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How Did a Jewish Atheist Come to Jesus? Ben's Testimony | Straight Bible
Season 4
Episode 10
Published 3 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
How did a Jewish atheist hooked on opiates come to Jesus? Ben's testimony, and Matthew 12:43-45: the unclean spirit that returns with seven more.
Guest episode with Ben from End of the World News, hosted by Matt Hepner and TopLobsta.
Ben from End of the World News joins Matt and TopLobsta. He grew up with a Jewish identity, was a rebellious atheist, lived in Hollywood, and spent years on opiates. In 12-step meetings he heard addiction called a disease, then read the passage where the unclean spirit "taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself" (Matthew 12:43-45) and saw it as a spiritual problem.
A friend told him, "Try praying to God." After a detour through new age ideas, he heard that "the most Jewish thing you could do is follow the Jewish Messiah." Around 2021 the unseen realm started to make sense to him through Romans 8, Deuteronomy 32:8-9 and "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12). Now he preaches the gospel to his Uber riders and points to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
The second half is Ben's view of world events, prophecy and Israel, which he says are being manufactured, with the hosts pushing back that God still has a destiny for that nation (Romans 11). They also cover Yom Kippur, Jesus as the Passover lamb, "Render therefore unto Caesar" (Matthew 22:21), the sinner's prayer, and Jacob wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28). These are Ben's views, discussed openly.
Questions answered
- How did an atheist addict come to Jesus? (16:05)
- What does Matthew 12, Verses 43-45 say about addiction? (24:38)
- What is the most Jewish thing you can do? (42:07)
- What is Deuteronomy 32, Verse 8 about? (45:00)
- How do you share the gospel at work? (46:47)
- Are world events manufactured to fulfill prophecy? (50:26)
- Should Christians focus on salvation or politics? (2:05:21)
Previous guest episode: https://youtu.be/O7Juxk72kt0
Next guest episode: https://youtu.be/NNi6h-9PemM
Interview Sessions playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playli...
Watch, listen and read
Episodes: https://straightbible.org/epis...
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are available.
Chapters
0:00 Matthew 12, Verses 43-45: A Very Special Guest
1:06 Ben Joins the Show
2:00 High-Impact Events and a Biblical Worldview
5:44 The Georgia Guidestones
9:01 Depopulation in Revelation
10:01 Game On: Satan and Job
12:00 Is Revelation Just Symbolic?
14:11 Is Division the Work of the Devil?
16:05 Ben's Story
17:01 A Rebellious Atheist
18:01 Drugs and Opiates
20:12 Water Polo and Hollywood
24:13 Twelve-Step Meetings
24:57 Seven Other Spirits (Matthew 12, Verses 43-45)
26:00 Deceived About the Wars
30:12 Starting a Marijuana Company
33:02 Heroin and Fentanyl
34:07 God Was With Me Every Step
39:02 Try Praying to God
40:11 A Detour Into New Age
42:07 The Most Jewish Thing You Can Do
43:07 Waking Up in 2021
44:10 Romans 8 and the Unseen Realm
45:00 Deuteronomy 32 and the Nations
46:47 Preaching the Gospel in an Uber
49:00 The Great Commission (Matthew 28)
50:26 Manufacturing Prophecy? (Ezekiel 38-39)
56:00 In the World but Not of It
59:03 Biblical Feasts and Yom Kippur
1:01:00 God Is Our Father
1:04:04 Jesus Our Passover Lamb
1:11:02 Iran, Israel and America
1:17:00 Principal
Guest episode with Ben from End of the World News, hosted by Matt Hepner and TopLobsta.
Ben from End of the World News joins Matt and TopLobsta. He grew up with a Jewish identity, was a rebellious atheist, lived in Hollywood, and spent years on opiates. In 12-step meetings he heard addiction called a disease, then read the passage where the unclean spirit "taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself" (Matthew 12:43-45) and saw it as a spiritual problem.
A friend told him, "Try praying to God." After a detour through new age ideas, he heard that "the most Jewish thing you could do is follow the Jewish Messiah." Around 2021 the unseen realm started to make sense to him through Romans 8, Deuteronomy 32:8-9 and "we wrestle not against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12). Now he preaches the gospel to his Uber riders and points to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
The second half is Ben's view of world events, prophecy and Israel, which he says are being manufactured, with the hosts pushing back that God still has a destiny for that nation (Romans 11). They also cover Yom Kippur, Jesus as the Passover lamb, "Render therefore unto Caesar" (Matthew 22:21), the sinner's prayer, and Jacob wrestling with God (Genesis 32:28). These are Ben's views, discussed openly.
Questions answered
- How did an atheist addict come to Jesus? (16:05)
- What does Matthew 12, Verses 43-45 say about addiction? (24:38)
- What is the most Jewish thing you can do? (42:07)
- What is Deuteronomy 32, Verse 8 about? (45:00)
- How do you share the gospel at work? (46:47)
- Are world events manufactured to fulfill prophecy? (50:26)
- Should Christians focus on salvation or politics? (2:05:21)
Previous guest episode: https://youtu.be/O7Juxk72kt0
Next guest episode: https://youtu.be/NNi6h-9PemM
Interview Sessions playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playli...
Watch, listen and read
Episodes: https://straightbible.org/epis...
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are available.
Chapters
0:00 Matthew 12, Verses 43-45: A Very Special Guest
1:06 Ben Joins the Show
2:00 High-Impact Events and a Biblical Worldview
5:44 The Georgia Guidestones
9:01 Depopulation in Revelation
10:01 Game On: Satan and Job
12:00 Is Revelation Just Symbolic?
14:11 Is Division the Work of the Devil?
16:05 Ben's Story
17:01 A Rebellious Atheist
18:01 Drugs and Opiates
20:12 Water Polo and Hollywood
24:13 Twelve-Step Meetings
24:57 Seven Other Spirits (Matthew 12, Verses 43-45)
26:00 Deceived About the Wars
30:12 Starting a Marijuana Company
33:02 Heroin and Fentanyl
34:07 God Was With Me Every Step
39:02 Try Praying to God
40:11 A Detour Into New Age
42:07 The Most Jewish Thing You Can Do
43:07 Waking Up in 2021
44:10 Romans 8 and the Unseen Realm
45:00 Deuteronomy 32 and the Nations
46:47 Preaching the Gospel in an Uber
49:00 The Great Commission (Matthew 28)
50:26 Manufacturing Prophecy? (Ezekiel 38-39)
56:00 In the World but Not of It
59:03 Biblical Feasts and Yom Kippur
1:01:00 God Is Our Father
1:04:04 Jesus Our Passover Lamb
1:11:02 Iran, Israel and America
1:17:00 Principal