Sowing To Reap Eternal Life - Zac Poonen

so that's a great verse for us to remember throughout this year turn in your Bible to that verse again Zephaniah chapter 3 and verse 17 it's a good verse for all of you all of us to remember throughout this year in all our life it's been a great help to me I must say in many situations because it tells us a number of things just in that one little words there's so much content in a single verse first of all you know we have so many doubts whether God is really happy with us one of the great teachings of the devil is that God is slightly angry with you all the time he's not mad at you because you've accepted Christ but he's not really happy with you and imagine if you had a father at home and you always feel he's a little angry with you every day you're not gonna have a very happy relationship with him in the home and I feel that a lot of people are like that how do I know because I had that type of relationship with God for years and I was miserable and nobody was there to tell me that God's happy with you man he's not always looking at you with a frown and the reason I felt like that was because I said well I'm not completely unlike Christ I mean I'm not going to be like Christ completely till he comes again so does that mean God's gonna be angry with me right on till that day rubbish and the other thing is we the devil gives us doubts where the God is really with us is he really with you is in your home so many things wrong in your home how can God be there well if God's only going to be with perfect people and perfect marriages and perfect homes then he'll only be in heaven he won't be on earth with anybody he wouldn't that he wouldn't even have been with the Apostle Paul you remember the time when the Apostle Paul yelled that the judge was judging him to command it somebody to slap him you read in acts 23 because Paul said I've always kept a good conscience as the judge said slapped that guy and Paul got so upset and said you whitewashed wall that's not the way Jesus spoke when somebody slapped him Paul was not like Christ at that moment but he immediately apologized was God with Paul you see from there he went almost straight to jail and God was with Paul in jail so God's not the type of person who jumps on you just because you made one mistake very important remember this verse the Lord your God is in your midst and as we look back CFC over the last year there are many situations which you may not know which the elders know situations many in many other churches which only I know many many churches problems with people with elders but I can say one thing in every situation in every single situation the Lord our God has been in our midst we have survived not just survived we have triumphantly survived till today so that's the first thing to remember the Lord your God is in your midst and the next thing to remember is the next sentence there he's in your midst as a victorious warrior see the our entire life on earth is a battle and the moment you become born again the battle increases I mean the devil's after unbelievers do but they are his children he still harris's them troubles them in so many ways but the moment you leave his kingdom and become a child of God he's after you and then you become serious and you want to be a disciple you come to some church like CFC and say I want to be a disciple is more after you [Music] and you begin to take some responsibility in the church she is even more you begin to serve the Lord you're a target of Satan what sign are we gonna get discouraged no because the Lord is a victorious warrior in our midst he's not just a warrior he's a victorious warrior and we know one thing you know unfortunately when the gospel is preached very often one part of what Jesus did on Calvary is not preached not just one part a lot of people preach that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and some people preach he died to take away our sickness as well now we got to be realistic our sins are not gone from our life just because Jesus died for our sins he died to forgive our sins but being saved from sin Jesus also died to save us from our sins it's true our old man was crucified with him that's the second thing that happened on the cross so that Romans 6 says success so that you should not serve sin so you know very well but until we meet Jesus face-to-face there is going to be some unconscious sin in us and sometimes it pops up like it popped up in Paul's case in front of the judge even though he was such a mature Christian at that time but he immediately said it right what I'm trying to say is there are occasionally sins that surface in us but the more you walk with the Lord it becomes less and less and less and less and the serious ones disappear but it'll be there in the same way with sickness Jesus died for our sicknesses too but we're going to get the deliverance from that only when he comes till then our body is going to perspire have sickness and the greatest proof is that all of us and all Christians from the beginning have died Jesus died on the cross to save us from death as well but it's not gonna happen till he comes again so remember that don't be unrealistic and think that all sickness will go right now that's like saying death will go I'll never die it's as foolish to say I'll never get sick as to say I'll never die Jesus died that I might be delivered totally from death yes the Bible says he Hebrews 2:14 is very clear he took away the power of death from Satan through his death on the cross but we have to understand what becomes ours fully when he comes again and what is ours partially now what we are having now is a foretaste of the future and healing is a foretaste of the resurrection life I shall have in my body one day need to understand that but he will but Satan has been defeated completely on the cross that was not true in Old Covenant times he's a victorious warrior we read here a warrior over whom over Satan Satan has been defeated 100% even if you're not free from sin hundred percent and you're not free from sickness hundred percent remember one thing Satan has been defeated 100% on the cross and the reason why the Lord allows us to come into that victory progressively is because that's how we become strong it's not that the Lord just gives us strength one day and suddenly we are strong no he fills us with the Holy Spirit and makes us exercise our will in different temptations and that's how we become stronger and stronger and stronger it's like the Christian life is like going through a gym a gymnasium where we exercise exercise and become stronger and stronger our muscles become stronger it doesn't happen overnight but that's how it is so that's the second thing it says here in this verse he's a victorious warrior will exalt over you with joy now exalt is a a word which is more than rejoice it's not just that he will rejoice over you joy exalt is like you know like the cricket fans in India rejoice when India wins and the crackers go up in the middle of the night year crackers means somewhere India won maybe in Australia or somewhere they their exalted so it's not just joy it's not just saying oh I'm happy it's more than that it's an exulting now we exalt in what Jesus has done for us but to think that God exalts over us with joy if you somebody tells you God is exalting over you would joy you look around who is he talking to he's talking to me or somebody else he's talking to you God exhausts over you with joy and you know who doesn't want you to believe it the devil doesn't want you to believe it he'll think it's somebody else is the person sitting next to you or behind you or something but not you it is you so that's the second thing or the third thing there in that verse which you must remember that he is not just rejoicing he's exalting I mean think of how a mother I mean the best way I can describe it is in Isaiah 49 15 God said he's like a mother he's fine he's a father but God is also like a mother he says even if a mother forgets a newborn child I will not forget you even that mother may forget but you know think of a mother who's never had a kid for 10 years and suddenly gets a baby do you think that mother is gonna forget that kid in the first week or so no all the time her mind is on that kid and it says even that mother may forget I won't forget you so that is how God exalts over us some mother picks up that child and you know child can't say anything in return can't do anything for the mother but mother is so happy with a child and that's a picture of God exalts think of a mother exalting over her newborn baby and until this throughout this year in the moments when you're discouraged it's something that may happen we don't know what's gonna happen the remaining 360 days of this year but one thing we can be sure every single day God will exalt over you would join there's no doubt about it especially if you seek with all your heart like the Apostle Paul to keep your conscience clear it's the only condition well I would say two conditions one that you keep your conscience clear before God and men and the other is that you always choose the way of humility tell people if you want to remain filter the spirit every single day in every single moment you don't need 25 rules you need only two things to bear in mind 1 keep your conscience clear always and the other is choose the way of humility in every situation if somebody's coming into conflict with you go down problem with a group of people go down somebody's coming to argue with you keep quiet choose the way of humility I always take this attitude that when someone wants to argue with me and prove something I keep quiet I'm saying okay let him think he has won the argument even doctrinally sometimes people have tried to come to my house and argue with me about some doctrine I can prove him wrong from so many passages of Scripture but will only show that I know the Bible better than him and I don't want to prove to people and I know the Bible better than you I want to pursue the path of love and I want to help him to see the truth not convincing that I know the Bible better than you I want him to come into life so I know I won't come in him I won't lead him to life if I just prove to him that I know the Bible better than you I can show you 25 verses or a hundred verses that prove that you're wrong so I'll keep quiet let him go away thinking he has won the argument choose that way as the way of peace way of humility never forget years ago when there was a Christian organization where I had some responsibilities and I had to discipline someone someone else who heard about that who knew that brother who did not know the circumstances under which I had to do that called me up on the phone he knew me and yelled at me and shouted at me four minutes many minutes on the phone I could have put the phone down but that's rude and I don't do that to somebody I know so I listened I didn't say one word this is way back in 1973 or something less anyway I heard and heard and heard and heard and finally finished you know ultimately all people run out of words so I said brother have you finished he said yes I say god bless you I put the phone down that's all six months later he called me again said well Zack I'm really sorry did not know all the facts when I spoke to you six months ago now that I know the facts I know that your discipline was right I'm sorry for what I spoke to you that I said oh I ignored it and forgot it that day so I've got nothing against you god bless you what would I have gained by arguing with him over the phone wasted another half an hour on the phone no I wouldn't do it so the Lord is the victorious warrior and he exalts over us will join that's enough for us to know and then the next phrase here is he will be quiet in his love and I like the paraphrase of that which is not found in any of the well-known translations or paraphrases that I know but here is a paraphrase of that verse which is a legitimate paraphrase quiet means silent and if you can add one word there you understand the meaning he is silently planning for you in love wonderful truth to know for the rest of this year I don't know what's gonna happen to me or you the rest of this year but I rejoice in one thing I have a father who is silently planning for me in love you know like people who hate you or silently planning for you in hatred there were a group of people once who silently planned to send the police to my house for some silly little thing but it didn't work you know why because just like God took away Jesus from before the soldiers of Herod came God took me away from that house before the police came so there also is empty when they came by the time I came back to my house in a couple of days the problem had been solved God is silently I can tell you numerous cases like that in my life where I experienced God silently plans for me in love I hope by the end of this year you'll have a few testimonies of the truth of this verse being fulfilled in 2019 and I'll tell you something you must keep a little notebook if you have a computer it's even easier open a folder for 2019 the things God did for me or God silently planned for me folder and year by year 2019 and you may not have something to write every day God's doing something every day but you may not realize it every day but when you realize it something happened chart it down and 20 years later you can tell your children about it and tell those stories to your grandchildren years from now if the Lord tarries because sometimes we forget these things but when you have a date and a time you know that was actually happened God is silently planning for you in love let a million people and all the demons of hell planned for you in hatred they will not overcome because God is a victorious warrior so please remember this my brothers and sisters it's a very good verse to begin the new year width and it's almost as though God has to repeat again listen I want to show you again I'm rejoicing over you shouts of joy can imagine God shouting we only think of somebody shouting means he's angry with me shouts of joy anyway shout shout is always a good idea to anger right the guy yelled at me what does that mean he's upset with me he yelled with joy but he saw me that's a rare expression I've never heard it used of anybody but God does that he rejoices with shouts of joy well it's a very appropriate verse that was selected by those brothers in the churches in the US for and they sent it on to us to use you know even if you don't remember the reference one way to remember it is what I did when I was young with a red pencil I would highlight these verses so that later on when I turned to the true cross the Bible I oh that's the words I remember reading it one year ago on boy it's good to remind yourself of it so some of these verses if you highlight in your Bible you'll find it much easier as as you go along so I told you conscience the way of humility throughout this life throughout this year every situation I want to turn now Galatians and chapter relations in chapter 6 Galatians chapter 6 and verse 7 don't be deceived God is not marked for whatever a man shows that he'll also reap there is a good side to it and a bad side to it as the next verse tells us the one who sews to his own flesh will from his flesh reap corruption the one who souls to the Spirit will from the Holy Spirit reap eternal life life is used in a very broad way it's not something I get like that it's not like a gift somebody gives you 100 rupees and you got it eternal life is not like that Jesus defined eternal life in John 17:3 as knowing God knowing Jesus Christ you can't get that in one moment you can't even get it in a lifetime it's progressive more and more and more and more that's why Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17 lay hold of eternal life today hold of it that means it might go away lay hold of it get more and more and Timothy was 45 years old already a Christian for 25 years and he's telling him lay hold of eternal life he's not saying be born again he's saying what you got when you were born again lay hold of it and progress more and more and more is like you know climbing up a rope going up and up and up and more you got a hold of the rope but go up more and more so we can reap eternal life if we sow to the spirit that's another good verse for us to remember throughout this year throughout this year you're gonna be sowing seeds every day and one of the primary seeds you sow to be your thoughts and attitudes many thoughts pass through our mind the devil put thoughts into Jesus mind you know that turn the stones into bread thought flashed in his mind Jesus said no he coated a word of God jump from the roof of the temple God will protect you no bow down and worship me no these are thoughts flashed into your mind but Jesus didn't sin so just because some horrible thought came into your mind don't condemn yourself did you want it did you accept it Oh as soon as you're aware you say no I don't want that thought then you are not sinned you were tempted but you didn't sin please remember throughout this year the distinction between temptation and sin when a thought is flashed into your mind is from your flesh from the last in your flesh but it may be areas where you've indulged yourself for a lot those thoughts will come or from the devil what do you do I'm not gonna condemn myself because if I condemn myself I'm defeated already I'll never overcome the devil I'm not going to condemn myself I'm going to say I don't accept that that's not my thought I rejected it's right in my flesh dwells no good thing the flesh is sort of throwing up a thought into my heart and I don't accept it sorry it's like somebody coming knocking at your door you're going to decide you can't stop people knocking you cannot stop me from knocking at the door of your heart but you can reject it you don't open the door say I don't want that so we have control over the door to a heart and mind so don't get condemned if you hear a knock that's a thought say are you going to open the door come in No if you open the door you're sewing something into your heart into your mind and if it is to the flesh you will it'll finally bring corruption not immediately I mean if you sow a seed of a tree in your garden or anywhere it's not gonna come up tomorrow but many years later or months later you go by and say hey as a little plant come up there because you saw the seeds some time ago for good and for bad so if you allow that seed to come in and you don't throw it out it will produce a plant which will become a tree one day it could be an attitude towards someone noticed in the past how you develop the wrong attitude towards somebody somebody you don't like too much for some of the reason you don't like I mean it's you got to be honest there are certain people in this church you don't like for some reason it's not a good reason don't ever use this wrong expression that some people say I love you but I don't like you is that right everybody in the church but I don't like some of them supposing God were to tell you like that listen I love you but I don't like you will you be happy what if your husband tells your sisters I love you so much but I just don't like or you tell your husband I love you so much but I don't like you how can that be it's foolish so don't God doesn't say that to you I gotten see I don't like you but I love you it's a contradiction in terms so not have that attitude so you don't like somebody but I'm not saying you have to agree with all that they do I don't agree with a lot of things that even some people do in the church and certainly I don't agree with a lot of things that other people doing other churches but that is not going to stop me from loving them and it's because I love them that I speak the truth to them you may not love them enough though you don't tell the truth to them because you love yourself you love your reputation see who I don't want to spoil my reputation as a kind gentle type of person so I won't tell him the truth even though other I'd even though I know the truth about him but I say I love the person enough to tell him the truth but you may not be called to do fulfill my ministry so don't condemn yourself but loving a person does not mean that you don't tell them the truth don't you tell the truth to your children if your children misbehave or they behave badly if you don't correct them how in the world will they become better so we are sowing seeds in our thoughts and attitudes that will reap strong trees one day and if you allow it to become so strong I've seen people here in CFC who have not been careful with their attitudes and thoughts towards others and I see them a few years later and I see sometimes carelessly they say something of that person I can see this guy or this sister has said or this brother or the sisters had a wrong attitude towards that person for years and I've known it and I can see that in the way he or she speaks about that person now it's never been judged he's never been cleansed so it comes out in a moment of weakness this tree springs up yeah what you sow you will reap one day and it's destroying you you don't realize it and someone with more maturity than you can see through you that is destroying you and you'll get a big surprise when you stand at the judgment seat of Christ and Jesus reveals all this to you who thought you were so spiritual and you suddenly discovered the judgment seat of Christ that he were not spiritual at all be careful with the type of thoughts and attitudes you're sowing in your heart towards people I need to be particularly careful about thoughts and attitudes towards those who have harmed you because it's very easy to develop very negative attitudes towards somebody who's harmed you even many years ago and you keep thinking about it you cannot remove from your memory the harm somebody did to you I mean I cannot remove from my memory the various harmful things people have done against me but I'm not guilty because of that because memory is something I have no control over but my heart the door to my heart is not in my memory the door to my heart is in my will and I choose that I will not hate that person I choose that I will love that person and one way I can test that as I say Lord I want you to bless that person it says bless those who curse you and Lord I want you to bless his work and his family and his business and his children and if he's got grandchildren bless them all and say it sincerely from your heart with your will and your okay and don't worry about thoughts thoughts are coming from your memory don't condemn yourself because of that but make sure your thoughts and attitudes that you're going to so this year are going to be good loving thoughts and I'll tell you believe me if you take my word today you'll come to the end of this year more spiritual than you ever were in your entire life and more useful to God more used by God to bless others do you know that it's God who can open doors the verse in Revelation 3 which the Lord tells a very faithful church church in Philadelphia he says I've seen your works and I'm setting before you an open door and no one can shut it you know that words turned with me to Revelation revelation in Chapter three and verse 8 the Lord says I know your works that means he's saying I know exactly what you've been doing you've been faithful okay here is my reward to you I am opening a door before you of service for me which no one will be able to shut because you have sold something you have very little ability you're not a great preacher you don't have the gifts that outstanding preachers have you have a very little power and with that little power you are true to my word and you are not ashamed of being known by my name in your place of work you are not ashamed to be known as a disciple of Jesus even if you lost your promotion you say that's okay you made it known that you were a Christian you see some of you have names which are very similar to non-christian names sit in the office you can say boy these guys don't know I'm a Christian so my promotion chances will not be hindered by my boss who's a rabbit and a Christian that's the person to amuse make clear that though you have that name you're a Christian don't deny the Lord for the sake of a promotion Psalm 75 says promotion comes from the Lord not from man I believe that all my life promotion comes from the Lord promotion in your job when I was in the Navy and I believe that promotion comes from the Lord so I said well he will give me the promotion I need at the right time and God will give you the promotion you need at the right time if you honor him he's the one who opens doors he's the one who closes doors and if he sees that you're sowing good attitudes good thoughts and you're not ashamed of his name it says here you've not denied my name where's eight even though you've got very little ability you're not a very mature Saint you've converted two years ago you didn't deny my name I will open doors for you I'll give promotions to you nobody can stop ministry when we when I was gripped by building the church and not just being a world-famous preacher so many doors closed because people didn't want to hear the message of discipleship the message of leave the dead Babylonian denominations and come out and be a new covenant church people didn't want it I mean today we become popular unfortunately I say unfortunately we were safer in those days when CFC was despised and rejected as a heretical group and to be associated with Zack ponen was terrible because I was considered a heretic so what Paul was considered a heretic Jesus was considered a heretic had all the great Saints throughout the greatest prophets in 2,000 years of Christianity were all considered heretics in their lifetime after they died people no record recognize their prophets the heretics of today are recognized as prophets tomorrow it's like that so if you don't deny and I've seen in my own life how as you saw as I have sought to be faithful to the truth God Himself is often door after door I didn't have to push I'll tell you honestly I didn't even had to push one door in one single place where the CFC church was planted I'll tell you my honest experience I'll tell you honestly my experience I'd walk up to a place in the door would open have you seen these automatic doors you don't touch it it just opens that's exactly how every single CFC churches being planted in the last 43 years I never had to push in one place you go there it opens because the Lord says I'm the one who opens the doors if you have to push and shove and all that brother God's not opening that door and if God shut the door I have experienced that also doors shut Oh God doesn't want me to go there go somewhere else is an open door there so he doesn't open doors everywhere partly because the people are not ready or in some places the Lord says that's not your ministry that's for somebody else oh praise the Lord God bless him he got a lock on that door for somebody else but he's open the door for me here it's a wonderful thing to live like that throughout this year you're not in competition with anybody you're seeking to be faithful to his name and whatever door it may be a door in your job or some other door for marriage do you believe God can open doors in marriage shut certain doors and open certain doors it's a wonderful thing to live by faith this year Lord you're the one who will open doors and I will not deny your name the little seed that you saw is confessing the name of Jesus so like I said our thoughts and attitudes towards people are seeds that we saw in the other very important seed that all of us are going to sow this year is in our words as you look back over last year you can probably see the very harmful poisonous plants that grew up in your life and in your relationships with others poisonous plants because of certain poisonous seeds words that you spoke okay pull out those plants love them bless them the way to pull it out is ask forgiveness Jesus said don't come and pray to me if you have hurt somebody else go and pull that out don't say he also hurt me no no no that's his business he may not even be a Christian you hurt him does he have to ask your forgiveness no even though he may have hurt you more he does not have to ask your forgiveness because he's not a Christian you heard him 1% of how much he hurt you but you go to ask forgiveness because you're a Christian it's like saying he stole thousand rupees from me and I stole one rupee from him you returned the one rupee he may never return the thousand rupees that's okay he's a heathen non Christian why should I take anything from him but I'm determined do what's right so think of all the poisonous plants that have come up through words that you spoke foolishly or carelessly perhaps your husband or two your wife you can remember he'll never be able to get rid of that in your memory all the evil words or most of the evil words and actions that your partner did you remember that you got to forgive and say Lord I'm gonna sit up saw seed of forgiveness today and I know I'll get a good harvest from it in the days to come I'm gonna forgive and I'm gonna ask forgiveness and from that I believe I'll get a good crop this year really good that I'll have a great harvest during this year don't be afraid of going home and hugging your wife and husband do Indian husbands and wives do that I hope you do and say darling I'm sorry use some nice words it's not a sin to call your wife our has been darling or sweetheart or whatever you call don't say hey by the way I was told to ask your forgiveness today not like that put your arm around and you know gods man I mean if you have a difficulty with that go to scripture go to Song of Solomon and read Song of Solomon you husbands and wives must read Song of Solomon and get some suggestions from the Holy Spirit how to speak to each other important ask forgiveness for all that you've done and let's begin this year with showing some good seats you may not be perfect but if accidentally one day at bad seed drops out of your bag pick it up pick it up as soon as you're aware hey that's not a good seed pick it up and destroy it that rule I'm not saying yet he'd be perfect this year I'm not gonna give you an illusion that you're becoming like Jesus tomorrow no but I say let's progress press on lovely verse we have in front of our pulpit let's press on to perfection let's make that a little more of a reality in this year so that's where that's another thing be careful about the words you speak those are seeds that we saw be very careful to make this verse your goal this year it won't happen in a day but make it a goal Colossians chapter 4 turn to Colossians in chapter 4 Colossians chapter 4 verse 6 I like that but always always means like they say 24/7 twenty-four hours a day seven days a week every week 24/7 let your speech be with grace gracious with salt what is the meaning of that seasoned with salt I thought about it and I picked it up like this if you put one teaspoon of liquid or solid into your mouth you immediately know whether it's got salt or not you don't need to take 25 spoons to discover with their salt in it or not you know that very well one teaspoon of anything one small piece of a chapati or anything the moment it touches your tongue and you don't have to you don't take time within a second you know whether there's salt or not it's so immediate you recognize in your tongue and I'll tell you something you will know as soon as you speak whether there was grace in it or not you may not you may pretend that there was grace but you know the motive with which you said it you know there wasn't salt in it and you may think that the other person didn't know it but the other person also knew it they are not dumb sometimes you know there's an expression in English called hitting below the belt I don't know whether you know that expression it's a rule in boxing that you know the boxers have a shorts and they have a belt there and you're not allowed to hit below the belt that's a foul and hitting the belt below the belt in words is saying something which is not according to the rules it's going underneath to hit someone in a hurtful way let's eliminate that from our conversation at home and between each other I mean if you have something you disagree with someone let's think about it a little bit and decide what's the best way to communicate it don't be in a hurry so let your speech always be with grace seasoned with salt and if you feel as soon as the words came out of your mouth there was no salt there there was no grace in it you can't take back the words that you're spoken but you can add a little salt afterwards say something nice and I'm sorry I'm sorry I said them please I take back those words you can take it back very important and it says it also says there in that words that you can know how to respond to each person so that teaches me that it's not a standard way in which I speak to everybody in the world no I have to speak to this person in this way and I have to speak to this person in this way very important see proverbs proverbs is a great book and I hope all of you will read it many times in this year there are people who follow the rule of one chapter of Proverbs every day there are 31 chapters so you may not read it every month but it's good to read proverbs deeply this year and I would encourage you to do it it's a wonderful book it's the closest to a new covenant book in the Old Testament proverbs 26 answer each person according that you know how to respond to each person that's what we read in Colossians 4:6 so this is referring to that Colossians I mean proverbs 26 and verse 4 it says don't answer a fool according to his folly that means don't speak to him just like he spoke to you because you'll be you'll become like him then if he spoke rudely to you and you speak rudely to him you'll become like him no don't do that but it says your answer a fool not according to his folly but as his folly deserves so that he doesn't become wise in his own eyes so if he says something which requires a response from you we are going to give him an answer in a way that he needs to hear maybe a word of correction or a word of rebuke so when you meet a fool you not need to ask yourself is this fool a or full be fool a means you've got to answer don't don't answer him if it's full be then you got to answer the two types of fools mentioned in verse four and five and fool is one who does not speak according to the will of God or do things according to the will of God anyone who doesn't speak or do things God it really is fuller is a fool in God's eye and we don't call him a fool but God calls him a fool so as each person deserves to hear and I've often said that don't try to correct a person if you have never in the church for example if you are never appreciated you have never spoken one word in all the years you've known him for anything good in him then you may not be the person to correct him maybe somebody else can correct him but not you because you've never said one good word or kind word to him in all your life and if you look around you will find many people here to whom you've never spoken a kind word in all the years that you've known them that's sad a known person for so many years and it's always in business words or but a good word a kind word I praise God for some very few outstanding examples I've seen in my life who know how to speak good words and kind words and I'll tell you if you do that one day when you have to speak a word of Correction they will accept it even though they may get a little hurt in the beginning they'll accept it I have tried to follow that rule that if I mean if it's a stranger it's different but usually people I know well I first asked myself have I spoken some have appreciated something good in that person have I prayed for that person then I can speak words of Correction I mean if you see the example of Jesus in Revelation chapter two and three the way he corrected the elders in churches imagine an elder in a church the most responsible person in the church in Jesus speak some strong words of rebuke to them and in every case there were five churches he corrected five welders in every case except one he always said something positive you read that in Revelation two and three the only one he had nothing positive to say was it elder and later this year is as you're just good for nothing but all the others you know before he corrects them he says some very good things about them that is wisdom they're more likely to accept your correction when you speak to your children you ask yourself this question how often do you encourage your children that's the reason if you don't that's the reason they don't accept your correction that's the reason you don't they don't accept your and I'm sorry to say that I've met many fathers in CFC who never appreciate and encourage that children it's pathetic they belong to that great tribe of people who are so arrogant that they think they know everything and what is the distresses what is the result all the sewing of negative things to your children have increased the distance between you and your children till your child is so far away and I'll tell you something because he's far away from you he's far away from God no you are far away from God he may be closer to God than you are because he knows how to speak kind words and you don't what you mean you need to hear a prophetic word from an Elijah turn with me to Malachi chapter four and verse five and six Malakai for is speaking about the last days in the last days and we are living in those days I'm going to send you Elijah the prophet not Elijah himself to come in the spirit of Elijah for a gumbo John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah and there will be many people not many at least some in the church in the last days who will have the spirit of Elijah fearless not afraid of kings we'll say I stand before God and will speak the truth against all the false prophets and against an Israel is going away from God and this there'll be people like that in the last days in the body of Christ just before the Lord comes and what are they going to do they are going to get the father's for six to reach out to their children the hearts of the fathers that have been distant from their children in that crazy idea that I'm being spiritual and my son or daughter is rebellious brother the problem is with you with many fathers do you know the Bible never says mothers discipline your children show me a verse like that fathers discipline your children instructor not only discipline it says in Ephesians 6:4 bring them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord struction and how does the Lord instruct us he's silently planning for us in love have silently planned in love for your children you've sacrificed you have you work hard and earn money to get your children education and brought them up to the place where they are employed or they are slowly coming up in their education your children be thankful for your father who worked so hard but there's another aspect of your Heavenly Father which you don't have your father's and that is you don't let your children know that you rejoice over them with shouts of joy dear children feel let me ask you fathers do your children ever feel that you really rejoice over them you see our brothers act they are not perfect how does God rejoice over you is it because you're perfect you're so thoroughly imperfect you know the distance between you and your son in perfection is about this much one inch do you know the distance between God and you in perfection millions of miles and God can rejoice over you even though your millions of miles below him in perfection and you can't rejoice over your son or daughter who is half a centimeter below you in perfection shame on you my boys are not perfect I'm not perfect myself but I rejoice over them and I let them know that I've corrected them through the years but if there's one little thing I can appreciate many of them I say it immediately is not only my own sons I got thousands of sons now all over the world and I whenever I get a chance to promote them in some way or encourage them in some way I always take it do it this year fathers we are approaching the end time let the spirit of Elijah urge you to restore your heart to your children who have drifted from you not because of their fault but because you have not know you're not told them that you appreciate them you mean there's nothing good in them I'll tell you how many fathers I'm talking about fathers because it doesn't say only about mothers here in verse six but I'm I think some mothers are also involved in this parents need to encourage their children the heart is not words please remember this don't be a hypocrite and see over the Zach said I gotta go and encourage my children you say some words which you don't even mean to your children today forget it go and repent before God and say Lord these are words I'm trying a psychological technique with my child if I say nice things I'll be restored rubbish it's not talking about words just talking about your heart Malachi 4:6 being restored to your child and then what will happen the hearts of the children will be restored to their fathers so who's got to take the first step you're waiting for your child to humble himself or herself and come to you and say Oh daddy I'm sorry forget it you take the first step when Almighty God had a problem with you who's a million miles below him who took the first step you are gone you've always you hurt me often speak about that when a husband and wife have attention and they want to restore the relationship both of them feel we are dead I want to restore the relationship always the problem is who will take the first step the answer in all Indian culture it says the woman must humble herself and restore the relationship I think in some Western cultures where the woman is the boss it says the man must humble himself you know how they in you know how men propose to women in Western countries shall I tell you they treat her as God they kneel down we kneel down before God these men kneel down before the woman and say oh my god will you please marry me believe it or not this is exactly what happens it's very different you know how in Western marriages it's like that here comes the bride that's the song they're saying there's no here comes a bridegroom right room just walks in stands there somewhere quietly but here comes the bride in India it's different in India the bridegroom comes on his horse here comes a bright room and the wife is walking meekly behind on the on the road this is two different countries but God's weight is not like that we value one another so when there's a tension between husband and wife who should take the first step here is my answer which I've repeated many times let's follow Jesus let's follow God when God had a problem with man who took the first step the answer is the one who was more spiritual that is God you and your partner have a tension who should take the first step won't say that because I'm not Western or Eastern I'm Christian whoever is most spiritual and since both of you think you are more spiritual you should be just running into each others arms why isn't that happening at least this year let's do that there's nothing wrong and running into each others arms I'll tell you that is permitted in CFC restore the hearts let's do this restoration of hearts between husband and wife partners oh how sad it is whenever I hear tension between husband and wife CFC which is supposed to be talking about the new and living way why we put the flesh to death every day where we judge ourselves and don't judge the other person when are we going to learn dear brothers and sisters we can't glory oh we're a spiritual church always said the strength of this church strength of the families in this church not strong the church is not strong it's not the number of people sitting here not at all what is the quality of relationship in all the families in this church that is the strength of this church if there's some way we could assess it that's the strength of this church and what is the quality of your relationship with that brother whom you love but don't like or that sister whom you love but you don't like what's the quality of a relationship there that is the strength of this church please remember the soul let's get into this business of restoring hearts in this year let's saw seeds of restoration starting from today not tomorrow starting from today we want to really make this 2019 this new year better than every year in our whole life I'm not telling you words that I have not practiced I've sought to do that I've gone to people in the past years who are younger than my youngest son and said brother I'm sorry I I think I spoke a little hard to you the other day when I was correcting you in something please forgive me I want to be more careful next time or sometimes if I have crossed my boundary you know I've got boundaries too by the way all of us have got boundaries or if I've crossed my boundary in something I have told someone I quickly pull back and say I'm sorry brother that's your territory go right ahead I will not interfere there I follow that principle for years and I'm a very happy man sometimes we make mistakes can walk into another person's boundary you can walk into your wife's boundary and you don't give her freedom your children also have a boundary if you don't respect your children if you treat them like dogs or like some animals that you kick or something I that's not the way to treat our children they're creatures of God there are they are created in the image of God and I can't kick God so I can't treat my children like that must be respectful to everyone always speak respectfully to your wife and never use words that are disrespectful sowing seeds and the other thing is we can so we are going to sow seeds this year with our words I want you to be soft word sorry with our actions thoughts attitudes words and actions that are sold to the spirit and not to the flesh turn with me to Psalm 18 some 18 we read here in verse 24 the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyes he's not boasting about his righteousness all right I'm sure he he says in other Psalms I have no goodness apart from the Lord this is David but he says in verse 25 with the kind you show yourself kind with the blameless you show yourself blameless with the pure you show yourself pure and with the crooked you show yourself twisted God acts in a twisted way with you not because he's twisted but he deals with you in a twisted way because you are a bit twisted in your attitude towards somebody else really believe there are many fathers who have not grown spiritually because they are twisted in their attitude towards their children they don't realize it themselves but I can see through it clearly of discernment to see there's no progress in somebody's life now it's always good to read what is written at the top of a Psalm it says your David wrote this Psalm in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of Saul and from his enemies you see at the head of Psalm 18 when I read something like that I go back to say when will huh what how was that let me turn back to 1 Samuel this is how you can study the Bible 2 we read in 1 Samuel and Sall was chasing after David 1 Samuel 23 and verse 19 the enemies of david came to saul 1 samuel chapter 23 these Old Testament history is very interesting verse 19 the zefa it's came up to saul and said hey by the way you're looking for David right David is hiding with us in our territory in the strongholds at we saw him on the hill of Aquila I'll tell you the exact location is south of Jesse male 1 Samuel 23 19 now then Oh King come and do whatever you want we will help to surrender David into your hand and you can cut off his head or do whatever you like and Saul was so happy may you be blessed to the Lord that you're gonna help me cut off his head can you imagine what an evil man Saul was go now and make sure investigate see his place where his haunt is and when he has seen him I'm told is very cunning so look and learn about all the hiding places verse 23 where he hides himself come back and tell me definitely and I will go with you and I will search him out and they rose and went and David first 24 were in the wilderness of my own and Saul and his men went to seek Him and they told him David and they told David he came down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Mahon and when Saul heard pursuit david in the wilderness of my own all went on one side of the mountain and David on the other side of the mountain because David was trying to verse 26 to get away from Saul and the messenger came to solid say hurry so salt stopped pursuing see how God protected David some Philistines came and attacked him that side okay he defeated the Philistines and nab Chen it's amazing how God protected David and then chapter 24 verse 1 Saul came back this is I'm still gonna hunt for David and did somebody told him he's chapter 24 verse 1 he's in the wilderness of anga D so he took 3,000 men to hunt for one man and he came to the Sheep Falls and listen to this press three there was a cave there and Saul went into the cave to relieve himself alone and he didn't realize inside that cave David and his men were sitting there in the inner recesses of that cave and one of the men of David said to hey David this is the day which the Lord said I will deliver your enemy into your hand there is just take your spear and spear see through him or take this dagger and finish him off and that'll be the end of his reign and you can be the king and David said no Saul was resting there or whatever he was doing stay David went to a corner and just sliced off a small part of Saul's robe I mean such a small part that Saul didn't even wake up and just cutting off that rope david's conscience bothered him worse five we think of david and jesus calling himself the son of david we say how in the world can jesus call him the son of a man who committed adultery with Bathsheba had seven wives and murdered but Shiva's husband and married nerds I'll tell you he slipped up there's no doubt David slipped up in moments of weakness he slipped up in that moment when he saw Bathsheba it wasn't a regular habit of his but he wasn't going around raping every woman he saw but he slipped up once and when he was caught in that situation he tried to cover it up by he didn't kill her husband himself but say okay told the general let him go up in front and yeah it wasn't straightforward he slipped up no doubt but basically this verse tells me he had a conscience he would not kill even if he is going to be a king thereby he was convicted when he cut a small part of Saul's roe and then he told his men were seven no no no don't kill him we can't touch the Lord's anointed verse 10 I will not stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed there's a verse in the Old Testament it says the Lord says don't touch my anointed don't do my prophets any harm it's a very dangerous thing to raise your hand against the Lord's anointed or your words and so finally David decided sole must know that I could have killed him so he comes out of the cave before David he stood before Saul and said verse 9 why are you listening to the words of people who say I'm trying to harm you here you see this piece of your robe I could have killed you right now when you came into the hand into my hands inside the cave and people told me to kill you but I didn't I said I will not stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed verse death and Sala felt so ashamed of himself verse 22 Saul went home it says you're in verse 16 he even wept and we read later on another time again 26 a second time and David was hiding chapter 26 verse 1 and Saul arose again with 3,000 men this is after he was spared once before and David heard worse for that Saul was coming so David arose and came to the place where Saul had camped and they were all asleep it was at night said to one of his soldiers who will go down with me to solve sleeping Saul's army there three thousand of them and David and Abishai for seven chapter 26 verse seven came to Saul's army by night and Saul was laying sleeping inside the circle of the camp and Saul's spear was stuck in the ground near his head an Abner said today God has delivered Yana me just if you don't want to kill him Abner said let me take this spear and strike it with one stroke and I'll fix him to this ground he won't get up David said no again the same words verse nine who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be without guilt remember those words be careful my brothers and sisters be careful who you speak against be careful who you stretch out your tongue against will you be without guilt that's what Mae David a man after God's own heart he was he made mistakes like all of us make mistakes he slipped up in adultery as well but he had a sensitive conscience most of the time and God saw that he would not grab for himself and he says if the Lord wants me to come the Lord will strike him one day and then but I will not do it and so David took the spear verse 12 Saul spear in the jug of water and went away and everybody was fast asleep and then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the mountain any shouted out abner aren't you supposed to take care of the king [Music] somebody came to kill your king see where his fear is see where his jug of water is it's with me here it is and soul again recognize David's voice he said you David verse 17 David says yes it is me then soul said verse 21 I have sinned please return my son David I know one day you will be the king so when that happened that's when David wrote Psalm 18 and what did he read in Psalm 18 kind the Lord will show himself kind I tried to kill me but I let him go again he came after me I let him go take that example my brothers this year somebody's coming after you forgiving the Lord will protect you to those who are kind don't remember all the wrong things they did against you forgive let this be a year when we sow seeds of forgiveness that doesn't mean you shouldn't correct your children when they grow up you don't love your child if you don't correct them but it's a question of how you correct them in fact the Bible says in Hebrews in chapter 12 Hebrews 12 which father is there who does not correct his children it's a clear word you read that whole section from Hebrews 12 and verse 5 onwards for seven was what I quoted just now what son is there whom his father does not discipline if you don't discipline your son yet your son or daughter they'll become wayward with your children I was very strict with all my four sons I'll tell you that more strict than I have been with any of my other thousands of sons that I have much more if you some of you think I've been strict with you you haven't seen how I've dealt with my own sons because a father must not only encourage you must also discipline but if you have disciplined them in the right way with kindness and I always used to pray with my children after our disciplining them and if you do that and hug them and make sure that it's not just discipline discipline discipline but encouragement as well that your children are drawn to you and if you want to know how much to encourage and how much to discipline that proportion also is written in Scripture turn with me to Isaiah everything is in Scripture if you know where to find it that's why I urge you brothers and sisters please read the Bible this year get to know the Bible this year better than you've ever known it read through the Bible read more than once that book look at all the Bible study resources we have in our CFC website seventy yards through the Bible twenty-eight studies on foundational truths seventy-two studies on basic Christian teachings and verse by verse through many others number of important Old Testament books verse by verse through the New Testament every single verse and all of that comes to four or five hundred powers the only person who has told me that he's listened to every single minute of that his brother Evan is er in our church you don't think much of him he's read through that more than all of you listen to it that's what helped oddly brother more than many others who think they are godly says in Isaiah 61 that Jesus comes to proclaim worse to let me read verse 2 to you like this proclaim 365 days of favor and one day of discipline you wanted to know the proportion how you should help and correct your children 365 days of encouragement one day of discipline proportion 360 F 365 words of encouragement and one word of strong correction 365 days words of encouragement so if we that will find god is kind to us when we are kind to others God is very strict to us when you're strict to others what about the servants who work in your home who are poorer than you that's why they work as servants in your home who serve you anybody who serves you in any way but in your home or elsewhere they are below you socially be kind to them you are much below God in that God will be kind to you I've experienced that I've experienced the amazing kindness of God in my life both my wife and I in our health and protection in travel in giving me words to speak when I don't know what to speak he's been exceptionally kind to me and I want to continue being kind to people but yet being strict as well God is very strict when it comes to myself I have nothing against anybody comes to the church in the purity of the church I will have the same whip in my hand that Jesus my Savior had when he went into the temple and spared nobody not everybody is called to use the whip I know God is called me to do he'll do it and I will do it faithfully if I don't do it I'll be unfaithful I will continue to use that till Jesus comes so but that's not perhaps you're calling very few people one in a thousand perhaps is called user whip in the church your calling is more to encourage and speak words of encouragement not everybody is called to be like brother Zack no I've often told my fellow elders please don't imitate my ministry it's not yours your ministry may be the Ministry of Jesus putting his arm around the leper or telling the adulterous woman go in peace your sins are forgiven that is one Ministry of Jesus and that may be your calling please do it I think the Lord means I said 365 to one he needs 365 people will speak those words and maybe one person like me who takes the whip so you don't have to imitate me there but I will continue to use that with because God's called me to do it and so that to me that doesn't contradict to all that I preached today because if I don't so that the church will not be kept pure it's my responsibility thank you for listening patiently I want to show you a few pictures to encourage you first of all a picture blind man with a stick here it says depend on the Lord Jesus he remember this is the word that Santos spoke at our conference as the blind man depends on his cane all the time you know when a blind man is what Center said when he gets up in the morning he can't see a thing what do you reach out for first thing in the morning most people a cell phone first thing in the morning the cell phone is useless the blind man he needs a stick as soon as he gets up from bed and that's what Santosh was saying when you get up say Lord walk with you I'm a blind person I I said only just in the morning all the time gradually to become a habit Lord I want you to guide me now I want you to lead me what do I do next and here's this place I'm stuck gropes around and it's amazing how these blind people over a period of time develops such a sense where I should turn and where I should go that's a great picture please remember that all your life say Lord I want to depend like that or sometime I used the picture of a you know the two-year-old child trying to cross a busy road mg road or something when it's really busy and his dad holds his hand and he's perfectly safe I I want to think of always Jesus holding my hand and I many often say that Lord I'm a little two-year-old please hold my hand that the world is a dangerous place so much temptation come this way that way all trucks and cars and all I cannot cross without getting hit but if I if I hold your hand I know you'll take me we be in and out of all those temptations and miss all that traffic and reach the other side safely do you believe that you can take your two-year-old across a busy road like that Jesus can make you avoid every temptation and take you through this whole year let's believe it let's pray Heavenly Father has been bound before you we really want to begin this new year on a good note and every single person we don't want anybody to be left out we want father's here sitting here to have their hearts restored to their children we want the initiative to come from the father's and children's hearts restored to the fire with father's gaps between husband and wife gaps between parents and children to be closed up little by little in this year and gaps between brothers between sisters to be closed up nobody becoming perfect but everyone pressing on to perfection make it a glorious year and throughout the year help us to know that you rejoice over us with shouts of joy and you are silently planning for the whole year for the whole future for us in love Lord that the blessing of the Lord rest upon every brother and every family here and make the testimony of CFC like a shining light in the midst of the darkness of this world yes Lord make us a blessing we pray in Jesus name Amen there are two songs here which I want you to also remember this year the first one is he did not come to judge the world he did not come to blame the first verse referring to Jesus and then referring to us [Music] he did not only come to see it was to save me [Music] we call it say and when we call it say we called him by to say we do not have the right to judge we are not here to blame where only God and love in Jesus name [Music] and when we love each other then we glorify his name and when we love each other we redraw and when me Laurita there's one more song which has got a message I'm they singing out in the world too but I think it's a it's got a Christian message that we I believe we can practice this year it's in relation to all that we've spoken also let me be a little kinder you're not gonna be perfect you know it's we read that with a kind the Lord shows himself kind Psalm 18 you're not going to be perfect in kindness this year but can we be a little kinder that means more every day pressing on to perfection and kindness and pressing on imperfection to blindness about the faults of others okay [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] it's probably a new song for many of you I think we should sing it again listen to those words carefully as we go along especially for those who are hearing it for the first time try and follow and make it a prayer to the Lord let me be a little kinder a little closer two brothers who are losers they're our brothers and sisters in our midst who are not the warm exuberant type they're the introverted personalities they're always in many of them have difficult think of the number of people here who are rejected by their parents non-christian homes who don't have friends let's learn to be a little closer to them this year okay [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] see [Music] who died let me be [Music] or of my [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] amen

Channel: CFC India

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Length: 94min 12sec (5652 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 09 2019