(The Last Days) Dont Get Drunk w/ Worldiness by Zac Poonen

we have been taking a study last month on the things related to the last days in the coming of Christ and I want to emphasize that more important than knowing the details of what's going to happen when it's going to happen the important thing is to be ready because Jesus always emphasized readiness even if you don't know the details of what's going to happen and when it's going to happen if you're ready it'll be okay but I found through many years of being a Christian that many people who concentrate on studying the details of many many things that are going to happen in the last days they're not ready and they'll have a lot of information in their head but they won't be ready when Christ comes back and in every place where Jesus spoke about his second coming he did not emphasize details in fact a lot of things are vague vague that different people through the years have put different interpretations - hmm you know there's so much argument among Christians whether the church will go through the tribulation or not the important thing is to be ready supposing the church does go through the tribulation are you ready supposing the Lord comes before the tribulation are you ready the important thing is to be ready if you have your doctrine right and you're not ready it's going to be pretty pathetic in the last days for you hmm so though I have certain convictions myself I personally believe the church will go through the tribulation we'll see the Antichrist before Christ returns it's very clear to me in Scripture without a shadow of doubt and I see my calling is to prepare people for those days of persecution one of the mistakes that many Christian missionaries made in China in the early part of the 20th century was that they told the Christians there that Christ will come before the tribulation and so everybody was waiting for that and instead of Christ coming the Communists came and took over the country and they've been ruling there for 60 years now not just seven years of tribulation so and some of those Chinese Christian leaders said the reason why many Christians renounce Christ and forsook him at that time was because they were not prepared they were told oh jesus will come be ready for that instead of that they got tortured in communist prisons and they've denied the faith so it's important for us to be ready much more important than the details of his second coming then we can ask why has God given various vague sort of details which people interpret in various ways do you know that through the years people have said that Christ would come in 1841 and 1844 1994 different different times he never came there people who waited up on mountains and white clothes and then went away there were preachers who told people to sell everything because Christ is coming in a few years and swiped their money and sent them back home penniless all types of things have gone on in the name of Christ particularly in the last 100 150 years but you'll never go wrong if you listen to what the Lord said to be ready for his coming and it doesn't matter when it is so that's what I want to emphasize and I want to turn to a passage in Luke chapter 21 where Jesus said he's talking about the days when men will faint from fear verse 21 chapter 21 verse 26 men will faint from fear and the expectation of things that are coming upon the world and then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory but when these things begin to take place straighten up I believe Christians should take this seriously straighten up and lift up your heads because your redemption draws near I take it like this that a true disciple of Jesus has got his head lifted up at all times he's never hanging down in defeat and in depression and gloom and occupied with earthly things have you seen the animals in the world every animal that I ever seen I see them with their head to the ground whether it's a cow or a dog or a pig or if you haven't noticed that just look around next time do you want to be like the animals always looking down and earthly things and what can I get for myself that's what the animals look for always looking it down to see there's a way I mean our look can also be like that and that's what reduces us to the level of animals for animals food sex and sleep that's the main thing food sex sleep and when food sex and sleep become the most important things for you I'm sorry to say this but you've reduced yourself to the love of to the level of an animal you never see a cow looking up and praising God or a pig or a dog or even a lion that's reserved for us but unfortunately you see even a lot of human beings their heads are not lifted out their heads are down one of the first questions that the Lord asked Keane you know outside the Garden of Eden the first question God ever asked a man was why is your face fallen you know that's one of the first questions the perhaps the first question that the Lord asked a man outside the Garden of Eden why is your face looking down he had something wrong in his heart towards somebody else that was the reason why his face was down there could be many reasons jesus said we must walk with our heads lifted up because he is our glory and the lifter of our head and if your head does not lift it up because of some earthly reason ask the Lord to lift up your head it's not only those who have no problems I think the Lord is pleased the Lord to take me through many trials in my life otherwise I wouldn't have I need in ministry today but he's taught me to lift up my head and not sink under those trials but walk on top of the water because that's his bar that can keep us we can't do it without it and then he said in verse 34 of Luke 21 be on guard be on your guard he said that often in relation to the last days the thief comes to steal and to kill and destroy he said and Jesus said that his coming would be so sudden he's not a thief he never said that he said the devils of T but his coming would be as sudden as a thief in the night so we've got to be on our guard and that's why the Bible says that we God's people are not going to find Christ coming like that of a thief I want to show you that before coming back here in 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5 because many Christians say hey his coming is like a thief in the night for me I know sir it's not like that you haven't read the scriptures 1 Thessalonians 5 it says in verse 2 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 2 you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night and while everybody around is saying peace and safety the destruction will come like the Living Bible says a thief is not going to call ahead and make an appointment before he comes to your house oh it's when everybody's walking around complacently congratulating each other saying hey we got it made and that's the time we can take it easy now suddenly everything will fall apart you know we're living in a world and that's coming into the cities in India too where people have become rich and they say hey we've got it made now finally and now we can take it easy suddenly everything's going to fall apart now be be ready for that the Lord said that a lot of people who put their trust in currency money and bank accounts and stock market and real estate and and in their secure jobs I want to tell you everything's gonna fall apart I'm not going to scare you I'm just trying to get you to be ready for that day we keep your head lifted up and trusting in the Lord and things will not fall apart in your life no matter what happens around you but when people have say say we've surely got it made we can take it easy now suddenly everything will fall apart and it's going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth-pangs to a pregnant woman she knows she's going to deliver but the actual moment of delivery comes suddenly and it's birth pangs but he says but you brethren verse 4 are not in darkness that that day should overtake you like a thief did you hear that so the coming of the Lord like a thief in the night is for the unbelievers he's going to Surprise them but here's a believer whom the thief does not surprise because he's alert he doesn't mean he never sleeps but spiritually he never sleeps that's the meaning physically we have to sleep but spiritually we got to be alert we read that the wise virgins were physically asleep but the lamps were burning how do you like that they were asleep but the lights were on so we get tired we naturally on this earthly policy but our lights can still be burning that mean they were ready when the bridegroom came so that's the point when it says in Luke 21 verse 34 be on guard now how do I ensure that I can even when I'm physically tired and physically asleep my lights got to be burning my heads lift it up even if I'm physically tired in asleep be on guard so that your hearts will not be weighted down with drunkenness now I can understand physical drunkenness I hope none of us ever get drunk but there is another drunkenness that Jesus speaks about of the heart now how do you know when a man is drunk well for externally of course you can make out because he can't walk steady he is this way in that way in the other way he can't walk a straight line and spiritually also it's something like that you know you're drunk with the world when you want can't walk straight with the Lord it's a bit of crookedness in your life you can't walk straight you can't have your eyes fixed on the things above sometimes here and sometimes there then you know you're drunk and in the same way a drunken man how do you another characteristic of a drunken man is he really doesn't know what's happening around him you can steal his money and he won't even know it because he's living in he's so drunk that he's in another world the real world is not real to him especially people are on drugs you know if it were written today it would be something like this don't don't get drugged in your heart the persons on drugs and he's on ER what they call a high it's actually a low by the way he's living in another world the real world is not real to him and when a Christian lives in a way where the real world the real world by the way is in heaven is not real to him but another world which is unreal this earthly world is real to him you know he's drunk I've made that rule for myself that when the things of this earth please listen carefully are more real to me than the things of heaven I'm drunk and I never want to be drunk are you drunk you say well only once in a while the most drunken people are not drunk every day they're drunk only once in a while are you drunk spiritually but he's speaking about your hearts weighted down with drunkenness the heart you can't walk steady anymore this unreal world which you say as a Christian now the worldly person doesn't say this world's going to pass away he doesn't say that he does he says this work is not going to pass away I'm gonna save plenty for my children grandchildren and I'm gonna live for this world and I don't believe that there's another world even the religious people they just ease their conscience by going to a temple or a church or a mosque just in case just in case so keep God happy by giving him a tip every now and then on Sunday or Friday or Tuesday or whatever day you go to your religious place but that's not the main thing they tip God like you tip a waiter in a restaurant to keep them happy next time you you come there he'll serve you properly the most people their religion is like that it's tipping God keep him happy I tell you most Christians are like that too they're reading the Bible or going to church or whatever they do is like giving a tip to God just keep them happy because one day after you die he's got to help you you know that's not Christianity far from it and if any of you think that you're doing that it makes you a Christian you're living in a world of delusion you're deluding yourself Jesus only spoke about wholehearted radical disciples for whom God is everything in fact the first commandment you know when God created man the very first commandment is love God with all your heart soul strength in mind that's the first commandment and Jesus said if you don't keep that what he is you're keeping all these other things the problem with the Pharisees was they didn't keep that one and they didn't even keep the second one which says love your neighbor as yourself they forgot about those two and they got occupied with circumcision Sabbath keeping the feasts is there enough oil in the sacrifice you've got to make sure you've got to put a little salt there you got it is the lamb without blemish you get taken up with all these things and forget loving God with all your heart loving your neighbor as yourself jesus said hey folks you've missed the bus completely and you know that's exactly what he would say to a lot of us Christians you don't love God with all your heart soul strength in mind which is the first commandment a lot of other things in the world which are more important to you and you certainly don't leave alone your neighbor you don't even love your brothers and sisters in the church like you love yourself you seek your own you're jealous boasting about yourself and your family over others and criticizing the others behind your back you don't keep all these things but you keep all these petty little things from the Old Testament oral circumcision and the offerings here it is going to church and reading the Bible and saying a few prayers and this that and the other I think the Lord will say to us the same thing he said to the Pharisees so be careful I can't change any of your lives but I can warn you that's what the Lord told Ezekiel and that's where the Lord is often spoken to me son of man I've appointed you as a watchman to my people you shall hear the word from me and give them warning like blowing a trumpet if you see the enemy coming and you don't blow the trumpet I will require the souls of my people at your hand it's a serious thing to be a watchman I take it very seriously but if you're blown the trumpet he says and they don't listen to it and the enemy comes and captures them they'll be captured but you will escape you will not be responsible and those are words from Ezekiel so here's a warning Luke 21 34 be on guard so that your hearts are not weighted down that's what it prevent us from going up because we've got too much weight down pulling us down with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life don't let in the living by in the message Bible it says don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties drinking and shopping are these the important things in your life parties drinking shopping shopping for what as if you don't have enough things already but to keep up with the latest you're drunk you're really drunk keeping up with those other folks next door or somebody else in your office or something else then that day is going to take you by complete surprise it'll spring on you suddenly like a trap you think a rat knows it's going into a trap do you think an animal knows is going into a trap now it's suddenly caught or it's going to come on everyone everywhere at the same time so whatever you do don't go to sleep spiritually keep on the alert at all times pray constantly how do you do that how how can you be on the alert at all times it doesn't mean we can't do our 8-hour job and the many responsibilities we have for our family it's a spiritual alertness that's always there the back of our mind while we're doing many other things you know in a computer there are certain programs always running in the background while if the computer is working on other things it's amazing it's checking out for viruses and checking out while you're surfing the internet or something like that this is the sort of a background work going on all the time it's something like that our mind is sharper than any computer and it's really like a computer in one sense but a million times better than the best earthly one and there's certain things that can go on in the background all the time while we're doing our other things exactly like a computer you know checking for earthly viruses that are coming in solid people are so careful to make sure there's no virus in their computer and their heads full of them how foolish you take care of something that's going to last for a little while and you don't take care of viruses that can destroy your entire future so when it says be on the alert at all times let to keep these background checks going all the time alert always alert I'm I'm doing earthly things I'm taking care of my family I'm doing my earthly job many many things to do but all the time alert and prayer means in a dependence upon God all the time saying Lord I don't have the strength to overcome all these things I don't have the strength to escape deception in these days because it's so subtle jesus said deception will be so subtle that even perhaps the elect could be deceived it's going to be so powerful I mean imagine what Jesus said about in Matthew 7:22 23 about people doing miracles in Jesus name and people casting out demons in Jesus name and people prophesying in Jesus name many and his saying to them in the last days get away from me I never knew you not once upon I knew you once upon a time I knew you and you're backslidden I never knew you fellows because you never gave up sin in your life you read that in Matthew 7 22 and 23 he said in the last day when he stand before the Lord he's going to say that to many people I don't want him to say that to me I've gone around different countries prophesying in Jesus name preaching God's Word I don't go around doing miracles there are a few demons cast out here and there Jesus name but certainly I've been preaching in Jesus name casting out demons in Jesus name I don't want him to say get away from me you who lived in sin sinn your attitude to sin is going to be the most important thing that's going to matter when you stand before the Lord let me tell you that let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from sin that's us that's the mark on God's seal you know like the president is a seal God's people have a seal let me show you what's written on that seal in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 you know big offices and there's an official seal there are seals that mark that some of that only certain officials have and it says this 2nd Timothy and chapter 2 about this seal in verse 19 it speaks about a firm foundation of God that's very important to build this house and God certifies a firm foundation with a seal I want a foundation in my life which is God's seal upon it the certificate of approval and the seal it says here is there are two sides to the seal you know this is a heavenly scene so it's got two sides to it one is the upper side and the other is the lower side of the seat so you've got to see what's written on top you got to see what's written underneath okay here's what's written on the god word side the side which God looks at the Lord knows those who are his he's not fooled as he looks at all of us this morning I'll tell you something the Lord knows those who are his I don't know sometimes I'm fooled by some people who come to CFC regularly and I think they're his but I could be mistaken in the final day I discover hey that guy never belonged to the Lord at all he was just a first-class hypocrite who fooled me for many years and sat here okay what can I do I warned them but the Lord knows those are his that's absolutely certain that's but that's on the upper side of the seal I can't see it I mean if I could see the upper side of the seal I could easily say who are the Lord's right now when I can't see it I'm a human being I'm down here the upper side of the seal the Lord sees and he says the Lord knows of this or his but I can see the bottom side of the seal and that's how I know the bottom side of the seal it says everyone who names the name of the Lord when a person says I'm a Christian that's the name of the Lord every Christian is to stay away from sin that's how I know so when I see a person hating sin and staying away from it that's how I know I don't know the god word side and if a person is not staying away from sin it's not seeking to lead other people away from sin all he's interested in is doing miracles and healing and casting out demons and preaching well I'd say he may be saved but he may not be also I don't know I can be certain only when this thing is in the seal along with this seal there could be a hundred more other things but this is primary so Luke 21 and verse it's going to come like a trap and be alert at all times praying so that you can have strength to escape these things are about to take place and to stand before the Son of Man what do I what are the things that God wants us to escape now here is where every Christian is tested when he reads this verse he can say ah see I told you we're going to escape the tribulation because that's the most important thing in his life to escape suffering you know it depends on what you're looking for I'll tell you what I'm looking for I want to escape sin and I read that verse completely differently a ski escape one I want to escape sin I'm not even interested in escaping hell I want to skip sin fire escapes in a lot of mataji escape help a lot of people want to escape hell may not be interested in escaping sin while on this earth what are you praying for pray constantly that you may have strength strength for what I mean if Jesus gonna come and rapture me before the tribulation I don't need any strength I'll tell you that I'm not gonna lift myself up he's gonna lift me up without any problem what do I need strength to escape strength to escape some years of tribulation I don't need that if he's going to come before me I want to have strength to escape denying the Lord in the time of tribulation I want to have strength to escape sin because temptation is pretty powerful I'll tell you that I want to have strength to escape the forces of this world that seek to swallow me up let's seek to make me drunk because that's the context the context is not you're going to suffer what is the context the context is your heart is going to be weighted down with drunkenness with the cares of this world the worries of this life pray that you love strength to escape these things that's what I want to have strength to escape a lot of people read scripture I tell you one of the bad habits of Christians is to have favorite verses or sometimes half of verse they don't even read the paragraph I mean imagine if you got a letter from your dad or friend and you got half a sentence completely out of context if journalists and news reporters take statements that people make out of context I tell you Christians do that a million times more they take verses of the Bible completely out of context what things are we do escape we're going to escape these things this this verse 34 this dissipation this drunkenness being occupied with the worries of this life that's what I want to ask a so that I can stand before the Lord so that he doesn't come so that is coming is not gonna catch me like a thief because I belong to the day what do we read in 1 Thessalonians 5 you fellas some belong to the day you don't belong to the night so why should he come like a thief for you the thief comes in the night do you belong to the night I say no sir I don't belong to the night I belong to the day thief's don't come during the day usually so that's what it means to stand before the Son of Man you know then I want to say something about our relation to the world which is going to be very important because that's a context here make sure that this world doesn't sort of get into your heart in a nutshell that's what he's saying pray that you left strength to keep the world outside what do you mean by the world I don't mean the people of the world God so loved the people of the world and I've got to love them I got to love the fellow who hates me I've got to love the boss who's harrassing me day and night I got to love him I mean if you want you can leave the job and choose another job but young in Christianity you're not permitted to hate anybody nobody not even the one who raped your daughter or murdered her or anything you're just not permitted that's it you're not permitted to keep an unforgiving spirit to anyone no matter what they did to you I know it's tough that's why we need to pray that's why we need to pray for strength to escape these wrong attitudes that we can have towards people don't just say it's tough brother I know it's tough like somebody told me says about some particular thing and he said brother it's difficult I said it's not difficult I said it's impossible we're talking about the Sermon on the Mount you know people say brother's difficult to live up to that standard I said no it's impossible not difficult it's impossible as long as you think it's difficult you're going to try when you realize is impossible you're not going to try you're going to say lord help me you better help me that's the difference some of you folks are trying and trying and constantly failing why not recognize is impossible and come to the Lord for the part of his Holy Spirit so that you have strength then you'll be able to keep Commandments then you'll be able to live according to God's standards do have strength to escape these things that are seeking to come into my heart I don't want to get drunk Jesus said the last days are going to be like the days of Noah and God's people are going to be like Noah I sent that before in an earlier study but look at this in Hebrews chapter 11 what it says about Noah Hebrews 11 verse 7 Hebrews 11 verse 7 it says by faith and I tell you this if you want to live the way God wants you to live in the last days you got to live by faith and it's not this third-rate faith for getting a better house in a better car that you hear being preached by television preachers no it's another type of faith that Noah had don't be deceived by these people and there are multitudes of preachers these days and all these folks in Western countries most of the preachers on television in India you know you see them they're all Americans and they that they've it's amazing how they've infiltrated the minds of Christian preachers in India it's is all these dumb preachers in our country we just sit there and swallow everything as if God only speaks through all those people on television we need to hear God ourselves and not be swayed and influenced by people who have a lot of money I'll tell you something people have a lot of money don't necessarily know God and people who fly in jail who own their private jet planes are not the ones who know God I'd rather listen to people like Paul and Peter who were humbly dependent on God never asked anybody for any money but the point is this the faith that we need is the faith of Jesus Christ the Bible says he is the author of our faith author means what that means every single letter of a book was written by this man that's the author and that means every single letter of faith in my heart is by Jesus not by some television preacher I want to ask all of you sitting here an honest question where did you get your faith from was it from some woman who's your favorite preacher on television God have mercy on you you won't be ready for the last days or some other fancy preacher with all his grand clothes who and that faith has only urged you to become richer and wealthier and get better cars and better houses why not get Jesus to be the author of your faith tell me what type of faith he will write into your heart show me one verse of scripture which aligns with a type of rubbish you hear on Christian television nowadays is Jesus the author of your faith it better be if you want to be ready for the last days every single word in my heart I want written by Jesus Christ and not by any man Jesus is the author of our faith then it says in Hebrews 12 we'll be able to run the race and overcome then we won't have these third-rate Christians or hanging their heads down with depression and gloom and still losing that temper and still watching internet pornography and coming to church and pretending to be holy people first-class hypocrites why because Jesus is not the author of their faith they're listening to all this rubbish from other people they don't stay away from sin they loved the world so much that their faith is only interested in getting things for themselves physical healing I tell you I would rather have ten thousand listen to me I'd rather have ten thousand sicknesses in my body than one sin in my life I'm saying that before God I would rather have ten thousand sicknesses in my body than one sinful thought in my mind then watch one dirty immoral picture for two seconds I'd rather have ten thousand sickness in my body how many of you can say that if you did say that I tell you you'd be serious about sin you'd overcome sins long long ago but you're crazy after physical healing and material prosperity you know God's kept me in remarkable health for almost all these 70 years and provided all my earthly needs those of you have lived here in Bangalore I've seen that and I never sought any of that I never sought for healing and I never sought for money I sought the kingdom of God first in his righteousness and those of you have seen me the last 33 years here you know that that's the way to have health and enough for your earthly needs not by pursuing after it and my brothers and sisters I'm not saying this to boast I'm saying you should be a testimony to when you come to my age that you should be able to tell other people I spent my life seeking God's kingdom and his righteousness God took care of all my physical health and my earthly needs took care of my family I didn't pursue after them that's how Jesus lived Jesus wasn't a sick person going around and a person always begging other people for money saying hey my father let me down can you borrow lend me some money no he never had to go borrow a cent from anybody this is absolute shame when a believer is to go and borrow money from people absolute shame I'm surprised that people the CFC don't take that seriously are you following Christ are you following all the people in the world I tell you Jesus is not the author of the faith of many Christians they haven't got their faith from the scriptures take out their faith from worldly preachers who are after their money now listen to this faith Hebrews 11 Noah the last day is going to be like Noah's days and God's going to have people like no I'm going to stand up for him in the last days and that's why no is a good example for us Hebrews 11:7 by faith Noah being warned by God about things not seen okay have you been warned in these days about things that have not yet happened We certainly have from Scripture what did he do the first thing he did was he the first thing said about him is he had read he had a tremendous respect for the Word of God and by that I mean not the Bible he didn't have a Bible he didn't have any preacher he didn't have any fellowship but he heard a word from God and we've got thirty one thousand one hundred and seventy five verses in this Bible do you know how many Noah had in his Bible one we got thirty one thousand more verses than he got what is this one worse I'm gonna destroy this world you better make an ark and get saved and save your family first every member of your family and then try and save as many others as you can by preaching to them that was a word he got that's all and he got it once he didn't have a preacher reminding him of that every Sunday he heard it once and he kept that one his mind for a hundred and twenty years and lived on that can you do that that's faith I tell you when you hear something from God you won't be interested in what man has to say to you after that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from God's mouth are you listening to God we've got a Bible you can listen to God every day you can listen to him he heard that and in reverence he's Oh God is that true yeah absolutely true this world is gonna pass away I'm talking about Noah all this sex and violence it's going on I'm talking about that days of no again he saw the pollution the perversion the sexual perversion that people were indulging in the craziness after sex in his days the craziness of violence in his days and he said Lord you're gonna destroy it all he said yes is there a way of salvation yes work on it no I you've lived all your life to make money till now but now on from today live for the things that are going to remain when this world is going to be destroyed what did he do he didn't spend all his time preaching then he wouldn't have had time to build the ark he wouldn't have time to take care of his family he prayed with his family he had family prayer he taught without a Bible imagine having family prayer without a Bible and what he could only tell these people one worse imagine having a family prayer with only one worse every day for 120 years he'd say son he's got three sons and he they got married fortunately to god-fearing women make sure your children marry god-fearing people and he would have family prayer with him in fellas I've got the same words I gave you for the last 100 years what's that you know it by now this world's going to be destroyed look for the things that will remain after this world's over let's build the ark and they would build the ark they saw their dad was wholehearted and I tell you he was not supported by somebody else financially to do that work today a lot of Christian work I mean a lot of Christian work says we gotta have money brother we gotta have somebody to support who supported Noah not only who supported Noah's family who supported him in the building of the ark supposing he had asked God well that's fine Lord to build a ship it's going to be pretty expensive who's going to pay for it I wouldn't you asked that question if God told you to build a ship or build a church meeting hall supposing God told you go and build a church meeting hall what's your first question what is the average question of the first of the preacher nowadays Lord who's gonna pay for it I tell you isn't it wonderful that Noah never even asked that question because if he did ask that question he knew what the answer would be you yourself who else there's no America here Noah you yourself you got to pay for it he knew that that's why I didn't ask that question he knew that he had to work I mean I'm those days people had a lot of fields and lands and not like us today struggling for a living God's reasonable he's not going to ask you to build a ship don't worry but he could ask Noah because he knew Noah was a rich man but even rich people now don't like to part with their money for God's work I'll tell you that oh no you know why you have never seen me or heard me ask you to give money for God's work in the last 33 years of this church why is it we never take an offering in this church for 33 years why is it in all the churches we planted in India and more than 40 now and then and in other countries we never take an offering we just keep a box at the back those who want to give because jesus said you got to give secretly how can you give secretly when somebody stuck a bag in front of your face how can you give voluntarily when somebody stuck a bag even if you don't feel like it you gotta at least pretend to put your hand inside and drop something we don't want any hypocrisy in God's house how can you give cheerfully but what's the reason why we've never spoken about it I'll tell you how the Lord's told me the Lord's told me as long as you have one rupee left in your own bank account don't ever ask anybody else for money for God's work I tell you I still have more than one rupee left in my bank account that's why you never have heard me and you never will hear me asking you to give money for God's work one day when my bank account comes to zero and I don't think that'll happen and I will ask you imagine if all the preachers in the world followed that rule I think Jesus followed it I can't imagine Jesus having money in his bag and telling fellows hey give money for God's work he'd used that first we admit our faith is not written by Jesus Christ it's written by today's worldly preachers Jesus is the author of my faith and I got it from Scripture I didn't get it read from reading Christian books or watching Christian television I tell you the devil knows that today's Christians don't know the Bible I thank God that I study the Bible so that I could get my faith from Jesus I got a clear picture in my mind of how Jesus lived his earthly life and not only Jesus these great men like Noah it says here with reverence he had a reverence for God and I want to encourage you my brothers and sisters if you want to live wholeheartedly for the in for God the last days learn reverence learn to respect God I recently said a circular to all the elders of our church is saying see there's reverence in the songs that you sing in your churches there's a lot of worldly songs that have come into the church what do I mean by worldly written by people who don't have reverence themselves for God written by people are more interested in money I mean tell me this honestly would you rather listen to a preacher who you know is only preaching to get your money or for money and it will only preach a sermon if he thinks he can copyright that sermon and make some money out of it and royalty out of every so many preachers would you rather listen to a preacher like that or someone who says hey this is free man you don't have to pay for anything there's no copyright on it you can go and preach it somewhere else who which of these two do you think would have a word from God well you can while you're thinking about that I'll tell you something else I know clearly which of those two men will have a word from God which of these two songwriters would you like someone who's devoted to God and wrote a song because of his devotion to God he doesn't put any copyright on and he says I don't want in royalty this is for everybody to sing man anybody can publish in singing for the glory of God or a person who writes three four lines in a chorus three of those lines are repeated five times and it says I'm going to charge a royalty on this every book that ever publishes these four lines they're going to pay me royalty and every CD that ever uses these songs got me pay be royalty you think that guy is likely more to have a word from God in his songs you gotta be off your head I'm not off my head I know who's likely to be more inspired that's why I like the old hymns written by people who never made money out of it people like Fanny Crosby and Charles Wesley wrote thousands of hymns and never made any money out of it today fellow writes four lines of a chorus and he's making money out of it what's that and the other thing a lot of these sentimental love songs to Jesus hold me close never let me go you don't know who they're singing it to by these half converted Cowboys who wrote love songs to their girlfriends in the old days and now writing it to Jesus just see whether the spirit of reverence in it see there's a spirit of reverence that brings you close to God or just makes you sentimental frothy type of emotion to Jesus that makes you think your love Jesus with teary eyed singing for three hours and Sunday morning and you go and watch internet pornography on Monday why that's sentimental rubbish if you really love Jesus you'll keep his Commandments he said that he said in John 14:15 if you love me keep my Commandments that's reverence I want to sing songs that have reverence that bring me close to God on Sunday and keep me close to God on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday that's reverence in reverence you know what he did when Noah in reverence it says here Hebrews 11 sent he prepared an ark he decided hey I'm gonna I'm gonna live for building the church that didn't mean he gave up his earthly living nor was a full-time working for God but he supported himself he still took care of his farm so that he had food for his family and for himself he supported himself and he served the Lord are they going to be people like Noah in the last days and first of all I like this first of all for the salvation of my family that's what it says then read your Bible first of all for the salvation of his family I hope you're interested in the salvation of your family if your children are not saved if they are not born again if they are not becoming disciples of Jesus my dear brother let me tell you the truth fathers especially it's probably because you're not too serious about it take the blame don't say my son is like this my daughter's like this huh huh what about you you're not serious about them what see you are saying hey be telling his wife Hashem is like this and ham is like that Japheth like that well it won't listen to me you think Noah would tell his wife that rubbish no he was the head of his home he didn't let his three sons just wander off whichever way they liked he didn't let his sons go and wander around play the fool with other worldly friends in his days and lose their salvation he wanted the circle to be unbroken I like that song will your suck will the circle be unbroken by and by by and by you know like the pictures of a Family Circle where father and mother and children are all holding hands whether you have two or three or four children were holding hands and standing in a circle and then we stand with a circle in heaven and there's a gap there and there's a gap there hey what happened to those two what happened to our son and our daughter there in hell will the circle be unbroken in heaven I want the circle to be unbroken I decided that years ago my wife and I had four sons and we decided that if our four sons are not going to follow the Lord was he was my preaching going around preaching and telling other people to be saved and if those four sons don't marry believers what she is my going around preaching to other people you know Noah had three sons and he got them married to god-fearing women he was the head of his home he didn't just let his son marry anybody let it know they liked they were normal boys and they didn't like somebody know what is put down his put his foot down and said no no Shem you're not going to marry her sorry oh I wish we had fathers like that these days would keep their sons and daughters under them in the important things I'm not bothered about what dress they wear provided smartest indecent but I'm more interested in things that relate to life don't give up control of your home a lot of children would like to take control of their home from their parents Noah did not permit it that's why he saved his family that's why Noah circle was unbroken when they came out of the art when they came out of the ark all eight were there and when I get into heaven I want all my children and I want their wives and I want my grandchildren to there that's important for me it may not be important for you it is for me I hope it is for you why does God put us you know it's impossible for us to have a burden for the whole world God can do that because you've got a large heart we're small God puts us in small families so that we can take care of our own families and bring them to Christ every one of them make them disciples don't just be satisfied that there is their hand in some meaning my son is breaking bread great you know a lot of people who break bread will go to hell I have no doubt about it in my mind I'm not interested in your son or daughters breaking bread are the disciples of Jesus how do they live every day do you know what they're doing in their private life do you know what they're watching on the computer every day I hope you know do you know what type of CDs and DVDs they're watching you provided them the resources but what are they watching with that money you gave them I hope you know Noah prepared an art for the salvation of his family first and then by this process this is the praise I want you to see he condemned the world he condemned the world he said I have nothing more to do with this rotten old world I'm not going to live for this rotten old world is your way of life condemning the world when people see the way you live do they say hey this man's not much interested in this world he lives here he lives a normal life but this is not obviously not his home you know like foreigners who come to India you know by the way they live this is not their home they live here they may rent a house they may buy things and setter Exeter but you know their mind is back in their home because that's why they're gonna go there here for a short while maybe they've come for six months so three years or whatever it is but they this is not their home you know that they don them are citizens of India they're citizens of another country they've all is interested in knowing what's happening there they want to find out news about what's happening in their home country and but they live here that's exactly how a Christian is supposed to live and you know them and you meet a foreigner whose mind I don't mean by their appearance but their mind is you know that they're thinking of things back home and do people get that idea when they meet you hey this guy's a foreigner he lives here I mean they eat and drink and sleep and I have houses and everything and perhaps work here and get jobs but their mind is not here they condemn the world no was like that he lived a normal life but people around him his neighbors and also this guy's got his mind set on building an art is the craziest thing to do there's no see anywhere near here he's never rained for 2,000 years what's this guy talking about rain do you know there was no rain until Noah's time Bible says that in Genesis 2 and so to talk about a rain of water coming from heaven it's like are saying there's going to be a rain of fire one day God's gonna throw it on fire from heaven say it's never happened I know it's never happened but it's gonna happen and that Christ is going to come we better build a church you better make sure your families in the church better make sure that your heart is not weighted down with worldly cares that you use this world but don't make full use of it 1 Corinthians 7 there's a great verse about that for believers in our time 1 Corinthians in Chapter 7 it's talking about marriage but it's got some good words therefore for us it says here in verse 31 those who use this world as though they didn't make full use of it deal as sparingly as possible with the things of this world we need to use this world but don't get go and get occupied with it hmm because this world is not everything verse 29 I remember as a young man I wrote this on a piece of paper and stuck it on my table the time is short the time is short and verse 35 attend with undistracted devotion to the Lord putting those two verses together I put verse 29 verse 35 together the time is short give your undistracted devotion to the Lord I've had that before my mind for many years and I hope I hope I'll keep it all my life the time is short give your undistracted devotion to the Lord it doesn't mean you shouldn't get married it doesn't mean you shouldn't have a job it means don't get drunk with it like a people know the difference between taking one cup of homemade wine and getting drunk there's a world of difference between the two in the same way there's a world of difference between using the world and getting drunk with the world we have to use the world jesus used it Jesus used money he had a house in Capernaum but it wasn't that wasn't everything to him somebody broke open the roof of his house ones and lured somebody to be healed I didn't disturb Jesus not at all you read that mark chapter 2 you know I can imagine those people coming outside and seeing the crowded house in Jesus and so how to get in and somebody says hey let's take the tires off one of the owners say oh it's Jesus man you won't be bothered with all that he'll he'll be more interested in healing somebody not that his house got ruined and you know those people walked away without even repairing the house have you noticed that in that place who repaired it Jesus the carpenter he went and fixed it up later you could see that man's mind was not on this world is he the author of your faith are you more interested in saving souls than making sure that your house is part spick-and-span let's pray it's so important to be ready for the last days don't just take this as a sermon that stirred you but say Lord I want to be ready for the last days help me to be alert Jesus name Amen

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Keywords: Zac, Poonen, Revival, Repent, God, Sermons, Jesus, SermonIndex

Id: MvWGDbDbgOM

Length: 58min 47sec (3527 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 01 2009