Brother Zac Poonen’s advice on his 80th Birthday

well I certainly won't don't want to live from 969 years I you know the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4 he said it's when you read the Bible slowly like I've always taught people to read he said we want Estonians 4 and verse 15 we who are alive will when the Lord will descend we who are alive verse 17 will be caught up and I say Paul are you expecting to be alive when the Lord comes he says yes that's why I said we otherwise he should have said those who are alive that's correct English those who are alive but he said we inspired by the holy spirit who knew all about the future inspired Paul to write we who are alive so I've learned something from that I don't care how old I am I'm gonna say we who are alive the coming of the Lord will meet him in the air but some years later when the Lord told Paul you're not going to be alive he wrote in 1 second Timothy 4 and verse 6 the time of my departure has come sometimes the Lord tells not always sometimes he tells some of his children okay your time on earth is over he doesn't say that to everyone and when that came then he never said we who are alive then he said I finished my course I'm going to I shall now meet the Lord and He will give me a crown of righteousness so one of the great blessings in my life through I've been a believer now for more than 60 years I came to the assurance of my salvation in July 1959 60 years and three months ago and I'll tell you something four before that for many years I struggled to know whether I was saved but in the last 60 years and three months not even for a single day did I doubt that I was born again so people ask me brother Zack are you a Calvinist who believes that once you're saved you're always safe no and I'm not I believe what it says in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 14 that if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence until the end we shall be made partakers of christ and i believe what it says in revelation 3:5 he who overcomes I will not remove his name from the book of life so I believe people's names can be removed from the book of life I believe that he who endures to the end will be saved not others and I also believe that if we hold fast then we are made partakers of christ then you say how can you be so sure that you'll meet the Lord I said that's because I have such a personal relationship with the Lord now what about the other believers I don't know about them they may be lost I don't know about all the others I don't know you know about all of you here you may go to hell I don't know I know I will not how can you say that for the Zagg it's like asking me will you ever divorce your wife yes yeah I'm not sure you think I'll say that never I'm absolutely sure and I'm absolutely sure the Lord will not divorce me and then you asked will your wife divorce you I'm absolutely sure she will never divorce me I'm absolutely sure I will not divorce the Lord our relationship is the same but if you ask me see that couple that just got married the other day do you think they will divorce each other I don't know I can speak for myself but I can't speak for that couple of that couple of the other couple same way with salvation I can speak for myself I am absolutely certain I shall spend eternity with Christ but I'm not sure of many many believers around me you can have that assurance if you have a deep personal relationship with Christ more intimate than any earthly relationship that's what's given me a security in my life that's enabled me to speak God's Word the other thing the Lord has taught me particularly in the last 45 years I love you the goddess said I'm your father I love you just like I love my son Jesus when he was on earth I said thank you Father and the Lord says I love everyone who has forsaken everything to be devoted to me forsaken everything doesn't mean give up your job no you don't have to give up your job but forsaken attachments to earthly things not attached to relatives not attached to property not attached to your own life willing to die to all such willing to die every day to all such of my children God says I tell them I love you as I love Jesus not to everybody it may be only 10% of God's children that he says that because the others are hanging on to so many earthly things and I said Lord I want to be in that 10 percent who you love just like you love Jesus I used to think that God could say that to all his children no he says that in John 17 23 that the world may know that father that you love them as you love me but he said that not to everybody he didn't turn to the crowd and say that he said that to 11 disciples who had totally made Jesus Lord life and he says that today to everyone here who has totally made Jesus Lord of your life it's for you it became truth for me 45 years ago and it has held me it has made my life secure it has freed me from anxiety and fear because I I am loved it's a wonderful thing to be loved you know what little babies need to be loved you know what we need to know that we are loved by a father in heaven why do we cling on to so many earthly things because we are not sure whether our father will forsake us why do we tell lies or cheat or finds false statements to make a little more money in the office because we think otherwise I won't have enough money for my needs I have never cheated any human being or never cheated on my taxes in all my life I've never been in debt in my whole life God has provided all my need and my children's need if you are willing to live simply and don't want to waste money I know people who get married and immediately get into debt they first of all to get into debt for their wedding itself no we had a very simple wedding my wife and I very simple because we could not afford anything more yeah it was not in some big reception hall Otto's just in the compound of the church we ate on banana leaves and whatever it was a very simple type of meal and we said we can't afford more and wean our home also we live simply and I want to say to you don't cheat or tell lies to make more money there'll be a curse on it jaha's II the servant of naman the servant of elijah went after naman and got money in the wrong way I'll never forget that Neiman said Ghazi you grab Damon's money you as leprosy also and the leprosy will be on you and your children when you get money wrongfully by telling lies for cheating into your bank account there's a curse on it because it is unrighteous money and when you finally die in that that money goes to your children that will go to your children also that curse please get rid of all unrighteous money repay it now it's one of the things a lot taught me when I got converted before I was converted I had cheated the government and all I paid it immediately emptied my bank account I took me four or five months to save that money emptied it and I've never regretted it just telling you a few lessons I've learned and the other thing is whenever you do something wrong immediately confess it to God immediately confess it to the person whom you hurt your wife or anybody I'm sorry that was my fault never be hesitant to say that was my fault don't say that was my fault but you also did something wrong no don't say it like that that was my fault if your fault was 10% the other person in 90 percent forget the 90 percent I was at fault ten percent I said Lord I want to be quick to confess my sin to you and to man to ask forgiveness I've asked forgiveness from unbelievers I've asked forgiveness from people who are younger than my youngest son I have no hesitation because the only person who hesitates is one who thinks he's perfect and I'm not perfect No so if I do something wrong I settle it immediately the little principles you can learn in life and I go to bed at night I know I have nothing in my heart against anybody in the whole world I love them all and I wake up in the morning I say thank you Jesus my first thought is not Jesus I want to talk to you begin your day like that even if you have only a few minutes even only one or two minutes begin your day like that one or two minutes with God is a wonderful day a way to begin your day that's what I've done and my life has been honestly I'm not exaggerating my life has been extremely happy restful free from anxiety free from fear free from discouragement to which I was a slave and don't make demands on other people don't make demands on your wife no she's a human being whatever she can do she does some waves are very capable some wives are not never compare your wife with anybody else don't make a demand on other believers sometimes when I go away for a trip I may ask the brothers in the CFC office to do something can you do this but I might come back after three days and I tell them before I go itself if for some reason you are not able to do it or something went wrong or something broke or you didn't get time or you had some emergency at home so you couldn't do this forget it it's not serious then I conclude with this sentence the only things serious in life is sin that's what I tell so don't think I'll be disturbed with you if I come back any final you did not do it no not important don't sin the only thing serious in life is sin it's been a great help to me so when I think of somebody messed up something was it sinful oh then it's serious was it not sinful because of human inefficiency or because they tried and they didn't bungle it up or they broke something and they tried their best perfectly okay it's not a sin it's the motive that God sees never tell your children I told you so don't do it supposing your small children are trying to fix some toy house or something which is broken and you say no I'll fix it for you I don't know that I can do it and they try to do it and they don't they're not able to do it and they come to you and say daddy can you help me never say I told you so never let the words I told you so come out of your mouth to your children or to your younger brothers or to anybody that is the voice of the expert who never makes a mistake I told you so I'll never say it you know what I say never mind let's fix it never mind let's fix it and when it's done I say then let's learn some lessons for the future always say let's fix it you'll get a bond with your children then that will remain forever a little they'll grow to admire you and love you and they will duplicate it with their children these are little principles the only things serious is sin sin is very serious it's worse than cancer that's why any sin mentioned in the Bible anger sexually dirty thoughts murmuring eliminate completely I decided I used to murmur and get angry and wrangle I said it's completely I don't want cancer in my life I never want to murmur or grumble about a single thing in my home or in the CFC office or in any church or anywhere let's fix it when God saw Adam and Eve sinned he asked them they tried and tried to put the blame on others and all that but God said let's fix it right there in Garden of Eden he said the seed of this woman will crush the head of that snake of the devil I see I learned from him let's fix it of course there'll be a little punishment but let's fix it he gave him a promise this problem is going to be solved don't worry it's like that when Peter was sinking in this sea Lord did not say why didn't you trust me that's how we react no no no no give me your hand Peter let me hold your hand let's fix it afterwards I'll ask you why didn't you trust me so we do correct but after fixing it not before fixing it never start with why didn't you trust me you wouldn't have sunk if you had trusted me this is the language of evil people who think they are experts we ruin our children by like that do you think I've never done it I've done it but I've repented I never had a spiritual father to teach me like I'm teaching you I wish I had I would have made less mistakes with my family you guys are lucky that you have somebody to teach you so I'm teaching you not from a man who's never made mistakes but learned from my mistakes I put my hand in the fire and discovered it burnt and so I can tell you don't put your hand in the fire that's how I'm speaking and I wish for all of you that you'll have godly children that you'll have a wonderful relationship with your children it's very important to play with our children and they must see that we are at their level and Friends I used to say about my own children that I say Lord they are my children today I want them to become my brothers one day and they are my brothers today but I used to pray for that Lord I want them to be my brothers one day not my children but my brothers so our v1 these things is so different and the other thing which somebody called my trademark what his brother Zach's trademark that's what somebody called it the other day humility humility humility the three secrets of the Christian life it's from Philippians 2 verse 5 to 8 God became man number one and he became man he became a slave number two humility slave is the lowest no hang on the Romans never crucified slaves they crucified those who are worse than slaves the criminals Jesus was not a criminal but he took the place of a criminal on a cross that's what we read in Philippians 2 God became man number one humility as a man he became a slave humility and he was treated like a criminal and accepted it instead of Father forgive them humility those are the three secrets of the Christian life and therefore God exalted him above everything in the universe who will sit at the right hand and left hand of Jesus I'll tell you I don't know the names but those who have humbled themselves the most not those who have accomplished the most or traveled the most or preached the most no no those who humble themselves to 9 because he humbled himself not because he's the son of God and so God will exalt to the right hand and left hand of Jesus those who humble themselves the most I don't know who they are it may not be Paul it may be some poor Widow from Africa who was faithful in her life she may be sitting on the right hand of Jesus anybody I don't know who they are maybe one of you well whoever it is who has humbled themselves the most in their life they are going to have the highest positions in heaven so please remember all this my brothers and sisters and you know I've also said about the Apostle Paul when he was 55 years old he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 I am the least of all the apostles I never get tired of saying this I will say it a hundred times till it is drilled into everybody's head 1 Corinthians 15 I am the least of all the Apostles not fit to be called an apostle 1 Corinthians 15 9 he was 55 years old and he was not acting humble you know all of us sometimes say oh I'm nobody you don't really believe that you're just acting humble when you say you're a nobody but Paul is inspired by the Holy Spirit and he speaks the truth I am I really feel deep down in my heart I feel I'm not like Paul I like John or Peter or Andrew or any of these other people I'm down at the bottom he really felt like that about himself five years later he's 60 years old then he writes in Ephesians in chapter 3 and verse 8 he's grown now spiritually he's come closer to God and now he writes I'm the least of all the believers he's gone further down he was the least of the Apostles now he's become the lowest of all the believers again he's not acting humble inspired by the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit says this is what I see you are Paul in your own heart what do you think about yourself I'm the least of all the believers now he's 60 another five years later he writes in when he's 65 least of the Apostles least of all the believers and say how much lore can you go than that Paul no Christ Jesus came in to 1 Timothy 1:15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and I am the worst of all the sinners now Paul he said don't act humble I'm not acting humble the Holy Spirit inspired him to say at the age of 65 when he was perhaps the greatest saint on earth I am the least of all this I'm the greatest sinner of all so what is growth in holiness what is growth in getting close to God it's not becoming more and more famous remember Jesus came down down down and the last day of his life he is washing the feet of his disciples including Judas Iscariot and that's another thing I prayed Lord please help me whichever is my last day of life on earth to be at the feet of the lowest believers even at the feet of somebody who's betrayed me to bless him at their feet to wash their feet and I want to grow like this so what does it mean to be a sinner saved by grace we are not sinners no we're sinners saved by grace there's a lot of difference between sinner Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief so that means Christ has saved me but I recognize Who I am that there are areas in my life that are not like Jesus Christ yet that means there's some sin in me still which I don't know Paul said I'm not aware of anything my conscious life I'm clear our victory over all conscious but as unconscious areas my life I'm not like Christ and therefore as God shows me as I come closer and closer to God I see you all but a sinner I am have you had experiences like that I have had experiences like that not regularly but once in a while I suddenly feel like a revelation from heaven that I am the worst sinner of all I'm telling you the honest truth it's not something I read and say read and says can be artificial and imitation it's because a revelation of God's holiness that makes you feel that even if it was not written in Scripture I would have said Lord I'm the cheek raises sinner of all if you get close to God you'll feel that dear brothers you won't feel very holy if you're living close to God I will tell you that is the people who are far away from God who feel they are very holy and who look down on others so we are sinners saved and saved by grace that means not because we deserve it so it's nothing wrong in saying till the end of our life we're not great preachers or teachers or apostles or this side of the other whatever people may call us I'm a sinner saved by grace so I want to sing a song and I'm gonna ask my children to come up and sing it with me but let me read it to you first it's based on another song which is sung by the Bill Gaither group which is not exactly the same and I got some ideas from there it's not original but the words are slightly different and the tune is completely different because that's more like a cowboy song and I'm not a cowboy so I can't sing like that but this is a tune I'm familiar with and I titled it what I was once and what I am now if you could see the wretched sinner I was once if you could see where I had started from you'll know it was a miracle that Jesus did when he reached out and saved a wretch like me today I stand a miracle of God's great grace a grace that chased me down and holds me firm and every day I'll say this till I see his face that I am just a sinner saved by grace how can I boast of anything that I have done how can I glory in what God has done where would I be if God had not forgiven me each breath I have is what he gives to me and now my life is his alone forever he'll never live to do my own will again but all my life I'll sing as I run this race that I'm just a sinner saved by grace this is my testimony and it's my honest testimony I can see every word of it [Music] see the wretched sailor I was if you could see where I'd start a miracle that Jesus did [Music] a miracle of God and every day I'll say this is a sinner saved by grace [Music] God and not forgiving each breath I have is one yesterday and now my life is never to go my will all my life I see as I run [Music] to join with me in the second verse missing that second verse again [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music]

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Id: hN2ZNI_J8Ts

Length: 29min 6sec (1746 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 03 2020