Hello and welcome to Elim church Swanley, you're joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper for today's podcast. Good morning world wherever you are. We thank you so much for joining us today. Wherever you are across the planet Earth, we thank you so much in the name of Jesus Christ. And as we are just seeing people coming online this morning, we just we just ask God that He will guide you and strengthen you. But we just want to welcome to everyone that is in the world of podcasting, wherever they are today. They'll catch this later today or in a few days in a week's time through the great power of Buzzsprout on Spotify and Apple play and all the other areas of the world of podcasting. Thank you so much to everybody around the world. Good morning. Good morning, wherever you are today as we are live, as we just press him We thank God for your life and, and whoever you are today. You know, we have picked a message out this morning that has come from the messenger, the church messenger and someone said they're anxious and they need prayer. So this morning this morning, I've just literally flicked to a scripture, the discussion that we had just before this online church service, the streaming service Good morning, we see you coming on Good Morning. Philippians chapter four verses six through to eight. You know, but if there is anybody out there this morning that is anxious, just trust in Jesus, if there's anybody out there tired, just trust in Jesus, if there's anyone out there just unsure of life and whatever may be going on in your world, just hold on to Jesus. And again, we welcome you this morning to coffee, coffee and the prayer here at Elim church in Swanley, you are so welcome. We got our brother Andy, we've got our lovely sister Veronica with us today. And we've got our brother Donnie, and Glen, wherever you are watching, maybe in Sevenoaks, thank you, my brother. And we normally have Glen, we've got a lovely sister Veronica with us today that's stepped in. And we just give God the glory. So we are just trusting in Jesus, just like everybody this morning on the other side of the camera. We are all just trusting in Jesus. So wherever you are, whatever your situation is this morning, make God's strength for you and guide you and be with you in the mighty name of Jesus. Yes, good morning, everybody. But let's just get straight into coffee and prayer wherever you are around the coffee houses of the world. Whether you're commuting in your catchiness through different platforms that we're using, or whether you're at home, or you might be on the school, run wherever you might be doing Welcome to church because this is church. We are having church together this morning. And may God bless you and strengthen you. But let's look at Philippians chapter four verses six through to a it says Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanks, given, let your request being made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus brothers and sisters, you know, and anxious moments are really powerful. But God is with you in your anxious moments. And whoever you are, wherever you are, make God strengthen you and bless you. May God just reveal His glory to you this morning. We just want to encourage you today. And we're just saying do not worry. Do not fear Do not allow the enemy to press you anymore. Because you are a child of the living God you are you are a son of the living God. You are a daughter of the living God you are blessed and highly favored. And as we're in prayer this morning, Father, we thank you for the power of coming together this morning. We thank you for the power of your word. We believe in miracles. We trust you today, Lord, and this morning we pray for the fire of God to descend on this nation. We pray that anxiousness Dear God, we pray that fear will go down it will go Father, we pray in the mighty name of Jesus, that Lord, you'll speak to all of us around this table today. That you will speak to all of us, Father God across the earth today, Father that You will lead us into areas of refreshing father that your Word will lead us into the peace Lord, we are praying for peace today. Lord, we need peace. We need guidance. We need your hand upon us. We need the glory of God. In the mighty name of Jesus. Father, we be still and know Can I ask any one of you out there this morning? Do you feel restless today? Do you feel fear for today? Do you feel worried today? Do you feel doubtful today? Do you feel lost in yourself today? You know, this is a subject that the church don't really approach too easy and too well is Do you feel suicidal? God is calling you do you feel so depressed? Do you feel that you've come to the end of everything and you just feel like giving up never give up? God is speaking to you today. God is calling you today. God has you today. You belong to him. Maybe you're bouncing in and out of faith. Maybe you've been in religion. Maybe you've been in certain areas of culture and church and you're still feeling very anxious. But the scripture says Be anxious for nothing. Whatever request that you have, and whatever situation that you have. The scripture says Be anxious for nothing And that gives me great comfort that gives me great comfort that my god knows that I will be anxious. Yes, my God knows that I will be fearful. My God knows that I will doubt. My God knows that I will have a moment where I'm struggling with every area of life, but he has given us clear instruction through his powerful word, Be anxious for nothing, maybe there's a financial crisis in your life. Maybe there's a marital issue in your life, maybe you are not well, this morning, maybe you feel very distressed just because you've just got general anxiety disorders going on and you're, you're feeling very fearful. But the scripture says in a beautiful place, it says Cast your cares and your burdens onto him. Cast everything onto Him, because He cares for you. He really cares for you. He loves you unconditionally. He sent His one and only Son to die upon the cross for you. But Philippians chapter four verses six through to eight says Be anxious for nothing. but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving Lord helped me to be thankful for my situation helped me Lord not to lean on my own understanding helped me to Lord to trust in you Hebrews 11 verse one says, Now faith. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. If you was to turn to that this morning, Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 verse one. Now faith is a clear statement. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hope is powerful. We serve a God of all hope or love or glory. He is the King of kings and he is the Lord of lords. But with prayer and supplication, present your request to God, it takes faith to speak to him. It takes faith to say, Lord, I'm struggling today. Lord, I'm tearful today, Lord, I'm worried about the children's education. I'm worried about marriage. I'm worried dear God about my health. I'm worried about the financial press. I'm worried about our business or I'm worried about my work. I'm Lord, I'm overstretched. Lord, I'm tired and worried about the issues that we have with the children, Lord, general anxiety issues, you know that the press of education, brothers and sisters, whoever you wherever you are, God is calling you a fresh today. And I do believe that we need to go deeper into His presence deeper into His Word. God is calling you but Hebrews 11, Hebrews 11 verse one, read, have a look, see what it says Hebrews 11 verse one. Now faith is it is and now faith is you know, we never give up. It's the substance is what we hope for is what we press him for. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for. You know, you are you are a child of the living God. It doesn't matter how you feel about yourself, it doesn't matter how your feelings are, it doesn't matter how your emotions are, God knows your heart. God has called you right now. And you are worrying about too much you are worrying about too much. You, you need to stop worrying. And this This is not directing at just you guys. This is it, directing it to me, because I need to stop worrying. I can be great at worrying some days, I can be the greatest and the most professional warrior on planet Earth. But I've got to cast all my cares and burdens onto him. I just got to cast everything is a really interesting word that the script you use cast, you know, the fisherman cast the nets, he you've got to throw it out. You've got to fry it, it takes effort. It takes strength. It takes physicality, it takes everything that we may have some days to throw it onto him, Cast all your cares and burdens onto him. Because he cares for you cast everything on. I'm just gonna read this one more Scripture. And I'm going to read from it I was quoting it and I, I don't like to leave everything just to my head because my head will forget certain things. So what is in Hebrews 11? First one Now faith is the confidence in what we hoped for. an assurance about what we do not see. Faith is faith is I believe it's the New King James the King James says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence I love that translation, the evidence, the evidence. See there is evidence. There's evidence. Christ loves you. Wherever you are today. I'm going to say this again. Don't worry. Don't worry, but isn't it easy when someone says don't worry? Isn't it easy for that person that is telling that person that is really stressed? Don't worry. I understand what it feels like to go through depression and anxiety. I understand what it feels like to have it upon you as a heavy cloak. I know exactly how feels. So I am speaking from experience. I am speaking from a lot of experience. Now, faith now faith. Jesus loves you.
Donny Stockburn:Yeah. Thank you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We're in. We're in this morning. We're in prayer. We're just open. We're open. We are open and honest. And we are open. They God bless you.
Donny Stockburn:Yes, thank you. Yeah, I was a pain in a week and asking God for what to speak about work and pray about today, Lord has so many things, going through my mind that so many incidents popping up everywhere. But overall, recently, it seemed as though that it was a persecution risen against God's Church, all over the world. And in this nation of all places, 1000 years of Christianity, yet, the church is more persecuted now than ever. Seems to me from what I've read. And what I hear personally from other people, no, no, as I was looking for a word to play, our came across a prayer from Paul, that great evangelist, and it was written in, in the book of Ephesians of we did vision 314 to 21. And as I read Paul's prayer, I thought, Hmm, that's the prayer would apply. And so if you don't mind have swapped whatever I was gonna do. I'm gonna read Paul's prayer. Because he wrote it to the churches in those days, although it is written to the church of Ephesus, it was written to other churches as well, but it was meant for all churches in all ages. So we could address this one for Paul to the church in Swanley. Is is Paul's prayer letter to us. Now, I just like to read it to you. Remember, Paul was in prison when he wrote his letter in chains. And I think it was a house prison at the time. He was persecuted for preaching the gospel. And the days were much like they're getting now in slang. So this is Paul's prayer, to the church to lift us up. It says, When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall on my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources, he will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, as you trust Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide how long? how high, how deep, is love really is, May you experience love of Christ. Though it is so great, you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now Glory be to God by His mighty power at work within us. He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask for or hopeful may be given Glory to the church, and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen. That was the prayer that I had in my I never had the words but Paul spoken for me and a foreigner got, by the way, that's from the New Living Version Bible, that though just words that are more understandable in this version, Lord arches pride, that those words of chisel they will come into our hearts Lord package and they will be the basis of our lives Father God. This is prayer. Paul's Lord will ricochet down through the ages round to every church and his landlord. And as I read this, I just wondered, what was Paul's? What was Paul seeing in his, in his vision as he pried? Was he seeing a quite big church with gold curtains and gold cups and incense and things swinging around? He said, Now he wasn't. He was praying to what he knew would be a persecuted church. The old church, a true churches of God will be persecuted the word says the Father God, this is the prayer we need. To Know your love to know that love loves that love that is you sin is unimaginable for us right now. And the words can't match it. Fall ago, we've just tasted some of it in this life. And Lord, it's it's given us life. And love is a love that never fails. That love never fails. divided up does not fail. A love that word or love is the greatest and you're The God of Love you all God promises Lord, and love and Father God, of all the things you created in order to heaven, an audio of all the creatures, all the planets, all the star systems, everything. Well your favorite will your children were the most blessed because we have this spirit of God in us. God is our Father, Lord, all your promises. We just pray your poor out on all the all the persecuted churches right now Father God and lift them up. Lift them up with these truths and these words of Paul, we ask this in Jesus name, Lord, Amen. Thank
Reverend Ben Cooper:you, Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Father, we bless you this morning. Lord, give us the faith to stand. Father, give us the faith like the first security church Lord around the world. Give us the faith to stand strong in the name of Jesus. Give us the faith, Lord, to hold our place. To Be still and know that you are God. No matter what adversity is coming against us wherever we are across the earth. Father, give us this faith. Lord, Increase the faith Lord, let that seed of faith grow. Lord, Father, let there be an acceleration today, Lord, Father, I pray for all of us today that our faith will accelerate Father God that you will draw us deeper that our faith will grow today FATHER, LORD, Father, that it will expand in our heart and our minds our thinking and our logic. Glory to you today, Lord, father, but ask we're asking we're asking that we're in the boiler house we're in we're in the prayer room father we're in this place Father God we're we're we're coming to you dear god as brothers and sisters, Lord with with open hearts so they love maybe we have a torn heart if there's anyone that's got a torn heart Lord out there within us today. Anyone feel the bruise today, healing? Lord, we need healings. Father, we need hearts healed a lot we need father lives to be restored. Father, we thank You that You shall restore all the years that the locals have taken Father You shall restore. You are our story. You are our God, you are our rock you are our King. Lord. Today we asked you for anyone that feels that their faith Lord has just just slipped away. Lord, we pray that they will be accelerated in that faith. We pray today, Lord, that we will take on Hebrews Lord 11 that we will take on that that scripture on board into our heart today, Lord now faith now faith, Lord will keep repeating that to my spirit today, Lord, Now faith now is the moment. It's now Now faith is the substance Lord. Faith is the concrete faith is the glue. Faith is the sub faith is holding this Lord, so far than faith is my substance of things hoped for Lord, unbelieving for it. It is it is the evidence Father God that the miracle father is on its way that blessing. The miracle is right Now faith is the substance Father, it is the strength father, faith, Lord, we have faith in you but sometimes, Lord, when everything is breaking out in our lives, Father, we're tired and weary. Lord, and we grown a bit and we moan a bit and we push and poke a bit but little bit sorry. So we come to you this morning law with an open hearts like Father, Father, Father, we just bow in the presence of your glory, Holy God, holy, holy, holy is the Lord most worthy of all praise. And this morning, Lord, take us deep. Take us deep into your lab. Take us deep into your Word. Take us deeper into your presence father has we've had enough of religion. We've had enough of Mickey Mouse church we've had enough Father God of the wrong Gospel we want we want our God yes, we want our God Lord. We want this nation to be a Bible believing nation. For other we want this government Lord, to look in the Word of God Father, we don't want to go by statistics. We don't want to go by and roadmaps. We don't want to go by ethics law. We want to go by faith, The just shall live by faith. We pray for this government. We thank you for this government, Lord, bless them, guide them, strengthen them, Father, all the way through London all the way through the home counties, every area of this nation. Father, turn us over, turn us overlord. Father, turn us over and strip us back Lord. Help us to look within ourselves. Come Holy Spirit. Now faith. Yes, Lord unbelieving for miracles. unbelieving Lord that this nation belongs to you. unbelieving father that all the churches, all the ministers, all the preachers, all of us, everyone in congregations are hungry for Jesus. Yes, we want to leave religion behind. We want to leave notoriety behind. We want to leave ourselves behind and we want there God you to be the vine dresser. We want you to be the gardener that you are we want to be stripped back. Lord, we want to be stripped back. Well, I'm speaking for myself, but I'm just believing, Lord, that we want to leave everything of us at the cross and say, Lord, use me. Heal me. Guide me. Strength for me. Lord, remove pride for me. Remove arrogance. Remove any unforgiveness. Remove any lust of the eyes, remove any fear. Remove doubt remove the addictive way that I have in my life, remove everything that it may be of the world. And Father, I ask you that you will breathe in my lungs today. Breathe in the lungs of every one of us, Lord, let our lungs expand with your presence. Father, anoint us afresh today. And all those that just feel troubled, as your word says Be anxious for nothing. Are you anxious today? Give it all to Jesus. Are you worried today give it all to Jesus. I can help. Veronica can help. And he can help Donnie can help a small amount. But there is no one like Jesus. There is no one like the world. There is no one like Jesus. Pastors can help. Spiritual directors can help bishops can help the church can can help to a small degree. But there is one. And his name is Jesus. Amen. Thank he's, let's look, turn to Hebrews chapter 12 verse one, fix our eyes on Jesus. Yes, fix our eyes on Jesus, the author or the pioneer and the author of your faith. Pick your eyes. If you're a ministry this morning, you've clicked into this, fix your eyes on Jesus. Don't keep building your ministry. I've paid the price. I can't build his church. I can't build ministry. I can build a business model of a ministry. But he says I will build my church. I will build my church. Ministers if you're out there clicking in whoever you are in a church today. You're his instrument. We are his instrument. We are His children. Should we pray this morning? Should we be bold and pray this prayer? Father put me on the potter's wheel molded me shaped me into the leader, or the parent or the brother or the sister, or the work colleague, whoever it may be molded me into the vessel that you want me to be? Because I've exhausted me of me. And I'm anxious because of me. Because my plans, my thoughts are not really what you desire for me, Lord. Jeremiah 29, For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. So Lord, I want to get in your program. I want to get your word. Wherever you are. The Greatest Name in heaven on earth is the name of Jesus. Amen. Yes, the name of Jesus. Thank You. We thank God for ministries, we thank God for Bible colleges, we thank God for first strong sound biblical teaching. Knowledge puffs up. God will reveal His word God is revealing Himself to you where the lecturer can't give you any more where the study is getting a bit deep. The theological stuff is to gain a bit over your head. And the ministry is weighing you down and the work pressure of ministry is too much. Turn to Jesus, turn to Jesus. If you're weary as a lone parent, turn to Jesus, if you're weary as a human being turned to Jesus, if you're weary, whoever you are, I'm learning to turn to Jesus. I'm learning every day, how to turn to Jesus. I haven't got it right. But I'm learning. I'm on a journey. I'm on a journey of correcting of healing. I'm on a journey of understanding I'm on a journey of, of learning to forgive. I'm on a journey of learning to trust. I'm on a journey of learning to live by His word I want to I'm on a journey. I'm on a journey with Jesus. Thank you.
Veronica:I just think that's a very good journey to be on because there's a scripture which always comforts me. John 16, verse 33, and I'm going to be reading from the New King James Version. He says these things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Wherever I find myself going through, I'm just reminded of this scripture. I don't have to worry because the victory is mine. He tells me that he's overcome and in our lives also how it says it in the passion translation. It says and everything I've taught you is so that the piece which is in Me, will be in you, and will give you great confidence as you read in me. Amen. For him this unbelieving world, you will experience trouble and sorrows, he tells us will experience it, but we can be courageous because he has conquered the world. So as we continue as I continue to journey with Jesus, I know that whatever I may face I've already conquered. He's in me.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Our sister has just dropped a beautiful scripture, God has just placed that on a heart. John 1633, I believe, yes. Praise God. I have told you these things. So that in me you may have peace. Silence is something powerful about being still and know that um, God, peace, is the drum that's been spoken about this morning, John 1633 Sister has brought to the table. I have told you these things so that in me, everything is through Christ, everything is in Christ, everything is for Christ. In this world, you will have trouble. Thank you, Jesus, because you're already giving me the heads up, that I'm gonna have trouble. But take heart, he says, I have overcome the world. The Scripture also says in the New Testament, you are more than overcome us. You are more than overcome us. Romans eight, Romans eight, nothing can separate us in all things we are more than conquerors. As we feel the presence of God working through this nation, and he he is working for this nation. There is a peace. There is a joy, there is a hope. There is a way and his name is Jesus.
Donny Stockburn:Amen. To that name, Lord, Amen.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Hallelujah. Rest in him, I believe, and he's coming in and he's got scripture he's gonna bring to the table, God is speaking, God is moving just wherever you are today. Whether you're listening on the podcast, whether you're live stream with us today on church, the scriptures are strong, very strong.
Andy Hammond:I think you read from Hebrews 12, verse two bent. In my Bible. The heading for chapter 12, is God disciplines, his sons. And I suspect that applies to daughters as well. But I think inverse to just immediately triggered in my own mind, that chorus, I mean, first, who starts off, let's let us fix our eyes on Jesus. And it reminded me of that core was Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look forward in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely did a man in the light of His glory and grace that had an impact on my own life, because I was seeing that when, in fact, I was converted. Wow, Jesus called me. And it was almost an audible voice when he called me. I'm not saying it was an audible voice, but it was in my mind, I could hear that at the time. And he said to me, and you're either for me or you're against me. And I think there could be people listening today. Well hear that voice of Jesus calling. And we've looked at Ephesians this morning. My Bible notes tell me that Paul, spent all three years at Ephesus, evangelizing it says, and just telling the people about Jesus, the Savior, or the and I think it's incumbent on all of us as Christians to actually communicate what Jesus has done in your life. So that your friends will know. Your relatives will know. And your neighbors will know. And that will be such a powerful impact when we actually live our own lives for Jesus. Amen. It's given me real heartache. This last you know that Some Halloween stuff that we've just gone through. And I've I heard of it Dan Walker on TV, who's doing strictly? Yeah, yeah, he actually dressed up as a lobster. I understand. He refused to put on anything that was related to Halloween because of this faith
Reverend Ben Cooper:praise god, what a statment.
Andy Hammond:And he, he, he did that. And he stood out. I remember what he believed in. Yes. I can recall him saying something like, I give guidance to my children. What would it be like if I dressed up? It will go against all of what I've told him. 100%. And so I think, yeah, for all those who are struggling out there. You you need to make a stand. Please help us a lot. You need to make a stand sometimes. That was an amazing
Reverend Ben Cooper:amen
Andy Hammond:That Christian man. So it's all for us. Yeah. But we can't do it without the Holy Spirit. And someone mentioned Romans eight this morning. And Romans eight is sort of upset this before. If Romans was the Himalayas, and chapter eight, is the Mount Everest of that book? Yes. It's I think it's because through Romans eight, Holy Spirit is mentioned 22 times, and I've noted them down the side of my Bible, each one. And it's I think that speaks to all of us today around this table, that we can't do anything without God's Spirit. Right? We cannot do anything. And we constantly need more. So I pray now, Father, send your Holy Spirit for each one of us. Come Holy Spirit. Yes, Father, we cannot do this without you. And we thank you that you are with us before of us this morning. And you drop your thoughts into our, into our minds so that we can communicate what you're saying today. And I believe God is saying to someone this morning that don't worry, I'm there with you. I'm there beside you. Just follow me. I'm going to help you. I'm going to guard you. Don't worry about criticism. Don't worry, what people will say, I am with you. And I will never leave you. So if that's you today, to sleep comforted. Amen. Know that Jesus is with you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yes. He certainly
Andy Hammond:promises to never to leave you,
Reverend Ben Cooper:man. Oh, man. Thank you. I think
Andy Hammond:all of us sitting around this table can give witness to that fact that Jesus never lets us down. He never lets us down. Yeah, he, he doesn't promise that we kind of have an easy time. He promises to be with us through everything, through all the trials and tribulations that we may experience. He is with us. So I thank you, Jesus. You have never left me that you've always been through all the trials with me. And we thank you for the cross. We thank you for the cross, that that symbol of your sacrifice. Same symbol of your love. That symbol of your steadfast Yes. So we thank You, Lord Jesus, that we can come and sit and just pray. Ask we asked you to speak to each one of us today. All those listening. And we pray for all those who've tuned in this morning. And any special prayer requests that have come through. I did see one earlier on. I think I'm turning back to it now. Yeah, we were asked to pray for Lucy's friend Carrie, whose partner Mark is still recovering. From COVID in hospital, Father God we we just pray against this virus. This COVID virus. We ask you now to push it back farther, push it back. We want you to replace this virus. Father with different virus, a virus of love. A virus of compassion. Yes. virus of steadfastness. Do it now Father God, we pray yesterday in your powerful name we asked him, amen.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you. Thank you Holy Spirit's wonderful Jesus.
Donny Stockburn:God says I am the winemaker where there is no way I will make one. Lord, you certainly done that in my life. An artist thank you as Andy was speaking, then they were flashing through my mind all the times when I'd come to a dead end. And I thought, what now? What will I do? I go left, right back forwards upside down. No way out, no way out. And suddenly, a way out came a load or no, that was your hand. Father God you see there. It's in Isaiah 43, first, 15 and 16. I'll read it to you and says, I am the Lord, Your holy one, Israel's creator and King. I'm the Lord who opened the way through the waters, making a joy path through the sea. I called forth the mighty armor of Egypt, with all its chariots and horses are true them beneath the waves, and they drowned their lives snuffed out, like a smoldering candlelit law. There was a time in my life when it seemed as though there is no way I remember that day my mum died, then seated was like the hub of my life. And artists are winning or transfer months, just sat in a chair rocking smoking, and I'm wondering what was next is a god is whatever, Laura didn't know you was beginning to make away my life then. And you show me the way our last three ladies pie for me. A came into the kingdom of God, Lord, and then suddenly, where it was just no answers, Lord, the whole thing blew apart. And I saw Jesus, Father God, he was the answer to absolutely everything you might await into our lives into each life in this room, Lord, in a file across the oceans, and in fast, strange countries law that we are the word of Lord, you'll make it away in the lives through the darkness. Lord, you're rescuing people. You are way Mica. And I love that song, Lord, and you are you are where there is no way. There literally is no way. You're a supernatural God, and you give supernatural answers things we can't even imagine go on in our lives. Thank you, Lord, I just thank you for that little one. This morning. When I come out and start the car loan and the battery was flat. The wife was waiting to go out and I needed to get the church and then suddenly, just fine. And the next day and he picked me up and found me found underneath the car is unbelievable loader that you know, that was you know, just as little incident in my life of some so many great things Father God that you've done it all be just want to thank you really are the way maker when there is no way in Jesus name Luke. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Andy Hammond:Amen. Thank you, Father. There's another prayer request we want to bring to you this morning. Catherine. His really suffering this morning with anxiety and concerns. Worries. Father, we asked you to bring your peace this morning. Yeah. Bring your peace. Yes. Bring your calm and math. Amen. Thank you, Lord. So we do pray for Katherine now that you will put your loving arms around her so yes, she will feel your comfort. She will feel that love that was poured out for her. Bring your spirit now. Holy Smith, come and bring your piece. Fill that room where she's seated now with your loving peace. Yes, father so she will know that you are with her and he will never leave. We thank You, Father. Thank you. Father, we also pray for many, many people of faith. Those who love you, Jesus, that they will come alive today. Those who are sad. Those who are anxious and some who are going through terrifying Times in countries around the world may they be made alive in Christ Jesus. Yes, Lord. Father, we thank you that, as he says that Ephesians, two, eight and nine is by grace, that you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves, it's the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. Farther, I just love that description of grace, which called undeserved favor. Yes, yeah. That it is by grace that we've been saved. So that no one can first father. It's just because of the amazing love that Jesus has each one of us. He went to the cross defined so that we could build that bridge back to to God so that we could have a way we could walk back to him. And he welcomes us, just like the father welcome, is soundbank the protocol. And I always picture that at parable with the Father, standing on the veranda of his home, looking into the distance waiting for his son to appear to come home. And Jesus says that all those who've gone astray. He says, Come home. Come home today. Yes, Lord. And those of you who don't know Jesus who are listening, maybe Jesus is calling you. He says come home. Come home. I will welcome here. I've got a banquet ready for you. Come home. Thank you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. Thank you, Jesus. We're coming to the table very, very soon. And Andy and Donnie will lead us in communion as we break bread in just a few moments. But Psalms 28 Verse seven, The Lord is my strength and my shield. I trust in Him with all my heart, he helps me and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. stain in the Old Testament a moment. The book of Nehemiah chapter eight, verse 10 says, For the joy of the Lord is my strength. The Lord is your strength. He is your shield. He is your God. He is the great I Am he is your Jehovah Jireh he is your Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom he is your guide and your strength. So the psalmist says in Psalm 28, verse seven, the Lord is the Lord is the Lord is everything that we need. The Lord is everything that we could ever hope for. The Lord is He is the beginning. He is the bright morning star He is the great I AM. He is worthy of all praise. So the psalmist says The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all of my heart. Jeremiah 2029 makes it very clear For I know the plans I have for you declares the law. But then also it goes on and it makes it very clear, a clear biblical reference to your heart. If you follow me with all of your heart I've got to follow him. Not with lip service, not with just ticking the church box because pastor says where are you? What are you doing? I go, and I want to follow Jesus we're coming to the table we're coming to the table now. This is a glorious time because we don't need to be in that church environment in the wherever you know what we're saying you can be wherever you are, we can take this wherever we are, we can be in the field we can be sitting at our desk we can we can be a home we can we can be wherever we want to be, because this has been given to us by Jesus Christ. And I just want to emphasize as done and you're going to lead us around the table in a few moments. The Lord is my strength and my shield. I trust in Him with all my heart. He helps me. He helps me and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of Thanksgiving there is power in worship. There is power in praise. There is power. Insane Lord. As King Josephat said, in the Old Testament, we don't know what to do. But our eyes are on Jesus. Amen. We don't know, I don't know what to do. He says, I've got an enemy that's larger than me, I've got a situation that's bigger than me, and I do not know what to do. But our eyes are on the Lord. Our eyes are on the Lord. So as we gather around the table, as our brothers lead us, through this beautiful, glorious moment together as we break bread as we take a cup, maybe we're at that stage, and we're saying, Lord, I don't know what to do. But my eyes are on the Lord. Amen. I fix my eyes on Jesus, I fixed my eyes in the word, I fixed my eyes, I fixed my eye, okay. My ear gate, I hear the word I see the word. And the Word became flesh and made us dwelling among us. We're gathering around the table, we're breaking bread, not because the church tells us we're doing it because the King of Kings says, as often as you come together, Do this in remembrance of me. So this is this is for Jesus. This is about Jesus, because everything is for him, and about him. Thank you, Andy.
Andy Hammond:Yeah. washer in Jeremiah, I clicked over a couple of pages, and the first jumped out at me. Chapter 32, verse 26, and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Is God speaking? anything too hard for me? No, Lord, that is absolutely. On the now this morning. I think nothing is too hard for God. And that's where we should stand. And proclaim nothing is too hard for gay men, and what we come before Him now that we have the bread and the wine or the juice, and give you a second to go and join us with that. And we come before him. A man in reverence, a small Yes, Lord, because of what he's done.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Oh, yes.
Andy Hammond:We wouldn't be sitting here this morning. If Jesus hadn't taken that. Huge giving up his life, so that we could have life in all its fullness. So as I read from one Corinthians 11, the Lord Jesus on the night he was trade, took bread, and he broke it. And he gave tanks, this is my body, which is for you, thank you, Jesus Do this in remembrance of my father. In the same way after suffering, he took the cup saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this whenever you drink it in remembrance of me. Thank you for for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. Yes. And so we thank You, Father God, that we can do this in remembrance of you. And I think we're probably in Unity this morning when we say he's coming. So yeah, he's coming. And we face. Thank you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank You, Lord, forgiveness. Thank you, father. Thank you, Holy Spirit.
Donny Stockburn:This is a blood. I've looked No, fill out my book this morning. Find a mean said. Understanding what a gift is and says my mum and dad never asked me to pay for my Christmas presents. What a gift. What a gift God gave us the son of Father God, we thank you for it. Lord, we just pray. You draw us to that table as it was in that room that night. Were your pledges. Yes. He was us now, Lord, so that we get the full before meaning the full glory of what happened that night in our lives as well, Lord, there's no one, no one and nothing in existence as the answer to sin. But this is this is taking it away. This has given us holiness and righteousness, this blood, this gift of God, thought of God, which is piled in our spirits. Lord, we will be there with you as it was at night with your disciples, Father God that we would experience what they experienced. We would hear your thoughts we would receive this gift with all its fullness and understanding what it is and our spirits, Father, God, what's been given to us. It's a gift. And earnable the blood of Jesus God suddenly son, which is thank you for it now, Lord, do that work in a slot. Do that work and as you're away mica, you will have is no way you might get away with the blood of your Son, which is thank you for now in Jesus name. Amen.
Andy Hammond:Amen. Father, we see online again, there's another request for prayer. We pray for Sharon's dad, struggling to breathe at the moment. We pray now father felt that you will meet with him in a powerful way that you will feel his lungs so that he will be able to breathe, Father God, that you'll come and now bring your healing. We claim a healing for him now in the powerful name of Jesus. Do your work.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for healing. Yeah, we thank you for miracles. We thank You, Lord, for the prayer requests come through this morning. We thank You, Father that were open that were able to speak to you, we thank you for the words that have come through this morning. And Lord in these moments of closing this, this online streaming service, this prayer, coffee and prayer law, we we just bow our heads in the presence of Almighty God and we, we just say thank you for every moment of our life. We thank you for every heartbeat. We thank You, Father, that there is nothing in our lives that has taken you by surprise father, you know all things. You know, the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. You are the King of kings. And Lord, You love us unconditionally. We thank you for Andy and we thank you for Ronica we thank you for Dawn thank you that I'm here Lord. We thank you for our online church this morning sisters and brothers have of following and being and part of this church service. We thank you for all those that will catch this. Later on this podcast later father we are we are truly blessed. So Lord, we count our blessings, we count our blessings. But in these moments, Lord, in these moments, Lord, before we go, Lord, to work before we go on the school runs before we do whatever we may be doing before we just get back into life, Father, open our hearts more Lord. Father, be that be that surgeon that we need, Lord be do that open heart surgery on me today. Open our hearts. open us up Lord and Father. Open our hearts to you today, Lord, and just remove all the trusts. Remove Lord any baggage, remove the fears. Remove the doubts, Lord, just just Lord, give us the boldness to pray the prayer, Lord, just just strip us back. But open our hearts. Open our hearts today, Lord, in the wonderful name of Jesus, we're nearly there. We're nearly finished, we need to come into that point where we'll say May God bless you and strengthen you and have a glorious day in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. But we're just going to leave it open a moment. If anybody's got something they share, and they share around a table they will. But in a few moments, we will just say God bless
Veronica:God, thank you. Thank you, Jesus for the cross. Thank you for the greatest exchange that happened at the cross. Thank you, Lord, that today, we know that you took our anxiety and you have given us peace. This happened at the cross. We know that all the sicknesses and diseases you took those so that we can be well, we know that any poverty. You took that too. So now we can be rich. We took our weaknesses. So now we are strong. And so we just say thank you, Lord. Thank You, Jesus for the cross. And thank you that as we live today, that we can know that we are well we have peace. We are strong, and we are rich. Thank you. Thank you. Amen.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Thank you Holy Spirit. Or Father, we thank you for these moments. We thank you for this time together. Lord, we thank you for our sisters and brothers on the other side of this lens we thank you Lord. For those Father God wherever they are across the planet Earth today. We thank you for all of our lives Lord and we encourage one another we stand together. Lord His children in the living God lord, we're not divided by denomination Lord, because we're not In the denomination we're in the kingdom. We thank you for the denominations we may walk with we may walk with we may walk under through whatever way. We thank you for the churches that we may be in. But Lord, You are bigger than any denomination. Yes. You are bigger though than any pastor you are bigger the LORD than any worship team. You are bigger Lord, You are the head of the church. So Lola we're in we're in your church, Jesus we're in we're in the Church of Jesus Christ. Lord, we pray that denominations will will come, Lord, denominations will will come under sound doctrine in the Word of God law and Father, we pray for preachers and teachers we pray, Father, for congregations, we pray for brothers and sisters around the world, Lord, that we won't look to man but we will look to Jesus. fix our eyes. So Lord, we thank you for the word that has come out today. We thank You, Lord, for them foundational points, Lord them fundamental points that just reminded us, we thank you for the crust. We thank You, Lord, that we're able to break bread, take the cup together. But love whatever is ahead of us for the rest of the day. You are with us. You are with us. All the prayer requests. We thank You that they've come through today. Thank you for the healings. Thank you for the calmness thank you for your presence. And as we say, God bless to all those online today. May God strengthen you, and guide you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Thank you so much. We thank Donnie we thank our brother Randy and our love this sister Veronica for coming in. And being with us today, and all you brothers and sisters online. May God bless you and strengthen you. And he just has something to say regarding the Bible says he always says we we just say God bless us. Thank you for joining us online streaming service. And we will catch you this time next week around about and thank you Jesus.
Andy Hammond:Yeah, it's my usual offer here we got New Testaments and a full Bible if you need one, and just email or go online with Ben, put your request in and I'll get a copy to you. And just one scripture that came to mind whilst Ben was finishing there is in one John, one. John talks a lot about love. And there's a verse in chapter three, verse 18, dear children, that is not love with words or top bunk with actions and truth. As a word for you today. Let it be sincere love that. You show today with actions and in truth, not just words. Thank you.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Thank you, Lord. There we go. I could bless you. Yes, Don, come
Donny Stockburn:on, just finished on that word in the prayer to poor pride force. He says, May you experience our love that word Lord experience. The love of Christ, though is so great, you will never fully understand our Lord. Just fill us with that love we pray. In Jesus name. Amen.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. Amen. There we are. Well, we thank you so much for joining us. And as we always say, keeping the Word of God we will see you around about half past nine. Next week as we gather for coffee and prayer. May God just strengthen you make God just reveal His word to you. God bless. Have a great day in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Close:Thank you for listening to Elim church swanleys latest podcast. You can find us on Buzzsprout Spotify Apple Music iHeartRadio Google Play Alexa Mixcloud Facebook, Instagram and YouTube