Good
morning Patreon family . Where are you today ? What are you up to today ? Thank you for joining us . It is hashtag Christian Straight Talk . We are blessed because of you guys . Simon , good morning .
Speaker 2Yeah , it's great to be with you again .
Speaker 2the Patreon family and community which we are , as Straight Talk , we're looking to create and you've been with- us on the first podcast , and so this is for the second tier of the guys that are subscribing to us and , uh , we're just going to carry on really from that first podcast , ben and uh , talking about imperfect people in the bible , and and we just say to you , wherever you are , that you know , whatever you're doing , wherever you think of yourself , you know . God made you , uh , perfect and you are perfect in his eyes and never think anything more than that . You know , and if you have a heart for the Lord , he can use you . It really don't matter where you are . What you've done or your past is because with Jesus , you're a new creation , ben , aren't you ?
Speaker 1Unbelievable , absolutely Following Jesus . So , patreon family family , we welcome you today . Good morning across the world , wherever you are . And as simon just said , all that , we're looking at imperfect people in the bible . How do I look at myself ? I'm really imperfect , because the scripture says all have sinned and fallen short of thy glory and the thing has been .
wherever you are out there , you'll never be as bad as some of these people , but God has used you . Look , the next one we're going to come on to .
Speaker 1Who are we on ?
Speaker 2It's Samson . Samson , this geezer had strength beyond strength .
Speaker 1He was a .
Speaker 2Nazirite . He was of good stock . The Bible says he killed I don't know how many Philistines with a jawbone of a donkey , but he had an immense pride on him and he was an adulterer , Ben .
Speaker 1He jumped into the arena and he was an absolute warrior . He was so strong , he was so powerful .
Speaker 2He even went against his mum and dad's word Totally , but he loved a woman outside of marriage , outside of that , outside of culture .
Speaker 1He was an absolute womaniser on every level and he wasn't interested . But isn't it interesting how God calls and when God calls . I tell you what . This is a subject that could really blow your socks off , because the church is always trying to make us perfect in the eyes of religion , when actually we are imperfect . But by the blood washed , uh cross of calvary and by what God has done to us through Christ Jesus , you know we are . We are cleansed by the blood of the lamb . It's really important that , whatever your character looks like , whatever your character is , that we've got to remind ourselves and encourage one another .
Speaker 2You know what that God uses imperfect people in , in perfect situations , totally for you know , if you've got a heart for him , he'll use you wherever you are . He doesn't . You don't have to , you know you don't have to be in church .
Speaker 2You don't have to be in church , you don't have to be ill-usual wherever you can Praise God . If you want to know more about the Samson story , he's in Judges around about 16 to 18 . And the next one , who's also in Judges ? Because they went through a time where you didn't have kings , no kings Judges .
The next one , ben . He was very fearful and that was Gideon . And look how the Lord used him . What a timid and he was testing God . You know , with that fleece , wasn't he ? Are you sure ?
Speaker 1Are you sure I'm going to throw a fleece out ?
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1I want it dry , I want it damp .
Speaker 2So God really tested him , couldn't he ? Because there was thousands of the enemy out there . Weren't there , ben ? But ?
Speaker 1actually , because the Bible says you can't test God . But when you have a conversation with him , gideon was just saying look , I'm not sure You're calling me a warrior . You're calling me this , you're calling me that , you're telling me I'm this . You're telling me that I'm the least in my clan . He says I am the least of the least , I am nothing . And if anybody's out there this morning thinking that you are the least of the least of the least and you are nothing , don't believe the lie . You are a blood-washed child of the living god . You are a john 3 16 christian . And if you're just uh , in life at this moment , as our patreon family , whatever your life looks like , you might relate yourself to a gideon , you might relate yourself to rayab , joseph abraham . So many characters , your character , your lifestyle might look like . These might reflect them . But God is going to use you and God has saved you . It's important , isn't it ?
Speaker 2Simon , please take encouragement from these people in the Bible . Just look how God used Gideon and in the end , you know , he tested him ultimately and he cut his numbers down from how many ? To just a few hundred and they sent the enemy into mayhem and they defeated themselves in the end . So God used him powerfully . Who else have we got We've got in the Book of Ruth . You're even talking about the widow . She was a widow Naomi , but you know , and obviously in that day and age , ben , widows hadn't got much standing really .
Speaker 2But she encouraged Ruth and Ruth became an important member of… . What a beautiful story that is . She encouraged her and then , obviously , moving through the Bible , obviously here's the big one , and this is massive because the Bible obviously is the big one . And this is massive because the Bible actually said that David had a half a
God , didn't he ? Ben ?
Speaker 1David , our friend .
Speaker 2David , but he was an adulterer and a murderer as well . A liar A manipulator .
Speaker 1David experienced everything but what I find fascinating in 1 Samuel , where he was anointed by that great prophet , where he was anointed and David's father disregarded David because he was out in the field , out tending sheep , and his other brothers were there to be anointed and Jess went yeah , I've got one more , but he's the youngest , he's out looking after the sheep . But when that great prophet anointed him with oil , it says that the spirit and the power of God fell on David with great power . It doesn't matter what our family think , it doesn't matter how people think about us . It is what God sees . And when you look at David , there is a character that could hold it , could fold it , that had gone through all the trials and the testings of life , but God allowed his anointing and his spirit to be on him .
Speaker 2It's very important what you said there , Ben . It's very important . It doesn't matter what your family say about you . It doesn't matter what your teachers said about you .
Speaker 2It doesn't matter what your bishop says about you or your spiritual director or your pastor says about you , it's what God says about you . What your pastor says about you , it's what God says about you . What is God saying about you ? And , believe me , god's not going to say you're a bit of rubbish or you're useless . God is going to say that you are a child , my child , and I made you and , if you let me , I'll use you . And here we are . David became one of the most important , really , men of the Old Testament , didn't he ?
Speaker 1But with the importance and the leadership and the anointing in the flesh that he walked in . He had failings , Failings all the time , Imperfections .
Speaker 2Yeah , I mean , look , even when he was at maybe some of the peak of his powers , he pretended to be a madman , didn't he ? When he actually went over to the Philistines , didn't he ? He took his team of renegades over there , and at one time it's really interesting , you know , when he was out there in a place called Ziglag , and when they were out , the enemy came in , took all their wives , took all their livestock , and when they went back there , it was empty . It was empty .
Speaker 1It was empty .
Speaker 2And it says actually says in that Bible . It says , and I think that's in 1 Samuel yes , it says that his men turned on him and they were going to kill him . But then it says Ben , I think it's 1 Samuel , I don't know 36 or something . It says David encouraged himself in the Lord , his . It says David encouraged himself in the Lord . He's got David encouraged himself in the Lord .
Speaker 1How important's that been ? Very important . And what did God say ? Rise up . Rise up . What am I going to do , god ? He says stop the tears , rise up . You've looked for me , you've found me . I'm with you , but what do I do in the next stage of this situation ? P ? I'm with you , but what do I do in the next stage of this situation ? Pursue your enemy . What do I do ? Overtake them and take back everything the enemy has stolen . You know , the Pentecostal movement uses that line so often and manipulates it . But God is telling you wherever you are , patreon family , whoever you are at this moment , rise up in the living word of God , rise up in the scripture . You are a warrior , you are a John 3 Christian . You are born again , you are spirit filled . God is with you in every situation and if you feel that the enemy has robbed you , stand up in the word .
Speaker 2Stand up in the word I'm coming .
Speaker 1I'm coming for the enemy .
Speaker 2I'm going to pursue the enemy and I'm going to overtake the enemy and I'm going to take back what the enemy has stolen because it's rightfully mine , but do it with the lord , that's it do it . Do it in the scripture and do it in in the way that jesus wants you to do it , because the battle belongs to the lord .
Speaker 1Yeah , um , but sometimes you've got to step in the arena , that's right .
Speaker 2You've got to step in front of the goliath , you've got to step in front of the , the pharisees and the sadducees , you've got to step in front of pharaoh , and sometimes ben , like david , you can , you know , you , you don't have to , you don't have to go to your , your pastor , your spiritual director , you , you , you just encourage yourself in the lord , your god , yourself , and the scripture . And the scripture says Rejoice not over me , my enemy , for I shall arise and this is where we're at .
Speaker 2This is where we want to encourage you . So David was one Ben and Job . We don't like reading that book , job .
Speaker 1That book's not in our Bible . I've actually stapled the pages together in Job .
Speaker 2I don't like reading that , but he was a bankrupt Ben because they had everything taken away , but in the end he had still had his heart for the Lord and restored in double and treble what the enemy took away . So there you are . That's what you were talking about , ben , wasn't it ?
Speaker 1And be encouraged because I will restore all the years that the locusts have taken .
Speaker 2I will restore . God is the one that restores .
Speaker 1God is the one that is in the battlefield of life . God is the one that will work through and take back what the enemy has stolen . But I've got to remember that I'm a child of the living God , so I'm expected to walk this narrow path in faith but understanding . Yes , i've've got flaws , I've got imperfections , but all the way through Genesis to Revelations , the Bible is laced with imperfection , imperfected people , but only one one was perfect .
Speaker 2So we take the encouragement from all these people . Ben Jeremiah , who was used the great prophet . He said he was too young , he was about 20 years old .
Speaker 1He said he was going to . Yeah , I'm not ready yet , but the Lord used him .
Speaker 2Yeah , the Lord used him and Jonah ran away from God , didn't he ?
Speaker 1Imagine that . Imagine that God has called you . God has called you to ministry , to whatever it may be , and mission field and everything , and just your workplace , because our Jerusalem is where we're at , in front of us . God calls you and says , right , okay , I've got this for you to do . And then you go , I ain't having it , I'm running . And then suddenly we run and we disappear and all of a sudden God is , god is behind us . And the Bible says in Jonah , chapter 1 , round about verse 4 God brought a furious storm , a holy powerful storm , to his life to get his attention .
Speaker 2Well , and I'll tell you this , Ben , that if the Lord's asked you to do something and you run away from him , the enemy will always provide a boat for you , won't he ? The enemy will provide a boat , Provide a way for you to run away from the Lord , but the Lord will bring you back Slowly not wear you down , but the Lord will slowly but surely just bring you to that position .
Speaker 1And even when we say I'm not doing it , god , I'm walking away , and we run , and we run , and we run , god will provide a fish . He will capture you . When you think that you're in a suicide moment , god will capture you in your suicidal
thoughts . God will capture you in your darkest moment .
Speaker 2God will capture you in your darkest moment . Interesting point you make there , Ben . Because , look what happened to Jonah in the end . This was the probably the greatest evangelistic story in the Bible , because he turned over the city of Nineveh , which was a right Sodom and Gomorrah place 600,000 people .
Speaker 1So when you look at that story alone , you're talking about the greatest evangelist message that ever preached . That is absolutely correct . When you look at these mega churches across the world the name it and the claim it they haven't done anything like it . We hear them saying we're taking the city , we're taking the town oh yeah , we hear that all the time In that name it and claim it . World of all that bizarre stuff . But here we have a true character that was used in an evangelistic way that we know it today , in the time in which we lived . But he refused his calling . But god didn't take the calling from him . No , god , when god calls , we go on a journey of if buts . Whys , I'm not sure .
Speaker 2But then suddenly , if we submit to him , he'll find a way where there was no way . That is for sure , a hundred percent . You mentioned something suicidal , that great prophet Elijah . He wanted to kill himself , didn't he ?
Speaker 1But what had he done just before he had prayed for rain ? The rain fell , he'd said to the servant , and to kill himself , didn't he ? But what had he done just before he had prayed for rain ? The rain fell , he'd said to the servant and to Ahab , run for your life . He was . What I love about that story is that that prophet was running in his miracle . He prayed for the miracle , he ran in the miracle , and then he came out of that and he went and fell underneath the juniper tree and went I've had enough now .
Speaker 2I've had enough . I and fell underneath the juniper tree and went I've had enough . Now I want enough , I want to die .
Speaker 1Take my life , take my life . But it just seemed the heavens move .
Speaker 2So the enemy can come in wherever , doesn't it ? Do you know something ? I guess it's the same for you . You may have got up on a Sunday and the Lord spoke through you powerfully on a Sunday during your sermons . It happens to me when I do a few talks , but the enemy comes at you . You know , the moment you sit back and think , oh , that was bang you got bang . Something happens in life , all hell breaks loose somewhere .
Speaker 1You step out of the pulpit and then someone goes , and then something happens on the journey , on life , the circle of life , and you think , oh , that would be… . We're back to that circle of life again , aren't we ? Yeah honestly , patreon family . I'm not quoting . There is not another book in the Bible known as the circle of life , and I'm not quoting from the Lion King , please . It's just terminology . It is the circle of life , isn't it ? From birth to death , the circle that we're walking in and the parochial life that we have
.
Speaker 2Ben , coming into the New Testament , you know you've got… .
Speaker 1Is there a New Testament ? The church told me that… there is in my Bible
. It's changing it . I thought the church was changing the New Testament they want to change everything . I thought the church wanted to take out our Father . I thought the church wanted to take out the pronouns of he and him . Are you sure you've got that right ? Is it still in existence ?
Speaker 2They don't like the Old Testament , do they ? That's for sure . But , ben , when Jesus was walking around , there was Zacchaeus , who was a tax collector . He was very small and he was very wealthy and and uh , the Lord used him . He's in the Bible and Zacchaeus in .
Speaker 1Luke 19 what an interesting little
character man . He was all for himself . Give me , give me , give me , tax collector . Did he hand over all the taxes , I wonder ?
Speaker 2well , he said he did , didn't he ? He said , I wonder , well , he said he did , didn't he ? He said he had double or something . He said he'd give them back . But the Lord used him . He's in the Bible . He used him . He came and Jesus came and ate at his table . You know , and a big one for us , really , ben , a real big one for us , is the old Nicodemus , isn't he ? And John 3 , you know , nicodemus , really that John 3 is really pivotal in in the Bible , in the New Testament , very powerful .
Speaker 1It's pivotal now .
Speaker 2Nicodemus Ben . What was he ? He was a religious leader . He was a great teacher .
Speaker 1He had all the bells and whistles . He was a great man . That could I'm not lifting up the man , but when I mean a great man , a great man because because Christ said to him you are Israel's teacher . You've got everything , nicodemus , but you are lacking everything . You've got everything , but you lack more than you've got .
Speaker 2So he just sat there , Ben , like a little child , didn't he Listen to Jesus ? What have I got to do ? But he was . What have I got to do ? But , as you said , he'd have all the robes , he'd have everything Of the living God he crumbled .
Speaker 1He was like a little boy . He crumbled and he became a child .
Speaker 2And we'd invite you read that John 3 , because that goes from being born again all the way through to John 3 , 16 , which many of us know pretty well , and Jesus is having that conversation with this man , nicodemus , and he used him powerfully , but Nicodemus wasn't brave enough to say come to my house in the daylight . He had to come .
Speaker 1Jesus had to come at night . He went to Jesus at night , in the darkness , in the ducking and the diving , and you can imagine that Nicodemus , in the notoriety of the Yad and the lair that he lived at the area of his life , he would have had people around protecting him and walking with him , so he would have just had to have dodged everybody .
Speaker 2Well , he would , yeah , he'd have what you call your angers on people blowing smoke of his backside . Oh definitely .
Speaker 1People . You know . Whatever he said , oh yes , nicodemus , yes , nicodemus . So he was a man that was well respected in academics and teaching . We see them , ben , don't we ? We see them in Christian ministry , in Christian ministry , you know they've only got someone's , only got a post .
Speaker 2Oh , that was great , that was wonderful . You're great , you're mighty Thanks , it's all me , it's all me and whenever again you know , we'll take the example of Nicodemus , but patron family out there . Whenever you read , I more than we Be out there whenever you read , I more than we , be careful of the eye , be careful the eye christianity . The eye christianity is a real red flag .
Speaker 1It's a real red . I built the church . This is my ministry . I'm doing this , I'm doing that , I'm here , I'm there . This is my photo . This is . You know , everything we do is always christ-centered . You know , it's not's not about us , it's about Jesus working in us and through you , and Jesus working in you and through you and everything . And as you watch this and listen to these podcasts and these videos that we push out on Patreon , you know you never give up , because God knows your character . God created you . The Bible says I knew you , I formed you before the foundation of the world . I knitted you together in your mother's womb . Yeah , jeremiah , he knows us .
Speaker 2Ben , three women really in the Bible who were great followers of Jesus . There was a Samaritan woman who Jesus met at the well . Now she was a Samaritan , now the Jews wouldn't speak to Samaritans , and not only that , she was divorced , so she was sort of marked Five times .
Speaker 1Yeah , when you look at that , when she come up to Jacob's well again . So Jacob comes back into the arena in the New Testament . So Jacob's well . Jesus said you keep coming to Jacob's well . It's dry , it's deep and it's empty . I can give you living water .
Speaker 2And she wanted that living water and Jesus told her her sins were forgiven .
Speaker 1And he prophesied , he spoke over her life and he knew who she was , he knew her relationships , but he didn't condemn her character , he didn't condemn her and she was truthful with him and she was open and honest and truthful .
Speaker 2It just shows you there was something about this Jesus .
Speaker 1What is it about Jesus ?
Speaker 2So you know . So from the great this is interesting Ben so from the great leader to the lowest Samaritan woman saw something in Jesus .
Speaker 1And Jesus was able to communicate with everyone from that great leader Right the way down , right the way down .
Speaker 2Mary Magdalene , who was a great follower of . Jesus he had seven demons removed from her .
Speaker 1She was a demon-filled woman , but Jesus don't reject Imperfected people with imperfections and all the blemishes of life and the scars of life . Yeah , god never turns us away . No , never turns us away , and the Holy Spirit is on us and on you and within you .
Speaker 2And another woman , ben was . Well , we had two really , mary and Martha . But Martha was , she was the busy one , wasn't she ? She was a busy buddy , she was the busy one and she got the hump a little bit because Jesus was spending a bit more time with her sister . But Jesus said to her , didn't he ? He said you know , martha , you know , I know your heart , I know what you're about , you know . And we may feel like that at times , we may feel like we're you know , martha .
Speaker 2In that situation that we're running around doing this , that and the other . We've got to be careful of that , haven't we , ben ?
Speaker 1We have . Yeah , we've got to be very careful . You know , now is the time in the hour in which we live we are living in the last hours , the end days and everything that goes along with that To be a Jesus follower . To follow Jesus , not look at your character , not look at the flaws , not look at the issues and that , but just be a Jesus follower . So , wherever you are , patreon family , it's really time to get in the word of God , and we're speaking to ourselves . We're speaking to ourselves .
Speaker 2We're speaking to ourselves and we'd really encourage you to look at John 3 and really , are you a John 3 free Christian , which is , are you born again ? So , coming to the last couple , ben , but they're not the last couple , because there's a continuous more .
Speaker 1But Ben all the disciples really all the disciples , all of the disciples .
Speaker 2All 12 of them , If you had all the CVs of all the disciples .
Speaker 1Ben , there's only one you'd choose , yeah .
It's Judas , because he had the best CV out of everything you know . But yet this fellow was stealing from the pot , wasn't he ? He was slippery , he was dodgy , as they come . He was bought with money , and we know what he did in the end , didn't he ?
Speaker 1We know Judas Iscariot .
Speaker 2So you know Peter , you know , we know Peter's story . He denied Jesus , didn't he ? Three times at the fire bin . Left that courtyard Left , that courtyard crying Wept bitterly .
Speaker 1Imagine what it was like to lock eyes on Jesus . If you imagine what it was like to lock eyes on Christ across the courtyard . Christ has prophesied what you're going to do , but Christ also told him when you come back , see again . Christ does not reject .
Speaker 2No because he knew Peter's heart . He knew what the Father had put into Peter . He used that . You know , thomas was a doubter , wasn't he Ben ?
Speaker 1What a great character , open and honest , when they come to him and said we've seen the Lord , we've walked with him , we've seen him and Thomas went . You know what I don't want to know anymore ? Don't tell me anymore about Jesus . Unless I see , unless I touch , I will not believe .
Speaker 2I will not believe . And you know you've got James , haven't you James ? Yeah , james and John are the two brothers , weren't they ? Bo and Urges , you know ? And they were fighting over who wanted to be Fiesty , who was going to be the right . I'm having it , it's me . Every one of those disciples , and , of course , the real one of the real big characters , who actually wrote the New Testament , was Paul Ben , and he persecuted Christians , didn't he ? If you look at he said he was the worst of all sinners . In 1 Timothy 1 , 15 he says you know , christ came to save all sinners , of who I am the chief , he said he was the chief of sinners because he persecuted .
Speaker 2He killed Christians and when they were stoning Stephen , he was holding the coats and encouraging . You can imagine him . He was encouraging the scripture says wasn't he ?
Speaker 1and encouraging . You can imagine him . You can imagine the scripture says that the ones that done the stoning laid their coats at the feet of Saul and he watched the Holy Spirit descend on Stephen , Stephen looking up to the heavens . You can't imagine what a stoning looks like or even sounds like . We can't even go there . But this man stood there calmly watching .
Speaker 2That's interesting , ben , because you know what were they doing . Did they throw stones ? Or I've seen actually I've seen something on a program where they actually picked up the stones and actually went and hit the person .
Speaker 1They hit the person and they get big anyway . Anyway , a stoning is the most brutal .
Speaker 2And he's winding them up . He's holding their jackets A murderer . And he was actually on his way to do some more persecution he wanted the Christians In Damascus .
Speaker 1God spoke , and when God speaks again , hundreds and uncountable characters in the Word of God that were imperfection didn't have any perfect way about them , because you can't be perfect , you look at the most powerful way that God has used each and every single one of these people that we've mentioned , because they had a heart .
Speaker 2So what we're saying is he's not overlooking the imperfections . He doesn't overlook that because he doesn't wink at sin . We can't just naturally go out and intentionally sin . That's off the table . But if you've got a heart for God , if you continually fall , which we do every single day and you are repentant of that , god will use you . God will use you powerfully in ways that you'll never really understand .
Speaker 1No , I think that we've all got to be encouraged here as we click out of this . You know , Patreon family , we are so respectful to you and we thank you so much for for walking and sewing and to partnering with us what we're doing . And and these scriptures today have given me a new hope to see that these , these characters , were flawed on many levels . They was imperfect . They was just human beings living their lives , even living without Christ and without God , and God called them and God strengthened them and God used them . And it's the same again , isn't it being on the potter's wheel ? On the potter's wheel , On the potter's ?
Speaker 2wheel yeah .
Speaker 1In the master's hands . In the master's hands , simon , we are out of here . What do you want to say to our family online through the Patreon , brothers and sisters , and wherever you are ? We just want to give you the thumbs up and say thank you so much .
Speaker 2We want to give you a thumbs up , we want to encourage you , we want to give you a big clap and we'll really welcome you into the Straight Talk family , because we're not perfect . We're not perfect , far from it , and if you journey with us , then you'll see just how imperfect we are and you know , hopefully we're going to get you a copy of uh of our book ben , which is uh , fear took . Our new book was out . It's all about . It's all about fear , fear and overcoming fear .
Speaker 1Really , yeah , you can . You can grab that from amazon , or you can grab it for us and we'll get you it , and and there are other ways of getting this . But this is about overcoming fear . It's not written and talking about us . It's talking about walking with christ . Fear is not an option . Stand still . Giants will fall different spirits . Fear is a liar . The fear of god . And keep your eyes on jesus . It's all about jesus . So , brothers and sisters , wherever you are , you never give up , because there's always hope , and we thank you so much we thank you so much for partnering with us and um .
Speaker 2We've got some great content coming down the line and we've also want to show you , in some short videos that are coming , that we've got planned to come out where your subscription is going , because it's not just going to me it's not just us two chatting .
Speaker 2It's going out to people in the community that really , really need this . So we thank you again and we just want to encourage you to get in touch with us and we will look after you . In the Straight Talk family , in the Straight Talk community , we're going from strength to strength , and so we thank you and we want to pray over you , and if any of you want us to pray over you and if any of you want any of us to pray over
you for any specific reason , then get in touch with us oh , please just get in touch with us .
Speaker 2We want to encourage you and strengthen you and we want to say , above all things never give up never give up .
Speaker 1Have a great day wherever you are , patreon family . God bless in jesus name , we will see you soon . God bless .