How Our Joy Can Be Full - Part 7 — Zac Poonen

Discernment and Time in Scripture

Have all these TV preachers helped you? They don't see it. You know why? Oh, but he teaches what is the word. She teaches what is in the word. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know why you don't have discernment?

You don't have time to read the Bible. The second thing is, you're watching movies. You don't have time to read the Bible. Think of hours you spend watching television and the time you spend reading the Bible.

How Worldly Entertainment Dulls Sensitivity to Sin

Which are you going to know better? You know. I'm not talking about the hours you spend at work. That's necessary. I'm talking about the hours you spend in relaxation. And the second thing that happens is our moral standards go down.

Sensitivity to sin becomes less and less and less and less and less. See if it's not true. I don't know your private life, but see in your life if your conscience hasn't become less and less sensitive to sin.

You know what the cause of it is? The movies you watch. The type of soap operas you watch on television. The endless serials. I've only heard about them. I think there are some endless serials. Some people have told me there are such things.

The Three Desires of the World

Dear brothers and sisters, be careful. For all that is in the world, and I want to read this to you from the Message Bible. What is in the world? Three things. Wanting your own way. Wanting everything for yourself.

And wanting to appear important. That's how he describes lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Wanting your own way. I agree with that. That is the root of all sin. The lust of the flesh is wanting your own way.

I want this for myself. Your flesh says, I want it, I want it. Lust of the eyes. Wanting everything for yourself. Everything that you see. I want to get that. I want to get that covetousness. And that's why all these preachers who preach prosperity have a great time because they know sitting in front of them are a bunch of covetous people who want a lot of earthly things.

Prosperity Preaching, Deception, and the Will of God

They say Jesus can give it to you. But come and sow your seed, they say. Give some money in the box. Deceivers of the first grade. Wanting your own way. Wanting everything. And wanting to appear important before others instead of wanting to do the will of God.

And he who wants to do the will of God is all set for eternity. I like that. If you want to be all set for eternity, change your wants. I'm writing to you concerning those who deceive you. Those who deceive you will not tell you these things.

The antichrist will not tell you these things. The antichrist will only tell you what will take you away from Christ. I think of many brothers and sisters who have been in this church for many years. I want you to ask yourself an honest question today.

Examining Whether Conscience Is Growing More Sensitive

Many things may have changed. Maybe your style of dress has changed. You all got a better job. All that is okay. But ask yourself. I'm not worried about all that. I'm not here to give a person checkup on that.

Has your conscience become less sensitive to sin than it was when you first came to CFC? I'm not talking about legalism. I'm talking about sin. That which is unlike Christ. Has your conscience become less sensitive to that?

Then you're going in the wrong direction. Let's wake up before it is too late. May God help us to turn to him. Whoever we are. I should tell you this before I close. In 1 John chapter 2, it just struck me that he says, I'm writing to you, verse 12, I'm writing to you little children.

Verse 13, I'm writing to you fathers. I'm writing to you young men. In the Christian life there are three stages. Your first little children. Then you come to the level of like young men. Then you become fathers.

Spiritual Maturity and Refusing Love for the World

To all three of you, to all three of you, I say, verse 15, don't love the world. That's what I wanted to say. It's not just the little children. Maybe you're a spiritual father. I know I am. Do you know what God's word is to me?

Don't love money. Don't love the world. Don't want your own way and everything. Yield. Let the other fellow have his way. Don't want everything that you see. To me, a father, yes, John says, to you. Little children, whatever stage you are in the Christian life, be careful of the spirit of the world.

Confidence at Christ’s Coming and Fullness of Joy

It's all around us. It's around us in the preachers and what we see in the Christian television as well. Be careful so that when Christ comes, you will not shrink but have confidence. And before he comes, we can live with a fullness of joy.

You know that will even add to your health. The Bible says a merry heart does good like a medicine. Imagine a man who's full of joy. He'd be very healthy compared to others who are sick. So in every way, what our father tells us is for our good.

Prayer for Holiness and the Spirit’s Power

Let's pray. Let's bow our heads before God. Behold what manner of love God has bestowed on us. That we should be called the children of God and that he has given us so many commandments which are for our good.

How we praise God that we know his word and his truth in a world where so many are ignorant. You young people are so lucky, so blessed, I would say, because you've heard these things from youth. You can live your whole life for him who died for you.

Turn around from the kingdom of earth and seek the things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of the father. And you won't have any regret when Christ comes again. Heavenly father, help us each one.

I believe there are people calling out to you right now in their hearts. Give them a witness in their heart that you will give them the power of your Holy Spirit to live this life. But we cannot live it on our own.

In Jesus' name, amen.