And we are in ding dong, rumor, rumor, rumor. We are in the ring.#Christian Straight Talk wherever you are today. That was a quick intro we're in. God bless you, wherever you are today. May God strengthen you and be with you. Because this is a glorious day. Because we are alive. And we all well. And the king is for you, Simon. Good morning.
Simon Pinchbeck:Good morning, Ben. Yes. Great to being in the house again. And then the Lord's house. Yeah. And # Christian straight talk is going. We're going Well, Ben,
Reverend Ben Cooper:we're doing well
Simon Pinchbeck:across the airwaves. And we're, we're in the ring. Yeah, it was we're seeing you know, how the Lord's influencing people through what we're through what we're doing. So
Reverend Ben Cooper:interesting stuff. We just keep being us. We just keep talking. We keep being open, we keep being honest. And you know, you wear your heart on your sleeve. Very interesting. What Simon is bringing to the to the mics this morning talking about the heart, the heart of of a person. I think we're in a society called DMA, where the heart has gone in it been ripped out.
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah, but and we're gonna straight talk on the heart today. But I think I think we're in a society where, where people are not, not sure where the heart is not sure what it's all about that it's all about outward, outward image rather than inward examination. And so we're going to talk about what the what the Bible says about the harp? And what, what does God say about a heart?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Like, it's enormous ly enormous in absolutely, we could spend hours and days just chatting about the heart, and in that area of that of that person, but just reflecting on what you said a moment ago, I think that what we see in the world is if you talk about your heart and your feelings in the way that you are, it's a sign of you're weak, you got to be very humanistic, you got to be very Darwinistic you got to be like trample on whoever say whatever, you got to be hard, you got to be tough, you got to be like a, like a concrete wall. When that's the opposite to the Bible, the Bible strips you back as a believer. And you become more vulnerable, not in a, in a
Simon Pinchbeck:well, interesting and interesting way to say that because you know, more and more. Society is trying to cover its backside by saying, you know, you got to talk, we got to talk, mental health issues, we
Reverend Ben Cooper:got to talk talk. But if you do, if you do talk,
Simon Pinchbeck:then you're here, so, you know, you can't when can you It's hard when in the world. And the thing is, Ben, society wants you to look really at yourself, whereas, whereas Jesus wanted you to be outward, Denee
Reverend Ben Cooper:and outward and express Express and to love your enemy, or Yeah, because there's only one way you can love an enemy, isn't there to have a heart after God
Simon Pinchbeck:to ever have to go do what does? We're going to kick off this with the Scripture, Matthew 2237 to 40. And Jesus is like, he's, he's in the center of the room. And the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And religious leaders that are trying to catch him out are trying to, as always, as always as, as, as many church leaders experience
Reverend Ben Cooper:that event, yes. Oh, yes.
Simon Pinchbeck:We try to catch you out. So it says he says then one of them, a lawyer asked him it was a lawyer, man of law, you know, intelligence on whatever is asked him a question, trying to test him again, again. And he said to him, Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law, so they were, they knew that they know it from inside out, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, whatever. And Jesus said to him, it said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, this is the first and great commandment so he's coming back straight to him and gone. You've got to love the Lord your God with all your heart. That's the what?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, it's a really interesting text because in Deuteronomy, Christ is quoting from Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses four and seven. But what's interesting is, I'll read the Deuteronomy one, and what this is what Christ is here, O Israel says the LORD thy God, the Lord is One You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart that is critical. We've all your soul and with all your strength, but then Jesus drops in another area, doesn't he? He brings mind into this as well. So that must have thrown them off their peg a bit because they was talking about the Torah that was talking about the old text and Jesus went, but also your mind, what do you mean? The Mind of Christ, your mind, your complete the four areas of humanity, your mind, your body, your soul and your heart, but to love the Lord thy God with all your heart? What else does that mean? I read a scripture earlier that said about if you really want to be my disciples, and I like, I don't actually want to say this, because this is this really hit me whacked me right? Right on the toes this morning. He says, If you really want to be my disciples, You got to leave for your mother and your father. Leave your brother, your sister, hey, everything that's going on there, and follow me.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, you got to put, you got put God first. And in a world where we have so much else that we put first in our lives,
Reverend Ben Cooper:everything, materialism, family, business, our selves, the selfish nests.
Simon Pinchbeck:You know, Jesus says quite clearly Danny and Matthew 633, which is, you know, the Sermon on the Mount, he said, you know, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and everything else will fall into place. So, you know, it's God, what his priorities in it. So if you get them all mixed up, if you you know, what you put in before God, you put in the TV before the Lord, you put it
Reverend Ben Cooper:in this family, husband or children, the lot
Simon Pinchbeck:it all he's asking is to put God to create
Reverend Ben Cooper:first first. But if you say that in a lot of area of weather in the world, if you say that, and I bet you've had these conversations, that I put God above my wife above my children, they will look at you, in such a way
Simon Pinchbeck:of life are no different. And you'll get this, I don't want to be second place to anymore. No,
Reverend Ben Cooper:and even people in your family will go. You love God more than me. If you're a husband, our wife and you have got the David Beckham's to actually say that because that takes some strength to actually say that, then it I love God more than I love you. Or what
Simon Pinchbeck:they don't realize is that by loving God, more than you, then the love thing for
Reverend Ben Cooper:them, then you and that is great as Korea, because
Simon Pinchbeck:this is what he says then straight after that he goes, he goes, and the second is like it, you should love your neighbor as yourself. Yeah. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. So loving your neighbor as yourself who you know, who is your neighbor is not just your next door neighbor. It's
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's your culture, it's wherever you are, wherever you are, wherever it lives, whatever you do, your neighbor is wherever you are, at that particular point, the person next to you.
Simon Pinchbeck:See, those are big and mighty time this huge Yeah, it's huge. You know, it's, you see,
Reverend Ben Cooper:so your neighbor will be your, your friend, or your enemy. It will either be your husband or your wife, your neighbor, is the one that you are walking with, at that moment, your work colleagues, your brother, your sister, your parent, your for your father, your mother, your your pastor, your leader, whoever you are next to that, whether enemy Friend or foe, that is your neighbor, you said
Simon Pinchbeck:someone interested in a you know your enemy, you know. And what the Bible tells us to do is pray for our enemies. Pray and there's there is a scripture that says pray for them and you'll you'll get the burning holes or go on but but it you know, and it don't mean Go bless them, Lord, you know, no, no, we don't mean that does it? It means pray for you. Pray for him. Father, bless that person. And you know something when you do that freedom. Yeah, there's freedom for you because you take away the sting out of that and you're blessing them and whether they know it or not, you know that you know every time they come into your head because you we all have that without a doubt that I mean, you said it this morning the ankle biters and the little dogs, dogs a little foxes a little washed out. Always pray for them. And you might have to pray for them. More than
Reverend Ben Cooper:that I guess the date one, but Matthew five Simon is talking about Matthew five verses 43 to 48. It says you have heard that what it says in the world. Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I tell you this, love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you. Tell you love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you.
Simon Pinchbeck:See, I don't believe we can do that with the Spirit.
Reverend Ben Cooper:You can't do that about the Holy Spirit. And you cannot do that. Until God has worked on me as an individual.
Simon Pinchbeck:So what you what you we get in many places these days, many churches these days, we get them riding in on a great big wave of social justice. Yeah, you know, yeah, we're gonna feed the poor, but we're gonna do this, we're gonna do that. What the Bible tells us, we will always have to pull it and feed it up. And it's all great. It's all great. It's done. But Jesus never came to wipe out poverty, he never came. Now he didn't, to wipe out walls, what you did. And this is important. And if we grabbed this, this is key to everything, really, when it came to change the hearts of people
Reverend Ben Cooper:can't change the heart. You can't change the heart, the hardest area of a being is the heart of man.
Simon Pinchbeck:Because that is a robbery thing comes from so view change that person's out. Everything else will fall into place. When
Reverend Ben Cooper:Imagine. Imagine what it will be like, if religion and the church at the heart after God. Imagine if a mess percentage of it did had a heart after Jesus. That scripture where date where it says David had a heart after God of heart for God, a heart after God, God's heart, what is God's heart, God's heart is to love your enemy, to pray for them to love
Simon Pinchbeck:them. So everything else should fall into place. So you'd be you'd have love for your enemy. You'd be praying for them. Yeah, you'd you'd see the poor and needy and you'd want to get stretched out and stretched out so
Reverend Ben Cooper:that from the heart not from not from the social justice to get a grant box text, that's the difference. You know, why? Why are we feeding and because Jesus makes it very clear doesn't he said, If you feed the least of these the brothers and sisters, because you didn't do that, because you didn't feed the least of my brothers and sisters. You didn't feed me so there's there's a way of feeding and looking after the lowly with a heart The heart has to be right not a social justice heart because the world is doing so for the world. The world is doing that Frank piston and all these great people that are pumping money into safe this and save that and save the dog and save the cat fund and all that sort of stuff in it. It's you
Simon Pinchbeck:see it all the time on a TV that's just more there's more. But while you're
Reverend Ben Cooper:doing it because your own profile. Now that's a big thing. Do it if you're doing it behind closed doors,
Simon Pinchbeck:don't tell anyone not to get anything back.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I mean, not to get anything back, do it when no one is watching when there was no social media pictures flying, do give, give, give, give, give.
Simon Pinchbeck:And that's
Reverend Ben Cooper:every layer isn't it given is every line not just food and water or clothing. It's giving yourself so many
Simon Pinchbeck:times do we do we do hear someone a preacher might? He might give a preacher up on tithing, you know, which is real popular is
Reverend Ben Cooper:very popular. This ministry saved the Benny Cooper fund.
Simon Pinchbeck:But all you all you may be will get because then people go Yeah, well, if you tie of this much you'll get this much back. No, no, that's not that's not doing it. The right attitude is art. It has to come from the heart. It comes from the heart and the fingers you know when the Lord will tell you to give to a will tell your heart is right.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So your heart is the is key is the first area of someone's life that need to look at so that brings me to the scripture that says about judgment. Do not look at anybody else because the plank that you caught is greater than the spec. So your heart is the heart is center. So you can be wealthy in knowledge, but have no love. You can be a clanging brass, but have no love you can prophesy to the cows give milk, but you have not love.
Simon Pinchbeck:See, your heart is enters your body without your heart. It won't, the body won't work with it, you know that the heart been beats 100,000 times a day, bang, bang, bang. And the blood in your body is pumped around your body every every four minutes. So that's our center is to you. But it's also centered to your spiritual life. Yeah, because it's the way it's your it's your complete attitude.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Because out of the heart of the overflow, the mouth speaks.
Simon Pinchbeck:I've got that down in my notes been here proverbs 23. Seven as a man thinketh in his heart. Yeah. So is he. So. So whatever character characters always teach you, it'll always come out. When
Reverend Ben Cooper:it shows on your heart. The eyes are the window to your soul, as the scripture says. And also, that is referring to what is in you will come out the way you deal with people through attitude, the way you speak to people the way you greet people, the way you embrace people
Simon Pinchbeck:in times of adversity in times of pressure. In time, you'll see
Reverend Ben Cooper:their true, then, you'll see you'll see the real character, the heart that man speaks, it's alright having all the dress rehearsals and having all the showmanship, but when your back is against a wall and you are being drilled and beaten, and whipped. Can you say what Jesus said on the cross the Calvary, Father, forgive them for they know know what they do? There's a line
Simon Pinchbeck:and you've taken me off on a different track. They're just thinking about that. You know, you had the two thieves on across two thieves, one with a very hard heart, and the other one just turned to him and goes, Jesus, Jesus, memory me the day in paradise.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Remember me when you come today in Paradise, and Jesus said, You're right son you're in because you saw his heart, he saw his art, he saw his art and the other one, the other one just went to hell gone because of his because of his heart. So a true heart is only seen in adversity. A true heart is only seen when persecution comes a true heart is only seen of a character. And that will either be a selfish heart, a Darwinistic heart or a humanistic heart. Because human is for the human. Well, it's himself
Simon Pinchbeck:is a seat of all our emotions. It's just showing characters. And the Bible says, The fool have said in his heart, there is no God. So, you know, it goes
Reverend Ben Cooper:to the heart out of the heart, the mouth speaks,
Simon Pinchbeck:Jesus says is out of the hearts in it. Jesus says out
Reverend Ben Cooper:of the heart, so whatever I feed myself will come out. And it will come out, not in church time. It will not come out when I'm with my brothers and sisters, and we're all singing Hallelujah Jesus come by our we love Jesus, it will come out. When I'm in the arena of life, will I follow the crowd? Or will I stand up and be counted for Jesus? So there's too many ways to look at that. Have I got a heart after God? Or is my heart after what the world The Bible also says the Bible again,
Simon Pinchbeck:basic instructions before leaving Earth, you know, the Bible says the Bible says done it. That where your treasure is, so is where your heart is done
Reverend Ben Cooper:it where your stocks and shares are, where your investments are,
Simon Pinchbeck:where your material where you were 64
Reverend Ben Cooper:is hanging on the wall team
Simon Pinchbeck:is you know, that's where your heart. That's
Reverend Ben Cooper:where you see the center, the core of a person. But what does Jesus say and what does the disciples do in the early church, sold everything and became what servants? Well, that's pastors, pastors and leaders, and people in a position of leadership. We are not in these positions to be served. We are to serve behind closed doors. No one sees nameless, nameless, nameless and faceless.
Simon Pinchbeck:So I'm gonna ask you to take them big
Reverend Ben Cooper:Sunday on Knightstown. Take them we haven't got lines at the front of the church. I've got a statue of me. I must take that download. Jesus wants you pointing the finger and I want your time. So I mean, so the heart is critical and I think
Simon Pinchbeck:I think it's right to ask anyone who's listened to this that their day. You know, use your heart Robin Here's my heart right in your heart right with God, because the Bible tells us
Reverend Ben Cooper:talking about the Bible makes me look up myself because
Simon Pinchbeck:it says Our hearts are sinful from the from the days of Adam,
Reverend Ben Cooper:imagine sharing that on Sunday morning from certain pulpits, you are a sinner. Now I'm not.
Simon Pinchbeck:But Proverbs. Proverbs, I think is six it Moeller saying, I think he says that from the heart. The fantasies come out, then,
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah, everything, everything spray and everything springs from the heart. I had a
Simon Pinchbeck:lovely young lady over there, you know, over some desert, fantasy comes out and lust is coming everything
Reverend Ben Cooper:thinking, addictions, thoughts, everything is from the wellspring of life. Coming back, just just a pedal back a little bit. One Corinthians 13 says, If I speak a man of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal, if I can have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but have faith that can move mountains, but have not love I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor, and give my body to the hardship so that I can boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. So without love, everything in the religious corners, everything in that area is dead. Is no social justice, nothing is nothing, I can do all that stuff to look good. Because I want to both through the hardships so that I may boast so then it's making the church look good. The ministry look good. But what why are you doing it?
Simon Pinchbeck:You just opened something up there, which is the motive over the heart isn't was? What is the motive?
Reverend Ben Cooper:What is the motive? Why are we doing what we do?
Simon Pinchbeck:Where's the signpost pointing? Is it pointing
Reverend Ben Cooper:is pointing to the office? Or is it pointing to Jesus as he pointed Jesus? Where's the where? Where is the satnav point in? Where is the satnav point in? Because the heart you know that one Corinthians 13. You know, there's so many ways we can look at that. But it clearly says that you can have faith that can move mountains, you can prophesy until then cows make flippin cheese, or whatever they're going to do. You can do everything, everything that looks like church, and smells like church. But if you do not have love, it's going to be burnt up and it's been burnt out when it's gone.
Simon Pinchbeck:That's it's really powerful, you know?
Reverend Ben Cooper:So look at that, that one one line, I'm going to first three of one Corinthians 13. If I give all I possess to the poor. Now we're entering into a famine period. So the church will be on the social justice, Banner, pushing, pushing, pushing, pushing, and it should do but where is it coming from? If I give all I possess to the poor, and give my body to the hardship that I may boast, the ministry may boast me may boast but do not have love. I gained nothing. So what is the purpose?
Simon Pinchbeck:What is the purpose been in a motor vehicle? Matthew 15 says their lips on me but the hearts are far from me
Reverend Ben Cooper:or their lips honor. But their hearts are far from my isn't this interesting. It's got nothing to do with sin is to do with following with your following where it says even when you follow God with your heart, through the power of the Holy Spirit and through the power of redemption. And the scowl has been lifted off. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory that what we're talking about is not living a sinful life because that's impossible, but it's having a heart that is so hungry and so thirsty and it is almost screaming out God help me god help me give me a heart that is for you. A loving heart helped me to love my enemies.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, we will come on to a lot of that stuff. And Jeremiah 2911 Lots of people know that you know, you know I know the plans I have for you. But Jeremiah 2913 says you are what does it say? It says you will find me if you seek me with all your heart.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So the preacher
Simon Pinchbeck:say you'll find me if you see we've all your mind. Now your thoughts or your body, your heart. Because the heart
Reverend Ben Cooper:is has nothing to do with finances. The heart has nothing to do with your academic stretch. So God stripped everything out. So he opens this up for every human being, whether intact intelligent or not, whether wealthy or not, because of the heart RT is the common thing that we all have. If you follow me, I declare the plans
Simon Pinchbeck:now, I know a lot of a lot of people I won't say disregard but don't really give the Old Testament too much now. Because so though is suddenly you're a new creation in Christ, no cover a new covenant. But God's the same yesterday, today and forever. Yeah. And if we look at what's something in the Old Testament that talks about a heart act, talk in Jeremiah 79. The Bible says this, he says, the heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick. It says, Who can understand it. And that is the truth because a heart, man without the Holy Spirit, your heart will take you all over the place your heart or
Reverend Ben Cooper:you will be in every place, all over the place, Bob, but even with Christ, the flesh can influence the heart. The flesh can influence flesh can influence the physical heart, the flesh can control the heart, so with emotions and feelings, but the Bible says the just shall live by faith. Do you think,
Simon Pinchbeck:Ben that what you've just said that the flesh influences the heart which it does you know without a shadow without the Holy Spirit? Well, we can we're in trouble. Do you think then that's why Jesus says you got to pick up your cross daily follow me because it's a daily thing. And it really is a minute by minute thing you know, it's
Reverend Ben Cooper:a Millis, it's every breath, I think every breath every breath is a repentance breath. That's almost a crazy thing to say. But every breath and every word is almost Father, forgive me for I have sinned and fallen short of your glory. A wretched man Amaya, because the society and what we have to remember is the old Simon have mentioned St. Very important about the Old Testament. The Old Testament is a very big indicator to see where we sit today. Because it's it says in the days of Noah, so will it be in the end. So the Old Testament is as relevant as the No the no of the old, they go seamlessly together and quote, and again, Deuteronomy six verses four and seven. And Jesus quotes that as well when he says, You shall love the Lord thy God. So if Jesus quotes the Old Testament, the church should be quote in the news in the Old Testament, so totally, Jesus refers back to the old he goes back to the, because he used the word. So all of the word is the word from the beginning of Genesis, to Revelations we should be referencing, and bring in the scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, there should be no separation at all, and it speaks about the heart, love the Lord thy God with all your heart.
Simon Pinchbeck:You see, when you come to faith in Jesus Christ when you confess your sin, when we confess our sin when we repent. Then the father says, Jesus says, I don't want your old heart nanny. So I've been renewed. I'm gonna give you a no heart. Yeah. And a great testament in in great scripture in the Old Testament, is equal. 3626 says, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you now, please don't ever disregard that stuff. You can't Can you
Reverend Ben Cooper:can't separate the old and new they will give you a new heart. I'm gonna give you a new high and
Simon Pinchbeck:I experienced that personally, I'm sure Ben you can testify to that that my in my old ways my heart was as hard as rock. Yeah. But coming to faith in Jesus Christ, that old heart got broken and a new arm was given me so we look at things differently then don't we
Reverend Ben Cooper:we look at things differently. We we not that we analyze because analyzing is from the mind and the thinking and the processing of life. But when you look from the heart, you see things very differently. It's not because you're an emotional wreck is because you are a loving and when you are a loving person from the love of God you are a when I say strong, not you got to be careful you label and put this not because you are strong because of you but because of the love of God that is on you and God's love that has set you free and the because of the blood it makes you stronger in the love that the world can look at and go well they're quite an emotional person. So they're probably weak it's got nothing to do with weak because To show your emotions to the world is a strength. There's a difference. So
Simon Pinchbeck:really we have to as as people that have embraced Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and follow, we've got to be constantly looking constantly
Reverend Ben Cooper:looking at cell hearts. Because the Bible says Love your enemies. So to love your enemy, and to pray for those that persecute you that are bringing the sledgehammer on you, and texting you, and calling you, and how many people have we got in our lives that say, Well, this is my opinion about and this is what I think, and to take them arrows day after day hour, if you're in a workplace issue as well, and you got bullying going on, without using the terminology, bullying, but just because of their attitude to the world attitude to you, as a believer can be really difficult. It's an enduring thing to be a believer, but we do not disregard those that are coming against us. We've got to embrace those. We've got
Simon Pinchbeck:to embrace them. Ben, you're right. And so that is a strength. That's tough. And when it says, when it is said in that first thing, you know, Love the Lord your God as the first commandment. Yeah. And then love your neighbor, Ben. But he didn't say as, as God loves them, did it it says Love your neighbor as yourself. So the question out there is do we love ourselves now? That's a huge one. Because what we then need to be doing on a daily basis is checking our hearts and see where that comes from. Lots
Reverend Ben Cooper:of people love themselves because they're big in themselves up from the outside, outside, we
Simon Pinchbeck:need to what you're saying it's been we need to be looking at our hearts, and looking at the motive in our hearts, the inner me because believe me, when you learn in our loving Father looks at our hearts, you know, it says in Proverbs 21, two he says God ponders the heart. So God looks and studies. God, he says, it says here Benny says, God weighs the heart. Why is it a god weighs it? Against what against the 10 commandments against His scripture against?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Is it light and fluffy? Is it church? Is it religious? Is from the Sermon on the Mount? Are you or is it he lost
Simon Pinchbeck:your way? Is it against what Jesus was saying and what Jesus is and how we follow in Jesus, it's, it's
Reverend Ben Cooper:say it's easy to do the lip service, and it's easy to share it Sunday after Sunday, you can preach it, you can share it, you cannot tolerate it. You can be a Pharisee and a sad you see, but to actually to deliver it. Actually to walk in this Christian, walk in disciples footsteps, and you know what I mean? To walk in the footsteps of Christ or walk? And to be a believer? is easy to give the chat. It's easy to go. I'll pray for you, brother. I'll pray for your sister. Yeah, yeah, yeah, God, it's easy to say all this stuff is easy to quote the Scripture. The devil knows the devil has got an office in the church. He knows the word shadow. Yeah, we've had shadow but to live it.
Simon Pinchbeck:Now. I want to ask you a question. I'm not online. I want to ask you a question on the broadcast. Do you think that that do you think that God prepares our heart food experiences we have in life?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, I think every second, every heartbeat is training ground. That is equipping us for what lies ahead. So our heart goes through war zones, our heart goes through analyzing our heart goes through stretching, because the heart do I have a heart after God? It's not that God doesn't know. It's but it's, it's making us more alert of him. It's quite difficult question to answer.
Simon Pinchbeck:I think, you know, through this, we have to realize that we can't just Bumble known wander away through life, we have to take stock and examine in a stock in the stock of of our own hearts, you know, and take Yeah, like you said, every, every experience, you know, because that phrase comes to mind that if you want to change something, you know, you can't keep doing the same thing. This is definition of madness. And so we have to look in our own hearts at the motive that we're doing stuff for. Think Why did I do that? Why am I gonna do that and if the motive is self, if the motive is pointed, if it's not pointed to Jesus Then we have to question it surely, you know, it says Bennett, enact 1614 I'll put a scripture down it says, The Lord opens the heart. Oh, and the enlightens it through the Holy Spirit.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So through repentance, justification and salvation, yeah, what you have as your heart is being opened by the greatest physician in the world, not by someone in Harley Street and not by someone watching and working in the NHS, a great cardiologist, but you are working on the one that made your heart that knows your heart before you the psalmist says before you spoken a word, he knows every word from your first breath to your last breath. He knows every photo, he knows that my heart, but when He created me into the physical existence of me to walk this earth, then he opens our heart. Slowly but surely.
Simon Pinchbeck:So the father, right, the father invites us into relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. And the looks continually at our hearts, not the outward motion, not the outward person not that the great ministry is not the stadiums being filled, and not the social justice, not the altar calls that we've given out. And not like you quite beautifully put it this earth. So he doesn't look at EFC looks at the heart. And here's the deal, I think, do you think when the father looks at our heart, and says, What do you think of my Son Jesus? What do you think of my son? What do you think of my the sound that I gave to you to save this world to save you? What do you think of him?
Reverend Ben Cooper:The actions of a person dictates to what the heart thinks about Jesus. Because if you are and you've got a heart after Christ, you will not come away from the teachings of Jesus Christ. If you come away from the biblical teachings of Jesus Christ, you have no regard for Jesus because your way and your flesh is the right way.
Simon Pinchbeck:Because Jesus said at the heart flow, malice, adultery, fornication,
Reverend Ben Cooper:sex, drugs, and rock and roll the whole, the whole find out how meter reach of every everything comes from the inner.
Simon Pinchbeck:But if you embrace Jesus, then the Holy Spirit gives us
Reverend Ben Cooper:joy, love, peace, the gifts, the fruits of the Spirit.
Simon Pinchbeck:So really, what we got to look at is the fruit of our lives.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So how do I so how do I stack up against that? How do we stack up? How do I treat people? How do I embrace people? Not for those that love me, but how do I treat those that disregard me on want to see me popped off the earth? The enemies, the atheists, because they're the ones that we're going to be not. It's easy Jesus, it's easy to love your brother and your sister. The ones that are for you, the ones that cook your dinner, it's easy to love them, but open your door. Go and love the unlovable going with that Agha pay love Go and stretch out to that person that is treading you and literally wants to stab you in going love soul. Got one love your soul going CZ to love Jonathan your mate. David and Jonathan they love each other as brothers. It's easy. Because your kin and you know and you think the same? Because you are after Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:Because we know what the flesh wants, don't we? Yeah, I use an understanding of what blushes and what the Spirit is. Yeah, the world. Here's the thing you know, you said it. You say you put it so lovely. You say that they serve so they serve suit will not last forever.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Now it's on it's on its way. But your heart will last forever. Your
Simon Pinchbeck:heart will last me in a year. Me the spirit will
Reverend Ben Cooper:never gonna last forever in heaven are on going to hell. Heaven and hell. That's grim. That's where you'll find me one or the two places, one or the two places that my body will burn and die and my body is going to go to the dust of the earth. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust I will return this flesh will return to where it came from.
Simon Pinchbeck:But if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, where you have embraced Jesus, then you have a new heart. God says he doesn't want the old heart. The old hearts no good to him. He's given you a new heart. How are you looking after that? No heart. Are you looking after it? With with all the The stuff that Jesus tells us about so are you looking after it with the Holy Spirit? Are you examining it? Are you still embracing stuff of the flesh? We all do on a daily basis, I'm sure, yeah, there's, you know, are we watching too much TV, the our God put my hands up sometimes I do watch sometimes
Reverend Ben Cooper:because we are on a journey, we are on a journey as human beings and we was created as a human race, and Christ became flesh. So what we got to remember is, is our heart all the time that we are walking this earth, we are being renewed all the time, that is the power of repentance. So God is always redeeming us, and covering us and washing us in the blood. So
Simon Pinchbeck:there's a there's a thing, the blood, the blood, the blood has come, there's lights on it, there's blood in the blood.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So my whole journey from birth to death, this whole journey on life is about my heart condition. But it is always been renewed and refreshed. So my entire life. And let's take it as a believer, I'm always going to be in the position or the posture of repentance. So we
Simon Pinchbeck:have a father. More than second chances don't
Reverend Ben Cooper:weigh more than count of nine lives.
Simon Pinchbeck:This ever fall for you on a daily basis.
Reverend Ben Cooper:How many times shall I forgive seven for forgiveness over?
Simon Pinchbeck:Grace, mercy, unconditional love. And one of the biggest ones is patience patient with us in the unbelievable. Our patient is he reversed because we've won one breath, we've won snot of his nostrils, we could disappear.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He just got a sneeze and it wiped the Earth. Gone. So then it comes to as well. This is how big his heart is. He gives the gifts without repentance. The heart
Simon Pinchbeck:the Father gives the gifts of repentance. Yeah, that's it that's in the world. And so
Reverend Ben Cooper:there's there's so much to get of the love of the Father. So when the scripture says David had a heart after God, what actually does that mean? So let's read quickly, because time one Corinthians chapter 13, verse four, is this the church that we are speaking about? Love is patient. Love is kind, it does not envy. It does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others it is not self seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth always protects, always trusts always hopes, always perseveres, verse eight, love never fails. Speaking about Christ is speaking about God, the love of God. Love is patient. Love is kind, it does not envy, look at ministries, look at leaders look at the world to find out where I sit as a leader. Where do I drop into one Corinthians chapter 13? Where do I fit? Where
Simon Pinchbeck:do you fit? And so Ben, we can't ignore the Old Testament because Jeremiah 17 Nine says The heart is deceitful. It is deceitful above all things, you know. Hebrews three says we have unbelieving hearts Ephesians four says we have the the enemies blinded the hearts. Blind swords.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So the heart is the center point where the heart is me the heart is me. It's your character. That's my character. That's my reference point that that is me
Simon Pinchbeck:you know I'm thinking when just think just dropped into my was was it you know that was that film the yellow brick road and oh, you talking about? Wizard of Oz Wizard of Oz. So there was a line without a heart one in there. The love
Reverend Ben Cooper:of it. Yeah. That was at the Tin Man of one. I don't know. But one of the Christmases come and watch it didn't have no didn't have a hard enough courage. It didn't have courage trim. Yeah.
Simon Pinchbeck:So the heart is the center of everything is it's your heart to love the Lord your God with all your heart. Complicated does
Reverend Ben Cooper:he because when I love the Lord thy God with all my heart, my focus is taken off of me. It is taken off of the world. And I think we could just bring into a bit of a kick touch point is Hebrews chapter 12 verse to keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfect because when I keep my eyes on him, I keep my heart loving and seeking Him. I lose the arrogance. I lose the the attitude I lose the unforgiveness So I lose all this these worldly, humanistic ways. When I love the Lord thy God with all my heart,
Simon Pinchbeck:very powerful Ben and you know you you've said it you know you we are in a state of repentance, you know, we have to prepare, always I would just say if you're listening out there just look at your heart a couple of motives. Are you is your heart right with God? Or is it do you need more forgiveness? Do you need more repentance? Do you need it? Get it right I say get it right with God get it
Reverend Ben Cooper:right. You know what I woke up this morning. And as soon as my eyes will wake in earliest morning, my my lips and my heart was going farther. Forgive me for us. I've only just woke up. I swung the legs out the bed. I'm in this position of saying
Simon Pinchbeck:what were you dreaming?
Reverend Ben Cooper:That God knows me. But you know what I mean? So the word repentance cleans out the heart. It sweeps through it gets rid serum yeast. It gets rid of everything people probably ring up wake up sorry. And and sing Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. I'll wake up as soon as I wake up and go Father, forgive me for help me, Jesus. I believe me, I'm not even opening. I just, I just need God more than he think. I just need him more than anything. I just, I just need my heart renewed and washed through and swept through. He's got a sweep from my heart. He's got to sweep through it. He's gonna come Please just wait for my life to wait for my hearts. Wait for my focus. Wait through me. I can't stand I can't stay me
Simon Pinchbeck:see that. You know, we've read so many scriptures and there's so many more to read. But they all tell us that God knows the heart. It looks at the heart. Yeah. Jesus knew the heart had come to change the hearts of men. So if he knows it, what he wants us to be is what you are and what you were this morning. And he's totally honest with him. He wants you to be totally honest before you've even got swung the legs ran the sign on you know, I'm not worthy to receive you. Know, I shall be healed father, you know
Reverend Ben Cooper:about the Prophet. Send me but I'll come from unclean lips. Simply lips I come from an unclean culture. I come from unclean lips. My thinking is bad. My
Simon Pinchbeck:partner so Isaiah and yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:But the power of being open to Jesus and to God from your innermost being. That's the breakthrough point.
Simon Pinchbeck:Look at you look at stuff, decisions we make choices we make on a daily basis. What Where's that coming from? has to come from the whole
Reverend Ben Cooper:very scary, like life and life in the decisions and lifestyle choices are very scary, because what is the motive
Simon Pinchbeck:and the soda thing is been? You know, we've all of this stuff. All of our all of the great scripture in the Bible. He can't stay in the head. He's got to drop to the heart. So what's that? I don't know, about 12 inches in drops? Yeah. It's got a drop from head to the heart. And we got to follow the heart. So if we have a decision to make, and someone goes, Do you follow your head? Or do you follow your heart? Yeah. should really follow the heart because that's where the Lord God drops things into our heart. And
Reverend Ben Cooper:and when you follow your heart, it goes against your educational stretch, it goes against your cause your head thinks, logistically, and logically your head thinks through philosophies, your head thinks through reasoning. When you go with your heart. You are going by faith, you are going blind.
Simon Pinchbeck:You've gone by Yeah, you are. And that's what God wants you to lean on him, Danny, because when
Reverend Ben Cooper:you go with your head, like you said, You've got information, information is dangerous. It's dangerous, because you can be so informed, but lost.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, it's interesting you say it in our but over the last year, I've had several choices that I could have made, which which would be profitable, you know, things to do with crypto currency, things to do with with houses that are under the table, but you have come to me, I'm on I'm on. We've talked about and we've you you said the Lord don't operate anything under the table. And it's the trope. He doesn't operate under the table. So with your head, you think that looks
Reverend Ben Cooper:a backhander likes a little funny, quite profitable, and it's good Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:But your heart knows your heart knows
Reverend Ben Cooper:you're fighting yes
Simon Pinchbeck:like yourself, you and your fight and one off that one off of the old way, the old art and the new arts going away, but But look what I could look at what I could have, and Jesus got now just stay with me stay with me. And then it gets someone as a saint like yourself
Reverend Ben Cooper:or Donna, a sinner like me a sinner lies and says to
Simon Pinchbeck:say, God don't do anything under the table. And he don't only he has to be in the upper light. So at some point, that choice you make, you have to come before God and go, it's on the table, it's on the table for
Reverend Ben Cooper:it says, I know it's on the table, wherever it's always been on the table. Or repent, repent, I'm sorry. And then suddenly, it goes beyond under the table, it goes to a place that cannot be retrieved is gone, it's written off. But all the time it's under the earthly table. Anyone can pull it out on you. And the devil is great at pulling out of your, your history from under the table. He's good at pulling cupboards open and opening doors go look what you've got in his closet. I'm coming out the closet. Or actually, I'll bet Be careful you say that this day. And look what he pulls out the closet
Simon Pinchbeck:I had even yesterday I had someone contact me out of blue. I need a couple of quid urgently. And if you give it to me, I'll make sure you more or less get double, you know. And the right thing to do. It's not the right thing to do is not the right way to go. I couldn't you know, I just had to say I'm sorry. You know that I'm
Reverend Ben Cooper:sorry. passed by and I can't. I'm sorry.
Simon Pinchbeck:No, sorry. I can't give you that. So
Reverend Ben Cooper:that fat one isn't an interest isn't it? So I'm it's all day long is coming? Low days, it's in your face all day. The devil is always put work at your devil worked under the table is if it's
Simon Pinchbeck:under the table ain't on the table. So if it sounds at the table, it's not
Reverend Ben Cooper:her where's my heart under the table? Or on the table? Is it for Jesus
Simon Pinchbeck:is operating within the new heart that you've been given? Are you still going back to the old heart. And another
Reverend Ben Cooper:thing is when you speak from your heart, and you say I'm sorry, or you repentance and you speak out, and you're not frightened about speaking out about your past, no one can have anything on you know, because when you're open and raw before the world, they can't cope with it. Because you've not exposed yourself. You're being open and honest.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's really interesting, Ben, because, you know, I've had something recently where I've had a run in with somebody and I've been praying for them. And that it's it's gone off my heart. Jen has gone it's gone.
Reverend Ben Cooper:They're gone, that the cloud of heaviness is gone. Yeah, it's dry cloud but praying for him. Bless him, Lord. That's what we're saying. Pray for those that want to hurt you. And look what it says in in in the Corinthian letter. Love keeps no record of wrongs. That think about relationships for a moment. Love keeps no records of wrongs. God's love God's judgment as judged it is now added to the cross. And it is a raised it but the world always wants to bring your under the table stuff out.
Simon Pinchbeck:It wants to bring your past out. So so you can never you
Reverend Ben Cooper:can never run from your past. No, someone's always gonna pull something awesome. Yeah. But the most important thing is it's now to the cross. It was taken to the cross. I think that's it was a raised at the cross.
Simon Pinchbeck:That's a great point. That's a great point in that scripture. Love keeps no records of wrongs.
Reverend Ben Cooper:That's God. So the most important thing is Let the world say what they want to say, let everybody bark at you. But the most important thing of all creation is that God said Ben, all M wrongs, all M sins, all them under the table deals. Everything has been now to the cross. Before you actually lived it. It has gone because I chose you Ephesians chapter one. I chose you before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in my site. I predestined you to be a son,
Simon Pinchbeck:and to backup, Ben, if we could just leave listeners with one image. I think it would be the image of the prodigal son running home to the Father
Reverend Ben Cooper:coresuite me out hit you right in the heart and
Simon Pinchbeck:yeah, in particle son running arm to the Father and we're all writing all the wrongs,
Reverend Ben Cooper:we've all we've all done it, we're all still going to do it all the time. I'm breathing all the time I'm living on this earth, I'm going to sin, I'm going to make mistakes. Love keeps no record of but Jesus, God, the cross of Calvary is the place where the wrongs are raised. The wrongs are evaporated, they are gone like that. And this is beyond human understanding. Jesus doesn't cry, God doesn't bring the past up. It has gone it has gone from eternity and from the future and from the it is gone. God never brings anything up the world does the devil does your family does your wife your husband? Does your kids do your business does your love family do?
Simon Pinchbeck:You got to love that Psalm and you've been as far as east is from the west. That's bad. She's taken our bounce questions all night from she's gone. And I think this is a message for a some message for everyone. This this morning the law has dropped this into our hearts and hearts. On I think big time the Lord is calling and prodigals home use calling them home is calling is calling. Everyone who's sitting in guilt is sitting on forgiveness of sitting in in the miry stuff for life. He's saying Get up. It's time to come home. No wonder Come on.
Reverend Ben Cooper:That's right. Give me a Heart in hallelujah.
Simon Pinchbeck:Ben he don't want anything else but we can't give him anything but I'll try and get under the table. We've got a we've got to give him arts bring your heart so he wants love the Lord your God with all your heart. Give Him your heart. Give Him your heart. Let him Let him just take it and use your load beside that to die. Yeah, and if you listen to this out there just give the father your heart that's all he wants. You know works no nothing. You ain't gonna get into heaven for your good deeds or your charity.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Your history if you pray change your ministries
Simon Pinchbeck:you preach now you're gonna get in your heart, it'd be burn
Reverend Ben Cooper:up. Your works will be burnt up and gone. Just content nothing has come to nothing all that time. is meaningless.
Simon Pinchbeck:Matthew, Matthew 15. Bang have that. They they honor me with our lips, but our hearts are far away from me. Matthew 722 says, I'm done. Matthew 722 says, but we did this for you for the low do we did that. But Lord, I've
Reverend Ben Cooper:done this. I built a tower. Lord, I built a ministry or ministry or I helped you I fed this. I fed that I Yeah, you've got it. You're all about AI.
Simon Pinchbeck:And you can't come in here with your eye
Reverend Ben Cooper:with your eye issue.
Simon Pinchbeck:Hallelujah. God come in a wave. You're right, bro. Listen to that from Ben. That was awesome. Awesome.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We've reached that we've reached it. There's no way of like, finishing this is
Simon Pinchbeck:it? No, often we just we just so keep it open. Watch your hearts.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, it's been a great morning, being open. And you know what? There's more to it. There's more to this subject. And never be frightened about speaking about about yourself. Because when you speak out about your feelings when you speak out about the way you feel when you speak out about how life looks to you. It exposes the work of the devil it because no no one can have nothing on you. But when you hold yourself in and people bring things out about you. That's that's when you start talking about yourself. Let the world hear let the world hear your heart.
Simon Pinchbeck:Put your heart on the table.
Reverend Ben Cooper:You're free. You're free in the name of Jesus. God bless. Amen.