Desiring Jesus Alone Always — Zac Poonen

Seeking Jesus as the Light of the Christian Life

So, we have come to the last session and we have been thinking about the Lord showing us light to show us the way. There is a word that Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 11. When I was speaking to the young people earlier today, I told them the importance of being the light of the world.

It's a wonderful thing when you are young to begin to burn as a light. John the Baptist was just a few months older than Jesus, maybe six months older than Jesus. He died much before Jesus died. So, he must have been only 31 or 32 when he died.

But Jesus described him as a burning and a shining light. And he burned until the end. And that is God's will for all of us. But I will tell you what I have seen in Christendom in the last more than 40 years.

The Need for Enduring Spiritual Fervor

And that is a warning for all of us. Not only in Christendom, but what I have seen in our churches also in the last 20 -30 years. Not only in Christendom, but what I have seen in our churches also in the last 20 -30 years.

It's very rare to see a brother burning and burning more and more and more until the end of his life. It's very rare to see a brother burning and burning more and more and more and more until the end of his life.

Most of the great preachers in this country, I don't have much respect for them. Most of the great preachers in this country, I don't have much respect for them. They are great preachers, very gifted.

But when I look at the character of Jesus, and compare them with that, I don't see those things. I'm not admiring a man because he's got a gift of preaching or healing. These things don't impress me. I know that 99 of Christians are impressed with all that.

I know that 99 of Christians are impressed with all that. I have never been interested in all that. I've heard great preachers and I've never wished that I could preach like them. But whenever I've seen a godly man, whether he can preach or not, godly woman or godly man, I wanted to be like them.

But they are very rare. People like Sadhu Sundar Singh and Mother Teresa and all are very rare. It was not their preaching. It's the way they lived until the end of their life. I'll tell you, Sadhu Sundar Singh and Mother Teresa and all may not have had light on so many wonderful truths that you and I have.

They never understood about New Covenant and New Covenant Church and all that. So, in terms of understanding, we have more understanding than even Sadhu Sundar Singh. But when you look at his life, I don't feel I have even 1 of his life.

It's people like that who have challenged me, not great preachers. Sadhu Sundar Singh used to say, I don't have any gift of healing. He always used to say that. But I've heard, when he walked by a house, he would pray for somebody sick, the person would be healed immediately.

No, passing by the road. Somebody asked him to pray for him. For somebody sick in the house. The person would be healed. But he himself would say, I don't have any gift of healing. That is the spirit of Christ.

Today, so many people boast of so many things and nothing happens. But even today, the people you see are boasting about so many things. But when you look at what is happening, it is very small. I want a good life.

Christlike Humility and Fellowship

I want a life where there is the humility of Christ. Humility to fellowship with everybody. You know, there was a fragrance that came out of Jesus' life. You know how nice it is to smell a perfume. Nowadays, all these many women have strong perfumes.

Even 50 yards away they walk, you can smell it. You can smell it and say, who is that? Oh, that is that lady walking there. See, imagine if we can have something, not that type of perfume which you just spray, but from your life of Christ coming forth.

That people come in touch with you and they taste humility. No desire to run their life or do anything like that. Just to help them. Serve them. Give them a word of encouragement. And not to desire anybody to be attached to us.

To connect them to Jesus. There are very few people like that. Most people want to get people attached to them. Admire them, attach to them. That's not the spirit of Christ. When I see a person like that, I have zero respect for it.

And you must not be fooled by somebody walking like this and acting humble. That's all deception and hypocrisy. Those are the biggest hypocrites. I've seen some people like that in our churches. I have zero respect for them.

Jesus didn't walk like this all the time. He walked with his head up. But he was the humblest man who walked on the earth. We must have an understanding of what humility is. It's not walking like this.

Walk with your head lifted up. But have no desire to have anybody attached to you. And don't be deceived by false pictures of Jesus. See we have this sacred heart where Jesus looks like this. He looks like a woman.

A woman with a beard. That's not Jesus. Jesus was bold. But he was humble. And if you keep him as your example, you will never go astray. When I was a young Christian, about 20 years old, and in the assembly which I was attending those days, I found people who knew the Bible very well.

Expound so many things from Old Testament, New Testament. Never met people who knew the Bible so well. But they used to get angry. Never talked about victory over sin. And I never saw Christ in their life.

Even though they were great Bible teachers. So I said, Lord, what shall I do? I'm like a young Timothy, I'm looking for some Paul to whom I can be close to and learn something. And I never found any. In the assembly where I was attending.

Looking Unto Jesus as the Way

So the Lord showed me the importance of this praise, looking unto Jesus. Run the race looking unto Jesus, it says in Hebrews 12 verse 2. And I saw there, that that is the whole secret of the Christian life.

Only look at Jesus. Don't look anywhere else. When we read there that, like we read in the verse behind us, the meek he will show the way. What is the way? The way is not a road. It's a person. Jesus said, I am the way.

So I look at him. He is the way. The more I look at him, keep on looking at him, I will progress in my Christian life. I will get more and more knowledge of the word. I will get more knowledge of God.

The light will burn brighter and brighter and brighter. I want to encourage all of you, you may in your local church, you may not find good examples. Yeah, somebody is an elder, but he may not be a Christ like elder.

And so many things in him, is a bit rough and all that. Well, don't get discouraged. Look at Jesus. He will never disappoint you. So that's what I decided to do, about 46 years ago. Very early in my Christian life.

And right till today, that's what I do. Look at Jesus all the time. Follow his example. You will never be discouraged. The light will get brighter and brighter and brighter. And you will never fall away.

The Danger of Money, Recognition, and Spiritual Pride

We have seen in our midst, in the past years, elders who have fallen away. And even around us in Christendom, we have seen people who are very fine godly men. And then they become well known preachers.

And they stop being like Jesus. Yesterday I heard of some well known preacher in Tamil Nadu. They invited him for a meeting. And he says, along with my first class train fare and hotel accommodation, you have to pay me 5000 rupees for every day's meeting.

So they said, can't invite him. These are well known people. And I'm sure if I mention the name, you will know the name also. 5000 rupees is the lower end. Other people are much higher. Are these people representing representatives of Jesus Christ?

No. If some Coca Cola company manager talks like that, I can understand. These are not representatives of Jesus Christ. They have fallen away long ago. There are only two gods in this world. Jesus Christ and money.

That's all. Jesus said that in Luke 16 .30. God and money. Two masters. And I'll tell you something. Most Christian preachers are serving money. But they are very gifted. Don't be deceived by that. You may not be serving money.

You may be serving honor. And you say, no, no, no, I'm not interested in money. I don't take any money from anybody. You have to seek honor from men. Exactly like seeking money. And it can be worse. Because you think you are more spiritual.

If you seek honor in your church, if you want people to respect you, you are not a disciple of Jesus. He never wanted any title. He never wanted any position. He never wanted honor from anybody. I want to say to you, look at Jesus.

And I'll tell you my testimony in 46 years. Very few people I have met in my life whom I could follow. When I get close to them, I find something which is not like Jesus there. Do you know what is the great need in Tamil Nadu and in India?

Listen, it's not for great preachers. We have got plenty of them. It's not for great healers. It's not for more Christian television programs and speakers. Tamil Nadu and India need to see more people who are like Jesus Christ.

That is what Mahatma Gandhi said when India became independent. They call him the father of the Indian nation. He had a great respect for Jesus Christ. Some Christians went to him when India became independent and said, do you have any message for India's Christians?

Gandhi said yes. Just tell Christians to live more like Jesus Christ. Imagine Mahatma Gandhi giving us an exhortation. Yeah, I take that exhortation to live more like Jesus Christ. I tell you, if all of us start living like that, don't look at the other believers around you.

Following Jesus Without Criticizing or Imitating Bad Examples

You young people, if you want to make full use of your life, don't look at your elder brothers if they are not good examples. I did not look at my elder brothers because they were not good examples for me.

I didn't despise them. I submitted to them in the local church. But I could not follow them because they were not examples for me. So, if your elder brother is not a good example, don't criticize him, don't despise him and don't follow him.

You got it? Don't criticize him, don't despise him, don't follow him because he is a bad example. There are very few really godly men in the land today. So, if you don't find one like that in your local church, look at Jesus.

That's what the Lord taught me. Look at Jesus. See His example. Say, Lord, I just want to follow that. And I have never been disappointed in all these years. I don't spend my time criticizing all the others.

I disagree. I say that doctrine is not right. Practice is not right. I don't take names and speak evil of people. You'll never hear that on any tape of mine because the Bible says don't speak evil of people.

So, you don't have to take names of people and speak evil of them. You read in Jesus' teachings? Do you ever hear him saying, see, Anas is like that, Caiaphas is like that? No. He spoke in general. All these fellows are generation of vipers.

Very strong words but he never took any names. That's how he was. We can follow his example that we can expose wrong ruthlessly but we don't have to speak evil of anybody. We disagree with a lot of things but we look at Jesus and especially in these days.

Keeping the Light from Becoming Darkness

Jesus said in Luke chapter 11 verse 34 He said the lamp of your body is your eye. When your eye is clear your whole body is full of light but if it's bad your whole body is full of darkness. Then listen to this.

Then listen to this verse. Luke chapter 11 verse 35. Watch out that the light which is now in you does not become darkness. Now you have some light make sure it doesn't become darkness one day. Make sure that this 2000 watt bulb does not become a zero watt bulb after some years.

Why did he give that warning? Because he knew it would happen in many cases. I have a favorite statement that I go around making nowadays. What is the easiest thing for God to do? To bless you. That is the easiest thing in the world.

Okay next question. What is the most difficult thing for God to do? To bless you and keep you humble after that. It is easier for him to create the universe. One word heavens were created. But haven't you seen that in your own life?

When God doesn't bless you it's very easy to be humble. You are defeated by sin. Everything is a mess. Problems in your home. Children are wayward. You are a very humble brother. But when God blesses you and blessing your church blessing your work blessing your home blessing your children blessing your ministry blessing your business that you are prospering financially also.

Oh ho! Then to keep you humble Father, Son and Holy Spirit try but it's so difficult. It is the most difficult thing for God to do. For brothers and sisters I remember in one place we appointed one brother as an elder.

So his wife came to my wife. Now see I'm elder's wife how should I conduct myself? My wife said whether you are elder's wife or not elder's wife you are still the same person what can you do? You have to be yourself that's all.

You know I have seen certain elder's wives it is like for them it is a position. Their head suddenly becomes little bigger. It's very difficult for God to keep a person humble I'll tell you that. Supposing you bring somebody to Christ and you brought that person to the church and he becomes a good member in the church and you always think I brought that person to the church and he is a good member in the church see how difficult it is for God to make you forget even a simple thing like that.

Or supposing you went and prayed for somebody and next day it became alright Oh! Can you imagine what the size of your head will be after that? Look in the mirror you'll see it's not the same size. Because somebody had 99 degrees fever it came down to 98.

Enough for you. It is so difficult for God to keep us humble. Why am I saying that? Because that is how the light becomes darkness. It is impossible for the light to become darkness if a man is growing in humility.

You know just like we grow in years if you are 35 this year next year you'll be 36 so if you can grow in humility also like that year by year by year that means you are going down and down and down in humility then you'll never darkness will never come into your life.

Fellowship With Humble Believers

But how can you do that? If you walk with a humble person then you will learn how to become humble. There was a godly man who said this if you touch this tar which is on the roads it is very difficult to get it off your hand.

He says it is like that if you fellowship with a proud man you get that pride into yourself and it will leave you. But if you walk with a humble man everyday and the people you admire are not great preachers but humble people that you see a great preacher and you have no desire to preach like him but you see a humble man and you say oh I want to be like him because all of us can't preach like other people because we are not called for that but all of us can be humble like somebody else because all of us are called for that so what is the secret?

You must walk with some humble person everyday and the best person to walk with is Jesus and you can walk with him everyday that is what I have tried to do for many years everyday for the past so many years I have just looked at the life of Jesus and just seen the beauty of his humility and the way he lived on earth and I have just walked with him.

You can walk with him too if you find some good example on earth follow that example also like Paul said follow me as I follow Christ but if you don't find a good example then look at Jesus only and then you will never fall away because he is the way see what it says in Revelation 3 verse 21 it says here I want you to read this very carefully because I am going to ask you a question.

So read this carefully. Tell me what excites you about this verse. See he who overcomes I will grant him to sit down with me on my throne as I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. Ok tell me quickly what is the thing that excites.

Desiring Jesus Above Heaven's Rewards

You know the answer. Because you heard me so many times. See many people the thing that excites them is on his throne. What excites me is with me not the throne with me. He will be with me. I told the lord once I said lord if I am with you I am ready to go to hell.

Also because if you are there it will not be hell anymore. It will be heaven. I am not interested in a throne. I want to be with you. You know it says in John 14 that Jesus has gone to make mansions for us.

What will I do with a big 20 bedroom house in heaven. What. Sit there lonely and show everybody. See I was so faithful on earth. So I got 20 bedroom house here. No you can have it. You can take it. I want to be with Jesus even on the streets.

This is all pictures the lord uses about mansions and crown and all that. These crowns and the mansions and all that. These are all that Jesus uses. Do you think we are going to go with crowns in heaven.

I am not going to show. See I got bigger crown than you. I got 3 crowns. You got only 1. You are stupid. We are going to cast all our crowns at the feet of Jesus. It's going to be with him. That's the greatest thing in heaven.

I don't want to sit on a throne there like some king. It's all picture language mansions crown throne streets of gold. I am not interested in those things. To me the most wonderful thing about heaven is I am going to be with Jesus.

You can have all my crowns and mansions and everything. Take it all all the roads of gold you can take. I want to be with Jesus. What about you. You know the Psalm 73. I wrote this verse in my bible 45 years ago 46 years ago.

And this is what I held true in my life for 46 years. Whom have I in heaven but thee. Psalm 73 verse 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee. No mansion no crown no streets of gold. But you lord. You know there is a song in English where one line goes like this.

My lord my lord he is my bride groom. And I am the bride. It says even in an earthly marriage the bride does not look at her dress but her beautiful bride groom's face. You know where a bride and bride groom really love each other and they are getting married.

I am talking about a real love marriage. I am not against love marriage. I will tell you that I believe we need to have a lot more love in our marriages than we have right now. So the bride really looks at her bride groom's face and she is so happy that she can marry this man.

The song says the bride does not look at her dress. That's the wedding. She is not saying oh what a beautiful dress I have got. She is looking at her bride groom's face. And in this song it says when I stand with my lord I will not look at the glory that has come into my body.

That now I can fly through the air. I can go through the walls and all that. No I am not going to look at all that. I am going to look at my bride groom's face on my saviour. Is it like that for you. Many people when they think of heaven they say oh well when will we get rid of this wretched world.

I can live a comfortable life. I have got a small cottage there. I will have a big mansion. You are going to be very disappointed if you are going to heaven to look for all that. I am not going to be disappointed because I am not looking for those things.

Be with Jesus. Be with my bride groom whom I have walked with for so many years on earth without seeing his face properly. Then I will see him. There will be no time for me to look at mansions or crowns or glory or anything for all eternity.

I will just be looking at his glory and looking at his face. Whom have I in heaven. But thee. I am not even going to look at any reward that I get. You know it is true the lord will give a reward. But I know when I get my reward for my service to him.

You know what I will tell the lord. I will say lord there were many people in Tamil Nadu who prayed for me. This reward belongs to them too. It is not only for me. You got to share it with them. There were many people who supported me prayed for me and were my co-workers.

They are all deserving this reward. It is not just me. They supported me. That's why I never fell away for so many years. So I value my co-workers very highly. And I will value them in heaven too. And I will tell the lord that my wife I value her very highly.

So there is no time even to look at the reward. Whom have I in heaven. But thee. That's all. And on earth. What do you read there in psalm 73 25. I desire nothing on earth beside thee. Can you say that.

Desiring Nothing on Earth but Christ

If a man could say that under the old covenant without the holy spirit without knowing Jesus without the new testament like we have it. How much more we should be able to say that today. This is the really spiritual man.

Lord I desire nothing but you on earth. I don't desire to be an elder brother. I don't desire ministry. I don't desire honor. I don't desire more comfortable life. What you have given me is enough. I desire nothing on earth.

I am not even asking that. You will make my life a little easier with all the troubles I have today. You know when people filed three court cases against me because they didn't like what I preached in the beginning I prayed lord to remove those court cases.

No I don't even pray that. I said lord that's up to you. I only desire you and all the troubles I have. If you want to keep it keep it. If that's good for me praise the lord. But I want only you. Sometimes we concentrate so much on our troubles.

See as I get older my body is not as healthy as it was twenty years ago. I don't have sicknesses. But there are aches and pains and things like that. When you get older I don't even say lord remove my back ache or things like that.

I say lord only you. That's enough. And other things. You give it you give it. It doesn't matter to me. I desire nothing on earth but you. I'm not desiring healing. I'm not desiring more money better job better house.

There are so many preachers today telling you come to Jesus. He'll give you better job better scooter better car. I'll tell you you come to Jesus. He'll give you himself. Is that enough for you. Or you want scooter and house and all that also you know in the old testament there was a group of people called the Levites and the lord told them in chapter 18 of numbers.

Christ as the Believer's Inheritance

The lord told the sons of Aaron in numbers chapter 18 they were the most outstanding servants of God in those days. They were priests. And Aaron is a picture of Jesus Christ and his sons are a picture of us.

So remember that Aaron is a picture of Christ and his sons are a picture of all of us. The lord said to Aaron in numbers 18 and verse 20. Listen to this. You will have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them.

You will have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them. Listen to this. The lord is saying Israel has got 12 tribes 12 children of sons of Jacob. So when you go into Canaan I am not going to divide the land of Canaan into 12.

I am going to divide it into 11 supposing your father had 12 children and he tells you my son. I am going to divide all my property into 11 and I will give it to all the other children. And you say daddy what are you going to give me.

I will give you myself. Will you be happy. That's what Jesus told. That's what the lord told Aaron. I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. All the other 11 tribes will have property.

You one tribe you will have me tell me who is the richest tribe there tribe of Levi. Do you want that. Or you want to listen to all these preachers who will tell you come to Jesus and he will give you this.

He will give you that he will give you all these earthly things. That's only the beginning of their message. End of the message is if you want Jesus to give you all that please put some money in the offering box.

Then only you will get it. That is the seed you have to put. If you put the seed you will get the fruit. And you will get the same type of fruit as the seed you get. You put little bit of seed. You will get only little bit of harvest.

You want a big harvest of money. Put more money in here and see these five people here who are going to give you testimony how much they put and see what they got. Jesus also spoke about seed. He said if the seed falls into the ground and dies that will be the.

He is not talking about money. He is talking about dying to my self life. That is the seed we need fall into the ground and die and another life will come forth. You won't get a better scooter. But you will get a better life.

Which do you want. Aaron would have said Lord that is wonderful. Let the other people have the property. You give me yourself. That is what I said to the Lord. I have always taken that position everywhere.

Lord you are enough for me. The other things if I get it won't make me any more happy. I remember many years ago somebody gave me a gift some money. I said thank you. And after he went away and I took the money the Lord asked me a question are you happy that you got some money.

I said Lord I am ashamed that I am happy because I got some money. Please deliver me from this that nobody can increase my happiness by giving me a gift. Because my happiness is in Jesus somebody can give me a gift.

Thank you brother. We seek a blessing for him. It doesn't make me any more happy because my joy is full in the Lord. If you fill a vessel with water how can you put more water inside. It's impossible.

Psalm 16 .11 says in his presence there is fullness of joy. How can you add more joy than by putting money. Then if somebody can give you money and make you have more joy that means your joy was not full.

That proves that you are not in the presence of the Lord. Psalm 5 .16 .11 says in his presence there is fullness of joy. If I am living in the presence of the Lord the jug is full full of joy. You put money.

It cannot increase the joy. If somebody steals my money. That's also happened to me. I have lost money even in my business. I have lost money and I say Lord that cannot take away my joy. People cannot add to my joy by giving me a gift.

It cannot take away my joy by taking away something from me. Then I know I am living in the presence of God even if you don't get there in one day. I say Lord this is the life I want. I did not reach there in one day but I struggled.

And every time if I got a gift and I was happy I say Lord forgive me. I am happy. Have you ever repented of becoming happy. I have repented of becoming happy Lord. I am happy with money. I have repented of becoming sad when I lost some money.

I have battled battled battled battled and I say Lord I want to come to the place where I will never become happy with more money and never become sad if I lose some money because I desire nothing on earth but you.

Walking Daily With Jesus

I want to tell you that is why my life has been very happy all these years. To me the most wonderful thing is not ministry. It is just walking with Jesus everyday. When I wake up in the morning I don't get out of bed too quickly.

I talk to Jesus for a long time. It's the best time of the day. Everything is quiet. You can talk to your bride groom and not stall all your cares on him. I want to encourage all of you to live like that everyday because I'll tell you the days are going to be evil.

There are many false gospels being preached and the only way you can be saved from all that. If you say Lord Jesus I desire nothing but you. You will never have a complaint against a brother after that.

I don't have any complaint against anybody because I don't desire anything on earth. Why do you have complaints. You feel you want your husband must be a better man. As long as you have that complaint you'll be unhappy.

If you say Lord Jesus I've got you. I wish my husband will be better but I've got you. That's a great thing. You'll never have a complaint against your husband. Some of you are hoping one day your wife will become a better wife.

You'll be disappointed supposing next week next month she becomes worse. Then what happens. I want to show you a better way. Say to Jesus I desire nothing but you on this earth. And you may discover your wife becomes better.

Your husband becomes better your problems get solved. Everything gets better because you didn't desire those things. You seek the Lord the Lord adds these other things. Then your light will never become dim.

Finishing the Christian Race Well

But your light will be like it says in Proverbs 4 in verse 12. Sorry. Verse 18 Proverbs 4 18 the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter brighter brighter until the final day.

It says in Hebrews 13 verse 7. Remember those who led you who spoke the word of God to you. And then it says consider the end of their life. Consider how they finish their life. So you know in the Olympic games there is no prize for starting well.

Prize gold medal is for the fellow who finished well. 1 Corinthians 9 it says run so that you can win. Many of you have started well. Follow the light. Follow Jesus. And say Lord. I want to finish well.

Lets pray.