Hello and welcome to our podcast here Elim church. You're joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper and we are so glad that you are with us this afternoon this morning this evening, this second wherever you may be on planet earth because the earth is a Malteser and we have with us today, Leya, Jane, I've got it wrong.
Leya:No, yeah, I was gonna say Jane, and then you were gonna say more? again. We have with us today.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. Faiza minstrel, ism all taser. And today we have with us Leya, Jane Moore. That was all for a ceremony.
Leya:Yeah, but I liked the chocolate reference. Even though we talked about food too much.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We talked about food too much. Food too much. Yeah, this is fat club.
Leya:F is a Malteser and not a rich tea biscuit. Let's just
Reverend Ben Cooper:Gosh, and the moon is a
Leya:milky way.
Reverend Ben Cooper:A Mars is a Mars galaxy is a galaxy Do you like galaxy with Cara mode of playing?
Leya:Just playing? Yeah, I like I love playing near places enough for me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Can you wait? I know the answer to this is Yeah, can you read a whole bad boy one smash Easy, easy. I'm gonna take me time and eat this. Yeah, right.
Leya:I appreciate those people because I think they've got a lot more patients and I have they've got strength that I don't possess. I've
Reverend Ben Cooper:got hidden God gifts to hold off chocolate.
Leya:Yeah. No,
Reverend Ben Cooper:but uh, Tom have walked out the garriage it got unwrapped. The Jesus bus. Two slabs have gone. Target out the forecourt Yeah, it's all gone. Gone. Right. Okay, anyway, what we're doing today, you can find us on your Come on. We got to shape up. You can find us on buzzsprout Spotify, Apple Music
Leya:iHeartRadio Google Play and xR, Facebook, Instagram.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Good afternoon, wherever you are. It's Saturday in the world of the world. Wherever you are today, may God bless you and strengthen you. You know, we're just trying to make a bit of light hearted Yeah, chat room mics as we just gather as we do once a week. We thank the good Lord for every one of you. I know we laugh and joke but you know what, there's something really important that we really love Jesus and the joy of the Lord is my strength and the joy of the Lord is my chocolate and
Leya:chocolate is my chocolate. God my chocolate
Reverend Ben Cooper:milk got Mike the cow
Leya:got made the grass that the cow. He can't be a vegetarian. Why? He could be he could be he doesn't want everyone to eat a lot of lamb. That's a choice. Do vegetarians cope with like Passover? but traditionally in the olden days, just put their grass in it. Okay. However grass kebab
Reverend Ben Cooper:grass kebab place I was crossing a lot. Quite a bit of grass. Yeah,
Leya:a whole field. whole field. How
Reverend Ben Cooper:turf a dirt dirt?
Leya:He could have done a kebab cardia when you come out of the pub, sometimes you'd have a dirty grass. pub. jaywalk.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Isn't it interesting that all the pubs are really struggling? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Sort of serious now when we pop out of Boris's closet, so yeah, gunplay, you can say? He's gonna go hang on a minute, that we come. Yeah.
Leya:I do believe that. This is like news today already that Well, yesterday, we've had news that already everything's been put back a month, because of the fact that the vaccines aren't getting out. And they're saying that the society can't start again until vaccines? I don't know. But I personally are, I will miss it. If pops don't open a little bit soon. Not because I'd love a libation. Although in our don't drink so that we know you don't miss the community feel of it.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, it's an interesting subject. pubs and community.
Leya:That's not what this podcasts about. But let's go.
Reverend Ben Cooper:But when you think a community is a really important word, is that community? Yeah. Churches community. gyms are a community. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Leya:Isn't it strange that all of those places are places where endorphins are created through friendship. I've been doing
Reverend Ben Cooper:different clubs.
Leya:When we were drunk on the Word of God. Oh, yeah. And then other people are drunk and fell in love because the endorphins that it releases when you go to the gym, it releases endorphins.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Do you know what I used to belong at David Lloyd. Office. It was a restaurant and I looked out the window one day. Yeah. And I say add some Ray machines and I thought they do it in this restaurant. burgers,
Leya:they were keeping they were doing the electricity to keep on the treadmills. That's what they were doing the kitchen running. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, force that's where that puddle of water for Have a
Leya:swimming pool. Yeah, that was where I put the
Reverend Ben Cooper:foot David, why would a food chain
Leya:I had to try and stop myself from singing Harold Lloyd that program from school when he said that let's call when we were little remember Hooray for Harold Lloyd Jones. That's
Reverend Ben Cooper:really old.
Leya:Yeah, no,
Reverend Ben Cooper:I remember that. Yeah. Anyway,
Leya:no. Yeah, yeah, let's go. So, this week, God put a little word in me. He said, You knew it was this this. The thing that he wants us to talk about this week is the story of David and Goliath. But the story of David being Goliath, but of David's choosing to wear his own armor. Yeah, so saying, I can't dance in your armor.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Right dancin in your pen.
Leya:I can't use your pencil.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Right We are in one Samuel will come. There's a really good the people listening. Yeah, sorry. We're not being flippant. It's Saturday, Saturday. It's Saturday. We've taken off the sandals and the white socks and we are jovial. Yeah. We have found our jovial Yeah, yeah, the TIF
Leya:yet springs come in springs coming
Reverend Ben Cooper:off the tube and lockdowns come with another lockdown. One Samuel, chapter 17 verse 37, through 240 the Lord who rescued me from the poor of a lion and from the poor of a bear will rescue me from the hand of the fittest I said to David, go, and the Lord will be with you. Then saw dress David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on, on him rather and a bronze helmet upon his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried to walk around because he was not used to them. I cannot go in these he said to Saul, because I'm not used to them. So he took them off. First 40 of one Samuel chapter 17 Then he took his own staff in his hand choosing five small smooth stones from the stream put them in his pouch of the shepherd bag. And with his sling in is hand approached the full astym are not going in your club Assam.
Leya:I'm not going in your club. I'm wearing mine because I can't move in that. And I need to be alive. I need to be me. I need to face this. The only armor I need is God really. Think about
Reverend Ben Cooper:it. Ephesians Ephesians chapter six, put on the full armor. He says put on the full armor. It's really important that the full armor you know when you work out what they put on the armor. So don't put on souls that this is really a great text because what this comes to right to the nuts and bolts of it is is that Saul is obviously trying to dress David in his gear. And that's what the church does to us. This is how we used to do it. Yeah, wear this. And it'll it'll be right yeah. When a lot of people have gone Alright, then I'll go in the old stuff and thinking the same walking. Yeah, but I'm too frightened to tell we are past and I think going we
Leya:all do it in our lives as well trying to be something that we're not Oh,
Reverend Ben Cooper:thank you for that. I'll wear that I'll do that. Don't worry. Yeah, yeah. appraisal. Oh,
Leya:yeah. I'll be I'll meet your expectations instead of mine. I've been to I am
Reverend Ben Cooper:I think to your Will you need to change that expectations to God's plan. Yeah, because I also really believe that where the church has given us this armor that's come down generation after generation on what I mean by armory is a is a plan of how we do this that makes you buckle it buckles you
Leya:just can't walk,
Reverend Ben Cooper:you can't move. I can't be free. I can't be I can't be the person that God has called me to be dressing in your traditional kit. Be free. Yeah. And he doesn't take any weaponry.
Leya:You come at me with spear,
Reverend Ben Cooper:Javelin sold and sold and I come at you in the name of
Leya:God.
Reverend Ben Cooper:My Susan lamb the Lord. Give me that. We're not gonna we're not you know, you're doing well. I'm doing really, really? Well. Yeah. Big thing. What's the word massive in a lot of words in the word.
Leya:Yeah. But that specific, I really like that. That idea of, you know, not meeting anybody else's expectations apart from the plans that God has got for you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:This is really, really important because what we can get from this as well is that a lot of people in churches will say, I believe God is calling you to this when actually God isn't calling the other person to that. But we're going all well. They're the older generation. They're the pastors and the leaders there. The the older ones, maybe got is and then suddenly we get clothed with this coat or this tunic. Yeah, that is not our calling. Yeah. And that's why a lot of things foul and we don't see the real blessing because we're we're carrying out someone else's cause saw cuz somebody else's plan because Saul wasn't able to fight this. So Saul wanted to give his fight to someone else tried to pay him off didn't and that's what the church does that will send in someone else
Leya:but also you got people that may be wanting to turn to Jesus and turn to God. And they can't because they want to meet the expectations or their families who say you can't push me trying to change you. They're only trying to do this to you. They're only trying to manipulate you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:up you'll be Why am
Leya:I at that exact sentence? And I've also heard
Reverend Ben Cooper:your question you want to be a Christian? At the moment. Let's sort this one. What do you want
Leya:to be a Christian now
Reverend Ben Cooper:I am I don't want to people are gonna go What's he gonna but I want to? I am before it's even cold. Yeah. before I was even created. Yeah, because I was caught. He was called to be a disciple. He was chosen. Yeah, it was made he was created to be who you are. And there are loads of atheists out there. Probably just skipping around faith in God. ozy but like so come on. We love to Hofer souls holster my emotion when Saul was about he came off the horse and he was just about to hit the floor on the horse. His hope was coming down. Bang. That was that time when we use a word salvation, but we know that salvation and come You know, God, Christ, but God's purpose when or when when God met with so and so's life changed from terrible things to glorious things. His life done a complete turnaround, but interest in you got to hit the floor before you can get up. Yeah.
Leya:Yeah. And he was the king. So I was speaking about this
Reverend Ben Cooper:with two souls on the bounce. This is a different so this this this old guy, this is crazy. So this is getting confusing. I was referring to Saul, Saul, why you persecute me. So who became Paul? The great new tech right? How old
Leya:is the year?
Reverend Ben Cooper:He Sol Sol Sol. Why do you persecute me? So that's this is an Old Testament. So now we're in the old one. Samuel. This is crazy kings
Leya:like crazy King.
Reverend Ben Cooper:so crazy chaos.
Leya:God didn't want him to be king. But the people wanted him to be king. So God went okay. You chose him
Reverend Ben Cooper:you can have. That's interesting.
Leya:He looks good. He tells a good story. You can have him and then he decided would say right.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Why did I listen to you mob? Yeah, look at the trouble if
Leya:I've listened to you who chose somebody based on what they look like, their appearances. I'm now going to put in somebody who you wouldn't ever expect to be a great leader but who will be one of the greatest leaders of all time. Nearly all shepherd boy.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. Hot player.
Leya:Yeah. Probably hot player, poet, warrior
Reverend Ben Cooper:warrior.
Leya:What dude.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So geezer
Leya:if I can just go? He did. He got the night bus to go there to beat the year Philistines. So one, Peter three, okay, three to four. Yeah, do not let your adorning be external, the braiding of your hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear. But let your adorning be the hidden Person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Which it's God's sorry, which in God's sight is very precious.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Gentle and quiet. Spirit. Yeah, not all rah rah rah rah. Yeah, a noisy one.
Leya:A bit noisy. noisy. But it's an imperishable bat. That's what I like. You know? Other things turn to dust
Reverend Ben Cooper:the way the scriptures word and just bring things across a perfect word. And so the great powerful bit electric. Yeah, beautiful.
Leya:But I like that idea of God.
Reverend Ben Cooper:God doesn't choose handsome and ruggedness. Yeah, God chooses words. He doesn't choose six packs in the pulpit. Yeah, doesn't talk call. doesn't choose tall people. That's why I'm in a pulpit. stump. Round people doesn't
Leya:choose simple things. People with natural blonde hair.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Or just say worship bands. You're looking at one on one about Christian ones. Oh yeah. got white TAFE Essex 10. Yeah, beautiful blue eyes. Yeah. And it's got blonde hair. Oh, wow. Okay. Yeah, it's true. They are all they come out with flip flops on. You're not I mean on call, are you seen flip flops are a bad thing? No, it's just a dumb fit. It has an effect that it doesn't,
Leya:doesn't fit if it's that idea of as you've spoken before in the past is that some some people who profess to be Christian won't approach the person that isn't wearing the most expensive arts McLovin has the greatest watch on maybe his walked in off the street because they're homeless? Yeah, you know, that's right. Jesus was a highways and byways.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So when you look at these texts we're looking at, we can see today that there's manufacturing going on in church. Yeah, you can see that there's got to be a certain appearance. You're going to dress a certain way. You're going to look a certain way. Yeah. So if you put one of the top handful of Christian bands visually, yeah, next to the same age bracket in the secular well bands and didn't put no lyrics up or just, you looked at them. Okay? You would think that they've come from the same recording room truth. Very, very trophy, trophy, true,
Leya:very truthful, very truthful, very truthful. And so
Reverend Ben Cooper:the Christian world of music, please don't shoot me, in certain areas are trying to copy the secular, I believe in, in looks, I think because we've got to blend into the world when actually no, the world has got to see.
Leya:It's like a promotional exercise is, I don't know there is one band that I really like. I don't I don't want to know if I can name them.
Reverend Ben Cooper:believers.
Leya:No. Oh, yeah. The little fat believers. They're great. There is one band that I really like. And it is basically a ragtag kind of band, and they're made up of all kinds of people, but that's what
Reverend Ben Cooper:it should be.
Leya:Yeah. People and it's like about 50 of them. And they all dance together. And okay. There is not a lead singer. So everybody gets such an important thing. Everybody gets a leader. Yeah, no one
Reverend Ben Cooper:being lifted on the limelight is
Leya:talking to they're always working with different music groups as well. Excellent. Excellent. Yeah. They're really good. I post them quite a lot. Yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:it's very interesting talking about appearance. The Book of Isaiah says about Christ and that Scripture says says, not size, or sort of what sort of a person speaks like
Leya:somebody that has chocolate Good morning,
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'm ever so sorry listeners.
Leya:That worry God doesn't mind what you speak like because no respect.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Be choses the lowly things.
Leya:He does a scripture chooses. He chooses me because I'm very sure
Reverend Ben Cooper:the wise No, don't say what not Low, low to the ground. I'm joking. No, it wasn't gonna say right, Jesus, right. This is serious stuff in the book of Isaiah. We're talking about. We're talking about everything really. But what's interesting that when it talks about Christ, there was nothing in his appearance. That was attractive. So that is very clear in Scripture. So cry
Leya:the donkey did ever Ferrara.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He didn't have a didn't have a racehorse,
Leya:he didn't have like posh shows and that wasn't adorned in Golden golden row slap a king. It was adorned in a white white garment base.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Across King died on a cross and litoris in a borrowed grave.
Leya:Sorry, stole your thunder.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He did. Anyway, are we talking about appearance? So coming back to Seoul coming back to Seoul and David about wearing so that the culture of the church has been bringing together a certain preacher must look a certain way. A certain teacher must have a certain pulpit it must stand a certain way. Yeah. It must walk a certain way. It must wear a certain pair of glasses it must wear a certain color leather jacket, white t shirt talking a skinny jeans I put mine on by the way I put Vaseline in them jumping them jump off the bed. I say do it in church.
Leya:Chris is the heart. And you just jump straight in. of that.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And then so there's there's a lot to get from this. And I know people have told me
Leya:no, this is
Reverend Ben Cooper:because
Leya:I took personally took with me and it changed my life.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Soul is given David, his opinion on how he should go into battle. Yeah, that is the severity of what we're looking at. Yeah, but what it's the same for today is leaders are thinking They've got a vision or a certain way that God is speaking to them that they have to be dressed a certain way, and look a certain way. And a certain person doesn't fit the box for that. When actually, the scripture says Christ had nothing within his appearance. That was attractive. So there wasn't it. So it's the opposite. It's the opposite. Take all the top Christian bands, where you see a little fatter.
Leya:Take all the all the Christian art for years and years and years, every single depiction of Jesus is a beautiful white person. Yeah, do you know I mean, that that's to fit that is to fit the capital T capital C churches idea of what Jesus look like? What, what what, In what world?
Reverend Ben Cooper:I can say this, because I've got a lot of friends. And
Leya:I've actually seen pictures of Jesus paint it is a blood a blonde, a blonde, live, white man is that
Reverend Ben Cooper:there was not
Leya:Jesus the match their
Reverend Ben Cooper:interpretation of how they want it to look. And that's how a lot of the the established churches in the establish, but then a
Leya:lot of people taken on board over the rest of the world by saying you don't fit that
Reverend Ben Cooper:you don't fit that. That's really important. And David said the soul, I don't fit what you think. No, I am. Yeah, and I cannot go in what you are giving me. I need to find my own way. My own calling. My own equipment to deal with this
Leya:beautiful is in
Reverend Ben Cooper:front of me.
Leya:God gives us that permission.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Because we're individual. Yeah, each and every one of us has a different calling a different way. So individual, but the world just is creating robots and the church is creating robots. And it's very difficult to see the difference between a Christian band and a secular ban. Yeah, you go to all this stuff that's going on before a lockdown and you think I'm coming in or show this is not
Leya:at the moment, it's very difficult to tell the difference between a Christian or business manager. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, no, I'm saying I had to just change the subject slightly. I had a really great conversation with a colleague today who's a Christian as well. She's She's good Christian. She's nice girl. And we were discussing how people react in our workplace when we discuss our faith. Yeah. And it's that same thing people don't expect you you're in this bracket of because well, why you discussing your faith? And she said to me, what do you do when when people ask you about your Christianity? Or when you're talking about it? How do you feel they're not Christians? How do you feel when I said to her, Well, kind of just Carry on, carry on affect me? Because that's their reaction. Yes, is their reaction and mine is mine. I know that I'm good with God. I know God loves me. So I'll carry on the way I am. And that's really I was like, Whoa, this really? That conversation really told me that this was the right subject for us to do today. Because it is that thing of being in a being in the secular world. Yes. And we're in your own suit.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And it's interesting, because cuz God says the same thing to everyone that is a believer, put on the full armor. Put on that full size, the full armor, but it's God's armor. It's God's way. So we are kept we, we are dressed the same because we are dressed in Christ and we've everything of Christ.
Leya:Can I just read you this awesome quote, koshka one Corinthians 1510. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though. It was not I but the grace of God that was in me. I mean, karma I worked
Reverend Ben Cooper:harder. Yeah, I worked harder than any of them. Yeah. tentmaker Grafton, shipwrecked, beaten, solar sundered wit naked. peril of sword complete the opposite. pastors have. Yeah, completely. Yeah, no, Mark.
Leya:I mean, you know, no, David, here. He wrestled lions with his hands. He killed bear and alive of
Reverend Ben Cooper:his and yeah, it was a shepherd boy. Yeah. To get down and dirty. Yeah. sorts of things.
Leya:So where was he going to be able to be the live stone throwing slingshot when he's wearing a clunky bit of old rusty armor? I'm not saying it was rusty because so probably did clean it
Reverend Ben Cooper:will probably survive.
Leya:Yeah, but how are you supposed to dance when you're wearing armor? That isn't a spiritual armor. Do you know I mean, yeah, not fit for you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Right there. We have Have a king given a future king instructions? How to walk? When actually, you can't do it? What may have worked for Saul? Because that was that was his own suit. Yeah. And that is like culture that is like church that is like, this is how we do it. And this is what you're gonna you are gonna generations expectations
Leya:even in the world generations as
Reverend Ben Cooper:Christians, we're off the things at the moment and put that aside. Even in a workplace. This is how we do this in this place. Yeah, it's worked for years. Yeah. Look at wars. This is how we do it. And then suddenly wars is gone.
Leya:What about in schools in education? Yeah, you know, you have to do the three R's. You have to get your exams, you sit and do your academic. Yeah, but what's the thing that people need more than anything is, is the workman is the people that are keeping the country going together?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes. Right. Yeah.
Leya:Yeah. So it's that it's that idea of No, I've got Do what? I've got to do what's right for me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And by God, that's right. That's right. God's gonna do that, for me all the way for the corporate world, all the way for the world of the church here, wherever you look at that, there is a certain expectation that you've got a walk a certain way, you've got to dress a certain way. You've got, everything's got to be, this is how we perceive it should be.
Leya:And if you don't fit that mold,
Reverend Ben Cooper:you ain't coming in, coming in.
Leya:You ain't coming in, and then we'll
Reverend Ben Cooper:practice and
Leya:then people don't go to church because they believe that though,
Reverend Ben Cooper:that they're not working. I won't fit in because their perception of what they see. And it's not actually right. It's not right. It's not right. It's up your
Leya:nets, and come with me drop. Bring all your stuff. Come with me. Come with me. I'm gonna take it, we're gonna take it. Bring an Ikea bring an Ikea. I don't know if anyone here actually wears them anymore. Or Nike has. They don't bring your band's trainers bring your Converse? Yeah. And other shows are available. Bring them?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Look, it's really important, because I know we're running a little bit over. What's really, really, really important here is that don't go into the battlefield of life in a way that someone else went in, just because mom and dad are like, come on, just because pastoring This is how we done this. This is how I it's very interesting. This is how I built this church. Well Hang on a minute. You built it and got an army to do this. In this denomination, hang on a minute. Not partner of your denomination because your armor has got you in trouble. Yeah. And actually, you can't fight this battle. If you thought that your armor was good enough. You'll be down in the arena with a fella down there. But actually, you're giving me your stuff to fight your battle. And it that works on
Leya:Yeah. And your battle. It's not God's battle. Exactly. The battle belongs to the Lord. He got it.
Reverend Ben Cooper:But this is really interesting, because this was not David's fight either. No, no, it wasn't David's issue. Yeah. David was coming up from his dad's 10. Yeah. And he had to eat and the basic understanding of this is that David's dad said go and check out on your brother's Make sure your brother right? Take him up this kebab. shop at Costco get a cup of large skinny lattes. But or David trots off, so it gets sorted out real quick and on the way. And then he says to his my Listen, you got to look after my shape. And there's another spiritual thing there. So he had to hand his sheep to another Shepherd, or has been too much of that going on. Yes. So David trots off for the savages where the costume runs up the hill. Oh, happy to see your family. And all these brothers do. What are you doing? Yeah, yeah. What are you doing it or often do we get in area? Oh,
Leya:come here again. What
Reverend Ben Cooper:you're doing here? bring trouble. Yeah, Paul. David just rolled out with a Big Mac in a senate cheeseburger
Leya:and somebody else has said, wrong idea of him. They've come to a wrong assumption. I don't know.
Reverend Ben Cooper:You've come up here and of course, trouble. Yeah.
Leya:They've made incorrect presumptions.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It runs all the way through. So these are fighting men. These are David's brothers. And then you got King Saul in a lineup. So the battle wasn't, wasn't even David David was just on an errand for his dad to check to make sure that his brothers was okay. But then all of a sudden he steps into the arena is I love this because this shows me so much that these now saw must look great. He was he was he looked like a king, but he pumped his way out of it. paperbag
Leya:David Beckham
Reverend Ben Cooper:that possibly Yeah,
Leya:because I'm sure they will love them. No, no. They will love them they will love they all love God. David Beckham did. Yeah, I
Reverend Ben Cooper:do like David, bring it back to the Scripture. But Penton
Leya:everybody, sorry. I'm not objectifying David Beckham. But everybody loves him. They wanted him to be their leader. They voted for him. He was literally golden. I'll leave it there. kebab. Yeah. He was golden spheres. And I think that's what they thought of Seoul, didn't they, they love them. They want him to be there later. But he didn't have any I mean, they've got substance, but he didn't have any substance. He couldn't fight his own battle.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He can punch it. Well, he tried
Leya:to pay people to do it in a free times. He said, Oh, I'll give you money. Money, and then you can have my daughter.
Reverend Ben Cooper:There. We have a leader chosen by humanity. zactly when humanity chooses a leader, to rule and to govern? and perception is dangerous, isn't it? Yeah. It's looking at someone and guiding offering them a great path. Or they might have great worship leader, when actually, it's not what humanity thinks about that.
Leya:It's called the halo effect.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It is Yeah. So we look across the platform of life. bringing everything together. Here we sit in the world of the business, we're sitting in politics, we see it, you know, in every area, you know, I mean, news readers look a certain way dress a certain way. Exactly. where he's gonna lose newsreader. We won. I
Leya:know there aren't many, many pirate nose readers. Yeah, right. They all they can talk.
Reverend Ben Cooper:manufactured and they all got to look a certain way. Yeah, exactly. When the men smile, a little Ching. The weather man.
Leya:Yeah. So that's that's why I'm saying it's all
Reverend Ben Cooper:about appearance, appearances and perception of what we what what, what they think that we want, when actually we don't want that, or is it going to ruin the day?
Leya:I want to trust somebody? And I don't trust plastic people. I'm sorry. I don't? I don't know.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, yeah. But we're not saying all whether people have plastic.
Leya:No. Because in Ephesians 210, it says, We are all his workmanship. created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, which I love. Because it's like, yeah, we're all It doesn't matter what you look like, we're all God's creation. We are all his workmanship. We are his.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We know that. Yeah. But a few years ago, I got into donuts. But do you know what I mean? So
Leya:the ring of satin is a donut just saying going back to America. But they atheists still believe that they are the pinnacle of crip existence? It true. I'll
Reverend Ben Cooper:give you that, I suppose.
Leya:So there is a workmanship in worship? Yeah, even if they believe that it's a genetic darwinistic thing. You know, there is that little boy Yeah. But we're not atheists. And I doubt that a lot of atheists will listen to this to be honest with you Why?
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's all about Jesus.
Leya:Okay, I hope they do. And I hope they I hope they find some out let me know, in program
Reverend Ben Cooper:as we talk about food, within five minutes on chocolate come to slim club. Yeah. Welcome to the subject. Okay,
Leya:one Timothy four, four, for everything bit created by God is good. And nothing is to be rejected if it received with thanksgiving. So that's what we're saying about people not judging people coming into the church. I'm pointing at you. Yeah, because everything created by God is good.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, everyone, I'll just my eyes and mind is skimming over certain denominations and certain churches and everything is just so manufacturers.
Leya:Everybody has the possibility. We sweep those people away and go, you can never be saved, then that's not quite is it?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Not if you'd like and you're trying to live up to this perception of you got to be perfect in your walk. I'm talking about physicality. I'm not a Christian or we know
Leya:we're not talking about disability or anything. There are certain people that do believe that if you have a disability then you send in your previous life terrible.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So preachers God
Leya:God made you perfect.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He's nice to people.
Leya:God made you and your perfect quarter love here.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Today, what do you know? I'd love to see. Well, I would love to see a Christian band made up of scaffolders, bricklayers, hot carriers, forklift truck drivers,
Leya:just generically and stereotypically a male dominated band. Can we have like a horn section and also some girls in there, nurses, I want nurses, nurses can be mento. Let's not be sexist about them. But what I'm trying to say
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'm trying to get out of our different look. Yeah, do not I mean,
Leya:I don't want ripped jeans and flowy shirts with highlights.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I'll tell you what. scaffolder odd carrier Yeah. A doctor,
Leya:doctor. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:a biker
Leya:show phila tattooist, milkman will women get a big band? With a lollipop Lollipop Man or lady? Teacher?
Reverend Ben Cooper:I think the listeners understand what I'm trying to say is that just one normal people. Now we don't normal because the scripture says we're peculiar. The scripture we are. I like that. We might have a different
Leya:crowd to be peculiar.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. Yeah. peculiar. peculiar. And
Leya:again, that's that's it. It's about the individuality of our nature, isn't it? Yeah. Well, we're all created by God. But we're all different. And he knows every hair on our head. He created the stars and He created us at different is every single star the possibilities of life on every single star and He created us he made me want to get baptized again. get baptized first. Oh, yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, subject. Yeah. Wow.
Leya:So we do a live baptism podcast just saying to sign
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, but are you gonna speak under the water?
Leya:Be
Reverend Ben Cooper:baptized,
Leya:I want to drop this Galatians on you. Because I told you this one earlier and it made me shiver.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Oh, gosh, I love this text. But
Leya:Galatians 110. For I am now seeking sorry. For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Where am I trying to please man? If I was still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ
Reverend Ben Cooper:died Really? day so beautiful, isn't it now I'm ready from the IV go on. A slightly different goal and I love it when we compare. Now I know trying to win the approval of human beings or of God or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. I can't be a people pleaser.
Leya:Yeah. But the church about the god pleaser
Reverend Ben Cooper:I've got much on what we mean by that doing the will of the Father
Leya:well it's about the beautiful heart the
Reverend Ben Cooper:beautiful heart comes back to the old the Old Testament spirit Yeah, David again and soul look David could have gone our our better. Our boy wants me to wear this armor. I better just
Leya:go in with a spear and a gun and a chariot.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He could have gone in with a fall he
Leya:went in with grace. Yeah, it's more graceful than that slingshot? I mean, you know,
Reverend Ben Cooper:right but David knew who he was in God David knew his God got David at a heart after God. But David at this point that we're looking at just brings into this text so really beautifully. Galatians 110 and what we're looking at one Samuel, it really tells us very clearly that David just really clearly said to so I can't go in what you You expect me to go in? So he wasn't being a people pleaser? Yeah. And pastors were trying to please everyone when actually are taking my eye off. Jesus and you lose not nothing to lose yourself by doing that. But you lose the the Colin not the calling. But what? You lose focus of what what you need to be focused on in your calling, Sir David summed this up. He wasn't called to wear someone else's kit. That Galatians that we're looking at really tells us I'm not here. We're not meant to be people pleasers. Now that sounds Some people go Oh, but what's a Christian? Not what it means? It doesn't mean that it's not about being proud. bigoted, and no i don't care not doesn't mean that it means about delivering the truth living for Christ. I'm not here to please someone that doesn't understand what I mean. I've just got to make sure because when I get upstairs, that person that has been barking at me for all these years, they're not going to be beside me. It's just gonna be me and my savior set
Leya:your own integrity and your faith.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And is he gonna say to us, whoever we are well done good and faithful servant, or is he gonna go? I told you not to wear Saul's armor. But you allowed the elders which is fine. There are certain things to get from we get that but there comes a point when you have to say, I can't go in that. I can't do what you're asking me to do. Yeah, not because I'm disrespecting you. But it's not my calling. Yeah, that's the importance of what we're talking about. What is your calling? Yeah. Because that David, one soars battle. And it wasn't even his fire. And there's lots of people in the arena of life business church everywhere in a battlefield, and they are wearing stuff that they shouldn't be aware in. But also more than that, they are struggling to win because they are. It's not their battle. So they've gone into battle with someone else's armor. And it wasn't even their fight to fire so to speak. And they can't get nowhere because they don't realize who they are in Christ. And they don't need to wear Saul's kit. They just need to go in the strength of the Lord.
Leya:I think so many bad really eloquently put rather really, really, really good, cute
Reverend Ben Cooper:us I teach. I teach English to
Leya:you. I think there are so many people that are going through mental health struggles is because they're trying to fit that mold that somebody else has put on them. Yeah, and not be themselves be yourself. There's so many people that are going through real anxious times so many people that are put you can't be yourself arming themselves mentally and physically because they can't they then they're failing at fitting a mold that they shouldn't be trying to fit in the first place. This I think that is so important. They're so important because I'm people are you're not anybody else. You yourself yourself. So
Reverend Ben Cooper:however you are created, that is who you are meant to be and it doesn't matter what anybody says about you. Okay, thank you. That's your opinion, but I know who I am I men we've got to find a
Leya:pool go through a lot of counseling to get to the position where they are taking it on board. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, that's your opinion. Somebody else's angry with them for any reason if somebody was angry with me for any other reason, if anybody is misunderstood, something that I said that's their issue. That's right. That's the I mean, that'd be rude to people go into female virgin on a kind heart, you know what I mean? But if somebody else's expectations aren't being met, is their expectation not mine? Not mine. It's not my expectation. And it's not me that should be feeling guilty or tying myself in knots. Yeah, but somebody else's shortcomings emotional shortcomings. Easy Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So that's that's what we have with solo isn't it? He wanted he he wanted David to fight his battle his way Yeah. And that's what people people get agitated. And they say you're going to do this on your line manager arm your boss on your old ROM you should do that you should do this you should do that. And when you go Yeah, but I don't think hang on your brain does hang on it knows nothing about being disrespectful I feel in my spirit and heart that I'm not fit for this.
Leya:I this is not is a really bad thing. All my life. I've done this. Also, if somebody tries to tell me how to do something, or what I'm going to say immediately do the opposite. I'm really bad at it. And it's something that I had to work quite a lot because it's an irrational knee jerk
Reverend Ben Cooper:reaction course it is yeah.
Leya:When this when you read this sermon out in church when you did the sermon or this it was some time ago now it was a really struck a chord with me it was like a KB and open to my heart. And a little bit more may came our why
Reverend Ben Cooper:a god. Why
Leya:is this thing we see in the media and everything like Caroline flack that? Oh, that's terrible. It was terrible. That was because of society's expectations. Yeah, she should live and she wasn't meeting them. And therefore it Spanner into a psychological
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah.
Leya:Christ, you know, I mean, and I would hate for anybody listening to this, to not take that out of it. So I just had to touch on that moment. There you go. It's really because once you realize that your your plan is God's plan for you. And that's the plan that you should have been living in the EU. And, and yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:whether
Leya:you're, I don't wanna say To hell with everybody else, because that's wrong. But I say that Listen, don't listen to any other voice, but the one that you know, is true,
Reverend Ben Cooper:we're gonna have to, and I, because time is just Gallop, but
Leya:I've just ended it there. Any other voice than that one that you know is true.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. Amen. And his name is Jesus, I man, the king, we could go so far with this. You know, there's so much so much to pull out of this, you know, if we had time to do a bit more expository line by line, word by word,
Leya:about the political ramifications of any of this or anything, we're just talking about the social side of things. There's no level of people taking this sorry
Reverend Ben Cooper:in closing, this was the key. Be who you are molded. Oh, we just want to say thank you to all the listeners wherever you are around the globe on this little more teaser of an F or Thank you for listening to us wherever you may be Enjoy your Saturday, you know keeping the word stay in Christ and we thank you so much. You've been listening to layer j more and you have been listening to Reverend Benjamin Leonard Leonard Cooper, and you can find us on buzzsprout Spotify Apple Music
Leya:iHeartRadio Google Play Alexa, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And we don't have anywhere else in the studio is just as
Leya:we did all of that.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Have a great day. Stay safe. Stay in the Word of God and just be you.
Leya:Yes.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. God bless