Good morning podcasters . May God bless you Wherever you are . You're joining Simon and myself hashtag Christian Straight Talk as we gather across the mics this morning , as we record this podcast , as it pushes out across this earth . May God bless you and strengthen you . You know , as we always say , this is a great day because God is with us . And wherever you are , whether you're on the social network of Twitter or whether you're capturing this a week down the line or you're on YouTube with us , God bless every one of you . Never give up , Simon . We're back . We're back , mate . It's great to be back , Ben .
Speaker 2Yes , Across the mics . It's great , ben . You're right . Ben , you know , never give up . And really , when we started this Christian hashtag , christian Straight Talk , we're all about encouragement , mate , 100% all the way through we want to be encouraging anyone who's out there who's listening to this . You know it's troubled times in the world , isn't it Ben ? Yeah , you know I was talking to . I tell you who I met this morning . I met , I'm going to say , little Richard , but you know Richard the carpenter , oh Richard , richard the carpenter .
Speaker 2Richard the carpenter . Oh , richard the carpenter , richard the carpenter , you know , and you know he's a believer , isn't he ? Oh , definitely , yeah . And he's got a big smile on his face and he said oh , you know , simon , I really need the Lord right now because it's then times , isn't it ?
Speaker 1It's then times .
Speaker 2Yeah , he said we got to the stage where I don't believe anything that I see on the news or reading the paper . You know , I just believe in Jesus . Wow , and he's got a big smile on his face and he's got his cup in his hand .
Speaker 1I believe in Jesus . Yeah , yeah , Isn't that lovely to hear that there are people out there that go . I just believe in Jesus .
Speaker 2And that's all he ever asked us to believe , isn't it ? Just believe , Ben . So we're all about encouragement . We're all about really , wherever you are , we want to encourage you . And Ben's right , you know never give up . You've got the greatest motivational tool behind you the world's ever seen . You've got Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit . So really never never give up .
Speaker 1Never give up . There's always a way forward . And Simon said , as we , you know , just pushing out and just dipping our toe into other things , as we just trying to hear loud and clear what God is leading us to . Do you know , as men , as fathers and whoever we are , you know . And do you know another thing , simon , you said something the other week I think is important . Someone said to me yesterday , coming off the back end of a conversation we had , what type of leader are you ? And I didn't answer it in the way that I would have answered before . Do you know what I said ? I'm just a servant , I just serve because that's all I can do , because if I say I'm a pastor , I'm a reverend , I'm this , I'm that , I'm a hospice chaplain , I'm A , b , c and D . I think we limit ourselves .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , no , you're exactly right .
Speaker 1I'm a servant .
Speaker 2Well , we put ourselves in a box , don't we ?
Speaker 1We do , we put ourselves in a box .
Speaker 2And we are . We're a servant of the Lord , we're a civilian of the kingdom , oh my gosh and we just want to follow Jesus and hopefully advance the kingdom in some small way or make the world a better place , or wherever , in your environment . In your environment and just like Richard said , and you said I follow Jesus .
Speaker 1I'm not . Yeah , you might label me with a certain few things in church , but actually I'm a slave to righteousness . I'm a sinner saved by grace . I'm washed in the blood of Jesus . We serve a God of hope the . God of Israel . There's hope isn't there because God is hope .
Speaker 2God is hope , I mean you like a few designer labels as well ? Oh , I love it , of course I do . But . And you like a few designer labels as well ? Oh , I love it , of course I do .
Speaker 1But that's my weakness , and Jesus loves me in my weakness .
Speaker 2He loves me . I'm only joking , but getting back to , like you know , richard , he's out there , he's on the tools and he's just his face was just beaming this morning .
Speaker 1I just want to follow Jesus . Yeah , that is the biggest , powerfulest wording anyone could ever say in it I'm just following Jesus . Well , you're not just following Jesus .
Speaker 2I said to him . I said to him are you going to see Ben this morning ? He said no . He said , but tell him , you know , if he's got that few quid he owes me to you know just by the way , I don't owe him anything .
Speaker 1He's up to date with everything . It's alright , don't take that note he's up to date with Richard .
Speaker 1Yeah , I've given him four IOUs . I'm up to date with the IOUs . You know , this is what I love . You know about raw talking . Raw speaking , not in church language , not in a puffed up language where you're trying to be politically correct because we can't be . And when we're talking about leaders , it's interesting , isn't it ? The leaders of this nation at this moment ? Where actually are they ? It's the same . Got to be careful . It's like I suppose Elon Musk is watching us in the front room this morning , because now he owns Twitter , so we're in his front room . Good morning , elon .
Speaker 2But I think , think more importantly , and we've said it all the way where are the church leaders ?
Speaker 1where are the church leaders ? We know where the world leaders are they're hugging a tree or they're doing something like that but where are the spiritual ? I think what we need is old testament leaders , joshua's and caleb's that go do you know what we're ? Is Old Testament leaders Joshua's and Caleb's that go , do you know what ? We're going to rise above the parapet of all this , and we know that there is a bad report , but our God is able . We can do this , because our God has already promised .
Speaker 2Do you know what , ben ? You're exactly right , and wouldn't that be refreshing if we had that . I mean , I've been led to watch quite a lot of Billy Graham's sermons or talks , if you like , when he's doing these crusades wherever he is , and back in then , I mean , we're talking about the 1980s really when , I was watching him .
Speaker 2He was on the podium a long time before that as well , but he was saying where are the churches ? A long time before that as well , but he was saying where are the church leaders ? He was saying that then when are the church leaders
? And we said something this morning , ben , in the preamble to this is that the message is just simple .
Speaker 1It's so simple , it's so , yeah , but it's so powerful .
Speaker 1Yeah , it is simple , but it's so powerful . Yeah , it is simple but it's powerful , and sometimes you can get lost in the simpleness of it that you try and create something over and around it to make it more real . Because the simple side of it , because Jesus just said didn't he just believe ? Hang on a minute , lord . If Jesus said just believe , but the church has put all this strapped , all this stuff around it . When , if Jesus said just believe , but the church has put all this strapped , all this stuff around it . When , actually , if you take all the , if you unpack it and peel it like an onion and go right the way back , it comes back to just believe .
Speaker 2Well , that's what religion's about , isn't it ? So , religion is about control and manipulation , whereas Jesus is just about a relationship freedom and forgiveness , really . Acceptance .
Speaker 1And acceptance . And then with the Ten Commandments that we're looking at . If I follow them Ten Commandments and as we've been just skimming over it , we thought that we was going to crack it all out in one hit . But when you look at it and you realise even over these period of time we're doing , you could go backwards and forwards . If I , as a believer , just believe and follow them Ten Commandments and then if that is mirrored by every other believer , the world will look be so different , as in the church . Do you know what ?
Speaker 2You are right , as you normally are but what ? You said there , ben , is that the Ten Commandments are a mirror . They're a mirror to ourselves , but they're also a mirror to other people . So if people look at us and see that we are , you know , in the flesh no one can keep these ten commandments no , you can't it's absolutely impossible . And the bible tells us , and we've said it before in scripture , that we we break one , we break them all . Do you know so done ?
Speaker 2there ain't no one there's only one person that has ever walked the earth who's kept all of these ?
Speaker 1that's right . Yeah , there's only one isn't there . It ain't you or me , is it no , no , no , that's for sure because we stumble and fall on a daily basis .
Speaker 2So going through them , ben , I mean last week we hit a big one , which was the Sabbath day and talking about resting . If you haven't listened to that one , it's a great listen . That podcast , it's a great listen because we're talking about . God wants us to put a certain time aside , a week , to rest and become holy .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's really important , isn't it , that we become holy , and the only way I can become holy is to follow the Ten Commandments . What I'm finding more and more fascinating is there is so much out there on man's manuals of how to do it , when actually , if it was just literally every preacher preach and every church just taught just the Ten Commandments , we'd all have the same manual . But if you look at ministry , there are so many ministries delivering different manuals .
Speaker 2Yeah , because they all want to have their own piece of the cake , don't they ? They all want to come up with this new revelation ? Well , you know , the Bible tells us there's nothing new under the sun . So yeah , the Ten Commandments , everything's wrapped up in there Everything's wrapped up . As we've said , Jesus , he just hit them dead .
Speaker 2The most important commandment love the Lord , your God , with all your heart , with all your strength , with all your mind . And the second one is love your neighbour as yourself . So the Ten Commandments are wrapped up in those , because the first four are love the Lord , your God . Now we're coming on to the next six , which is all about loving your neighbour as yourself .
Speaker 2But within that we've got sin , salvation , repentance , we've got all of that stuff wrapped up in this , and so we're in Exodus 20 , verse 12 today , ben , and do you want to read us ?
Speaker 1out what that says . Have you got that up there , oh God ? It's honour your father and mother . So that sorry
, let's start that again . Verse 12 says honour your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord , your God , is giving you . There is a lot in that one alone . Goodness , this is bringing . This is deep . It says honour your father and mother . Well , the scripture says honour your father and mother . Well , the scripture says , doesn't it in the last days , children will rise up against parents . Children will rise up against parents .
Speaker 2Yeah , now I looked up that word , honour , and it's , you know , high respect , high regard . Yeah , it doesn't mean you have to agree with your parents , no , but you've got to you have to honour them , and this is going to be a real difficult one for a lot of… .
Speaker 1Controlling people .
Speaker 2I do a lot of stuff with men , do a lot of work with guys , christian guys , and this is a big one . The biggest struggle is with their earthly fathers , their relationship . So to honor some of these fellas , for them to honor their fathers , it has their . They have them to come from a long way . Yeah , because first they got forgiven .
Speaker 1So there's a lot of historical stuff yeah , so for to happen , it starts with me , so I have to forgive . Lay it down at the cross , you know , because to honour someone , there's a difference between worshipping . That's a great point .
Speaker 2That's a great point .
Speaker 1Now , then , we have to be really careful , don't we ? Honouring is being respectful , biblical , because God makes this very clear . He doesn't use the word worship , he says honour . So it's respect your elders , because that's the biblical church . You know , the eldership , the way the sister , and that throws into the arena again about having youth pastors , you know so it brings up so much stuff . So when the Bible says , honour your mum and your dad , it means to be respectful to what they are saying . But there is an issue in certain areas . But it's such a Simon , this is an enormous subject .
Speaker 1And it's difficult to get your lips around it . Yeah , and it starts with me first .
Speaker 2Very interesting , you know , because we've done some stuff with guys where we dig a bit deeper into their relationship , maybe , and it just hit one guy completely . And this is just crazy . It just hit him , knocked him out on the floor , knocked him completely for six , because he realised he said I've got a problem with my father In fact , you know , I look up to my father and then all of a sudden he realised just what you said he was putting his father before God , exactly , he was worshipping his father . And he suddenly realised that and thought whoa , you know , so he was broken .
Speaker 1Yeah , first commandment , he'd broken the first one .
Speaker 2But keeping the fourth commandment .
Speaker 1So look what Jesus says as well In the New Testament . He says come and follow me , drop your nets , come and follow me , leave your family , drop it , so it has to be Jesus first . Yeah , there , drop it , so it has to be Jesus first . There's no idols , as we've done the first one . So to honour your mum and your dad is biblical , but not to worship . Not to worship , but forgiveness has to come in before I can .
Speaker 2Let's see a few scriptures , ben so , further on from Exodus , if you look at Leviticus , chapter 20 , verse 9 , it says For everyone who curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death . He has cursed his father or his mother . His blood shall be upon him . Wow , you know , mate . Where'd you go from that ?
Speaker 1Actually . So , being a Christian , you're stumped on every level , aren't you ?
Speaker 2Every level . Look Proverbs 20, . 20 says whoever curses his father or his mother , his lamp will be put out in deep darkness . Whoa Mate , you've just Ephesians 6 .
Speaker 1This is a real tricky discussion .
Speaker 2Ephesians 6 , 1 to 3 says Children , obey your parents in the Lord , for this is right . Honour your father and mother , which is the first commandment , with promise that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth . He's repeating it . Paul is repeating what ? The commandment earth ? He's repeating it .
Speaker 1Paul is repeating what the commandment says . He's repeating it . So this is very interesting . To look at religion and the church , now we can see why we've got so much trouble . Obviously we're living in the end times , but when you look at , children will rise up against parents . But I actually wonder if the church had preached religion , the 10 commandments , solidly , solidly , solidly , then you would understand . Then there will be a different attitude in the children . But because christianity has been taken out of education , there's a free for all and you've got the gender issue , so no one can touch the children because of ethics and policies and red tape and bureaucracy and they have have a riot . So that absolutely puts the hammer on the word of God , doesn't it ?
Speaker 2Yes , yeah , he's taken out the equation . But you've got an interesting point there , because if the church had been preaching the Ten Commandments , you see what happens is normally in church . If the church had been preaching the Ten Commandments , yeah , you see when would we actually sit ? What happens is normally in church . Everybody's trying to live , say they're blessed and highly favoured and everything's going all right . But if the church had actually dug a bit deeper and examined relationships , with their families .
Speaker 2It doesn't do that . It doesn't do that , it doesn't do that . And preaching this one , honour your father and mother . And going into a bit deeper , very quickly you'd find people would be A bringing stuff , historical stuff out , but if it was dealt with the right way , they'd get freedom from it , wouldn't ?
Speaker 1they , they would , yeah . So the Ten Commandments , the , the whole 10 , are critical to a believer because it tells me not to have idols , it tells me not to worship foreign gods , it tells me about respect and also , within that scripture that simon has read out , it tells me that I have to honor , not worship , and I have to listen to what my parents say . But then it opens up another door , doesn't it ? Well , someone might go . Well , my parents were narcissists . That's a different area altogether .
Speaker 2Well , come on with that in a second , because you know it is .
Speaker 1That's bullying . That's a different layer .
Speaker 2Come on now to how we deal with that . But you know this scripture . This scripture is about fathers and mothers all the way through . Look what Jesus said . He said to the Sadducees and Pharisees who were trying to call on him again , but he had them , you know , in the palm of his hand . He said why do you also transgress the commandments of God Because of your tradition ? There you go , for God commanded , saying honour your father and your mother . And he who curses the father and mother , let him be put to death .
Speaker 2So anyone who says oh , forget about the Old Testament , that doesn't count , the Ten Commandments don't count .
Speaker 1Jesus is using it , jesus is using it and Jesus is respectful to his mum , mary . Now , if you was to go to the New Testament and look about where Christ done the miracle of the wine , that was his first miracle . His mum was at a wedding feast . Jesus and the disciples were invited and they went to the wedding feast and he actually , and his mum said that Jesus , they've run . They've run out of wine . There's water over there . Can we , can we do this ? We all know , we all know what happens , but he actually says something that's quite interesting . He says Mum , why are you bringing me into this ? And what happens is you see Jesus coming under the authority of his mum , even though he is the king , because he does what his mum says . Jesus , can you sort this out ? So Jesus , through his life , knows the authority of being under his parents .
Speaker 2He's honouring his parents . He's honouring , and you know he goes on to say in that scripture he's talking to the religious leaders of the day he says but you say , whoever says to his father or mother , whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift from God , then he need not honour his father or mother . So he's saying that they need not because they've sort of digressed that particular commandment . Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition , hypocrites . He says well , did Isaiah prophesy about you saying these people draw near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips , but their heart is full from me ? Wow , and in vain they worship me , teaching as doctrines the commandments of men , the commandments of men , but not the commandments of God .
Speaker 1Jesus covers everything , doesn't he ?
Speaker 1It is so , just in a few words , just in a few words , so that honour thy father and thy mother . How different . A few words so that honor thy father and thy mother . How different when you look at gang crime , when you look at all this sort of stuff that's going on . You know and you see what's happening across the world . You know there there is no respect for elders anymore . You know there's an upside down kingdom , even within the church we've got leaders that are still in the moses baskets trying to lead and not listening to the wires of the elders in the congregation . So you have this in church itself Very true , do you think ?
Speaker 2let me ask you this question do you think too much emphasis is put on youth ?
Speaker 1All day long , all day . That's why we're in trouble . We're in trouble in the church because we're looking to the youth , because the music industry looks to the youth and we're trying to use the baton of the way we dress , the way we're trying to use that . And you know , in the music industry youth is used all the way through to be the drawing factor . Well , in the gospel it's nothing whatsoever . You know it says about the eldership . And if you look at the wise and the gospel , it's nothing whatsoever . You know it says about the eldership . And if you look at the wise and the learned , even David , he was called and anointed but it wasn't his time and his purpose . He had to go back to the field . So we have a lot of issues in church because of the leadership are too young and haven't gone through the refiner's fire .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1So they don't understand respect .
Speaker 2I come back to my mate , tony , who's the youth leader . And you see , you know Tony , my mum is saying I think he's approaching 50 , if he's not already , yeah , yeah , but he's the youth leader and the youth in these churches they get so much experience , you know so much life experience from him because he's been because he's done the psalm 23 .
Speaker 1The lord is my shepherd , he leads me , he guides me , he strengthens me . He's been through the valley of the shadow of death . He's experienced life . He knows what life is . But when you've got someone , he's interested in the world .
Speaker 2He's got even jesus . He works in the world . He's got his a shop . He works in the world . He's got his business .
Speaker 1So if you look at Jesus , obviously when he was just he came into the world . The Bible says and the world became flesh . And if you was to look in the Gospels of Jesus' early life , jesus was nurtured and Jesus was looked after by his mum . He didn't jump into ministry at a young age . He wasn't a youth leader , he wasn't leading the youth . You don't see anything about his ministry until he's about 30 , 33 . Whatever the age was , he wasn't a young person . He was a gifted and he was nurtured by his mum . His mum and dad protected him from Herod . His mum and this is the living word in the Gospel of Luke . It says a dream and a vision came to them get out of this place . They looked after him . Adults need to look after children .
Speaker 2Yes , very much so , Very much so , and that's a thing , and I think we're going to come on to that in just
a second . But what you spoke about , ben , about respecting elders and stuff and it happens within certain cultures .
Speaker 2that's the truth . But look what Paul said to Timothy right In 1 Timothy 5 , he says Do not rebuke an older man , but exhort him as a father , younger men as brothers , older women as mothers , younger women as sisters , with all purity . Wow , look what he says . And then he goes on to say but if anyone does not provide for his own , and especially for those in his household , he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever .
Speaker 1I've never read that before .
Speaker 2He's worse than a numb believer yeah , that's what he says to timothy I tell you what .
Speaker 1No wonder the church in the uk is in trouble in , not just in in weak doctoring , but actually in attitude , in who we put behind pulpits . How many people in pulpits and leadership have attitude problem ? Do you know , the biggest and the greatest leaders in church are the elders , the men and women sitting in congregations that are over a certain age , that have lived life . When I say lived , they have lived life but they have seen redemption through their failings . And it's interesting that I've listened to many , many preaching and many sermonizing from young preachers and you can tell that they are not mature . They might be able to deliver a theological message , but what you need more than theological , you need the application of the disciples , what they had . Look at Paul . He said we despaired of life itself . When you read and study these guys , they was mature in age that Christ . Christ was brought up in a household and he did not do any youth ministry , he went straight to the cross .
Speaker 1But he's had 30 years 30 years of being brought up because he lived at home and the thing is with Jesus .
Speaker 2obviously he's got his physical parents , but he's had 30 years of sown into his heavenly father , hasn't he ?
Speaker 1parents , but he's had 30 years of sown into his heavenly father and he so . So you see a , you see the man , christ jesus , being obedient to all these scriptures when he says I'm doing the will of he said in the garden , not my will . We look at that spiritually . We look at that physically . He was honouring what the Father's message was , the Father's will . So there we have , all the way to the cross , jesus honouring the Father . Honouring the Father , the Father's will . But , then we enter into another conversation .
Speaker 2When you look at that , it just opens it all up .
Speaker 1Yeah you look at that , it just , it just opens it all up . Yeah , so to honor a parent , or a parent , a mom or a dad , if you , that parent needs to be in the word of god , because if the parent isn't in the word of god , I know we all sinned and fallen short of that glory . But this is a really difficult one because you can oh goodness , how do you word it ? You can only honor , you got yeah , it's like joshua , isn't it ? Joshua , as a leader , came under moses and he , he listened and followed . He did not step out of line in any time of his leadership until moses and god had to say to him Moses is dead , now Joshua . So there's respect and there's honour .
Speaker 2Yeah , I think there's respect and honour for your parents and it's a very , very difficult one for a lot of people , a lot of men , I mean . I know it is for a lot of women , but my thing is that we deal with a lot of guys and for a lot of men growing up their father there's some horrendous stories of what their father done to them and that leaves a scar and and a lot of uh , a lot of men I know struggle .
Speaker 2They believe in jesus all day long and they believe in the holy spirit , but loving god , the father , because of their relationship with their own father , they struggle , they struggle that's what we call .
Speaker 1We hit a wall of not forgiving , and the key is forgiveness and the key totally is forgiveness .
Speaker 2And there's a there a scripture and I can't put my hand on it right now , but it's in one or two Corinthians , I'm not sure . It says we have 10,000 preachers and teachers , but no fathers .
Speaker 1No fathers . So the church has not modelled what a father should be . No , because it's come away from the Ten Commandments .
Speaker 2The church should model what a father should be , and if older guys in the church should then be mentors to younger guys . So even if your earthly father's relationship is not great , you should have a mentor .
Speaker 1Got to be careful how we use that .
Speaker 2Yeah , no , but a mentor , I would say , because a spiritual father is your heavenly father all day long .
But many men just can't get over that fact that you know there's some horrendous stories .
Speaker 1There's some horrific stories . Everything has gone on .
Speaker 2It's gone on .
Speaker 1But when we drill back and we pull it all back , we come to I've got to forgive . There is , yeah , and that's not easy , no , no , but look what Jesus said to his father on the cross Father , forgive them , for they know not what they do . So that conversation there forgive them , for they know . So God had to forgive what they was doing , even though it was a deliberate plan of salvation . Yeah , it's a good point , ben .
Speaker 2What I'd say to someone who has a real scar with their earthly father and I'd say follow Jesus . You've got to follow Jesus Because he will lead you to the Father , to the Heavenly Father .
Speaker 1There's healing in Jesus . It's a lifetime journey , though .
Speaker 2Let me tell you I don't know who my biological father is . I've got some sketchy thing about him being in the military and I know he's dead a long time ago , but I don't know who my biological father was .
Speaker 1But you know , I followed Jesus to my heavenly father and when you're in his arms and the love that he gives you , you don't want to be anywhere else , yeah , so . I think that comes down to the will , doesn't it ? The will of the father . When you realise who you are in Christ , forgiveness comes . Because we're battling with masculinity and the caveman attitude of you can't cry , you can't have emotions , you can't do this , you can't do that . Jesus cried , jesus cried , he cried .
Speaker 1Drops of blood didn't he , he cried that much , he was in that much anguish . But the world tells you that you've got to be so tough , so manly it's the father , our heavenly Father's , will that we come back to him .
Speaker 2That's correct , and the only way we can come back to him is through Jesus Christ , so it's Jesus-centred all the way through I am the way , the life , the truth . No one comes to the Father except through me . He didn't say oh , that's the way to the Father . This is the way to the Father . He said I am the way to the Father .
Speaker 1I'm the filter system .
Speaker 2I'm the way to the Father , come to me . Bring to me all your problems and troubles . I will give you rest , but I will also lead you to the Father . Yeah , Follow Jesus to the Father and understand this . Look , I have a little poem here that I want to read out Ben .
Speaker 1I don't know it . I don't know .
Speaker 2It's interesting , this came out of that book , a Purpose Driven Life by .
Speaker 1Rick Warren .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , I've read it a few times to fellows and they kind of understand . Sure , it makes it clear . So it says this . It says you are who you are for a reason . You're part of an intricate plan . You're a precious and perfect , unique design called God's special woman or man . You look like you look for a reason .
Speaker 2God made no mistake . He knit you together within the womb . You're just who he wanted to make . And this is the big one . The parents you had were the ones he chose and , no matter how you may feel , they were custom designed with God's plan in mind and they bear the master's seal . He says , no , that trouble you faced was not easy and God wept that . It hurt you so , but it was allowed to shape your heart so that into his likeness you grow . You are who you are for a reason . You're formed by the master's rod . You are who you are beloved because there is a God . Now you are who you are beloved because there is a God Powerful . The big thing in there is that your parents are the ones that chose for you .
Speaker 1Now , some people may hate your father Absolutely livid at this hearing that yeah , can't stand mum , dad fighting all their life .
Speaker 2But without them , too , you would not be born . Now you know , we live in a world , we live in a fatherless generation . We have cultures that have baby mamas all over the place . But you know , without that man and that woman you would not have been formed .
Speaker 1Correct .
Speaker 2Your path may be very , very difficult . It may be hard and forgiveness is not easy , but if you can bring yourself to forgive first of all a parent who's wronged you and then forgive yourself , that's an accelerator .
Speaker 1You've catapulted yourself right over it . So , yeah , so even if people go , well , I haven't actually got a father , I don't even know my father is , follow jesus , talk to jesus and he will take you to the father of all fathers . So it doesn't matter if I haven't got an earthly father , a physical , even I haven't got a photo , doesn't know where , whoever they may be , really that is irrelevant , because the father of fathers , the father , is in heaven . Your father is in heaven and it's through jesus .
Speaker 2Here's the deal with that . How many times do we ever ask our father what do you think of me ? Yeah now , no matter what your earthly father says . You might say you're a loser . He might say you'll never achieve anything . He might might have never said he believed in you .
Speaker 1Your heavenly father's not going to say that . So what does jesus say ? What does the word say ? Who does he say I am look what he said to his son . That's my son that I'm well pleased with . Does God call us ? Does God punish us ?
Speaker 2Our heavenly father is not going to say we never thought you'd make anything . No , he's going to say we love you .
Speaker 1The prodigal .
Speaker 2We don't like some of the stuff you get involved in , we don't like , but , but you know , get the forgiveness , the repentance . Come to me , come to me , come to me through my son , jesus christ , come to me , that's what's why I've given him to you . Yeah , for salvation , but you have to do your part .
Speaker 1Yeah , you have to . And where does my part start ? Where does it start it ? It starts with Jesus . It's this simple . Please , lord , help me . Help me to forgive , because when I forgive , honour and respect comes across all the platforms of everything . When I ask for forgiveness , it comes to the point I have to go to the cross of Calvary Because I can't honour anyone , I can't be respectful , until I have the inner me dealt with and I know many , many men that have come to break that generational stuff and and start to love their own families and that's another thing we can come on to .
Speaker 2But they've managed to find it within themselves . They can't do it without the Holy Spirit . Listen you cannot find forgiveness for something that has hurt you so bad without the Holy Spirit ?
Speaker 1You can't do it in the flesh . What it does , it does the opposite it gets you bitter .
Speaker 2It gets you frustrated .
Speaker 1That's what the flesh wants it gets you angry , it wants you to pay back . So there is no honour . There is no honour to no one , because you are driven by anger and you are driven by frustration and you are driven by your flesh rather than forgiveness . Has to happen to all of us for us to move forward .
Speaker 2I always remember the talk that I think I read somewhere with Corrie Ten Boom . She was the lady that saw her family executed in the course of a crash Before your eyes . Before your eyes and she was speaking on forgiveness once , and when she finished , a guy walked forward and she recognised him instantly as one of the guards in the concentration camp who'd taken her family to be executed .
Speaker 1And he looked and he said to her Eyeball to eyeball .
Speaker 2Is this forgiveness for me ?
Speaker 1The silence and he looked and he said to her there's forgiveness for me there's silence .
Speaker 2And she was quite honest . I could not forgive this guy without the
Holy Spirit .
Speaker 1Without the Holy Spirit you can't do it . The Spirit of God .
Speaker 2You know there's things that have been done to men and women . You know you cannot , but once I've seen the light come on and once that forgiveness is given , if you like , then I've seen miraculous things happen , because the fathers come to the faith , they come to the Lord . They see the difference in you .
Speaker 1So suddenly the family unit , everything is healed . It always comes back . So I can't have honour , I can't have respect , I can't have faith . I can , but it's not what I think it is . I become religious , I become angry . I can't honour my elders in any area . That's why I think we have so much carnage within the UK is that we're leaderless in the world . In church , there's no honour , there's no disrespect . Why are you saying that , ben ? I put my life on the line is because the Ten Commandments have been taken out . Because if they are preached and line by line , precept , sermonized and just read through and prayed over in prayer meetings , in Bible studies , we don't need any other manual . We don't need another manual from the other side of the transatlantic preachers . We need the Ten Commandments . That's it . The Bible says bring a child up in the way that it should go . If you look at Jesus , jesus honoured his mum . Very interesting , he didn't worship her , he honoured her .
Speaker 2He honoured her , and these things aren't about conscience , although we have a conscience , but these are commandments .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2They're commandments from God , and if anybody ever says to you , well , that's for the Old Testament , that's a lie .
Speaker 1It's not . It's a lie .
Speaker 1Because Jesus continually picked from the Ten Commandments and said stuff Jesus they're always pulling from the Ten , they're always pulling out the Ten Commandments and said stuff , jesus , they're always pulling from the Ten , they're always pulling out the Ten Commandments , they're always drawing on the word that was given . And he is the word . He is the king . You know so with honour and respect . Respect your elders , your mum and your dad . But then there's another area . I feel like I haven't even said or brought anything really to the table on this , because it is such a deep dive . And then it says so that you may live long in the land the Lord , your God , has given you . So this affects my being .
Speaker 2It affects your being , because listen if you've got hatred or dishonour or unforgiveness .
Speaker 1it churns me , it eats me like a cancer ?
Speaker 2What does Nelson Mandela say about resentment ?
Speaker 1You know , he said .
Speaker 2Nelson Mandela said about resentment it's like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies , so it eats you away from the inside .
Speaker 1It's me , so it all comes back to me it all comes back to self , doesn't it ?
Speaker 2It comes back to me , so it all comes back to me . It all comes back to self , doesn't it ? It comes back to what happens is , ben , if you , if your father , because regardless whether men are gonna , men and women or hate this , but you do look to what your father or mother says to you you know it does it has in . So if you , I mean look , I've no men who waited 40 years for their dad to say I'm proud of you , son .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2So if that has one or two effects on you , it can either send you into a tailspin and you just got no confidence .
Speaker 1You become hard and you become .
Speaker 2Yeah , you've just got no confidence Inward focused and you bounce here , there and everywhere .
Speaker 1No stability .
Speaker 2And , and you bounce here , there and everywhere . No stability . You're looking for validation from wherever you know and the Christian faithful will give you a bit of validation . You know , here , there and everywhere , they'll put you up , they'll give you a microphone .
Speaker 1You know , and all of a sudden it's talking about you . It's empty though , isn't it ?
Speaker 2It's empty , of course it is . Or you go the other way , ben . Where you go ? I'm going to show him , I'm going to show him that I'm more than that , but you'll never , ever , because you'll reach a certain level and then you want to do some more , and then you want to do some more because all you ever wanted was for that parent to say Well done , well done , son .
Speaker 1And what did God say ?
Speaker 2Yes , yeah .
Speaker 1What did God say ?
Speaker 2That's totally it .
Speaker 1Ben , that's totally it , but then , very interestingly , god said this is my son that I'm well pleased with . And then the Spirit came down as a dove anointed filled .
Speaker 2So what does that tell us ? If you're a father or a mother or a parent or grandparent out there , what does that tell us we have to do to our children , our grandchildren , anyone around us ?
Speaker 1What does it tell us ? It tells us very clearly that we have to be respectful to the child . We have to speak to the child in words of affirmation , and it's not so much of controlling . And why are they doing wrong all the time ? Because there could be a lack of love .
Speaker 2They want attention . And any attention is good attention . We have to encourage . We have to tell our kids that we love them .
Speaker 1I think this is a dangerous word to mention ADHD and all that stuff . I think there is so much stuff around in all this labelling because we are lacking parenting , biblical parenting , because children are hungry . I need to be loved . The Father always showed the love to Jesus .
Speaker 2Ben , I just think you're right and I think it's huge and I think within our faith , we're not majoring on biblical parenting . No , we're not majoring . We've got two dads . It doesn't shine the big lights does it .
Speaker 1You've got two dads bringing a child up . You've got two women bringing a child up . You've got two women bringing a child up . You've got so much going on when actually the Bible takes it clear Joseph had a responsibility to Jesus , mary had a responsibility to Jesus . They protected him , they fed him , they watered him . It needs to be mum and dad . I'm afraid , whatever way you look at it , it can't be Steve and Steve it can't be Steve and Steve .
Speaker 1It can't be that , and I'm being very I'm being very respectful to everybody out there that this big drum that is coming against the church . Parenting can only be done by mum and dad , and I will probably be ripped to shreds on a lot of things that I say .
Speaker 2But the biblical , biblical even when you look at the science of it the big biblical format of the family is is exactly because a lady is made different to a man .
Speaker 1And I'm not referring to the physical , I'm referring to the inner makeup , the inner , the nurturing . A man cannot bring up a child in the way of nurturing like a mum can . A mum cannot bring up a child in the same way that a dad can . So the two need to go together .
Speaker 2We have problems across our society . Now we do when we have a lot of single parent families .
Speaker 1And that's really tough .
Speaker 2I remember watching a thing with a guy called Louis Farouk . He does investigative journalism and he was in a place called Milwaukee in the United States , which in that time was the murder capital of the States I think it's Chicago now and he had a group of young 16-year-old black lads and he said to them what does your father think of you , you know ? And they all laughed and they all said my mummy's , my father , this is the way we've got . And they did a study . There was a group of herd of elephants in Africa . This is just crazy . And these elephants normally elephants are in a tight family unit .
Speaker 2You know , you've got elders and you've got that , but these herds were going off , they were smashing things up , they were wild .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2And when they looked at it , all the older elephants , all the big bull elephants , had been killed by poachers , wow . And so all they got was the teenage youth growing up , and they had no guidelines , they had no mentors . This is what we need , and it's sadly missing within the Christian world . And if it's missing within the Christian world is that a mirror .
Speaker 1So people will go well , okay , I haven't got an earthly father . People will go well , okay , I haven't got an earthly father . Well , christ , biologically and through science and all the stuff that goes with that . Joseph , his dad , was his stepfather , but Jesus still respected . So you don't have to have the same blood running through your body to call yourself a father . So when you look at jesus , jesus , we understand the immaculate conception . We get that , we understand that , we believe in that . But when you look at joseph , joseph was his earthly father , as in in the way that he brought him up . He brought him up in in a father figure like . So for those that don't have that father and those that are under the stepfather area or the step you know it's , it doesn't need to have the same blood in the veins . It's about love , care and respect joseph . When you look at joseph , the way he treated jesus , his son , as in what we understand , and all that . But he wasn't his biological dad yeah , we , that's so .
Speaker 1We , we respect , we honor yeah , jesus honored him and if there is issues that we need to forgive , then we find the strength of the Holy Spirit to forgive and move forward , because I would tell you now , if there's unforgiveness , that's what it comes down to if there's unforgiveness every one of us I can't do this text that we're looking at , verse 12 honour thy father and mother , so that it . If there's unforgiveness On every one of us , I can't do this text that we're looking at , verse 12 . Yeah , honour thy father and mother , so you may live long . So it pushes it back onto me . It won't affect them in all them ways , but what it really does , it affects me , it's me .
Speaker 2Well , I was brought up by a stepfather and there wasn't a lot of love there . You know it . Really I won't go into it , but I just got on with it . But he made me quite a cold-hearted person until I found some faith . And then , you know , the Bible says he breaks hearts of stone and I was watching , as you do , the God .
Speaker 1Channel one day , just for a bit of fun .
Speaker 2Yeah , and someone was on there and they were talking about God . Won't move you on to the next level if there's unforgiveness still in your heart .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2So what happened was , very briefly , I didn't think much of that . I came back from I was doing a bit of work , came back from the work , switched the tally on again . The God channel was on , the same person was on same spot , same spot .
Speaker 1So I thought why are you talking to me ?
Speaker 2Where's this unforgiveness in my heart ? Well , I realised I was holding on to some from my stepfather , from my stepfather . So I went up to see him and told him and I don't advise anybody doing this but I just confronted him and said , look , I forgive you for the stuff that you've done . And he was a bit shocked . He couldn't remember or didn't want to remember some of the stuff that went on . But what happened then was about six months later he contracted leukaemia and because I'd forgiven him , I was able to go up and see him , speak to him about the Lord , and he made a verbal commitment where it took him I don't know , there . And then but you know , I have to believe that , yeah , of course he followed that through .
Speaker 1He's following Jesus . Yes , but without that , without that . So the trigger point Without that forgiveness Was the cross .
Speaker 1It was the cross all the time . So these commandments , all the time , every one of them , take us where ? To the cross , to the cross . So nothing can be achieved without the cross . And what we mean by the cross and we're not lifting that up as a religious symbol what we are referring to is the one that went to the cross . It takes you to Jesus Christ . Every scripture , every commandment , honour , whatever one you are looking at , it always takes you to Jesus , and that's the centre . Jesus has to be the centre . But there are many people that have gone to the religious cross that are still struggling because they haven't gone to… .
Speaker 2Exactly , you know you can be baptised , you can be in a church , but you ain't got that relationship with Jesus . You know , and are we coming to ?
Speaker 1land . What's the time ? You're almost in Ibiza . 50 , 51 minutes we've cruised . And do you know what , simon ? It feels like I haven't said we haven't scratched the surface , I haven't scratched it .
Speaker 2But as we come into land , on this one as we come into , as finished . Benny's exactly right , if you've not got that relationship with Jesus , and I'll just bring you back to Richard , really Back to Richard as we came in , who said all I want to do is follow Jesus and the look and the countenance and the light that was shining out of him . Mate brings a tear to your eye .
Speaker 1It does bring a tear to your eye , doesn't it ? Because everything , the scriptures that you've read out and honestly , they've gone over my head today because this is such a deep dive but every time you look at the Ten Commandments , you can't do any of them without Jesus . The religious way , every way , has to be Jesus . How do we wrap this ? You wrap this up , come on .
Speaker 2Well , we'll be back in the Ten Commandments next week . We might even spend a bit more time in this one . We'll see what our Lord gives us in the week . But the next one is Thou shalt not murder .
Speaker 1Oh , dear Goodness , gracious me .
Speaker 2And Jesus said Even calling your brother a fool , you're in danger , don't he ?
Speaker 1So I tell you what , when you really unpack the Ten Commandments , everything has just been . I've done all of them .
Speaker 2They're all done . They're all done , yeah .
Speaker 1You know my bucket list is I've failed every one of them . Jesus has gone , yeah , you have but redemption , yeah .
I think the big thing that's come out of Dave , and more than anything else , is that we can't do this stuff in the flesh .
Speaker 2We can't do this stuff without the oldest fruit . We can't do this stuff without Jesus . And if you're struggling today I'm serious out there if you're struggling today with any stuff , any historical stuff that's gone on with your parents , yeah , and please , with the power of the holy spirit , forgive and follow jesus and he'll lead you to the father . And please , you know I can't . We , we wrote a chapter in the in in the book that we , we did , called father's arms . Yeah , get to the father , the Father's Arms , follow Jesus to the Father . It's not a pub , it's the Father's Arms . He's our Heavenly Father and I'd say , just follow him . And yeah , if you want to know much more , if you've got any little testimonies , anything , then get in touch with us .
Speaker 1You know where to get in touch with us ? You know , I guess , yeah , amen with us at . You know where to get ? You know , I guess , yeah , yeah , amen . You can find us on buzzsprout , spotify . My voice is going hashtag christian straight talk , alexa , amazon music so many other platforms . Have a great day . God is with you . Never give up hope . Come on , let's follow the word of god be encouraged .
Speaker 2God bless , amen you .