is the place that we find peace. The Scripture the Word of God will deal with any fear for moments, it will clear and it will move and it will clean and it will sweep through so the Word of God is the way to clear out anything to do with fear. Come on. Let's read this for first five of Psalm 91 will be at the table in a few months. You will not fear the terror of night now the arrow that flies by day and on the pestilence that starts in the darkness. Now the plague that destroys at midday 1000 may follow your side 10,000 Your right hand but it will not come near you will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say this, this is so simple. The church religion makes it very, very complicated, but the good but the Word of God, the Word of God makes it very clear. If you say the Lord is my refuge, such a simple line to say wherever you are tonight, just say that line, Psalm 91, verse nine, The Lord is my refuge, The Lord is my refuge. And if you make him your most high dwelling, no harm will overtake you know, satanic influence, no fear of the day, the terror of night, the military force, the wiring of debt, the the ozone layer, how many people are panicking about save the Earth, how many people are panicking about their jobs, how many people are worrying right now about the issue in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, the borders, not even speaking about Korea and North Korea and China and, and all that sort of stuff and what's happening in Iran and all over the world, Afghanistan, you know, you we got to be careful because what our eyes latch on to and what our ears pick up will really affect our life. So if I'm listening to bad news, if I'm listening to the news, or going to be careful of the news channels, because they will just keep feeding me feeding me feeding me with with the bad stuff, the bad stuff, the bad stuff, and it will get me down, it will get me down. What I need to do is sometimes switch the news off is good to be in contact with what may be happening. But I've got to find the right news channel that is not pushing propaganda. I've got to find the right news channel that is not going to that is not going to crush me because as I said, words are powerful. The Book of James makes it very clear he speaks and he tells us that the tongue is the smallest muscle in the body, but it can do the most damage. The words are powerful they words influence us. Words, carry us words, encouraged us our words really pull us down. So let's finish this psalm off. First nine. If you say the Lord is my refugee, if you make him the most higher dwelling, no harm will overtake you. No disaster will come near your tent for he, verse 11, verse 11, you know, this is a powerful, a powerful place to be, For he will command his angels concerning you. To guide you in all your ways, they will lift you up in their hands, so you will not strike your foot against the stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra, you will trample on that great line and that serpent, verse 14, because he loves me says the Lord. Love is very powerful. I love God. I love Christ. I love the Holy Spirit. I love his word. I love his presence. I love him. So when I when I love him, when when now this is a different pretzel together, I'm gonna be careful how we get into this. So the scripture says in Psalm 91, verse 14, because he loves me, says the Lord. God knows our heart. God understands us. He knows our character. He knows my flaws. He knows my lifestyle choices. Before I choose my lifestyle choices. He knows what I'm going to say before the before my voice box activates through the power of sound, and vibe, about by the power of voice before my words come out that the world hears my voice. And here's my, my vocabulary. And here's my answer. God already knows that before I've even spoken. So he knows me more than anybody on planet Earth, because he loves me says the Lord, I will rescue him. God is rescuing people from where fear. How do I get and how do I deal with this in my life. I just say God, I love you. Lord, I'm lost at this moment. Lord, I feel quite fearful. I feel quite anxious. I feel quite depressed at this moment. I feel quite down. It's okay to say that as a believer, because as I say, I am confessing and I am speaking it to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit is important that I speak this stuff out. The enemy works in secret. The enemy wants me to bottle everything up. The enemy wants not to say to you, I can't be fearful I'm happy and jolly all day long. I don't suffer with fear it I do have moments in my life, where I do drop off the twig of that and sometimes it affects me, but but for the power of His Word. When I feel that emotion burning and arise in God's word overtakes that so I don't become fearful anymore. Because God is in charge. He who began a good work in you so if anyone is fearful, get God's word inside of you. Because he loves me, says the Lord. I will rescue him. God he's rescuing many believers from what? From fear from churches, from ministries, from relationships, from marriages, from situations from workplace issues. God is rescuing people. Pull from abusive marriages, God is rescuing you from areas of your life that you never thought that you needed what rescue in there are many people in life that have taken lifestyle choices. And suddenly realizing in the quiet of the storm, I shouldn't have made that decision because that decision has put me into a precarious situation. And because of a trend, and, and and because of character, and because of the way our makeup is in certain ways and, and traits and trends that we may have, what's really, really important is that I need God to work in me, I cannot do nothing. Without Him. Christ even said, I have come to do the Father's will. I can only do what the Father's Will is. And I need to find out what the Father's Will is. The power of free will, is not the power to choose the living God. It is not the power to choose salvation, because salvation is a gift. The power of free will is about lifestyle choices. After and when I become a believer, and he has called me to be a believer, I did not wake up and decide to follow a holy God. He called me he chose me. And the same reflects for you, whether you're dipping in watching whatever it may be, whatever label you put on your life, God has a hand on you. Psalm 14, Psalm 91, verse 14, would come into the table in just a few moments, because he loves me says the Lord, I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name, he will call upon me, I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble. God will be with us in trouble, I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him with long life while I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Salvation is from God. It's not from the church. It's not from religion. So let's gather around the table of remembrance, let's get some bread, Wherever you are, we'll take a few moments. Let's break some bread together. So remembering this bread is symbolic, it is not what the bread or sorry, what is in the bread that brings it power, because it is just bread, it might be a wafer, it might be a crisp, it might be just an off cut a bread, it might be communion, bread, whatever it is, it is symbolic to the body of Christ. And that is the key understanding to what we are doing. So let's break bread together. So what does it mean by breaking bread, I just I just snap the bread very clearly, and just just take a small part of that. So Father, I understand that this bread is powerless in itself. But what it symbolizes is the body of Christ. And as I take this bread now, in the mighty name of Jesus, I thank you that your body Christ body was broken for me over 2000 years ago at the cross of Calvary. And I thank you for the cross of Calvary. Because the cross of Calvary and the empty cross makes me understand that I serve a risen King. But father right now, reverently, quietly, very respectfully. I break bread with my brothers, my sisters online at this moment in the world of podcasts and whenever they listen this back, Father, thank You for this bread that symbolizes the body of Christ in Jesus name, amen. This cup it's interesting, what Christ said in the garden, the Garden of Gethsemane, said, Father, if it is possible, take this cup from me. But not my will your will be done. The Bible says, my cup runneth over, we'll probably do a study, we'll probably have a look at what it means for the cup, the cup of remembrance, my cup runneth over. But right now you might have a cup, you might have a bit of rhiwbina, you might have a bit of wine, you might have a bit of grape juice, whatever it may be. It symbolizes in the blood of Christ. It is that simple. I'm not saying the blood of Christ is simple, but what I'm saying is that the symbolic process that we are looking at is this is symbolic, and it reminds me of the blood of Christ. We understand that Genesis said there is life in the blood, or then 1000s of years back and we can find redemption, there is redemption, there is forgiveness of sin in salvation, and light and laced up with justification, and salvation, and redemption. And all this big, fundamental key points to being a believer, when I understand the birth of Christ, when I understand the death of Christ, when I understand creation, when I say understand, I am talking about in its simple form, that I understand that God said let there be light and there was I understand that and as I go into the depth and into the science that runs with that, I might get a little bit lost in that because it's going a bit deeper. But that's where God reveals. So I understand creation, I understand, I understand the scriptures were written, and God used the power of humanity, because of the power of the Holy Spirit to write the holy text. I also understand that Christ came to this earth and he chose, he chose the dressing room of Mary, to present himself to this earth. So I understand the creation, I understand the fundament mental point of the birth, the death and the resurrection of Christ. I understand an outline of eschatology, the rapture of church, I understand a small amount, but I don't need to say I understand everything, because I can't understand everything, because God needs to reveal that and God will reveal that. So when we come back to this, do we quite understand it? Do we quite get it? No, some some do. We're at different layers, different levels of life, different areas. So as we take this, this is symbolic, to the blood of Christ. So Father, as I take this cup, now, I thank you, that this symbolizes the blood of Jesus, it's symbolic. So as often as you come together, do this, in my name, Christ says, So Father, as I take this cup, now, I understand that this is great juice. And Father, I thank you, that as I take this, I know that my sins are washed in the blood of Jesus, I thank you for the power of the blood of Christ. I thank you for the power of redemption. I thank you for the power of justification. I thank you for the power of salvation. I thank you for sanctification. I thank You, Father, for the doctrines of grace, the power of your word, who the sun sets free is free indeed, bless this, as I take this in Jesus name, amen. You are exactly where Christ wants you to be. You are exactly where Christ knew you would be. You are exactly who Christ made you and created you to be because Christ created us Christ made us. Christ breathed us into being into existence. Yes, I understand the power of biological processes. Yes, I understand the science. Yes, I get all that. But when you put the Scripture and you overlay scripture over science, when you take the basic principles of science, when you take the basic principles of life, and you lay scripture over the top, you suddenly start to see the spiritual gives power to the natural. So we got to understand that God created all things. I am not here just because father, a mother, I'm not here just because of parents. I'm not just here because of whatever reason, we think that we came into this world, we are here, because he knew that on that day, that hour, at that moment, your mum would give birth to you. So God knows your mom in it. Come on, I'm going to go off the peg here. I don't want to go down the rabbit hole. We can't retrieve this because at the time that we're on, God loves you. So as I so so what I'm trying to bring this to some form of a full stop, point, a moment just to breathe for a few days. So we come back to the Word of God again together as a body of Christ, dealing with fear. What is the quickest and the best way to deal with fear? Focus on Jesus. But when fear comes in, it seems to overtake everything. So there is a battle of focusing on God there is a battle of God. Lord, there's a fear for moment Lord, there's a there's a thought that I don't want to think about Lord there's a moment of trepidation. There's a moment of anxious there's a moment Father God, have a suicidal thought, though. There's a moment so I don't want to be here anymore. What's the purpose all these thoughts Father, I pray that you will take captive all these thoughts in the name of Jesus, and Father through me speaking and praying and communicating between the God of Israel, I thank you that freedom abounds in my spirit, because who the sunsets free, is free indeed. And I thank you by the blood and the power of the Word of God, I am a free person in Christ Jesus. We got to be careful that we don't try and find our identity. Now that is a very difficult subject to approach at this time of night. But there are many people who are lost in culture lost in society, lost in Church lost in religion, saying I don't know who I am. What purpose is my purpose on this earth? God knows your purpose. He loves your purpose. He has a plan for your purpose, but there are many in pockets of life, not picked up until taken out the areas where Christ wants us to be. So the question is, his fear is very powerful. lifestyle choices are very powerful. But over and above that, and no fundamental ease and higher than that is faith. Faith is greater to Lord, I ask you tonight in the close father of this quick, fine time around the gospel of Christ around the Old Testament, on this online streaming service, I pray for everybody online tonight, I pray that fear will go, I thank you for the psalmist that writes, The psalm writes, may their sleep, be sweet, I pray, Father, that heavenly hosts will be around their beds tonight in the name of Jesus, I pray that peace will be with them in their homes, if they're at home tonight, in the darkness of night, I pray, Father, that you will be their light, that you will be their strength, that you will be their word, that you are their God. So tonight, I pray for everybody's house. I pray that faith will rise in our home, faithful rise in their innermost being that peace father, God will be fell all around, I pray that you will protect our homes, protect their lives, protect their businesses, protect their marriages, protect them, if they're single, whether they're going through divorce, protect them through through hardship of divorce, if people are going through a breakdown, protect them, Lord, if anyone is in an abusive relationship, and I would say to anyone that is in an abusive relationship, you need to protect yourself. And you need to be very careful, because it is not right for any other human being, to speak bad to another human being, to raise up and to rise up. It's very, very important that you need to protect yourself. And we need the church needs to be more vocal on this, you know, I don't know why I've just said that. But I've just said that at this moment in time and I pray for anyone that is going for an abusive relationship. We we think that we are so at the peg on in the West, on on slave trade on human trafficking, but that's happening right under our noses. And I pray that if anyone is caught in, in in bad relationships, I pray that you got got you will find the way out of a bad situation. You are not meant to sit there grin and bear it and be beaten around black and blue, that's for sure. I pray for anyone that is getting, being bullied at work, being bullied in the workplace or being bullied at university at school I just prayed for any any bullies will be removed in your life in the mighty name of Jesus. Because fear, you know, the bully uses fear the aggressor uses fear he they use that he she whoever they may be, whatever they may be, whether it's a nation, or whether it's presidents, whether it's leaders, whether it's whatever situation right the way down to the family home, across the spread of siblings across the spread of life, we've got to be careful that those are not put pushing, given us fear, and trying to control. So I pray that you will find freedom in Christ. And I pray for all those that are going through real hardship at this moment. That fear will not drive you to a place of saying this is it because it's not it. God has greater things for you new beginnings. Destiny is before you. I pray that God will give you peace, God will remove all fear of living in this world of culture and society. Do not do not allow fear to control you. And do not allow fear from someone in a relationship that you may be in, try and that they are controlling you by a dictatorship, and through the pattern for depress of fear, telling you that you are nothing and you will never achieve because they are controlling you I pray whoever you are, wherever you are across the globe, God will protect you, man or woman in any abusive relational ship area of life that God will guide you and set you free. And you will see the path that God has given to you. I pray that God will strengthen you tonight, God will release you tonight from any heartache that God will remove any years removing all fear, because you are a child of the living God. And I pray that peace will abound in your spirit, that God will refresh you. And for these moments we've been in the scripture that the hand of God will just guide you into new beginnings, new paths, even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil. For you are with me your rod and your staff. They comfort me May God bless you. So Psalm 23 and a psalm 91. Bring those two together. Then if you want to go in into Joshua Joshua as well as a great book to bring into them, you know, Joshua one, Joshua two and Joshua three, you know where God commands very clearly have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous, Be strong and courageous. You've been joining me tonight, Reverend Ben Cooper here at Elim church. We thank you whether you're catching us up later in the world of podcasts, you can find us on Apple Music, you can find us on Amazon music, say it with me sisters and brothers, whoever you are I Heart Radio, Buzzsprout, Spotify, and many other multiple podcasting platforms. Just look for Reverend Ben Cooper, his podcasts and you will find us, you will find us. May God bless you and strengthen you. Thank you so much for this this service tonight. And I really thank God for all of your lives all of your lives, whether you're in the podcasting world, and I point that way, cuz that's the podcast machine. That's what saves all the data all the staff and, and sends it off to wherever it sends it off to and does what it does. And you're obviously on the other side of the lens. So not only we got a live stream service going, where this is being recorded, and this goes out a week later. So we thank God for the power of technology, however, had to grasp it, to grab hold of it. So may God bless you tonight, you can capture this stuff again and again and again. Maybe you just like audio, maybe you just like listening on Spotify, or maybe you just like listening on on the audio platforms. That's great. Maybe you like watching and just sitting and viewing on YouTube and, and Facebook and Twitter and all the other platforms that were that were pushing on, but may God bless you and strengthen you. It's been it really is a privilege. It really is a blessing to me to be able to bring God's word to whoever wherever you are. And I thank you so much. May God bless you. I'm out of here. I'm a vicar Get Me Out of Here we gone in Jesus name, Amen.