Valuable Truths That God Taught Us — Zac Poonen

There is an old English song which says That even if you roam around the world and find many palaces There is no place like home. And if you have found a home in the church like I have found for 43 years Then We will say with me Sare Jahan Se Acha Has CFC Hamara Which means there's in the whole world there's no place like CFC.

The great tragedy is Even in our own homes, you know how children grow up And they don't value their home enough until they go away and See how it is elsewhere. I Don't know if all of you Really value this church if you're a part of it, I can honestly say this is my family.

I Have many earthly relatives But none of them are close to me like this church family and it's been like that for all these 43 years from the time when we started when We were only two families right at the beginning so the thing is to continue that spirit in the coming generations because Time moves on and when we started Ian and I were the ones who prayed together and before the months before CFC started and I Don't say that Ian and I are getting old.

I Just say we are not getting younger so we need to Pray that the new generation will rise up Everywhere in all the churches that the Lord has planted so that his name will be glorified. I want to first read from Psalm 78 the psalmist Is not a psalm of David it's a man called Esau who wrote it he says here Verse 3 what we have heard from our fathers and what our fathers have told us.

Passing God’s Truth to Future Generations

We will not conceal them from their children But will tell the generation to come the praises of the Lord Psalm 78 verse 5 and we his strength his wondrous works that he has done the reason is That they verse 5 last part should teach them to their children and here's the psalm is concerned about grandchildren.

That the generation to come might know even those children which are not yet born that they may arise and tell them to their children to the fourth generation and What should they teach them they should that they put their confidence in God and Not forget the works of his works of God, but keep his commandments.

So that is our burden also as we move on from generation to generation. We read in the Bible that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and that was one generation and We have passed that 40-year mark in CFC.

So we really need Another generation among all those of you sitting here To rise up and take the responsibility seriously and it's like a relay race. When Jesus went up to heaven he passed that bitten to the next Person running the race.

The Faithful Remnant Through Church History

Those are the Apostles. They took the bitten and handed it to the next generation and like that Through the years there's always been a remnant. Not the big churches. I mean if you read the history of Christianity The big books on the history of Christianity tell you about the big big churches the big denominations.

But the people of God were not usually there. The people of God was in a small remnant. I Mean you see that for example in the time of King Saul The real people of God were a small remnant that hung around with David in a cave and even in the time of Jesus the big church or the big Recognized religious group were the Israelite Pharisees and the Sadducees and all but the real remnant was Jesus and his few disciples.

Twelve of them who wandered round and were not recognized. So all these 2 ,000 years there's always been a small remnant. Which has existed and there are one or two books on that subject that Take up the history of this remnant that has been right through generation after generation after generation the reason is You know when God starts something for example you take the Apostle Paul.

Paul’s Warning to the Ephesian Elders

He did a great work in Ephesus and Started a church there. He worked three years there and He preached day and night for three years. He told them I never took any money from you. I didn't even want Any clothes or gifts or anything?

I served you day and night and he says now I'm going away and What this Holy Spirit has told me is that? All once you go the wolves will come in and the wolves will come and destroy this flock and The elders will be the first ones who are attacked.

And those elders will Make little groups and Get people to join them. You read that in Acts chapter 20. That's what Paul told the elders when he was leaving. But what I want you to notice there in Acts 20 is Acts 20 verse 29 I Know that after my departure savage wolves will come in and they won't spare the flock and from you elders.

I Read in verse 17, he called the elders maybe four or five elders and Acts 20 verse 30 some of you will begin to say perverse things. That means to draw away people after yourself. Can you imagine an elder?

Who's sat under the ministry of the Apostle Paul? For three years and could not get his spirit where he never sought his own and never took anything for himself and labored day and night forgoing his own health in order to bless the people and these elders never got gripped by that spirit they were seeking their own and so once Paul went it says in verse 30 they would draw away disciples after them.

Taking Biblical Warnings Seriously

Now this was not a prophecy it was a warning. There's a difference between a warning and a prophecy. Prophecy means it will be fulfilled. Warning means like Jonah went and told Nineveh the city of Nineveh in 40 days the city is going to be destroyed and they they repented from the king downwards they repented.

And that prophecy was not fulfilled because they took the warning seriously. So here is a warning if these elders had taken it seriously what that great apostle of God had spoken the church in Ephesus would not have declined to what you read in Revelation chapter 2 the Lord tells their church in Ephesus you left your first love.

What Paul said as a warning they didn't take seriously. It became like that. And in our church also God has given many warnings through the years. We warn strongly against sin. We teach people to submit to their elders for their own in church matters anyway.

For for their own protection we teach parents to bring up their children in the fear of God. Those who take these things seriously it goes well with them. Those who take it lightly and think that oh well that's not going to happen to us.

That's how all the warnings that God gave through the prophets in the Bible many people said no no it won't happen to us and it happened. So we have to be very careful. We are not any different from any of them.

There is a need for us to take what we hear seriously. So in that connection I want to turn to 2nd Timothy. 2nd Timothy is the last letter that Paul wrote. We read here in the 2nd Timothy chapter 1 Paul is writing to and saying to Timothy in verse 2nd Timothy 1 13 he says please hold on tightly to the standard of sound hygienic healthy words which you have heard from me in the faith and love which is in Christ.

Holding Fast to Sound Words

Paul was happy that there was at least one person who was gripped by the truth. And so he says hold on to that what you have heard. I would say to all of you those who are serious those who have the spirit of Timothy to take heed to what you've been hearing here through the years hold on to the standard retain the standard everywhere in Christendom the standard is going down.

In Western countries it has become so bad that divorce which is unheard of in the church become very common and not only divorce. The people divorce and get remarried in the same church and they even become pastors in that church.

It was not the standard in the beginning he said if you divorce your wife it's adultery. That's what we have preached. That's why in all these 43 years we have never had a divorce in all of our churches.

For those who are committed members of this church I'm not saying that those who were divorced in their unconverted days if they repent we will not welcome them. If God welcomes them we will welcome them too.

But in the church we will never see a divorce and we will never marry a divorced person. But in the West become common among the leaders and even very well-known people. They marry divorced people and they well-known preachers.

I mean people accept it. The standard has gone down so much. So Paul's word is very important retain the standard of hygienic healthy words which you heard from me in faith and love. I think Timothy held on to that till the end of his life.

But in succeeding generations decline went in. So what happens is when a movement or a church like Ephesus declines and the elders don't take what is said seriously. You know in the book of Revelation it speaks about overcomers and even the whole church declines.

The Remnant in a Dead Church

There will be some turn with me to Revelation. In chapter 3 to this church he says to the leader of this church the messenger word angel means messenger. That means the senior elder in that church. The last part of verse 1 you have a name that you're alive but you are dead.

It's possible to be in a church which over the years has built up a name for holiness for a standard of God's Word. And people can join a church like a lot of people join CFC. Oh it's got a good name let's be there but you yourself could be dead.

You have a name that you're alive but you're dead and that's what happened to a lot of people in that church. So God was going to reject that church but see verse 4. But you have a few people I told you about the remnant and that's what God's looking for in this church.

In every church a remnant a few people who have not soiled their garments in other words who kept their conscience clear. We have taught in this church the importance of keeping a good conscience before God and before men.

That's the meaning of they did not spoil their garments and they will walk with me in white because they are worthy. It's an amazing statement in a book like Revelation where it says Lord thou alone art worthy O Lamb of God thou alone art worthy.

The Lamb of God turns around to some people sitting in the church in Sardis and says you are worthy. Can you imagine that Jesus turning around to some people in one of his churches and saying you guys who kept your conscience clear and you did not become like all the other believers in your church.

They lived on the good name the church had but you didn't live on that good name. You just kept your conscience clear. You will walk with me in white because you're worthy. I want to hear that word and Jesus comes again.

Keeping a Clear Conscience

I hope you want to hear it too. It's very simple very easy to keep your conscience clear. To keep your conscience clear does not mean I have overcome every sin in my life. No it means that if I slip up I set it right immediately.

That's the meaning of keeping your conscience clear. You will never come to victory over sin if you don't start with keeping your conscience clear. Let me tell you that they have not soiled their garments.

That means when some dirt came on the garment they washed it off immediately so the garments were clean. We have a they will walk with me in white. We have a great example of that in Acts chapter 23. Acts of the Apostles.

In chapter 23 we read the Apostle Paul saying to the when he was standing in a court before the high priest he didn't know. It was the high priest some man sitting up there and he says to the whole council that was judging him.

Acts 23. One brethren I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience. He did not soil his garments not only before God but also before men up to this day. That means during the first 30 years when he was a Jew before he became a Christian he lived by the standard of the Ten Commandments and kept his conscience clear according to the standard of the Ten Commandments.

And after he became a Christian and the standard was higher which was that you don't get angry and you don't lust after women and you always speak the truth and love your enemies etc. Again he kept his conscience clear by the new standard.

Not always perfectly. But he kept it clear. That means kept it clean. And as soon as he said that the high priest who was so angry because he never kept his own conscience clear and he didn't believe anybody could like a lot of people today they don't believe there's any such thing as victory over sin just because they don't have it themselves they think nobody can have it.

So he's commanded the people that is strike Paul on the mouth. And now see what happens in verse 3. Paul immediately loses his good conscience. He speaks to the high priest in a way that Jesus would never speak.

And when you speak in a way that Jesus would not speak it's a sin. Whoever it is Paul or anybody God will strike you. You whitewashed wall. Verse 3. You sit there according to the law and then violation of the law order me to be struck according to the law according to the legal standards.

Paul was right in what he said. The high priest had no right to tell somebody to slap him on the mouth when he's standing there that's against the law. So what Paul said was right. But he had no right to speak like that.

Sometimes you know what you say is right. But the way you speak to an older person that may not be right. It's what you got to learn. There's a lot of disrespect in the world today you can argue and say but what I said was right.

Yeah what you said was right. But that is not the way to speak to an older person to someone older than you. So when the people told him that was I priest oh he said I'm sorry. He set his conscience right immediately because I see that God's Word says you shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.

And I did it. So I learned something from there how Paul kept his conscience clear all the time. As soon as he was aware he apologized acknowledged his error. That's where all of us have hope. Dear brothers and sisters.

Humility as the Path to Spiritual Growth

And there's only one thing required to acknowledge your error. And that is humility. And that is the one thing that is lacking in many many Christians even in CFC. The humility to immediately say I'm sorry.

That was my mistake. Please forgive me. The ten most difficult words for human beings to speak. I'm sorry that was my mistake. Please forgive me. Most difficult words for a husband to speak to his wife when he hurt her in some way.

I'm sorry darling. That was my mistake. Please forgive me. Or for a wife to say to her husband why is it so difficult. Pride. And that is the reason why people don't grow. When we think of 43 years CFC has gone by.

What is it we have emphasized in these 43 years. God gives his grace only to the humble. Used to have that verse somewhere here. That's over there. Yeah the corner that God needs to have it in the other building too.

And it's over there. God gives his grace only to the humble. That's what you've emphasized all these years. How many people have taken it seriously. You know you can see a verse on the wall and just sometime get familiar with it.

And it doesn't even affect you. I never in my life want to be unaffected by that verse. God gives his grace only to the humble. I want grace. I cannot live in this world without grace. I cannot preach without grace.

I cannot serve without grace. I cannot be a father a good father without grace. I cannot be a good husband without grace. I cannot be a good brother to all of you without grace. I cannot be a good elder without grace.

In fact I can do nothing without dress. And God says he'll give it to me abundantly. Only one condition humble yourself. That's what we have stressed from the beginning 43 years we have preached. God gives his grace to the humble.

How many of you have understood it in your head all of us. How many live in the reality of that every day. I don't know because if you were living in the reality of that every day there would be such fantastic spiritual growth in you.

I must say it's not there in many many people as I expect. And in this area what have we stressed. We have stressed that this humility is not something we learn from the dictionary. You can look up the what is the meaning of humility and try to follow that.

You'll go astray. Turn with me to Matthew 11 and verse 29. What have we taught in CFC for 43 years. Jesus said learn from me the middle of that verse. For I am humble in heart. What is the difference between the humility of Jesus and the humility that you see.

Learning Christ’s Humility

In some people you say he's a very humble man. Even some non-christians they say he's a very humble man. But most Christians their humility comes from sin. I have sinned so much so I think of that and I humble myself.

That's good. That's called the humility of the sinner and sinners must be humble. But when Jesus said learn humility from me he was not humble because he was a sinner. No he had not committed a single sin.

How can a person who's never committed sin and has got no sin in him always overcome. How can he be humble. That is a mystery. To be humble when you have so much sin in you. That's fairly easy. In fact you should be humble if you have failed so many times.

But Jesus said learn humility from me. It is another level of humility which is more than the humility of the sinner the humility of Jesus Christ. And that's what we have stressed. The humility of Jesus was seen.

I'll tell you in one single statement turn with me to John chapter 6. And I believe that is the mark of the humility of a saint not the humility of the sinner. The humility of a saint who's living in victory over sin.

John chapter 6. The humility of Jesus is seen. I'll read two or three verses to you and you'll understand it. John 6 38. I came from heaven never to do my own will. That is true humility. Lord Heavenly Father I never want to do what pleases me.

I never want to do my will. But I only want to do your will. That is true humility. Romans chapter 15. Romans 15 and verse 3. One simple statement you see is humility here. If you want to learn the humility of Jesus Jesus said learn from me.

Christ did not please himself at any time. Romans 15 3. Do you want to live this life. It's an invitation no compulsion. I'm inviting you to live a life where you never do your own will where you never please yourself in anything but you only want to please the father.

You say is such a life possible. The Apostle Paul was a human being. When you think of Jesus you say oh well he was perfect. Let's look at Paul. 2nd Corinthians in chapter 5 he says. 2nd Corinthians 5 verse 9.

The Ambition to Please God

This is our ambition. Paul says whether we are at home in heaven. You read the previous verses. You know he's talking about heaven is our home. In the first 8 absent from the body at home with the Lord.

So whether at home with the Lord in heaven or absent from the Lord here on earth let me paraphrase it. Whether I'm in heaven or I am on earth my one ambition is to please God to please the Lord. You know young people have ambitions.

They want to get a good job and be an engineer or a doctor or some big job and earn a lot of money and build a house and live comfortably. Get a good car. Good ambitions. Good for young people to have ambitions so that they don't become beggars but get a good job and support themselves.

I encourage all young people to work hard for that. But over and above all that here's the ambition that any Christian should have. Our ambition is to be always pleasing to the Lord. That is a really humble person.

I don't want to please myself. Very often somebody gets angry with you. You want to say what pleases you give it up say I will not please myself. I will not do my own will. That is humility. I tell you something you walk that way you will experience such grace in your life that you'll be amazed.

Many of us are not experiencing it. You're missing something. Turn with me to John chapter 5 Jesus said in verse 19. Here's another example of the humility of Jesus. Verse 19. Truly I say to you the son can do nothing of himself unless it is something he sees the father doing.

Spiritual Maturity Means Dependence on the Father

I was recently in our church in Loveland where one message Santos was speaking my son and he was quoting something that he heard in an audio Bible. Bible which is spoken story of the Bible spoken an audio for little children.

And he said something that really moved my heart. It brought tears to my eyes. He said in that Bible that man says like this that when Jesus was hanging on the cross you know the well-known words we have read my God my God why have you forsaken me.

I mean the way he spoke. It was Papa where are you get that you get it. Jesus hanging on the cross and saying Papa where are you. Like the cry of a little two-year-old who's held his dad's hand and walked and then suddenly it's dark and the father has left his hand.

Picture this in your mind. A little two-year-old walking holding his dad's hand all along and suddenly it's dark and the father is taken away his hand and he's lost. And he's Papa where are you. That's how Jesus lived all his 33 and a half years.

He's not like these proud people who say ah I can walk myself I can cross the road myself. Big ten-year-old says that the two-year-old says Papa hold my hand. Do you say that is that your relationship with your heavenly father.

I don't want to speak something which I feel like speaking. You know Paul said that's what Jesus is saying here. The son can do nothing by himself except what he sees the father do. Paul said in 1 Corinthians in chapter 13 verse 11.

When I was a child I spoke like a child. Reason like a child. When I became a man I did away with childish things. You know then on earth it is like that I want you to understand a spiritual meaning to this verse.

Speaking like a child. Shall I explain it to you. I can do everything. I don't need to pray as long as I earn my money and I'm in good health. Come Sunday to the church show my face here and don't do anything that will spoil my testimony.

Everybody accepts me. I'm okay. That is speaking like a child. But when we mature and become a man then we begin to speak like Jesus. I don't know. I need to seek God. I don't know what to do. Father what should I say.

I'm not very sure what I should say. 30 years ago when I was a young believer I knew what to say. Today I don't. It's my own testimony as a preacher I started preaching 55 years ago I knew what to say.

I could study the Bible and give a good message even to 5 ,000 people. I did it but today it's different. That was when I was a child I spoke like a child. But now I've put away those childish things.

I've come to see what maturity is like Jesus. The son can do nothing unless what he sees the father doing because what we think is going to benefit everybody may not be what they need. My own cleverness I say oh yeah.

I think I know what will benefit people or I can work out a good sermon for these people. Once I could not. Now now I say I don't know. The son can do nothing unless he sees what the father is doing. This is what we have taught and I'm not saying this has happened to me suddenly.

It's something I've grown into and I'm not. Some of you are young. I'm not asking you to condemn yourself. Maybe you are in the you're like I was when I was a child. Okay. But now what I say is are you growing.

Some of you been here 20 30 years. Are you growing. Are you growing in humility. Are you seeing Jesus example. Or is your head full of very high thoughts about yourself. If you don't know how to speak in kindness to your wife you're a child even if you've been here 30 years or to your husband.

If you don't know how to speak in kindness to your son and daughter you're a child spiritually. If the crop and growing up is to be like Jesus and saying I don't know I want to lean upon the father. The best example.

Depending on Christ for Everything

This is something we have taught in this church for 43 years. I'm just trying to remind you of the things we have taught for 43 years. John 15 and verse 5 what Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing.

I look at these two verses behind me here on the wall as I was sitting there without Christ I can do nothing. That's here. John 15 verse 5 that's what we have taught repeatedly. And the other side of the coin Philippians 4 13 which is with Christ I can do everything.

The more we grow in the Christian life the more those two verses become real to us. And when those two verses become real to us there cannot be any glorying that I did this or I can preach like this. Or I prayed for somebody and they got healed.

Or I did this. I did. No. No no it was all the Lord. And then the verse in the middle becomes true. We learn to be merciful to others when they make mistakes just as God has been merciful to us. I mean I think of the years when I spoke like a child and I thought I was I was arrogant proud preacher capable of doing things and the Lord was merciful to me.

I can be merciful to people today because he was merciful to me. I have been such an object of God's mercy through the years. And I'll tell you honestly my testimony it is impossible for me not to be merciful to others.

Impossible because God has been so merciful to me. This is what we have taught in this church all these 43 years. Let's live in the good of that. That's why we put some of these verses up in the old hall as well.

You know things like trust God. All things are possible if you can believe. That's another verse. It's over there. We have emphasized faith. You're facing a difficult situation. Nothing impossible for God.

We've also taught though we never take an offering here we have taught that other verse. It's more blessed to give than to receive. And that's what we have taught people who come to the church. You receive receive the Word of God.

Receive receive receive. Dear brother sister you're missing out the main blessing of God. Learn to give. Learn to share with others the goodness of God to you. Let your heart overflow with blessing to others.

And in a world of uncertainty we need that other verse which we have at the back. If you fear God you need fear. Nothing else. Those are the things we have taught in this church for 43 years. What shall we do.

Passing These Truths to the Next Generation

What we read in Psalm 78. We have to teach it to the next generation. You have to teach that to your children. And we have to teach it to the young people growing up here these amazing truths how Jesus lived.

That Jesus came like us and was tempted like us and he did not sin. This has been our central message because it says in 1 Timothy in chapter 3 that CFC I believe it refers to CFC because many churches are not doing it.

When other churches don't do it CFC has to do it. What is that. The last part of verse 15. 1 Timothy 3 15. Let me read it like that CFC which is the church of the Living God must be the pillar like these pillars here and support of this truth how you can live a godly life.

We're 16. Jesus came in the flesh kept his spirit pure. And that's how we lived in the world and went up to glory an example for us. And we must never go astray from being a pillar and support of this truth.

Because there's hardly any other church that I know around here who's proclaiming that that we can walk as Jesus walked that we can learn humility from Christ. We can live that life where we don't want to do our own will.

We always seek to do God's will. In the beginning is difficult. You know like a paralyzed hand. If your left hand is paralyzed now you're slowly getting some physiotherapy done to slowly can become a muscular hand.

One day we have done our own will so many years that we are paralyzed. Now we are learning something not to do our own will. With the will of God we got to do that physiotherapy little by little. One day we will be so strong we'll be able to say I never do my own will.

I only do the will of God. That's a muscular hand. I don't speak what I feel. I should speak. Speak what God wants me to speak. I don't know please myself. I seek to please God. That's become my ambition my passionate ambition as much as it will be in heaven.

In heaven we'll only be seeking to please God. It's becoming like that here on earth. And if we have to pay a price for it or we suffer for it we are willing. Okay. In closing let me read to you what I got from the message translation of 2nd Timothy chapter 2.

Passing on the Truth and Becoming a Useful Vessel

2nd Timothy chapter 2. Paul wrote to Timothy saying. A lot of people in Asia have left me. He says in 2nd Timothy 2. And we're 2nd Timothy 1 and verse 15. Many people have turned away. And we've seen that happen also in our church.

So many people have turned away from the truth. So my son Timothy let me read this to you. Throw yourself into the work of Christ. This is 2nd Timothy 1. Sorry 2nd Timothy 2 and the whole chapter pass on what you heard from me.

And the whole church says I'm in. Pass it on to reliable leaders who are capable of teaching others. And in your life when the going gets rough take it strongly the way Jesus did. A soldier must not get caught up in things in the marketplace.

He should not be a businessman. It should not be taken up with money. He concentrates on carrying out his orders. And you are a soldier. An athlete who does not follow the rules will never get anywhere.

The farmer who works hard is the one who was going to get a good crop. Think it over. God will make it plain. Fix this picture firmly in your mind. Jesus came from the seed of David just like us and he's raised from the dead.

An example we can follow. That's what you've heard from me all along. And that's why I'm sitting in jail today. But God's Word is not in jail. That's why I stick it out so that everyone will get to hear of the salvation in Christ in all its glory.

Here are some things that are absolutely certain absolutely certain. If we die with him we will live with him. If he stick it out with the Lord we will rule with him one day. But if we turn our backs on him he will turn his back on us.

If he give up on him he doesn't give up his purposes. He will continue and fulfill his purposes. So these basic truths. Repeat them over and over and again and again and again. Preach the same thing again and again and again to God's people.

Warn them before God. Don't get argumentative about small small little verses here and there because that'll destroy your faith. Concentrate on doing your best for God. Work in such a way that you won't be ashamed.

Explain the truth plain and simple to everybody. And stay clear of all this religious language which is only religious talk. Your words must be backed by a godly life otherwise it's like poison to your soul.

Hymenaeus and Philetus are examples of people who missed the truth by a mile saying the resurrection is over. Meanwhile God's firm foundation is firm. What is that. God knows those who belong to him. So turn away from evil in a well furnished kitchen.

Verse 2021. There are valuable goblets and silver platters. But there are also garbage bins. And we don't use garbage bins to serve meals. So you got to give up. Trying to be a garbage bin. Be a valuable container that God can use to present his gifts to others.