Pressing Forward To Become Christlike - Zac Poonen

there are many who are new in our church means you veneered probably only one or two years for you to know the direction in which our church is going and the direction in which we expect every person who comes to this church to go and more than what we expect the direction in which God expects all of us to go see a lot of corporations and churches and all have what they call a mission statement we have all these statements that are written in Scripture God has a goal for us and many Christians have not understood that goal so for those of you who don't know or those of you who are forgotten let me show you what the Bible says is the ultimate destination just like when you travel in a train your ticket will show you where you are destined to go and you should get on a train that's going in that direction there are lots of trains in the railway station but you don't get on to the most beautiful one or the color you like or a big one you go into the train which is going to your destination even if it is small not so attractive going to your destination so when you choose a church it should be the way you choose a train is it going to the destination you want to go now today there are churches that tell you how you can become rich good those are wonderful cameras joining such choices but that is not God's goal for man God's goal is not making people rich and the proof of that is some of the richest people in the world are not Christians in fact the richest people in the whole world are non-christian so that itself proves that that particular type of teaching is not God's goal for Christians because if a person is going towards God's goal there will be no one on earth to be better than him in that area if for example like some people teach God's goal is that we should be healthy then the healthiest people in the world should be Christians but even the Apostle Paul had a sickness Timothy the finest of Paul's co-workers had a sickness with constant stomach problems what happened was it because they were like they were not wholehearted these are verses the teachers health is not God's goal and Jesus was poor Paul was poor Peter was poor which proves that wealth is not God's goes something else is God's goal and we need to understand that clearly and it's possible sometimes that we lose sight of that you know it's like if you have to change trains at different stations again you got to get into the right train so let me turn you to Romans 8:29 those who've been here many years will know this is the verse we always show in the scripture which tells us the goal towards which God wants us to be moving Romans 8:29 those whom he foreknew now foreknowledge is a word found in the New Testament foreknowledge means God knows from all eternity past who all are going to respond to his call if you have responded to the call of Jesus Christ God knew about it before he created the world he knew about it before the universe is created if you're going to be a backslider God knew that also before the words were created and where you're going to end up as a backslider or a wholehearted Christian that also God knows from beforehand that's foreknowledge and those who me for knew who are going to be faithful to Christ till the end he gave them a destination he predestined predestined it's very clear the meaning of that pre means before destined means destination it's like you get a railway ticket you're predestined to go to Bombay or Delhi it's written on the ticket you may have bought it 60 days earlier but when you get into the train you know where you're going so it's exactly like that we need to see here what is God pre destined for those whom he foreknew now if you are not one of those whom God foreknew you can go where you like God has got no destination for you but if you're one of those who responded to the call of Christ and God knew you before the words were created then this is the only destination God has for you now when you travel in a train that may mean many other blessings that you have while traveling and etc you know you need good food and various things you can see sight along the way but that's not your destination those are little blessings along the way and there are little pains and difficulties in a train journey as well and so also in the Christian life but we must be clear about our destination predestined to become conformed to be conformed to the image of his son Jesus Christ so there we see the goal never forget this verse the goal of the Christian life as far as God is concerned is that we might become like Jesus Christ so that that's not the end of it because when we become like Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ will be the elder brother first born is a New Testament phrase for eldest brother you know if you have only one son you don't call him firstborn you know what you if you have only one son you call him only begotten John 3:16 God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son he had only one when he came to earth but after the resurrection Jesus told Mary Magdalene go and tell my brothers that I've risen the day of his resurrection he became the first born see that's why we have our meetings on Sunday not on Saturday because Saturday Jesus was in the grave sunday is called a Lord's Day because it is the beginning of a new creation when Jesus became the firstborn of many brothers and so you see that's why we call each other brother you need to understand that I tell people don't call me by such lowdown titles like pastor or Reverend or writer ever and all those useless titles call me by the highest title younger brother of Jesus Christ can you give me a better title than that you think Reverend and right reverend and dr. reverend and left reverend and all these people you think any of these things are better than younger brother of Jesus Christ not at all that's why you're a younger sister of Jesus Christ don't think there's a bigger title than that that's why I'll never allow anybody to call me any other than that that is the highest title a younger brother of Jesus Christ the eldest brother you need to see your position the firstborn of many brothers and sisters that's included and that's how it's going to be in heaven but today we are working towards that goal of becoming like Christ now if you don't have that goal you got some other goal in life that God's going to make you rich or God is going to make you healthy I don't know whether you'll end up as a younger brother of Jesus Christ I don't know that's none of my business how God God is a judge and may God have mercy on you but if this is your goal I can assure you you're going to be a younger brother and sister of Jesus Christ for all eternity I want to be there I'd rather go by scriptures and by all the clever things that men teach and a lot of these false teachings come out of the Old Testament whenever you find a preacher quoting mostly from the Old Testament you can be sure there's something wrong we must see the Old Testament as being fulfilled in the New Testament then it's okay and that's how I see it I mean we don't tell people to kill lambs today because we say the Lamb of God died on the cross Jesus Christ we don't tell people to type today because that was income tax God blessed them and God was the head of the government in Israel and just like we pay income tax they God said you have to pay income tax the rich and the poor had to pay the same level 10% everybody but today God is become our Father and no father collects income tax from his children so if when a preacher tells you you got to pay income tax then God is not your father my God is my father he doesn't collect any income tax from me does that mean a child will never take care of his father's needs will you tell me you children your father is in need would you do something for him we'd give more than 10% if needed but we give it joyfully for a father think of some of your father's who sacrificed a lot to educate you care for you if you are grateful Jesus said once to the Pharisees you people are so evil that the Bible says honor your father and mother and you read that in mark chapter 7 when your father is in need you tell him hey I've given that money to God I can't give it to you he says you have neglected canceled out God's commandment it's right for a child to honor his father and take care of an aging father who sacrificed so much for you and when I think of my Heavenly Father he's not in financial need but he's done so much for me that I'd give everything for him that is the only spirit in which we serve the father so this is the goal the goal of our life is not to reach the world or to bring people to Christ those are all subsidiaries the main goal is that I must become like Christ and in becoming like Christ first of all it's my life and my character remember for 30 years Jesus never preached or healed or cast out demons he just lived a godly life for thirty three and a half years out of that three and a half years he had ministry now if you do mathematics three and a half divided by thirty three and a half is 10% so we can say 10% Jesus life he had min is what we call ministry that's about the importance of so-called ministry but one hundred percent he had a life so his ministry came out of his life in the Old Testament it was not like that you did not have to have a life to have a ministry because the Holy Spirit was upon people not inside people the first person within whom Jesus the Holy Spirit was was Jesus and then on the day of Pentecost and many others till then he was born people in the Old Testament and when the Holy Spirit is upon people he can equip him to do and many things Elijah and Elijah even raised the dead amazing what they can do preach powerful sermons like John the Baptist many wonderful things for the Holy Spirit is upon but they cannot overcome sin the Holy Spirit was upon David but the guy went and committed adultery and killed that woman's husband and married her or Sampson yet mighty father the Holy Spirit upon him but he was living in sin all these Old Testament examples even Elijah he the mighty power of God came on him and he could stop the sky from rainin and send the rain down and bring fire down from heaven but when it was all over he got so discouraged and he said Lord take away my life I'm scared I'm scared of a woman she might kill me imagine that so he see grow all the great Old Testament Saints even John the Baptist in prison he said old Jesus I used really the Messiah I'm not so sure imagine John the Baptist saying that that is the result of the Holy Spirit not being inside people the greatest Old Testament people had doubts fears anxieties because the Holy Spirit is upon them but the ministry was fantastic so don't be impressed today by somebody who has a wonderful ministry maybe the Holy Spirit is upon him jesus said in the last day many will come to me and say Lord we cast out demons in your name we did miracles in your name and I will say to them I never knew you I never knew you that means I never had an intimate relationship with you the word no is used in the Old Testament but the husband-wife relationship the most intimate relationship between husband arrived is called knowing and Jesus I never knew you I mean you guys did so many things for me but I didn't have that intimate relationship with you and I wonder whether the Lord has to say that to some of us here we keep on stressing in this church you must have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ it's like something and ministry is when the whole vessel fills up and overflows that's ministry I want all my ministry to be like that I don't want my ministry to be just the Holy Spirit upon me and me preaching powerful sermons are doing here and there no I want an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ which fills up in my heart every day and overflows that's called ministry so remember this is the goal and when we go this way let me show you this promise in proverbs chapter 4 and verse 18 proverbs 4:18 says the path of the righteous is the like the sunrise at dawn and it becomes brighter and brighter brighter until the full day when the Sun is overhead this is the path of a truly righteous person zero backsliding so if your goal is to become like Jesus Christ and all your ministry is not just ministry but the overflow of a personal devotion to Christ I want every message that I preach not to be something I just sit and study and prepare and come and vomit it all out on Sunday morning that's rubbish it's as that is vomit it must come out of a personal devotion to Jesus Christ every day of my life I seek to live in a personal devotion to Jesus Christ because that is the tree of life that's the tree of life we read in 2nd Corinthians 11 verse 3 Satan tried to draw evil way from the tree of life is a personal devotion to Christ so if I keep that personal devotion to Christ overflow will be ministry and then my father here is how I know whether I'm on the right path it'll become brighter and brighter until the day Christ comes back dawn sunrise is when I'm born again Christ comes into my heart the darkness has gone the Sun has risen Christ has come into my heart and you all know the day when that happened like we sing happy day happy day when Jesus washed my sins away but from that day most Christians live and up and down and very often down more than up backsliding life that's not God's will and the reason you do that is because you haven't seen the goal you got into the wrong train you went to a church that taught more about tithing and healing and ministry and things like that and go to heaven when you die and you did not get into the right train you did not get into a church we taught you you got to become like Christ that is God's goal God's goal is not taking us to heaven God's goal is not healing us God's goal is not making us rich God's goal is not trying to put make us possess earthly things our earthly blessings God's goal is to make us like Christ and if you had got into the right train I'll tell you this and if you'd walk in that state in that train you would not have backslidden even one day in your life all backsliding comes because you lost sight of our goal maybe some of you got into the right train in the beginning and then got off at some station and got into some other train well no wonder you're going in the wrong direction but if you're stuck in the same train however inconvenient it is your life would have been so much more glorious because just like the Sun the picture is the Sun rises have you ever seen the Sun backsliding never happened it comes higher and higher and higher and higher and higher and higher till it comes perfectly and that's the day when Christ comes back and we become one hundred percent like him when he comes one John 3:3 says we will be like him but from the time you are born again till the time we become like him the part God has ordained for is his brighter brighter brighter brighter zero backsliding that is God's will for you you must believe it at least today even if you're back feeling many times in your life will you make a decision today Lord that means from today I'm going to walk on the path of the righteous I decided that quite some time ago there will be zero backsliding in my life you tell me with your own children you know what backsliding means backsliding means a child going from fourth standard to third standard not staying in for standard staying in fourth standard itself is bad four to three years but going from four sided to third standard I've never heard of a child doing that but I've seen a lot of believers like that they were at a certain level and they've gone down the day they were converted they've never watched any filthy movies now they started watching filthy moose they've gone from fourth standard to outside the school why is that either they're not really born again and not filled with the Holy Spirit because they've not eager to be filled with always for it or they sat in the wrong train they were not challenged Sunday after Sunday to become more like Christ they tore they took it easy now this verse in the New Testament is described in 2nd Corinthians 3:18 whenever I see an Old Testament verse I try to find out what is the New Testament equivalent of that verse because everything in the Old Testament was fulfilled in the New Testament so that's why I say an Old Testament verse by itself means nothing for example we have talked about tithing 10% income tax in the Old Testament in the Old Testament God said you must give 10% of what you get in your field or a flock bring it to God what is the New Testament equivalent of that the New Testament equivalent to that is in Romans 12:1 present your body as a living sacrifice to God Old Testament it was typing New Testament is a body that the one thing God asks us to present to him is not our money it's our body your eyes your tongue your passions isn't it much easier to give money that's why many people give money instead of their body you tell me supposing the Lord were to say to you ok in the next 1 month you must never look at anything or anyone who might don't want you to look at your eyes must be hundred percent pure your tongue must never get angry for one minute not even 1 second never speak a rude word to anybody folks just for 1 month and you mustn't listen to any gossip turn away from it never go to a place where God doesn't want you to go present your body so that your mind AHS it says also present your mind in the next verse Romans to that you don't think about things which are unclean now whistie won't live like that for one month or other alternative give 10% of your monthly income which is easier you tell me which is easier people take the easy route Lord here's your 10% take it leave me to do what I like with my eyes my tongue my thoughts I have to get angry with my wife and husband sometimes give me freedom to do that I'll give you your 10% income tax this is why so many Christians do not want the New Testament standard they prefer to go to the Old Testament Jesus said that they drink the old wine and the new wine Luke chapter 5 and they say the old wine is better that is the reason for the pathetic standard of Christians in the world today and in India the pathetic standard of Christians you know so many people worried about India having two percent Christians I'm not worried if India became fifty percent Christians like the present two percent that'd be more disgrace to the name of Christ I say thank God is two percent at least the disgrace to Christ's name is very little but in this two percent we want to gather we want to ignore this two percent we want people to be a light in the midst of darkness in India and that's why God has raised up CFC and that's why God's raised up many of you to be witnesses for him okay the New Testament a coolant of it in second Corinthians three verse 18 this is proverbs 4:18 in the New Testament 2nd Corinthians 3 verse 18 this is the verse that tells us it clear more clearly than any other verse in the Bible what the Holy Spirit's ministry is the mirror here is referring to the Word of God as we read in James chapter 1 verse 23 to 25 so without a veil on our face and the old testament says there was a veil on their face they couldn't see just like the veil in the temple in the Old Testament they could not go into God's presence there was a veil but now when Jesus died the veil was rent and torn into two and Jesus was saying the way is open I have died and the way is open now right into God's presence without a veil I go straight and look at God face to face you know God told Moses nobody can look at me they'll die I go in and I say Lord I'm ready to die to myself so that I can look at your face that's a promise in the New Testament blessed are the pure in heart for they shell what sea God how can you see God God told Moses you cannot see my face and live say yes Lord I don't want to live I want to die to myself and then you'll be able to see God inwardly so we without this veil it says we see in the in the scripture we see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ we see it when I read scripture I'm not studying the scripture to prepare a sermon in my younger foolish days I did that and foolish people still do it they study the scripture to prepare a sermon to impress other people now I'm not saying you should not study or you should not prepare a sermon that's not what I'm saying I'm saying that's not the number one reason why you should study the scriptures you're number one reason to study the Scriptures much do we see the glory of Jesus Christ in it and then if you have to preach a sermon somewhere go ahead and prepare for it but that's not the main goal with which we study the Scriptures we look at the glory of Jesus in the scriptures that's the first Ministry of the Holy Spirit that my eyes are open to see the glory of Jesus Christ and then I'll tell you honestly in the last many many years again and again God's been showing me different parts the glory of Jesus Christ that I never saw I mean even last week I saw something which I had never seen for 57 years in my study of the scriptures it's like that when the Holy Spirit open your eyes and a familiar passage in the Gospels that I had read many times and suddenly the Holy Spirit opened eyes to see something there I've never seen for 50 years because it's like a well that never runs dry do you are you finding the Scriptures like that some people say the Bible is boring I think that's because you don't allow the Holy Spirit to teach you you sit with your mind which is a very boring teacher and it will be boring but if you get the Holy Spirit to teach you is a very interesting book that's the first thing but once the Holy Spirit shows you the glory of Jesus Christ and I see my own need like eyes I eyes at all or I'm a sinful man the Holy Spirit doesn't leave us there it says he then changes us into that likeness in other words the Holy Spirit shows us here's what Jesus was like and I say Oh Lord I'm so discouraged because I'm not like him the Holy Spirit says don't get discouraged I showed you that in order to make you like him allow me to make you like him I said sure Lord every part of my life take my eyes my tongue thank every part of me and control me your Holy Spirit I want to stir it controlled life a spirit controlled mind a spirit controlled body and little by little just like that train if your ticket is to Delhi every minute you're getting closer to Delhi every minute I was so many maybe I don't know 1500 kilometers away when I started but now some minutes have gone by and ours gone by it's only 2400 kilometers now hey I'm getting closer and by the next day it doesn't I still they were haven't reached point it's only about 800 kilometers now you see how we any train you get into if you're in the right frame every minute every second you're getting closer and closer to your destination and that is the meaning of brighter and brighter that if I'm going on the right path the path of righteous every year I'll be a little more like Christ can you look back over the last 1 year and think of at least one area where you became a little more christ-like ask your wife ask your husband whether there was some area where you they saw it change which they hadn't seen for so many years then you're on the right train otherwise you're not now by right train I don't mean this building please recognize that a lot of people sitting in this building we don't know where they'll end up but the right train is that personal choice you make every day to become like Christ and it says there it says brighter and brighter in proverbs 4:18 here it says from glory to glory from one degree of glory to another to another to another till one day we have the full glory of Jesus Christ in our life that is the path God has designed for the righteous and I want to say that's what every person was born again and if that's not happening in your life you're on the wrong track for example husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church I haven't got there yet but I'm on the path and if you are not loving your wife a little more like Jesus Christ loved the church this year than you did last year I want to tell you you're going in the wrong direction your train is going the wrong direction for example if you love your wife more on the day you got married think of all of you husbands who are here if you loved your wives more on the day you were married and left today because you saw so many weaknesses in her I want to tell you you're on the wrong track your train is going in the opposite direction because if it is going the right direction you'd be loving you're not you are not perfect to love as Christ loved the church none of us is but you'd be moving in that direction where you would be denying yourself more to love your wife as Christ loved the church and that's just one carrier or a wife submit to your husband is a church submits to Christ you'll love to do it on the day you were married but if you find your bellies and fighting and quarreling Danae and you think just by sitting in CFC you're on the right train I want to say to you in Jesus name you are not on the right train I want to tell you the truth it's not because I hate you it's because I love you I want you to know the truth and wake up before one day Christ comes back and you find that you're nowhere near his kingdom I want all of you to be in God's kingdom that's why I speak the truth that's why I decided long ago that I'd never take any money for preaching because once you start taking money for preaching you can't tell people the truth yeah that's true because I want to tell you the truth because so many people are going astray because preachers are not telling them the truth here is the truth God wants you to become like Jesus Christ every area so consider these things in every area God wants you to be like Christ if you are handling of money if you love money more today than you did last year I want to tell you you are on the wrong track maybe you haven't come completely free from the love of money none of us have but it's you should be a little more free than last year and much more free than ten years ago I usually during the Train going to Delhi you should be closer to Delhi after six hours not further away predestined what is your destination how much did Jesus love money is that your destination to be completely free from it or loving your enemies if I cannot love some enemy of mine I'm not going on the right track you I'm not even making an effort now loving your enemies does not mean going around visiting them and fellowshipping with them Jesus never visited or fellowship with the Pharisees he could not they were his enemies they hated him they'd kick him out of the house but he loved them a lot of people misunderstand love and fellowship I have many enemies I can say before God I love all of them I can also say I fellowship with almost zero of them no you can't have fetishes so they're not interested but we must love them you got to bless everyone who curses us this is what it means to be like Christ Father forgive them but they don't know what they're doing do you know the number of times I've had to say that whenever I hear someone who's said or done something and I hear that very frequently against me I should Father forgive him he doesn't know what he's doing I'm not upset with him and the picture the Lord has given me is don't get angry with him do you ever get angry when you see a leper with his hands all eaten up and knows all bitten up you get angry with him no and the Lord said that guy's like a leper that's why he hates you that's why he curses you that's why I speak evil of you you're crazy if you're angry with him look at him like a leper nothing be merciful them poor man his hands or eveness knows that even spiritually he's like a leper and God's eyes love him bless him pray that the Father forgive him because he doesn't know what he's saying he's stupid one day he stands before the Lord he can see what a crime it was for the things he said and that they'll wake up forgiven now itself I tell you it's wonderful to obey God's Word the Holy Spirit will make us more and more like Christ in a particular situation he'll show you this is what you must do now that's why it's important to read the scriptures so now I want to come to the motives with which me do these things the motive is very clear in John chapter 14 you see in the New Testament the important thing is not just what you do but why you did it it's very important to understand this in the Old Testament what you did was important in the New Testament what you do is important but more important is why you did it for example let me take the matter of tithing old system I call it Old Testament income tax okay tithing is Old Testament income tax now let's take income tax today when a man files this income - I don't think anybody loves to pay income tax they have to do it otherwise they'll get into trouble and so they file the income tax return they don't have to say hallelujah praise God I can give so much money to the government it doesn't no you don't have to be very excited you can be upset or the charging so much angry okay but you're honest and you filed it and pay the money the government is not bothered whether you're angry or upset when you so long as you pay the money they are happy but you come with a smile to the bank or with a angry face to the bank government is happy so long as the amount is correct that is how tithing was in the Old Testament when they came and gave the grain to the Levites or their sheep vigorous say yeah here it is take your ten percent you Levite I'm free God God would have said fine you obeyed the commandment there was no requirement in the Old Testament you have to give it cheerfully with a happy smiling face no because what you did was important but in a new covenant why you do it is more important that means God loves a cheerful Giver the Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 9:7 so how I do the Old Testament it was how much you give a New Testament it is how you give motives is very important so what is the motive for our obedience John 14 and verse 15 very important verse if you love me he will keep my Commandments that is the only motive for obeying God's commandments do you know why Jesus obeyed the father even unto death because he loved the father it wasn't a grinding old father you're telling me to take up the cross every day old father you're telling me to die to myself every day oh no he was delighted every morning he was happy to get up and say father I'm delighted to put myself to death today and to walk in your way because your way is the best and when you become a little more like Christ that's what that's how you'll begin every morning when people cross your part and trouble you and irritate you thank you Father one more opportunity to die to myself and partake of the life of Jesus hallelujah if you love me keep my Commandments Old Testament was you read in Deuteronomy 28 if you fear me you better keep my Commandments otherwise I'll punish you with read Deuteronomy 28 you punished with madness and blindness and sickness and curse and all types of things and they appeared and said oh no we don't want all that we'll give in a book obey me but in the New Testament is not like that if you love me keep my Commandments and you ask the Apostle Paul Paul you prayed three times to get rid of that sickness which you call the thorn in the flesh this terrible eye disease that you had oh and God hasn't healed you you're such a great mighty man of God and you prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and God said no you've got to keep that sickness you still lovin ha sure my love for Jesus and obedience his command has got nothing to do with whether he healed me or not I don't care if I'm not healed of a hundred sicknesses I love Jesus why not because he heals me because he loved me and gave himself for me that's all even if he never does any other thing in other words what he did on Calvary was enough and after that he never answered one single prayer of mine fine I still love him I don't love him because he answered my prayer that's Old Testament I love him because he first loved me gave himself for me that's what Paul would say you are still Utley the same question Timothy you've been suffering with this constant stomach problem you read that in 1 Timothy 5 he used to love Jesus sure what about your healing that doesn't matter he died for me and I'll give my life for him that's how both of them both Paul and Timothy were martyred for the sake of Christ why did they take all those risks in their life what is it for is it for some reward huh no it's because loved and I want to say to you if you do something in order to get some reward from God like some pastors will say if you give money God will bless you more yeah you're not living in the New Testament you're living in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant there's only one motive for obedience only one I love Jesus because he loved me and even if he gives me no answers to my prayer nothing is answered I will still serve him till the end of my life that's the happy Christian that's the one whose life is going to get brighter and brighter and brighter and brighter till Christ comes again so never forget this this is the foundation for our Christian life I obey Him because I love him and I don't want anything from him if he gives me anything it's like a bonus so the Bible speaks about laws now I'm not saying God does not give a reward I'll show you do you know the last promise in the Bible let me show you the last promise in the Bible revelation 22 the last promise in the Bible is in revelation 22 verse 12 I'm coming quickly Jesus says and my reward is with me to give to every man according to what he has done according to his work that's the last promise in the New Testament so God is going to reward Jesus is coming when he comes he's going to reward people not with money or houses or lands it's going to be a reward which will be the greatest reward we can have in heaven I've thought about that you know Jesus used examples like the Bible speaks about crown of life and I've gone to prepare mansions for you those are all word pictures the fire of hell is a word picture it's going to be much worse than physical fire I'll tell you that hell is being forsaken by God which is worse than being burnt in the fire if the worst example Jesus could take was fire so he used lake of fire but it's going to be much worse than that in the same way the blessings of heaven and he talks about crown of life and I've gone to prepare mansions for you but it's going to be much better than mansions and Crown I mean what will I do with the ten bedroom house in heaven I don't want it and you can have it what am I going to do with so many crowns on top of my head the Bible says they cast their crowns before the Lord what is that you know there's a picture under that the crown is a big thing on earth the ten bedroom house is a wonderful thing it is a picture of what is going to be valuable in heaven have you ever thought what is going to be valuable in heaven supposing the Lord says to you on earth if somebody says you asked for anything I'll give it to you you probably asked for gold houses and lands naturally because those are things valuable on earth but when you go to heaven what do you think is the most valuable thing that you would ask the Lord for in heaven I've thought about that what is the one thing which would be most valuable in heaven I say I'm going to be like Jesus that's going to take place when Christ comes again but after that for all eternity what is going to be the most valuable the equivalent of crowns and mansions on earth I believe it will be closeness to Jesus Christ and this is my conviction and the Lord says my reward is with me the last promise in the new Bible according as each man's work will be I see it that not everybody is going to get the same reward very clear according using every Christian is equally wholehearted you think every Christian has sacrificed as much for Christ I mean you've seen people around you who have sacrificed 100 times more than you have for Christ and if the reward is going to be according to what they have done that guy is going to get a greater reward than you what is that we weren't going to be closeness to Jesus Christ and I understand it like this that for all eternity there are some people who are going to be much closer to Jesus Christ than others and what will it be based on it'll be based on how they lived their Christian life on earth not just what they did but why did they do it did they give money in order to get something from God no reward they're doing business with God and God is not a businessman did they do it out of love and gratitude oh to be great reward what they did how much they sacrificed why they did it and what are the reward be closeness to Christ now if you say well I'm not so interested in closeness to cry so long as I get to heaven that's okay well that I be current I could say in today's terms is so long as I live in Bangalore it's enough when there are people living on the streets in Bangalore and there are people living in good houses in Bangalore would you be happy just living in Bangalore presences I'm living in Bangalore great city where you living I'm living on the streets it's not exactly the same as living in a house and that's a picture of how it will be in heaven whatever is the equivalent of that not everybody is going to be as close to Christ I believe in rewards but the reward will not I don't if you work for reward you get no reward that's interesting thing you work because you love Jesus you sacrifice because you love Jesus that's the motive and a person who Lord who says Lord I want to love you and obey all your Commandments the reason I read the Bible is to find out is there some commandment I've not obey it have you ever read the Bible like that I have notice there's something you have told me to do and I've not done it for example the Bible says all no man anything I took that seriously my Christian life in all my Christian life I have never been in debt for one single day if I borrowed something from someone a book or something I'd return it time I have nothing with me that belongs to somebody else because of one verse it says don't owe anybody anything if somebody has done me some service somebody did a job for me I must repay in some way to him maybe I can do something in return for him because it owing is not just money somebody did some service for me I must do something for him so that I'm not in debt to him or I must pay him money don't if you take advantage of people you know that happens unfortunately sometimes in a good church if now this is a nice Church I can get people to help me and care for me and come and look after me when I have a baby and what is that and what do you do for them in return you give them some measly amount when you are earning 20 times a hundred times what that person earns you should go and hang your head in shame really that type of thing happens happens in CFC believe it or not because people are not on the right train they're not seeking to become like Jesus Christ Jesus said if a person gives one of my children a cup of water a cup of water is the cheapest thing you can ever give to anybody Jesus I'll give that personal reward I've learned something from that I've learned from that first of all to be thankful even to someone who gives me a cup of water and never to forget it and always to in some way reward those who serve me oh where did I learned it from I learned it from Jesus Christ are you like that that's how God is you see it's a wonderful thing and am I the loser no maybe my bank account will go a little down if I bless others with it but I'm not a loser God takes care of me in the wonderful ways I can tell you that honestly so don't sell for reward but there is a reward serve because you love Jesus so if we seek to understand what are some of the laws you know everything in this world I mentioned the other day works according to laws that's why we know exactly when the Sun will rise tomorrow morning up to this last second here we can know exactly where this star will be where this planet will be even 25 years from now because we know that God has made this whole universe run according to laws it's exactly the same in the spiritual realm exactly and if you can understand some of those laws you can benefit from it you know there's so many advantages of knowing the law of gravity because water always flows down we know that many advantages of knowing that law order flowing down are different things out gravity operates scientists have discovered so many things which based on laws so let me tell you some of them one of the most important laws in God's economy is what's mentioned in 1 Peter 5 verse 5 I don't have time to go through all of them but you can meditate on them number one God gives his grace to the humble that's a law it's a law which works universally among Christians now if you are humble and you don't ask for grace you'll still get it that's a wonderful thing you don't have to ask for it God gives us grace to the humble but you're not humble and you ask God for grace you won't get it to me I use the picture of grace like a river haven't you seen when the rain falls on the roads and where is the water accumulate on the roads in the lowest part if there's a puddle in somewhere some road it's because there was a low part there there was a pothole there that got filled up because water tends to flow you don't have to pray to the water come on come please come down there you know it automatically flows to the lowest place I'll tell you something you don't have to pray for grace if you humble yourself it'll automatically come we can pray for grace that's okay but if you don't humble yourself you don't get it it's a long just like the law of gravity God gives his grace to the humble and if there are two people the humbler one will get it first or more of it another person who's not so humble they get grace but not so much because His grace is directly proportional to humility the Bible says in Philippians two God exalted Jesus to the highest place in the universe because he humbled himself to the lowest when he came to earth it's not because he the Son of God it's the same law operated in Jesus Christ he came down the lowest so he's exalted to the highest you know Jesus once said when two people came to him to his disciples say can you give us a seat on your left hand and right hand he said I can't give that my father determines it but I know who the father is going to give it to I don't know the names but I know who the father will give it to to those who humble themselves on earth closest to the level Jesus humbled himself nobody can go as far as Jesus but anyone who's humbled himself maximum on earth among all the billions of people who lived on the earth they'll be on the left hand and right hand of Jesus I don't have the slightest doubt about it I don't know who they are it may not be some apostles it may be some poor Widow in Africa who nobody's heard of who's humbled himself and humbled herself the most don't think that you have to be a great preacher or any such thing humility has got nothing to do with gifts gift is another thing but humility is a matter of character Jesus humbled himself before he preached thirty years he humbled himself obeying an imperfect father and mother that was humility and all types of things you know when they slapped him he didn't say anything he said okay he didn't threaten them saying hey you slapped me didn't below Who I am no no he didn't threaten anybody he was willing to be ill-treated he humbled himself and if you are determined to go this way that Jesus went I guarantee you whether you like it or not whether you pray for the not grace will come upon you and grace can do wonderful things grace is what makes you grow in wisdom and become more and more like Jesus Christ because the Bible says in Luke chapter 2 verse 40 grace was upon Jesus as a baby as he grew up Grace's upon him all the time that's why he lived such a wonderful life I see the secret there if I have the same grace upon me I can become more and more like Christ I cannot make myself like Christ that is impossible God's grace can make me like him God's grace can give me character God's grace can give me the ability to overcome my anger sin will not rule over you because you're under grace anyone who is defeated by sin you have to say you did not get grace if in some situation I've sometimes accidentally said a a rude word to somebody and I've gone and wept before God I said Lord one rude word why in the world did I say that I shouldn't have said that and the Lord says me you didn't get grace at that moment that's why why didn't that grace get grace because at that time I was not humble thank you lord and that happened to me a few times and I've learned the lesson I hope I learned it always to choose the way of humility because I will always get grace I will not lose my temper I will not speak rude words I will not fight for earthly things God gives us grace our humble a second promised I want to give you is how to overcome the temptations of this world it says in the meeting the answer the Bible gives 1 John 5 and verse 4 this is the victory that has overcome the world was for even our faith overcoming the world is by failed ok I'll show you the law in Matthew chapter 9 the law is in Matthew chapter 9 and verse 29 I love to court this law many times be it done for you according to your faith that's the second law first one God gives us grace to the humble here's the second one you will not get as much as you want you will get as much as you have faith for faith is like a vessel the bigger your vessel the more you get from God the smaller your Messel Oh God can only do this much for me okay you'll only get that much somebody else's no God can do so much for me he comes with a huge vessel he gets so much you know that when it rains everybody won't get the same amount of rain you put a small cup there that's all you get you put a big huge vessel there you get much more rain with it because God poured more rain on that man now he put a bigger vessel according to your faith be it unto you you come to God with very little faith I'm not sure whether God can do this I tell you God will not do it particularly if it's a promise in God's Word I mean I took Romans 6:14 very seriously sin cannot rule over you I say Lord you can do it I can't do it but I have faith that you can do it and he does it so remember in every situation it's not according to your desire it is not according to your needs it is not even according to your prayer it's not even according to the prayers of other people it's according to your faith that's a law just like the law of grace okay here's a third law that I can tell you Matthew 6:33 these are all New Testament laws if you seek the kingdom of God first all your earthly needs will be added to you not what you want there's a difference between what we want and what we need you understand with children there are many things children want but you don't give them what they want you give them what they need God is not promised to give us all that we want that's the mistake a lot of Christians make they go to God and say I want this well there's no promise that you'll get it but Philippians 4:19 says my God will supply all your need but to whom does he give it Matthew 6:33 seek God's kingdom first and his holiness his purity his righteousness and all your earthly needs will be added to you you don't have to look for them you have to work of course but God lad add to you and I want to say to each one of you my dear brothers and sisters at the end of your life you should have that testimony I mean I'm nearing the end of my life when Christ comes again is when I hope I end my life but I before that I want a testimony in my life that I spent my life seeking God's kingdom and his righteousness and every perky need was added to me and my family now let me explain God seeking God's kingdom does not mean being a full-time worker it does not mean preaching it does not mean traveling he does not mean going here and there preaching the gospel no Romans 14:17 says the kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the holy spirit and all of you can seek it you're a mother with children you cannot travel anywhere you can seek the kingdom of God first it means the rule of God upon your life today those days they use the word Kingdom today we use the word government if you understand the government of God you know the government of India we live according to the rules of the government of India not some other government so they seek the government of God in your life that means live by God's rules in your life and all your earthly need will be added to you for example one of God's rules is forgive others you'll be forgiven so seek God's kingdom first and this holiness all the time and all that you need will be added to you you know how there's so much of unrighteousness in the world today will you determine that you'll never be unrighteous that you'll never do some small wrong thing to make some profit just like we teach our children don't cheat in the examination to get a few more marks you teach your children that it's okay it doesn't matter if they get less marks let them be righteous you got to be like that in your life as well I will not sign this wrong statement to get a little more money I'll be righteous I'll be upright even if I get less money that's fine you know how in so many offices people put claims for my travel expenses little life because everybody is doing it but everybody's going to hell but I mean you say everybody's doing it don't forget everybody's going to hell as well so don't use the excuse everybody's doing it but I'm a Christian that is darkness and I'm right - righteous be righteous if I get a little less money god bless that little list you know if I get unrighteous money into my bank account you know what will happen I'll tell you it'll be a curse to me and to my children I don't want to curse upon my children that's why I often said Lord I don't want one unruhe right one rupee in my bank account that is unrighteous no I don't want any black money I don't have any black when I never had in my life and I don't want any zero you think you'll suffer loss you think all these people with black money are the only ones I want to be blessed I tell you you be righteous and God will meet all your needs in fact in that passage he's talking about anxiety don't be anxious don't be anxious and in the context or the Lord is saying is if you want to be anxious about something be anxious about seeking God's kingdom that you never do what is wrong that's a law now here's the fourth law Galatians in chapter six elysian chapter six says verse seven whatever a man shows he will dream if you sow to the flesh verse eight you reap corruption you so do the Holy Spirit you reap eternal life it's a law you can't change it it's like in the world if you saw potatoes you get potatoes you saw Tomatoes you get Tomatoes you so rice you get rice you can't so rice and get wheat impossible so you can't so to the flesh to the lust of the flesh do all types of wrong things and reap eternal life that is as crazy as saying I so rice and I get wheat no farmer is so stupid don't be stupid in the Christian life what you sow you will reap and that's one of God's long he doesn't change if you sow to the flesh you'll reap corruption one day and when you read that corruption don't wonder why you reaped it why is God why is that fellow not reaping corruption well he saw to the Spirit you sow to the flesh but another thing I want to tell you is you don't drip as soon as you soul takes time a farmer saw the seed and he gets a crop a long time later he's got a water it care for it that is it and the crop is hundred times what does what is one seed produces a 100-fold crop so if you sow to the flesh you can reap a hundredfold corruption and you sold to the holy spirit you'll reap a hundredfold eternal life so it's a law once you understand these laws and say I want to live by these laws of God because it's for my own good okay meditate on that I don't want to spend too much time explaining it all God wants us to think about Jesus used to speaking little words and then let the disciples meditate on it okay here's a fifth law Acts chapter 20 the words of Jesus is one of the few words of Jesus found in the Acts of the Apostles law number five it is more blessed to give than to receive acts 20 verse 35 acts 20 verse 35 here's a law of God he's not saying there is no blessing and receiving there is a blessing and receiving many of you are receiving the Word of God right now and you're being blessed and when you get your salary from your office a job God gave you you got a good salary that's a blessing because you can rent a house or build a house and live comfortably that's a blessing but there is a greater blessing in giving that's a law of God it's more blessed to give than to receive you can't change it jesus said that so when you learn to sacrifice something and give you get a greater blessing from God not in terms of money God's blessing on are never in terms of money there's some greater blessing that you get and you'll discover one day when Christ comes back that every Christian who got a greater blessing than you was one who learned more than you to give yeah it's true learn it now I don't mean just money many of you don't have much maybe you're poor you don't have much money to give God's not asking for that what about sacrificing something else in your life time energy something for God Lorne I want to do something for you like we singing that song that all my life I want something for God that my life will be showing something given for God and the cost of person said denial it's more blessed to give than to receive I remember one brother many years ago came to me and said but the Zack I can't remember verses I read them I try to memorize them and I still forget how do you remember so much I'll tell you how I said it is more blessed to give than to receive you read a scripture and it blesses you and you keep it to yourself you will forget it that's why you're forgetting it I don't keep it to myself when I get a blessing from Scripture I share it with somebody maybe in an email maybe in a phone call or in my case even from a pulpit but many of you don't get into the pulpit you can share it with people on email phone call something you got from God you give that scripture to somebody God says I'll bless you that'll remain in your mind you know why so many scriptures that you read you forget because you never share it with anyone you selfishly keep it to yourself your of order in order my sir is a miser is a hoarder he accumulates accumulates accumulates everything for himself you receive so much in the meeting you keep it keep it all to yourself no oh you've got a blessing I know but if you learn to give it throughout to somebody for example you receive something from here this morning and you share it with one person in an email or in a phone call rather this is what I heard our sister this is what I heard today I likes us like we share with you one minute as a blessing there it is more blessed to give than to receive and it's not only money it is money also but but I can give my energy I can give many things I give my life to help others it's not just you know sometimes we serve God by serving other poor people in many ways it is more blessed to give than to receive the world says it is more blessed to receive and keep on accumulating accumulating accumulating money accumulating knowledge a clothing accumulating Bible knowledge Pizza its Rockets false it's more blessed to give than to receive and then number six here's another promise Romans 8:28 well-known verse it's not for everybody but if you love God and you want to fulfill his purpose in your life everything by everything God means everything that'll happen to you will work out for your good and what is that good in the next verse make you're more like Jesus Christ always read Romans 8:28 with verse 29 always most Christians separate the two what God has joined together let no man separate and God has joined Romans 8:28 and 29 together lot of Christians have separated it and that's why they don't understand it I always put it together if you love God and you're called according to his purpose everything that people do to you will work for your good in other words somebody did something evil maybe somebody in your office hindered your promotion or sacked you fired you from your job or some evil it will work for your good people take you to court it'll work for your good it's happened to me it'll always work for your good if you love God and you want to fulfill his purpose so when somebody does something to you and you say he did evil to me let's assume it was something very bad somebody did to you or your family cheated you of your property or something like that and you complain he did something evil to me what are you actually saying you know what you're saying brothers I want to say I don't love God I don't want to Phylis per person is melon that's what you're saying because if you love God and you wanted to fulfill his purpose in life that fellow cannot do evil to you how did he succeed in doing evil to you when the Bible says if you love God and called according this person everything will work for your good how is it that did not work for your good because you did not love God because you did not want to fulfill his purpose so I will feel ashamed to say that somebody did evil to me I want to say I'm nearly 78 years old now nobody in the world has ever done evil to me and I'm not boasting I'm just quoting Romans 8:28 not that they made me richer if somebody stole my property he hasn't made me Richard if somebody stole your family inheritance he didn't make you Richard but it made me more like Christ yeah all evil being taken the court made me more like Christ being facing insults and false accusations I face so many false accusations in my life I don't hate any of them it's made me more like Christ sure how can you fulfill a scripture which says bless them that curse you if nobody curses you if you say Lord I want to live a life and nobody will curse me you're like saying Lord I want to live a life where I never obey one scripture I don't want to live like that I say Lord I want to obey every scripture well then people will have to curse you people will ever hate you how can you love those who hate you if you know if you have nobody hates you so I never pray Lord don't let anybody hate me because then I won't be able to obey your Scripture don't let anybody be my enemy I never pray that because then I won't be able to obey the scripture it says love your enemies you know when you look at everything in the world from God's point of view what people call a curse is actually a blessing yeah everything that happens will work for your good what a wonderful promise wonderful meditate more on it and never again complained remember this what I said every time you complain somebody did harm to you somebody did evil to you what you're actually saying is brothers and sisters I don't love God I don't want to fulfill its purpose that's what you're saying I will never say that I want to love God with all my heart because he gave his life for me I want to fulfill its purpose in my life therefore I always say everybody in the world is doing good to me in all rich and millions of people in the world doing good to me they try to harm me it's like these water filters you put dirty water in and pure water comes out that's how it is Romans 8:28 is like that for me so I don't know some of you have complaints against others right be honest thank you here let me ask you something how many of you can honestly say I don't have any complaint against my mother-in-law she has done so much good to me in my life can you say that some of you can't say that you cannot say you're my mother-in-law has done me so much good in my life why can't you say it I'll tell you why be honest I don't love God it's got nothing to do with my mother-in-law you don't love God you don't want to fulfill his purpose that's the only reason say that from today onwards this is what we teach in CFC your life can be blessed my boss did evil to me yeah that's because you don't love God you're not called according to his purpose I tell you a man is victorious if he lives according to the laws of God one last one number seven Matthew 5 and verse 7 blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy it's a law of God the more merciful you are to others the more merciful God will be to you I want God to be tremendously merciful to me because I'm not perfect that's why I'm not committing obvious sin but I make mistakes I make mistakes that cause problems for other people sometimes you know sometimes you're driving you don't have hurt anybody could accidentally you hurt someone can happen when you're driving a scooter or anything there's so many things even in a home you can accidentally hurt somebody or in your workplace and I want God to be merciful to me for all my mistakes and God says be merciful to others don't jump on others when they do something wrong forgive let it become a habit with you that you're immediately merciful why because there's a law which says if you're merciful to others God will be merciful to you you know that was written even in the Old Testament you read in Psalm 18 Psalm 18 and scripture is so wonderful we never feel like stopping when we study Scripture Psalm 18 we read this verse all of you you must know this verse Psalm 18 and verse 25 some a 18 verse 25 with the kind God shows himself kind and verse 26 with a crooked card shows himself has stood twisted so if you find that God is dealing with you in a rough way okay some of you feel God's dealing with me roughly you must have dealt with somebody else roughly to look back and see did you treat somebody roughly you know the answer God treats roughly those who treat other people roughly God is merciful to those who are merciful God is kind to those who are kind to others I want God to be kind to me all the time and I say Lord I want to be kind to everybody one last verse James chapter 2 it says James chapter 2 it says in verse 13 this is a word of judgment judgment will be merciless the one who has shown no mercy to others mercy triumphs over judgment you know what mercy Oh triumphs over judgment means that means when somebody does something wrong it may be accidental it may be deliberate sometimes deliberate very often accidental somebody did something wrong that caused problem for me maybe on the road maybe in the office maybe at home and immediately my attitude towards that person is judgment how can you do this to me okay you judgment too you will be merciless from God because God is the final one who judges and it says there will be zero mercy in the way God judges you on earth and in eternity but if your attitude is forget it it's okay perfectly okay maybe somebody's serving you hot coffee in some restaurant spills it on your and key okay we all make mistakes forget it that's one example those are small things but there could be bigger things learn to be merciful the reason why some of you have not got mercy from God because you have not been merciful to others you're not merciful to even to your husbands or wives or to your children and so hard on your children no wonder God is so hard on you no wonder you don't seem to your train doesn't seem to be making much progress towards your goal here after year after year you are defeated by the same old sins it's like your children having problem with addition son can you Kat how can you add 25 plus 25 no dad can't add 25 plus 25 five years you're still struggling with 25 plus 25 that's right that's how some people are they have not made progress spiritually even after so many years you'd be very concerned if your child was like that but you're like that how much have you progressed in being merciful to others have you learned it 25 plus 25 have you learned to be merciful and not to judge be quick to be merciful it's a wonderful life I can tell you from many years of my own experience it's wonderful if you live according to the laws of God meditate on these laws I gave you and live by them and you'll see what a difference even the remaining eight months of this year can be in your life compared to all the years gone by I've sought to live by God's laws it's made all the difference in my life it's made a difference in my home it's made the difference in my children it's made the difference with my business is made difference in my earning and everything earthly things what heavenly things first is made the difference of being able to sleep properly at night it's made the difference of the completely 100% free from anxiety all these things what a wonderful life it'll even lower your blood pressure believe me it will if you follow these laws because those laws affect our body as well I pray that all of you will be gripped by this and will see that this is the way God wants every one of us to live you have to live according to the laws of God let's pray he thank you Father that you've prepared such a wonderful life for us in the New Covenant through the Holy Spirit and we want to live in the light of that all our days please help us everyone here Lord let's not miss out on anything that you have for us we believe that you brought everybody here today who is here today to listen to this message so that their life can be changed permanently we pray that it will be sold we pray that nobody will miss out on this whatever our past may have been help us to repent turn to you I want to urge you my dear brothers sister take a moment to say lord I don't want to live that coming days the way I've lived in the past I really want to change Lord please help me why do i why am i always defeated why is my train stuck why is my train going in the wrong direction help me to wake up lord I really want to take my Christian life seriously from today and live by your laws and experience the blessing of it thank you in Jesus name Amen

Channel: CFC India

Views: 48,119

Rating: 4.8290596 out of 5

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

Id: AxSYoMDNoDA

Length: 80min 57sec (4857 seconds)

Published: Fri May 05 2017

Reddit Comments

[u/jacxy]

Care to post a synopsis?