How Our Joy Can Be Full - Zac Poonen

I want to turn to first letter of John there are many reasons why this letter is perhaps more important than many of the other letters in the New Testament you know all the parts of the New Testament are not of equal importance they're all the Word of God but some parts of the New Testament are historical they just describe what happened but there are other parts like the teaching of Jesus very very important and the episodes I would say those are the most important sections of Scripture the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels and in Revelation chapter two and three in other places and all the episodes but among the episodes one John has got a special place of importance because it was written by John at the age of 95 after he had observed various types of Christians various types of churches the ups and downs of many believers the ups and downs of many churches he saw the condition of the churches in the book of Revelation and he's writing just four or five pages with a great burden inspired by the Holy Spirit and I believe that it has a special relevance for the time in which we lived because I don't know whether you know today in Christendom there's a lot of confusion concerning many many things and it's good to go to listen to the words of an apostle who has walked with God for 65 years so when you read this book imagine that a 95 year old man who's walked with God for 65 years planted churches done miracles and fellowship with God the only living apostle left all the others are killed the speaking you know we give more weight to words spoken by more godly people the same words are spoken by some young person it may be true but we don't give as much weight to it so I have always looked at this letter of John as something that has a very deep message particularly when seeking to teach God's Word as to what I should emphasize in the last days it's amazing to see the number of things John doesn't even mention in his letter in 1 John which are some of the most popular subjects for preaching today John spoke in tongues for 65 years but he doesn't mention it in his letter he healed the sick and raise the dead but he doesn't mention anything about healing in his letter he doesn't mention a word about material prosperity which a lot of preachers today say is the mark of God's blessing many other things about political situations the Roman Empire was a very wicked and cruel Empire with the emperor was a godless man Christians were being persecuted but he doesn't stock anything about discussing government or politics or what we should do to stand up for our rights the foolish stupid things that Christians many Christians today were not filled with the Holy Spirit talked about there were a lot of problems in the world in John's time there was slavery for example slave there are many slaves in those days and he's not talking about them he's not talking about how to help all the poor people in the world there were more poor people than than today it's very easy for Christians to be taken up with many good things and the good can be the enemy of the best I want to say to all of you in Jesus name if you want to preserve yourself till the day Jesus comes without going estranged read the first letter of John and see what he made years on he first of all speaks about life he says we have heard 1 John 1 and we have seen with our eyes and we have touched this word of life he's writing to people who've never seen Jesus Christ and he says I saw him and what I touched was that eternal life verse 2 which was with the father when I touched Christ I saw his life what I saw was that eternal life which was with the father and that's what we proclaim to you he is not talking about doctrine he's not talking about physical healing and material prosperity he's talking about a life which was with the father from the beginning he says that is our message he speaks about eternal life when you go to the end of his letter you see what he says towards almost the last verse in chapter 5 he says in verse 20 we know the Son of God has come he's given us understanding chapter 5:20 that we may know Him who is true that is God and we are in Him who is true and in His Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life little children guard yourself from idols from anything other than this true God and eternal life when you begin to worship something else when you worship material prosperity when you worship physical healing when you worship anything other than this true God and eternal life it is idolatry little children God yourselves from idols and in the beginning he says the purpose of our proclaiming this verse 3 is so that we can have fellowship that you believers can have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the father the purpose of proclaiming this life is that we can have a two-way fellowship fellowship in the vertical direction with God fellowship between us as believers if you are pursuing life eternal life and not other idols one of the results will be that your fellowship with God will become deeper and your fellowship with other believers will also become deeper so the two subjects that John speaks about our life and fellowship because that's what existed from eternity way back in eternity before there was a world and before there was the universe before there were angels before there were demons and sin and Adam and Eve long before the and only God existed what was there there were no doctrines there was no baptism there was no tongues there was no healing there was no prosperity there were no material things but there was something else eternal life that existed then and fellowship between Father Son and Holy Spirit that existed and when we look into the future in heaven all these other things that we have temporarily on this earth will also disappear but eternal life and fellowship will continue for all eternity and in this short period between eternity past and eternity future God is gathering together a people who have understanding of this and who come into that thing which existed in eternity see he turned eternal life we can say is like a long line began in eternity past eternity future and if we here we are down on this earth God says you can come into that line and be a part of that instead of living down here occupied with all types of problems and trying to get on in this world and then verse 4 we are writing to you these things so that our joy may be made full and your joy will be full to Jesus often spoke about our joy being full that is a mark of people who have come into this experience of eternal life I'll tell you this because I'm absolutely convinced about it the only people on earth who can rejoice in the Lord 24 hours a day seven days a week like the Bible says those who pursue this eternal life with the father don't think all these people whom you watch preaching on television have got joy 24 hours a day seven days a week they look very joyful when they're on the in the platform if you look at their private life many of them lose that temper they get upset they're depressed even though they've got money and millions and talked about prosperity and houses and lands and cars etc John didn't have all that but he had something else that would last for all eternity joy that was full and to me that is the test in the Old Testament they had righteousness without joy no they had no joy in the Old Testament they had righteousness you look up a word like righteousness and it's found plenty of it in the Old Testament the Israel pursued righteousness it says in Romans but what did they get they got a legalistic righteousness and the mark of people who are legalistic is this they can't rejoice all the time because they are disturbed when somebody else doesn't fit in with their understanding of righteousness he doesn't matter what it is some people want to keep the Sabbath and some people have other rules about various things in the Pharisees that rules about washing the hands and today Christians have many many rules which they try to impose on others you can see one mark of all these people you'll see them very very often the long faces and gloomy because there is no joy in legalistic righteousness and if your joy is not full ask yourself whether you're a legalist or whether you're not pursuing eternal life but something else the Lord wants our joy to me for the kingdom of God is what Jesus brought until then throughout the Old Testament they had a kingdom of earth everything that God promised Abraham Isaac Jacob and his and that children was earthly please remember this everything from Genesis chapter 12 what if God chose Abraham right up to the end of Malachi was earthly he never promised them anything in heaven many earthly blessings long life any children a lot of prosperity enemies will be defeated you'll always be on top you'll never be in debt you'll have plenty of money so many things but heavenly things zero and here was an earth that lived like that here was a nation of Israel that lived like that for fifteen hundred years if the whole mind was occupied with earthly things how God's gonna bless me and if sickness and drought came you know God hadn't bless them they were defeated by their enemies that they were killed God hadn't blessed them if they could be thrown into a lion's den and the lines wouldn't touch them God would bless them they're thrown into the fire and the fire wouldn't touch them got him less than and then came the last prophet the forerunner of Jesus Christ he said tell us in Israel listen turn around now turn around from what they've been occupied not only with sin but with earthly things when the John the Baptist said repent repent means turn about it's not just sin repentance is not just turning from sin that itself is a great thing but Israel that is occupied with earthly blessings turn around now because the kingdom of heaven is coming that was the message of the New Covenant at the beginning turn around from this kingdom of Earth those who want to turn around those who want to be occupied with the kingdom of our stick there you know what is the message I would preach to today's Christians turn around from facing the kingdom of Earth because the kingdom of heaven is near it's already come but most Christians haven't experienced it because their mind is set on earthly things it's right to use earthly things it's wrong to have our mind set on earthly things it's a question of where my mind is set I may have to work with earthly things that work in a job look after my family go to the store by so many things etc etc etc but is the question where my mind is set that's the test and John the Baptist is the forerunner to prepare people for the first coming of Christ and he said if you want to be prepared turn from being occupied with earthly things to heavenly things because the kingdom of heaven is near the Apostles preached that Paul preached the law Ephesians 1:3 blessed be God our Father father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ which is different from every earthly blessing every material blessing in the earthly places in Moses so you have a contrast every material blessing physical blessings in earthly places in Moses or every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ and the message is John the Baptist was turned from this to that and I believe this that a person who's really turned and set his mind on the things that are above one proof of it will be was very easy to deceive ourselves one proof of it will be our joy will be full under Romans 14 and verse 17 where it speaks about this New Kingdom Romans 14 and verse 17 it says the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking and we could add a lot of things to eating and drinking it's not clothes it's not fun it's not entertainment does it mean we shouldn't have fun and entertainment sure is it easy saying that we shouldn't eat and drink is he saying that we shouldn't dress decently is he is he saying we shouldn't take care of our appearance no but he says that's not the main thing in God's kingdom if your mind is set on eating and drinking and what shall we wear and what shall we eat and what shall we drink and what shall we do and here and that and the other and the other and the other and when shall I invest my money and where shall I do this and where shall I do that you can do all these things but your mind is set on these things I'll tell you without knowing anything about your life I can tell you you do not rejoice always how do I know that it is impossible you rejoice some of the time but your gloomy depressed angry many times and we are trying to overcome these things how you hear messages about overcoming anger and overcoming anxiety and overcoming depression overcoming discontent see I'd like to have that light I'll tell you how we can have that life turn from being occupied with earthly things and set your mind on heavenly things but many people they want to be occupied with the earthly things and have joy and peace and freedom from fear and anxiety it is impossible if you want freedom you had to give up something you had that story of the little girl whose hand was caught in a flower wise she couldn't pull it out and so mommy came along and said she said my hand is stuck the little girl said mommy said come on straighten your fingers and you can pull it out she's not concentrating my fingers because I'm holding a coin there I don't want to leave that how will you be released then you'll be stuck to the bars for the rest of your life that's how it is there's something you hold on to you say I want to have on freedom from depression bloom I want freedom from anger and anxiety straighten your hands release it the thing you're holding on to it'll come out very easy I read a book once the title of which was the happiest people on earth now I don't think the book describes exactly how we could be the happiest people on earth but I certainly believe one thing that a true disciple of Jesus Christ who's repented of being occupied with earthly things like Israel said his minor things are above that is life eternal life and fellowship who will be such a person will be the happiest person on earth I believe that with all my heart I've experienced a little bit of it and I want to we want to build churches where people can testify that they have experienced something of it that's the whole purpose of preaching and teaching in our churches the message of John the Baptist repent turn around for the kingdom of heaven today we don't say it's at hand it is here the kingdom of heaven is here the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but what is it it says here it's righteousness well that's Old Testament no but here's more righteousness with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit brings a righteousness which makes us full of joy and frees us from anxiety and fear that's piece pieces of freedom from anxiety and from fear we're to be totally free from anxiety and fear isn't that a good life to live a life of complete freedom from anxiety and fear about the future concerning what's going to happen to me whom will I get married to what job can I get what about a house to live in what about my children etc so many fears and anxieties which everybody in the world has but we can be free from that we can have a concern for our children but not anxiety about action we have to be completely free do you know my brothers and sisters if you call yourself a Christian you're supposed to be totally free from fear as much as you're supposed to be totally free from sin jesus said do not be anxious even about tomorrow leave alone next year in the year after do we take those commands seriously maybe you do yes yes I want to be I want to live that life I want to be free from anxiety I want to be free from fear and the other thing mentioned here is joy joy means total freedom from depression bad moods blue discouragement self condemnation everything people say I want that life but you can't have that life unless you seek the kingdom of God which is the kingdom of heaven if you are seeking a kingdom of earth and we want those things it is impossible so that's why John speaks about he says I don't want to talk about all these other things I want to speak about eternal life in fellowship that your joy may be full so I want to say to every one of you you could have been a believer just one or two years you can be filled with the Holy Spirit and if you're really filled with the Holy Spirit you know that song we sing heaven came down and glory filled my soul it's one of the best ways to say what the Holy Spirit does he brings the spirit of heaven down to our heart what I can't understand today is a lot of preachers who say they are filled with the Holy Spirit but the whole mind is occupied with earthly things then heaven hasn't come down No heaven is still there heaven is not in their hearts you look into their hearts they're thinking of how to become healthy and wealthy and not even wise just healthy and wealthy this is the deception that's going on today and so John in his letter speaks about the dis deception see he says why am I writing this I am writing this verse chapter 2 verse 26 he wants John John why are you writing this these things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you see how John is concerned about deception 65 years after walking with the Lord and looking at the state of Christians in his day he says I'm writing to you about people who are trying to deceive you that's why I've written this letter to protect you from deception you have an anointing the Holy Spirit within you you don't need anybody to tell you when you listen to someone that that is not the truth it's wonderful I believe that even a new believer peace filled with the Holy Spirit can listen to a preacher and say hey and doesn't sound like the spirit of Christ the Holy Spirit doesn't need to have some reverb read books or even have come to our church the Holy Spirit will tell him but what happens is this new believer when he goes to a church and he hears all that teaching on earthly things and which everybody else is excited about and he feels in his heart a this is not what Jesus and the Apostles speak about and he continues to go to that church after some time he'll be brainwashed he'll believe that that is the way in that perhaps he was wrong and that is how thousands and thousands and hundreds of thousands of people are being deceived today so he says this anointing will teach you all things so little children verse 28 of chapter two abide in him so that when he appears that it's going to be two types of people when Christ appears among believers he's talking about children who are God's children little children he's not talking to the unbelievers I want to tell you when Jesus comes again some of you children will shrink away from him in shame recognizing the things you live for in that day and others will have confidence yes Lord I'm ready to meet you I'm ready to stand at your judgment seat that you can examine every area of my life expose it so that people can see what I lived for and there are other people who'd say our Lord don't expose my life don't let everybody around know what I live for when I was on earth the other ones who shrink away from him and shame in this congregation there will be two types of people I'm not here to judge because I don't know your private life I don't know what's going on in your mind I don't know what you think in your heart well I'll tell you one thing without a doubt this verse teaches very clearly there'll be two types of people if Christ were to come right now some would say great Lord I'm ready not just for heaven but is stand before you and for you to expose my whole life so that you can show people what I live for my sins have been forgiven that's blotted out what did I live for after that and there are others will say great Lord I'm glad to be in heaven but please don't don't ever display what I lived for on earth don't put that videos tape on the screen for all believers to see because I fooled everybody on earth that I was very spiritual people didn't know how I lived at home they only saw how I behaved in the church meetings on Sundays little children abide in him this is John the Apostle speaking 95 year old man forget for a moment who's standing here and think of John the Apostle standing here white-haired 95 year old man saying little children abide in Christ he is coming have confidence when he comes don't be among those who will shrink away in shame because they did not live for the things he lived for he also speaks about the Antichrist in verse 18 that's a spirit of deception see what is the Antichrist you know what empty means anti means against our opposite if people do something which is the opposite of what Christ did we could say that is the Antichrist now there could be a big measure of it or a small measure of it that's different but anything that's opposite to the Spirit of Christ that's how I see the Antichrist so in chapter 2 verse 18 he's speaking about saying children it is the last hour think of that in 95 AD 1,900 years ago it was already the last hour that already clock had already come to 11:00 p.m. if it was 11:00 p.m. at in 1895 where do you think we are today I think we are past 11:59 we're pretty close to the end the seconds are ticking away it's like a person watching when midnight is gonna come it's past 11:59 now you believe that I believe it jesus said behold I come quickly come Lord Jesus it is the last hour and just as you heard that one main Antichrist is going to come in the last days yeah that John believes but there are many little antichrists that have already appeared from this we know that is the last hour that is what we saw in verse 26 those who deceive you that means the OP they teach the opposite of what Christ taught anyone who's teaching the opposite of what Christ taught is the Antichrist now you wouldn't think of Antichrist having a Bible with you well if you didn't have a Bible he wouldn't be able to deceive you if he came at some other holy book of some other religion he wouldn't be able to deceive you as a Christian to deceive a Christian the deceiver will need a Bible and he need to believe what you believe you need have to have a sheep's clothing and it says here that they were with us once upon a time that means these Antichrist were sitting in the church verse 19 and they went out from us after some time because they didn't really belong to us how did they go out they went out because the Apostle John preached so strongly that these guys could not survive in that church they came thinking that they could get some power in that church but John the Apostle would Thunder away Jesus called him a son of thunder and he would Thunder away with his message and little by little these fellows who didn't want to repent dropped out and went away some people repented and probably became a part of the church for the others who didn't repent went away and he says these antichrists sat here but they went away they tried to take over this church but they couldn't that's why it's a great need in our day for shepherds to watch the flock to be able to say like Paul I watched over you that no wolf came inside as long as I was here so he says they went out from us because if they had been of us they would have remained with us they would have accepted the message of eternal life and fellowship but they wanted something else Dimas left Paul because he loved this present world and he says they went out so that it can be seen that they did not belong to us and he says when you look at them today I'm talking about first century think of these people who sat in churches where John was preaching imagine I would never want to leave a church where the Apostle John was preaching why would I want to leave that the greatest man of God living on earth preaching in that church why would I want to leave that with those powerful anointed messages to leave that for what people would leave because their sin is being exposed by this man this man does not allow them to be worldly this man will not allow those women to dress immodestly and come to his church they want to do that they want to dress up like the actresses on the theatre John says God and the men who wanted to pursue after money and make a name for themselves and says go you can't survive here and that's why they left that was more those earthly things were more important to them than what John preached eternal life and fellowship John spoke about loving one another he said if you can't love your brother you sit here and you gossip and backbiting against others you're a liar you don't love God at all because you don't love your brother would you back fight against somebody you love do you back fight against your daughter or your son no because you love them why do you backbiting gossip about somebody else because you don't love them and John says if you don't love them you don't love God he says then 1 John 4:19 you're a liar you're not a believer you're a liar imagine sitting listening to this type of preaching and people get offended and say Johnny are you such a hard creature I like those nice features like Dimas and all I'd like to go and listen to him John says gone now hundreds of demons is born listen to them they've also planted churches and their churches are much bigger than mine John says go and join them well if you sit here John would say you're gonna listen to eternal life and holiness you got to love one another you got to forgive others you got to keep God's commandments so those type of things people didn't want to hear and so they went out from us and John says there you have an anointing verse 20 from the whole you've got the Holy Spirit and you know what are some of the things that John preached about I want to turn first of all to chapter 2 verse 1 you know this is the whole purpose is that our joy may be full remember that's a test of whether you got the kingdom of God righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit and if you got the message that John is trying to preach your joy will be full and anybody here whose joy is not full listen to what John is preaching because your joy can be full first of all why is John writing chapter two verse one you know it's I'm glad that he writes these little sentences which says my children this is why I'm writing this letter okay number one chapter two verse one my little children everybody there was just like a child compared to this ninety five year old John I'm writing these things to you first of all so that you may not sin where do you hear that message today do you hear a man getting up and saying I'm preaching so that you fellas will listen to me don't sin in your life that's not the message you hear it's not the message you hear on television it's not the message that you here in many pulpits what you hear there is oh you're so insecure God loves you it's true God loves you but he loves you so much that he hates those wretched sins in your life I can't say I love my child if I don't do anything about all the sicknesses in his body what would you think of a mother who's got a child with so many sicknesses so who I love my child I love my child but I won't ever take him to a doctor and we'll never give him any medicine I say you're a liar you don't love your child oh I feed him my clothing what's his feed even clothing he's sick he needs treatment that's what John is saying don't be fooled by all these people who say God loves you no you're so insecure I want to tell you that God loves you that psychology you're insecure because you're living in sin you need to turn God has a right over your life he purchased you what would you think of a man who sold his house got the money and still refuses to move out of his house would you do that would any of you do that somebody buys your house you get he gives you a good payment for it double the price in the market and instead of being thankful you sit there and say I will not move out of my house that's what a lot of Christians are doing the Bible says Jesus purchased us our body our soul our spirit on the cross of Calvary completely with his blood how much is that how many millions of rupees is that blood worth he purchased it and he said I want to take possession I want to take possession of your body your eyes your tongue your hands your money your life your ambitions everything you know I'm not gonna move out I'm gonna read whatever I like I'm gonna look whatever I like I'm gonna watch internet pornography I'm gonna speak what I like I'm gonna use my money as I like I don't want to move out I'm I'm owner here hey it's been purchased man you were bought with a price the Bible says now I can understand people who are ignorant of this I mean I'm not talking about non-christians they don't even know that Jesus Christ purchased that the sale deed was signed now if you a man doesn't know that his house was bought and paid for in sale deed snider okay and then of course you can't blame him but what about us who are sitting here we say we believe that Christ purchased us have you moved out have you handed over the body to him have you handed over your mind to him have you handed over ambitions to him that's Christianity don't sin my little children I'm writing to you this letter to teach you not to sin take sin seriously it's worse than any sickness you got think if you got a blood test and tomorrow the report comes out that you have got AIDS would you sleep peacefully you'd hide it from everybody sure that I can understand but would you sleep peacefully and supposing there was a total cure for it in some place in North India would you travel there to get the cure or would you say oh that's too far who's gonna go there I tell you you'll take a flight you save all your money and go there because AIDS is so terrible shall I tell you that sin is worse than AIDS shall I tell you that Jesus did not die for AIDS he died for sane people can have AIDS and go to heaven I know people like that they got it in their unconverted days then after that they repented in the vendée heaven they never got cured or they were to have it so aids cannot send anybody to hell but sin can send people to hell which is worse than little children I'm writing to you that you may not sin and this is John towards the end of his life 65 years he's been telling people don't sing don't sing don't sing you go to John and say John we've heard that for 65 years no do you have any other message no because everybody else all these antichrists are not free jingyan jesus preached it and he says if i'm the only witness left on this earth in this first century John says I'll preach it till I die that's what I say too I will preach till the end of my life even if I'm the only preacher left preaching it my little children don't sing because your sin that nailed Jesus to the cross not the nails your sin and eat what is sin sin is anything that is UNCHR iced like in your life if you want a definition you see how do I know what son Christ like meet the Bible your conscience will tell you do you do to other people what you don't want other people to do to you that's sin jesus said in Matthew 7:12 do unto others as you want other people to do to you do you want other people to gossip about you know I don't gossip about them do you want it do you want other people to cheat you no then don't cheat them do unto others as you want them to do to you when you violate that you sin you know what Jesus said in Matthew 7:12 if you don't know that verse though some here may not know it but I'd like to show it to you it's not everything but I think it's a good law to think of Matthew 7 verse 12 in everything in everything in everything in your life treat people the same way you want them to treat you for this is the message of the whole Bible the Jesus words that expression law in the prophets is an expression for the Old Testament which was the only Bible they had those days the law in the prophets is an expression for the Old Testament Bible so let me read it to you this is the message of the whole Bible and I say the same thing today this is the message of the whole Bible treat people the same way you want them to treat you or is the message Bible says ask yourself what you want people to do for you ask yourself what you want people to do for you then grab the initiative and do that for them ask yourself what do I want people to do for me setting such a thing ok you jump up and do that first for them boy can you imagine what your life will be like if you live by that one verse there are 30 1175 verses in the Bible and out of all that if you live by just one anybody what will happen your life my little children these things I'm writing to you that you may not sing that's why I'm writing this letter then he goes on in 1 John 2:1 say but I realize that some of you are not wholehearted and even those who are wholehearted sometimes they can be careless and they can sin then what do you do believers also fall into sin then they must immediately repent and go to their advocate because as soon as you come into sin the prosecutor and the prosecutor by the way is not the devil the devil has got no right to prosecute me the prosecutor in the court is the law of God which is perfect the devil is a bigger sinner than me how can he prosecute me he's an accuser he's not a prosecutor the prosecutor in the court is the law of God in the law of God watches and since then he sinned I must quickly go to the Advocate this is a court scene God the Father is a judge law of God is accusing the prosecuting me and it's true I've done something wrong I got to go to the Advocate we have an advocate with the father this advocate is on my side do you know the Advocate Jesus is on your side do you know that Jesus is not a prosecutor how many of you know that that God is not a prosecutor that Jesus is not a prosecutor you don't have to be afraid of the judge you don't have to be afraid of Jesus it's the law of God that's prosecuting you your conscience in which a little bit of that law is written is prosecuting you forget the devil your own conscience is telling you what you said was rude what you did to that person was wrong Jesus would not do that Jesus would not speak like that the way you spoke who's telling you that not the devil your conscience the prosecutor run to the Advocate say Lord Jesus please plead my cause I've sinned don't tell lies to the Advocate saying I haven't sinned don't blame your wife like Adam blamed his wife no just say Lord it's my fault like the thief on the cross Lord it's my fault I deserve it and the Advocate will greed your cause he's a righteous advocate he won't tell lies says here in Jesus Christ the righteous and he has paid the price he solved the sin problem for good the whole world sins he took care of so I can go to him and be cleansed but if I don't confess it I don't acknowledge my sin I don't say that it was wrong I don't go to that person Who am I wrong and say I'm sorry brother that was wrong on my part you don't do that then you're saying that I have not sinned then Jesus Christ the righteous advocate cannot plead your cause he'll plead the cause of any man who is honest about his sin and says I'm to blame so John is very balanced he doesn't just say these things I write unto you that that you don't say full-stop I mean if he had said full stop after that I said what about somebody who sins he's led by the Holy Spirit he said I realized sometimes you may fall but when you fall do this immediately set it right so that's the first thing he says I'm writing these things to you that you may not sin and he goes on to say in that connection keep his Commandments verse 3 don't say verse 4 I know God and you don't keep his Commandments then you're a liar you know there are two people whom John calls a liar we saw already one in earlier in the end of chapter 4 he who does not love his brother and says he loves God is a liar here's another liar the one who says I know the Lord but you don't keep his Commandments you're a liar do you know the number of liars there are among believers liars John says I won't call you a believer you're a liar if you know the Lord you'll keep his Commandments why why don't little children why doesn't a little five-year-old or even a ten-year-old and sometimes even an 18 year old not obey their parents why do they think oh they know better than their parents they think they know their parents no I'm not gonna do that mom I'm not gonna do that dad I know better they don't know their parents they disobey their parents advice because they don't know their parents they think they know better than their parents I mean you start that even with a 1 year old you take a knife out of the hand one year old one year old will scream he thinks mummy is being so hard taking away that knife from me so shiny I like it so much he that little boy doesn't know that his mother loves him and when mummy says don't take that knife don't go and stick your hand into that plug socket he doesn't know his mommy saying for your good and when we don't obey God's commandments you're like that one you're all saying no no no I can take care of myself we can do all types of problems because we don't know God if you knew God you would know him as more loving than your mother and father and more eager to protect you from all types of dangers that your parents protected you from aren't you thankful for your parents protected you from so many dangers when you were small by giving you certain rules why does a parent tell their teenage girl I want your home by so-and-so time in the evening you think that's so strict and to be home by setting such a time it's for your protection think of all the young girls will never listen to their parents in their condition today every command your parents give concerning these earthly things even unconverted parents concerning earthly things you have a lot of wisdom for that children and I say if those parents unconverted parents have wisdom concerning their children you think our Heavenly Father doesn't have wisdom concerning the things he commands me when he commands me to forgive all those who harmed me is because he wants me to sleep peacefully at night look at all those people who don't forgive others go and ask them what they think about when they are sleeping at night think about what he'll do what a lie he says today this to me and I'll tell him this and it replies like this I'll tell him this it's already 2:30 in the morning I'm still thinking about how to deal with that fellow you want to you want to sleep like that Lord says forgiving every command he gives his per hour good everything when he says turn your own eyes away from lusting after women were not your wife it's by your good why do you want to have dirty dreams at night when he tells you not to watch internet pornography why does he say that it's for your good do you know you'll suffer with it for all your married life if you do it go and ask married people to watch pornography if they are free from those thoughts in their mind thirty years after they watch it they are still plagued God wants to protect you don't sing chapter 2 verse 15 don't love the world anyone loves the world the love the father's not in him and this I like it in the message Bible it says love for the world squeezes out love for your heavenly father you know that's what happens the more I love the world a love for my heavenly father and for Jesus gets squeezed out love for the world occupies my heart be careful about the movies you watch I'm absolutely convinced that the movies that Christians watch these days around the world are leading to two things one they don't have time to read the Bible and they are ignorant of the Bible so all the deceivers can flourish how is it that so many Christians can watch these television creatures on television and not have discernment as to where they are leaving them even though having watched them for years they still are depressed they still get angry they still lose their temper they still get anxious and fearful what have all these TV preachers helped you they don't see it you know why oh but he teaches what is the word she teaches what is in the word yeah yeah yeah you know why you don't have discernment you don't have time to read the Bible the second thing is you're watching movies you don't have time to read the Bible think of hours you spend watching television and then time you spend reading the Bible which are you going to know better you know I'm not talking about the hours you spend at work that's necessary I'm talking about the RSV spending relaxation and the second thing that happens is our moral standards go down sensitivity to sin becomes less and less and less and less and less see if it's not true I don't know your private life but see in your life if your conscience hasn't become less and less sensitive to sin you know what the cause of it is the movies you watch the type of soap operas you watch on television the endless serials I only heard about them I think there are some endless years some people have told me there are such things dear brothers and sisters be careful for all that is in the world and I want to read this to you from the message Bible what is in the world three things wanting your own way wanting everything for yourself and wanting to appear important that's how he describes lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life wanting your own way I agree with that that is the root of all sin the lust of the flesh is wanting your own way I want this for myself your flesh says I want it I want it lust of the eyes wanting everything for yourself everything that see I want to get that I want to get that covetousness and that's why all these preachers who preach prosperity have a great time because they know sitting in front of them are a bunch of covetous people who want a lot of earthly things and they say Jesus can give it to you but come and sow your seed this gives them money in the Box deceivers of the first trade wanting your own way wanting everything and wanting to appear important before others instead of wanting to do the will of God and he who wants to do the will of God he's all set for eternity I like that you want to be all set for eternity change your wants I'm writing to you concerning those who deceive you those who deceive you will not tell you these things the Antichrist will not tell you these things the Antichrist will only tell you what will take you away from Christ I think of many brothers and sisters who've been in this church for many years I want you to ask yourself an honest question today many things may have changed maybe your style of dress has changed y'all got a better job all that is OK but ask yourself I'm not worried about all that I'm not here to give a person check up on that as your conscience become less sensitive to sin than it was when you first came to CFC I'm not talking about legalism and talking about sin that which is unlike Christ as your conscience become less sensitive to that then you're going in the wrong direction let's wake up before it is too late may God help us to turn to him whoever we are yeah i should show Stella this before I close you know in 1 John chapter 2 it just struck me that he says I'm writing to you verse 12 I'm writing to you little children verse 13 I'm writing to your fathers I'm writing to you young man you know in the Christian life there are three stages your first little children then you come to the level of you know like young men and then you become fathers to all three of you to all three of you I say verse 15 don't love the world that's what I wanted to say it's not just a little children maybe you're a spiritual father I know I am do you know what what God's Word is to me don't love money don't love the world don't want your own way in everything yield let the other pillow have his way don't want everything that you see to me a father yes John says to you little children whatever stage you are in the Christian life be careful of the Spirit of the world it's all around us it's around us and the preachers and what we see the Christian television as well be careful so that when Christ comes you will not shrink but have confidence and before he comes we can live with a fullness of joy you know that and even add to your health the Bible says a merry heart is that's good like a medicine imagine a man who is full of joy he'll be very healthy compared to others were sick so in every way what our Father tells us is for our good that's brain it's power heads before God behold what manner of love God has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God and that he's given us so many Commandments which offer our good how we praise God that we know his world and his truth in a world where so many are ignorant you young people are so lucky so blessed I would say because you've heard these things from youth you can live your whole life for him who died for you turn around from the kingdom of Earth and seek the things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father and you won't have any regret when Christ comes again Heavenly Father help us each one I believe there are people calling out to you right now in their hearts give them a witness in their heart that you will give them the power of your Holy Spirit to live this life but we cannot live it on our own in Jesus name

Channel: CFC India

Views: 17,087

Rating: 4.8314176 out of 5

Keywords: zac poonen, cfc, Christian Fellowship Church, Church, Fellowship, Christian, Zac, Poonen

Id: Ea9UXeSYffU

Length: 58min 48sec (3528 seconds)

Published: Sat May 10 2014