God our Father loves us as He loved Jesus — Zac Poonen

Serving the Body Through Holiness

We're not fulfilling God's purpose, so it's not just that I live a holy life, and I overcome sin. That's good. That's the beginning, but the purpose of a hand being healthy is so that it serves the body.

The purpose of every part of our body being healthy to be free from sin is to be healthy. What is the purpose of being healthy. Serve the body. God bless you okay?

We may go ahead now attend the conference from the other side of the curtain and not to be a distraction sitting in front of All of you, but I'm so thankful for this conference and God's Word. And I've been blessed attending this conference, and it's great to see you both churches.

Yeah, yeah, God bless you all.

The Father Loves Disciples as He Loved Jesus

Yeah, I want to say to all of you that What I said earlier in the question-answer session the church is a three-story building the foundation is God loves us as he loved Jesus Christ. John 17 23. Never forget that if you're a disciple John 17 23 is for you.

Earlier on in John 17 8 or 9 Jesus said I'm not praying for the world. I'm praying for the disciples. I want the world to know that father you love them as you love me. It's a very important verse for you to see John 17 Verse 23 you must never forget it all your life.

But if you stop being a disciple at any time that verse is not for you. I'll tell you why because Jesus said in verse 9. I'm praying on their behalf. I'm not praying for people in the world, but those whom you have given me I'm praying for them so the moment a person goes out into the world this prayer does not apply to them very clear in Verse 9 Jesus did not pray for the world.

He was praying for his disciples here and What does he want his disciples? What did the what does he want the father? What's he praying to the father for for his disciples see verse 23 the last part? I want these disciples to be perfect in unity so that the world may know that you sent me.

That's one thing there are many people proclaiming that God sent his son. That's one truth. But what about the second truth that you love these disciples of mine as much as you have loved me. There were some questions about fear and anxiety.

Freedom From Insecurity Through the Father's Love

Here is the solution you know for nearly 16 -17 years of my life after I was born again I was defeated defeated defeated just like many believers until I came to this verse. I was so insecure I was I was a very shy person and very insecure always wanting to Prove that I'm someone whenever you want to prove to others that you're someone it means you're insecure.

But once I found that my father in heaven loved me exactly like they loved Jesus Christ after that listen to me. I had no more desire to prove anything to anybody. I didn't have to prove to people that I'm spiritual or Any that I'm anointed or baptized in the Holy Spirit everything disappeared because it was only my father's Opinion about me that mattered after that.

That's a wonderful place to come to where you're not concerned about what anybody in the world thinks about you only the father. Boy, what a liberation it brought into my life even when I preached in the olden days I was listening once to a sermon of mine, which I preached about 45 years ago, and my own sermon and It was in a conference somewhere, and when I heard it I said boy is that me it is so obvious when I listened to it that I was trying to impress all the people sitting there.

So clear to me. I said Lord. I'm ashamed of the way. I spoke 45 years ago. The message hasn't changed. I was preaching about victory even then. But I was so eager to impress the audience because I was only 33.

I was young. I didn't have a mentor. I didn't have anybody to correct me or guide me. But I thank God that all of that disappeared when I discovered this truth my father in heaven Loves me. Exactly like he loved Jesus Christ.

And like the birth of Jesus was planned in Bethlehem at a particular year. Even the year was planned. My birth was also planned by God at a particular year in 1939 in a particular place in God's mind and I want to say to you all of you if you really want to be a disciple of Jesus.

And you're I'm not asking you're perfect when I began to understand this about 40 years ago. I was not perfect. I'm not perfect even today. I'm pressing on to perfection. But when I began to understand this I had a real desire to be a hundred percent disciple that was clear.

I didn't want to please any man. I didn't want to live for the world. I wanted to earn my living support myself and live for Jesus Christ. That's all. I had no worldly ambitions. No ambition in the church also to be a great preacher or a great man.

I had no ambition even to plant one single church. I only said Lord. I want to please you. That's all I remember reading this verse once with Jesus the father said about Jesus at his baptism. This is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased and I looked up to heaven and I said father.

Can you say that about me? This is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased. That's all I want If you give that one sentence Every day of my life. I promise you I will not ask for money. I will not ask for comfort.

I will not ask for even help. I will only ask that Every day of my life you can say you're pleased with me. My life became secure. It's like coming on to a rock foundation. That is why I say this verse must be the foundation of your life.

Loving Jesus Above Family, Self, and Possessions

Never go away from here and to have this verse as a foundation of your life. You must be a disciple. That means you must love Jesus more than all your relatives secondly more than yourself and Thirdly more than all your wealth and earthly properties and your job and everything.

You don't have to give up your job or your wealth. You have to love Jesus more than your wealth. You don't have to give up your love for your relatives, but you must love Jesus more than all of them. You will not let them interfere in your following the Lord.

I decided that I'm gonna love Jesus more than all my relatives. And if they get offended with me, God bless them. I'm not gonna be bothered and as this is more difficult I'm gonna love Jesus more than myself, which means if somebody insults me I'm not gonna respond if somebody insults Jesus Christ like taking money from poor people in his name.

Then I'm gonna respond real hard and strong, but I will not respond if they insult me. I see that my Savior when they spat on his face. He never responded when they called him the devil. He said you're forgiven, but the moment he saw people making money in the name of religion boy He took a whip and chased them out when he saw the hypocrites the Pharisees trying to rule over others.

He said to them ruthlessly you will never escape the damnation of hell. What I learned from Jesus is he did not love himself. He loved the Father's glory and I say that's how I want to live and I want to say to all of you.

Please live like that and you will be a tremendous asset to your local church. I remember when we started the Lord asked me if you're all alone and everybody leaves you. Will you still stand up for these truths you're preaching?

I said sure I don't care if I'm the only family in the whole of India me and my wife. We will stand for you because we have seen the reality of it. If it's only theory you won't be able to stand. That is why I often tell people who listen to me.

Receiving Truth Directly From God

Please remember that everything you are hearing from me is secondhand. I have heard and received something from God which has blessed me and I am passing it on to you. It is correct. You trust me so much that you know that I won't try to fool you or bluff you or deceive you.

But I don't want anything from anybody but it is still secondhand even if it is 100 true. It is still secondhand you have to take this truth before the Lord. Take your time and go before the Lord and say Lord.

I heard something today that challenged me, but it is secondhand. I want to bring it before you and I want you to make it first and make this truth. Which brother Zack understood from you make me understand it directly from you.

Also, see I've also everything that I've understood. I've also initially got it secondhand. I got it from Paul. I got it from John this gospel, which I just read it was written by John. John only wrote this chapter John 17 23.

So I can say I got it secondhand from John the Apostle, but I said Lord I don't want to live on John the Apostle's word. I want you to convert it to me and he converted it for me so that I now believe.

Even if the Bible is destroyed, I know in my heart God loves me as he loved Jesus. That's what I mean by I know it firsthand. So you heard something from me it is the truth because I showed it to you in Scripture.

Ask God to make it real to you. What does it mean to be based on this foundation that God loves me as he loved Jesus, you know the practical Results of that that means like I said God knew where you were going to be born.

God’s Care in Danger and Daily Life

When you were going to be born and you know I saw many things from there that when Jesus they tried to kill him when he was a baby God warned Joseph to take away Jesus from Bethlehem to Egypt and The comfort I got from that was that if people are trying to harm you or hurt you, don't worry I will in advance I will make a fool of them.

I will take you away from the place of danger so that you're not there when they come to hurt you boy I've actually experienced that more than once so it's wonderful. And then you think of many other things that happen in the life of Jesus.

As he struggled to earn his living as a carpenter and so many lessons He learned in the carpenter shop the Lord said I would all he would teach me also many lessons in daily life. Not it as a preacher and the ordinary things of life as you try to earn your living in a difficult world.

I'm sure Jesus found it very. Not difficult, but he had to discipline himself in expenditure. He was not a millionaire. He was not a very rich man in Nazareth. There were rich people in Israel but he was a poor carpenter and he had he had four younger brothers two sisters and a widowed mother to take care of and He had to earn his living and support them.

Family of eight, and I'm sure he went through many struggles. He had to cut down expenditure. Cut down some expenditure there in order to live within his income. That was an education that Jesus had when he was Working in the carpenter shop in Nazareth and the Lord taught me the same thing.

When I was having very little in the early days 40 years ago my wife and I were very very poor and we learned like Jesus to cut our expenditure never to get into debt and Just like God blessed Jesus. He blessed me because I knew he loved me as he loved Jesus.

It makes a tremendous difference in your life. And when we had children and our needs increased our Supply from God also increased in amazing ways. So, I'm sure when there were greater needs or sudden needs in Nazareth I'm sure in some way that Maybe Jesus got more orders.

From people in his carpenter shop to make a few more chairs or tables and he made some money that way God takes care of. That it's amazing what God can do in a business if a man is determined to honor him.

What God can do for a person in this in his family, you know, it's amazing what God can do. So there are many things like that that I don't know whether you remember a number of places in the Gospels.

We read that they tried to capture Jesus, but they couldn't do it. And what is the reason was it because they were not strong enough? They would come with soldiers and policemen and Jesus was all alone.

But they couldn't capture him because it says his hour had not yet come. That's all. That means God's time for him to die had not yet come. That's all another place. We read after his first sermon in Nazareth, that's a wonderful passage.

Jesus’ Rejection at Nazareth and God’s Protection

I want you to see this Luke chapter 4 in Luke's Gospel chapter 4 these are the very precious passages of my of Scripture where really blessed my heart because when I discovered that God loved me as he loved Jesus I said, okay.

Let me see how God cared for Jesus. He'll care for me also like that Luke chapter 4 it says that Jesus stood up in the Synagogue in Nazareth in verse 16 and they gave him the book of the Prophet Isaiah and he opened it and turned to chapter 61 and Isaiah Luke chapter 4 verse 18.

He read something and then he said the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing verse 21 and the people verse 22 Appreciated his message verse 22. They wondered it says here are the gracious words.

And they said isn't this Joseph's son the carpenter, but what an anointed way? He's speaking and then Jesus changed the subject. He said do you know in verse 25 there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah?

But none of them got help in the famine time of famine, but it was a widow in Zarephath. Which is non-israeli town a Gentile. That means a non Jew. God sent Elijah to those non-jewish people one example second verse 27 second example.

There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha verse 27, but none of them got healed but one foreigner non-jew Syrian Naaman he comes and gets healed as soon as they heard that see how the mood of the people changed.

They were so happy in verse 22, but by then you come to verse 28. You're filled with anger. Why the anger what did Jesus say? He said don't think God is only interested in the Jewish people. He's also interested in the non-jewish people and that made them furious because they thought oh We are the only ones whom God cares for on the face of the earth.

That can be a conceited opinion that many people have we are the only ones whom God will bless. It's a lot of rubbish. God loves everybody and he wants the gospel to go to everyone. So when you say that God loves Those non-jewish people also like the Syrian leper Naaman and the Zarephath widow.

They got very angry and they got so angry. It says they took Jesus verse 29 out of the city. To the top of the hill to throw him down and kill him. Can you imagine a crowd of 200 people coming out of the synagogue capturing this one man and saying come on?

We're gonna take you and what happens verse 30. He quietly passed through that midst and went away. How in the world could that happen? That's really amazing. So I've used my imagination a bit. How did that happen?

I said maybe those 200 people got into an argument over. Which cliff shall we throw him over? The cliff on that side or this side or this side and there was a big argument as to which cliff to throw him over.

And while this argument was going on Jesus quietly walked away. And when they finally decided which cliff to throw Jesus over he wasn't there. God has got a sense of humor the way he Delivered Jesus there.

It says he quietly passed by and went away. Amazing. Now my question is What comes to me if 200 people catch me one day because they're not happy with my preaching. And what would throw me over a cliff or throw me to the lions or into the fire or whatever it is.

Do I believe that in some way the God who? Delivered Jesus will also deliver me because my time has not come. When the time has come we are ready to go. All was protected through so many beatings and imprisonments and sicknesses and Hammerings that he got but he never died.

But one time when he was 67 years old when Nero finally captured him and wanted to behead him. They took him up to that place and he was beheaded his time had come. The same way with Jesus when the time came for him to be crucified.

God allowed the Roman soldiers who had tried so many times to capture him. They captured him that day and killed him. So this is a great encouragement to me. I say Lord that means if I walk in your will I will never die till my life's work is accomplished.

And once my life's work is accomplished I don't want to stay a single day in this rotten older. Definitely not. Why would I want to stay one day in this rotten older if my work for God is accomplished?

But you know, so many people are afraid will I get cancer will somebody hurt me will this thing happen that thing happen? You know what the solution to that is John 17 23 be a disciple and believe that God loves you.

Just like he loved Jesus if it is written about Jesus. They could not capture him not because they were not strong enough because his time had not come. It will be written about me that nobody can harm me because that's time has not come.

Oh, I've already experienced there are people who tried to put me in jail. Because of my religious convictions or I stood for but my time has not come it can't happen. Nothing can happen to me without my father's permission.

I want all of you to have that conviction. That is the foundation of our Christian life. Absolutely solid foundation and so many many things in Jesus life. He never ran short, you know, for example First 30 years.

Trusting God for Provision

He was a carpenter and he was earning his living working hard. But then he went into what we would call full-time work for God and when you go into full-time work for God. Nowadays every pastor gets a salary and if you're a traveling preacher.

You keep collecting offerings from whichever church you go to or you send regular prayer reports to all your prayer partners. And they send you money to your bank account, but Jesus never did anything of that.

How is he going to support himself and then on top of that? He selected 12 disciples some of whom like Peter had a family and how in the world was Jesus going to Support these people not only himself, but Peter and Peter's family back home.

Peter would have to send money for his family because he had given up his fishing. There was no more income for the family and John and James are also fishermen. I Many of the disciples were married. We read in 1 Corinthians 9 that almost all the disciples were married and they had to support.

Peter was definitely married when he became a disciple, but the Lord provided. How did the father provide for Jesus? That's another thing. It may not apply to all of you because you're not full-time workers.

You are in a secular job, but it can apply to you also in another way. What happens if one day you lose your secular job and other jobs are not available. You'll have to struggle. I know in Australia you have some social security that will take care of you.

But in India, we don't even have that. We'll have to trust in the Lord a lot of people in Australia and Europe and all trust in the government. We are in a much more blessed position in India because we don't have any government to trust in.

We have to trust in God. You may think your position is more blessed. I'm sorry to say it is not. It is more blessed to be in India and trust in God alone. The Bible says in Jeremiah 17 verse 5. Do you know that verse great verse.

Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 5. Jeremiah 17 and verse 5. Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind or who trusts in the government to take care of him and Make some human being his source of strength. He will be like a bush Dry in the desert like the stony waste in the wilderness.

But we're seven blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. He will be like a tree planted by the water that always bears fruit 12 months of the year that never becomes dry always green and will never Cease to yield fruit even verse 8.

It says when the there's a drought in the country. That's okay. There can be a drought in the country. But the tree says in verse 8 my roots are going into the river here. The drought is out there, but my roots are in the river and that's what we say.

There can be a lot of problems outside, but my roots are in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit and in the father in heaven. So we don't trust in the Lord. We don't trust in government. We don't trust in man and Jesus is a full-time worker.

Who do you think was going to support him the full-time scribes and all in the synagogue was supported by the other Jews? Who would support Jesus. Jesus preaching was so radical and hitting out at people that even those who supported him would stop supporting him.

He didn't he didn't tone down his message to please people so that they would give him money. Never and I've never done that in all the years. We've had CSE or even before but I'll tell you God is sovereign and God can move people's hearts to provide.

Jesus’ Example of Financial Dependence

Think of a man like Jesus Who's got 12 disciples to feed and clothed for three and a half years and feed some of their families? It's a huge amount of money and he would never send a prayer letter never announced in a meeting.

Will you guys support me never take a collection after he preached even after he healed the sick. He would not take a collection. What an example. We follow that example in all our hundred CFC churches and we have followed it for 42 years.

We never take an offering with none of our elders more than a hundred elders. None of them get a salary. They are all Supporting themselves with me. Also, I've been in CFC Bangalore for 42 years never taken a cent from them.

So this way I'm not saying anything special. Paul was like that and Jesus we follow Jesus example of never making our needs known to anybody. The Bible does say that a Laborer who serves the Lord is worthy to be supported.

That's right. So if people give him gifts, it's right for him to take it, but he should not ask for it. Number one, he should not expect it and he should not depend on it. He must support himself, but if somebody gives him a birthday gift or something like that, he can take it.

Paul also sometimes people gave him a gift. He took it, but he was not dependent on gifts and he never took a salary and Jesus was like that. I want to show you Luke chapter 8. Luke's gospel chapter 8.

See, this is all to show you how when the father loves you like he loves Jesus. He will do the same thing for you which he did for him. Why not see Luke chapter 8 it says here. There were certain women who and others who followed Jesus and it says in verse 3.

Luke 8 verse 3 Joanna the wife of Kuza Herod's steward that means Herod's palace manager and Susanna and many others were Contributing to the support of Jesus and his disciples from their private resources.

So they pulled out their savings and gave some money to Jesus. He never asked for it, but God moved their hearts and said you people have been blessed by Jesus ministry. Give him something and imagine Herod's palace manager.

He was probably not a convert himself, but his wife verse 3 his wife must have said can we give some money to Jesus? He said sure and that must have been a huge amount of money because he must have been earning a massive salary as Herod's palace manager so I'm just trying to tell you how God has his ways of Supporting those who trust him for all their needs and Jesus is the first example of that.

He never asked anybody he never depended on anyone, but I'm sure he lived very simply. He never lived in expensive hotels. No, let me give you another example in John chapter 7. Here's a great example of how Jesus lived in John chapter 7 because he's our example.

Jesus’ Simplicity and Contentment

He's the first body of Christ. We read of a time when Jesus came to the temple and in the temple John 7 37 he was getting up and preaching and Saying if anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink and many people appreciated him saying in verse 40 This is certainly the Prophet.

This is the Messiah verse 41. But others had a doubt and there was a division was 43 and at that time Some of them wanted to capture him verse 44. But no one could capture him why because his time had not come and then the officers who want to capture him went back to The priests and said they also why didn't you bring him?

He says boy never no man has ever spoken like this man. And then we read further at the end of the day. Listen to this verse at the end of the day late in the evening verse 53 Everybody went back to their own home next verse, but Jesus you should combine those are actually one sentence.

Everybody went to their own home, but Jesus chapter 8 verse 1 went to the Mount of Olives. I meditate on that words. Jesus was not living in Jerusalem this happened in Jerusalem. Jesus was living 75 miles away in Galilee.

It takes him about two days to walk from there to Jerusalem. Whenever you read in the Bible that Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem remember that was 75 miles. It was a two-day walk. And so what does he do in Jerusalem where he doesn't have a home?

I mean the decent thing to do when a preacher has come and blessed you at least at the end of the day to ask Him Lord, where are you sleeping tonight? Have you got a home if not, please come to my home at least 50 people should have gone and asked in that.

But nobody asked him supposing you go to another place as a preacher. It's never happened to me by the way but supposing go to another place as a preacher and at the end of the day nobody asked you where you stay and You blessed all those people that nobody asked you where you staying tonight.

Nobody asked Jesus and you know what he did it's as well praise God. It's not raining. I can go and sleep under the trees. I say Lord Julius is scary. It had so much money in the bag. Why didn't you go and stay in a hotel?

He says no that money is given by poor widows and all I won't take that and live in a hotel I can go and sleep under the trees. It's fresh air. I can spend some time alone with my father. Okay, now listen next morning chapter 8 verse 2.

It's a very interesting story. Gospels are exciting book early next morning. He came back into the temple and all the people began to come and he began to teach them now. Listen again he continues teaching and Nobody has the thoughtfulness to ask him by the way Lord.

Where did you sleep last night? This is amazing. Even if you forgot the previous day, how in the world you forget when he comes back the next morning the father Cared for Jesus. He gave him a place to sleep under the trees.

Because he decided I'm gonna live a simple life. God took care of him. I want to say to you my brothers and sisters if you really love the father, you'll want to follow Jesus example never Make a demand on anyone what you need.

The father will provide. I'm telling you that after 50 years of experience I've never made a demand on anyone. I've served people and they have served me but Jesus didn't make a demand. Let us do this or that for me never whatever the father provided He was happy with and if there was something he didn't get and okay.

Then the father wants me to learn to do without that this covetousness. You know what covetousness is which the Bible condemned so much. Covetousness is always the desire to get something which your neighbor has to get something which that person has you go visiting a home.

They say I want that like little children. They want that toy the other toy and we have money and whether we need it or not. We go and buy there's a lot of wastage of money like that. Jesus never wasted money.

Faithfulness With Money and True Riches

I've discovered one thing Through the years and it's another for my 50 years experience. Many people do not get revelation on the Word of God because they are not faithful with money so I want to teach you something now about the difference between being righteous with money and Being faithful with money.

You may think it is the same thing. It is not turn with me to Luke's gospel chapter 16. Luke's gospel chapter 16. We read in verse 11. This is a very important verse. Luke 16 verse 11. It says if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth.

That is some translations mammon wealth means property bank account shares savings. Everything that the world calls wealth which you have if you are not faithful in the use of that. How will God give you the true riches?

Okay. Now the question comes. What are the true riches? The true riches are not the riches of this world. The riches of this world you can use for a maximum of hundred years and then it's over the true riches are what we lost for eternity.

You all know the game called Monopoly, I'm sure you have it in Australia too. Monopoly is a children's game where you have squares and the children so dies and go from one square to another and you buy Property and you have some paper currency called dollars or whatever it is and you come to a square and that becomes your house.

And if somebody else lands on your square, he has to pay rent. He has to give some of that paper currency to you and the children can become very intense in this game. Say hey pay up rent you come on my property and things like that and think if you were an adult I played Monopoly with my children think if you are an adult playing with those children.

Will you become so intense with your little boy or girl? Come on pay up? You know, it's only paper money. It's nothing because in one hour you fold up the board and the game is over and all that paper money is worth nothing.

Now, let me tell you something what we call currency bank account and the angels are watching this world from heaven. They see a big Monopoly game going on in this world everywhere people are moving to different squares and buying property and this and that and the other and renting it out and demanding things pay up and all that.

And the angels are they watch all these people collecting cash and all that just like those little children on a Monopoly board and Why is it you as an adult don't fight with those children? But you see there's only a game to be over in a little while and the angels say I wish these people would know God is gonna fold up this board in a few years and that'll be the end of this game.

What have you got of eternal worth in this time? God has kept you on earth to gain something of eternal worth before you leave and you spend your time collecting money. And be very disappointed when you go to heaven use money.

God has given money to be used not loved. Did you hear that God has given us money and material things to be used and not loved. God has given us people to be loved and not used. What happens in the world is.

Since the day Adam sinned it has reversed the people of the world. Use people and don't love them and they love money and don't realize it's only for use. So when I read here What are the true riches that you can get if you are faithful with money?

Number one the greatest rich of all riches of all becoming like Jesus Christ. There's absolutely nothing to equal that. Number two the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Number three Revelation on the truths of Scripture which are hidden from the clever and the intelligent not just Bible study but revelation which is another word becoming like Jesus.

Number one anointing of the Holy Spirit and Revelation on the Word of God. Those are the three riches I have coveted for years. I said Lord, I want it. I want to be like Jesus. I want the anointing of the Holy Spirit every single day in my life.

You anointed me 42 years ago, but every day I want to be anointed and Lord when I read your word I don't want to read it like a storybook when I was a child. I want to get revelation. I want you to reveal to me the things that are hidden from the Bible scholars and the things which so many other Christian preachers Don't even know about for example the truth of victory over sin for example.