Welcome to Unshakable , a daily Christian devotional podcast with myself , reverend Ben Cooper , a Bible teaching minister based here within the UK , England , where this is being recorded from . You know , wherever you are across the world , we want to gather you together and as we gather for something very different world . We want to gather you together and as we gather for something very different and we want to start introducing this into our daily time with you wherever you are across the world . It's scripture-based , it's prayer of faith , it's renewal and it's worship , and it's welcome to daily communion at home . We're having communion at home built into this devotional time with myself , wherever you are across the world . This is a sacred moment where we invite each other to draw near to jesus through the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup , grounding in our faith in the timeless promise of god's word . You know the scripture that we're coming from , that we're going to break bread together in a short while , in this 15 minute devotion , will be the gospel of luke , chapter 22 , verse 19 , but I just want to read out what this devotional uh text is today . Firstly , we're going to go to proverbs , chapter 16 , verse 9 , and the text at this moment is in their hearts , human plans of their courses of life , but the Lord establishes their step . You know , we plan what we want to do , don't we ? We plan and we try to plan our lives , but the Lord orders our steps . So let's just come before God . And
wherever you are , when was the last time you broke bread ? When was the last time you was able to take a cup ? Maybe you're at home now , maybe you're in hospital , maybe you're in a hospice , maybe you're struggling , maybe you've got social anxiety and you don't even want to get out the house and you're uncertain of of when the last time was you broke bread . And maybe it was a week , maybe it was two weeks , maybe it was a month , maybe it was years . Whenever that was , we want to encourage you now . Let's just remind ourselves of something really important it's not within the building , it's not supposed to be kept within the building .
Speaker 1Jesus when you think about jesus and communion and the breaking of the bread and the passover , when he was gathering for those last moments of his life , he says I've eagerly awaited to do this with you . He has been preparing , you know , from genesis right up to the gospel of john or luke , whatever scripture we was bringing this text from . But when you think about it , the breaking of bread and communion is not and hasn't been brought in by the church and religion . It's been brought in by the god of israel . It's been brought in in the old testament . And you can find that you turn to the book of Exodus , chapter 12 , you will read about the Passover . This is what we're about to do . We're about to have the Passover . You know the breaking of bread , the unleavened bread . It's so powerful to be able to do this , so we don't need to be in church . You know , we need to really be strong with ourselves at this moment . We don't need to be in the four walls of religion .
Speaker 1You can do this at home . You can do this in your staff room . You can do this sitting at your desk . You can do it on the commute run . You can do it sitting in your van , if you're parked up safe in the car . You can do it sitting on a scaffold with your friends in your workplace . You can do it wherever you are in retail , whatever your life is . You can workplace . You can do it wherever you are in retail , whatever your life is . You can do this at any time in any place , anywhere , you know , because it's not about being in the building , it's about being in jesus and there are so many people that don't and not able to take bread , because there's this some understanding where we've got to be in the church and pastor has got to lead it and the bishop has got to bless the bread and a , b , c and d .
Speaker 1But I want to encourage you for this devotional time . You know , as the scripture said earlier on , it's really , really important in this devotional time , letting god , letting god in , let god in and let god lead you at this particular moment of your life . Let's remind ourselves proverbs . Chapter 16 , verse 9 , says in their hearts , human plan their course , but the Lord establishes their steps . Let's just pray a moment before we come to the breaking of bread together . And if you want to get yourself ready you know you want to get yourself ready just need a tiny bit of bread and a bit of grape juice , a bit of wine . Whatever you've got is sufficient , because it is not . There is no power in the bread
itself . There is no power in the bread itself . There is no power in the juice itself . It is what it symbolizes . So let's just pray a moment over the scriptures that I just brought .
Speaker 1Father , in the name of Jesus , we come to you and through the book of Proverbs , chapter 16 , verse 9 , lord , you tell us that as human beings , we plan our lives , but , lord , you establish our steps . Lord , I want you to establish my steps today . I want to walk extremely different with you , lord , and I ask my brothers and sisters that we will all walk in the way of the word of God , lord , that we will not be walking according to the crowd of life , but , lord , we will not allow the crowd of life to dictate to us to shape us , to mold us , allow the crowd of life to dictate to us to shape us , to mold us , but , lord , that we will be placed on the potter's wheel and the master will shape us into that beautiful vessel that you're calling us to be . So , lord , I pray for myself , I pray for everybody under the sound of my voice today , across the world , lord , that we will , lord , and understand , lord , that it is you that establishes our steps . So , lord , I want to be in step with you . I want to walk in the way of the word . You tell us very , very clearly that the steps of a good person are ordered by the Lord . Father , thank you for ordering our steps , but help me to be sensitive and wise , to follow the pathway that you have for us through the word of God . Help me and help us to seek ye first , the kingdom of God and your righteousness , amen .
Speaker 1Brothers and sisters , as I said earlier , I want you to grab a bit of bread and a bit of grape juice , a bit of wine , whatever you've got , and we're going to break bread together . We're going to have communion at home . You know this is a beautiful time . We're able to come and remember the promises of God . You know , psalm 34 , verse 8 , says taste and see that the Lord is good . Blessed is the one who takes refuge in him . Let's taste and see , brother and sister , wherever you are , maybe you haven't broken bread for such a long time .
Speaker 1Maybe you feel that your lifestyle doesn't fit into this , that I can't break bread because I'm not living a Christian life . Don't live that life of a liar . God loves you . God loves you wherever you are . Whatever your life looks like right now , there is nothing new under the sun . God is not rejecting you . God is calling you to the table today . God is calling you to the cross . God is calling me . The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of thy glory .
Speaker 1But breaking bread at home , taking of the redemption cup at home , wherever you are at work , communion at home , it's powerful , it's time where we spend gathering together . I can't see you and you can't see me , but that is irrelevant , because we are , we are kin , we are joint , we are grafted in . You don't need , we do not need to be in the building to break bread . It's really important for me to get this and to emphasize this over , and I will do from this moment on , that we do not need to be in the building , we just need to be in Jesus . That's all that matters . God loves you .
Speaker 1Do you realize that God loves you through this daily communal
prayer time together ? You know , as we pray together , as we walk together , as we break bread together , let's grab this bread now . Let's get that little bit of wine juice . You know , take your time wherever you are , whatever your time zone is . This is the beauty of this audio . You can listen to this back and back and back again , and I pray that as we break bread together , whether you're at work , whether you're taking time out , whatever your time zone is , that you will just remind yourself that this is okay to do this outside of the church . It's a great way to get close to god . You know god loves you . This is a sacred moment and we're inviting each and every one of us to draw near to jesus , because that's what we're doing through the breaking and the , the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup , grounding ourself in faith in this timeless promise from god's word . So so , let's get in .
Speaker 1Let's , without further ado , let's get into this breaking of bread , taking of the cup . You know everything that goes along with communion , and this is what the Bible says . You know meditate on the word . It's really important that we meditate and we just sit in the word of God . Luke , chapter 22 , verse 19 . This is my body , which is for you . Do this in remembrance of me . So let's just grab this bread now .
Speaker 1Father , in the name of Jesus , lord myself , ben Cooper , lord , I'm a sinner saved by grace and I am not worthy to do this , but I am worthy because of the blood of Jesus . I'm worthy because of you . So , lord , I come with boldness today . I come , lord , loaded up with baggage . I come loaded up with fear and doubt . Maybe , to the table I come , dear God , fearful , scared . I'm worried about money , lord , but I'm still coming to the table , lord , because , lord , I will never get myself right to do this . It's only you , it's only the power of the Holy Spirit .
Speaker 1So , lord , I stand on the Gospel of Luke , chapter 22 , verse 19 . And , lord , I say this with my brothers and sisters across the world Lord , this is your body , which was broken for me and , lord , I thank you for this and I do this in remembrance of you and lord , I simply , I simply come to you now , the power of christ and lord , I thank you for your love and your mercy . And as I break this bread right now , I realize it is just a symbol and , dear god , it is symbolic of the body of christ and father , I thank you that you never turn me away , even though that I am a sinner , even though that I foul you , even though , lord , I lose control and I get frustrated and I get fearful . Lord , you never turn me away from the Passover table . You invite us in and I recognize that this is just bread in itself . But , lord , as I break this bread with my sisters and brothers across the world . I thank you that your body was broken . Your body was broken for us and right now , we just take a moment and we pause in our life through this daily Christian devotional time together , lord , this communion at home . We break this bread together and , lord , as I've just broken that bread , I thank you , lord , that your body was broken for me In Jesus' name . Amen .
Speaker 1It's that simple , it's this easy . We don't need to be in a religious box . We don't need the bishops , the pastors , the leaders lording all religious rituals over us . This is jesus telling us this . And before we take that cut , let's just take a moment to pause and say do you know what , jesus ? This is a great day because I'm going to do this as often as I can , lord . I'm not in the setting of a church , my life is too busy and I'm sorry , lord , that I haven't been to church , but at least I can break bread with Pastor Ben , at least we can break bread together on the other side of the world and remember , whatever your name is , there is uncountable people doing this together . We are doing this together right now , wherever we are hearing this , recording this communion at home , this daily devotional time together . You know this is devotional time .
Speaker 1The scriptures have been read out Luke , chapter 22 , verse 19 .
Speaker 1This is my body , which is broken .
Speaker 1For you , do this in remembrance of me . And then we go to 1 Corinthians
11 , verse 25 . You know , this covenant seals God's promises for forgivenesses , healings , eternal peace through the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ . Lord , as I come to you today , a sinner saved by grace , I thank you for the bread that was broken . I thank you that your body was broken . But now I take the redemption cup . The cup , lord , that overflows , the cup , lord , jesus Christ , that you was talking about in the garden of Gethsemane , the new covenant in your blood , lord , I thank you that I am a sinner saved by grace , washed in the blood of Jesus , spirit of the living God . As I take this cup now , with my brothers and sisters across the world , cleanse me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet , in Jesus' name . Amen .
Speaker 1It's that simple . It's a piece of bread , it's a bit of grape juice , a bit of wine , whatever you've got there . You know this is beautiful . This is beautiful that we're able to have communion at home and wherever you are across this beautiful earth , just remind yourself , all is well . You know one more scripture Psalm 34 , verse 8 . Taste and see . The Lord is good . Blessed is the one who takes refuge in him . Let this time be a spiritual refuge for you right now . Let the noise of the world just disappear as we have taken that precious time out .
Speaker 1Wherever you are today , we thank you for listening to Unshakeable , a daily Christian devotional podcast . I'm Reverend Ben Cooper here in the uk , in this studio , just recording and broadcasting this for myself and every one of us . We want to thank you for those , because this is the listener supported ministry and we cannot do this without you . So please , if you can support us just by three pound a month , that's all it is is three pound a month , please . That will be absolutely amazing . Three pound a month on . Buy me a coffee on rbchristianradionet
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Speaker 1Your support helps us bring more hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ across the world and across the UK . You know God loves every one of us , but thank you so much for being with us . Thank you that we've been able to break bread together , wherever you are , and to take it a cut and just remind yourself you are redeemed , you are redeemed . Thank you , wherever you are . I've got to keep saying that , embracing the transforming power of God's word , his sanctification through restoration . And may this daily practice deepen our relationship with God . Will it refresh our souls ? Yes , it will , pastor ben . Will it refresh us with hope ? Yes , it will , pastor ben , and it will bring peace to each and every one of our hearts , wherever you are today . Thank you for joining us on unshakable , a daily , daily Christian devotional podcast Until tomorrow .