A Word to Shepherds and Sisters — Zac Poonen

Acknowledging Iniquity and Returning to God

So there was a word there for shepherds and a word for sisters, you know in the Old Testament. There is a verse I want to read to you in Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse 13. This is what the Lord says to his people only acknowledge your iniquity and return verse 14 Let me be your master.

And The people who respond to that. One from one city and two from a family. That's what the Lord has done in our midst through these 41 years. He's picked up one from here and one from there. Some people in the family are left behind.

It just takes out two. Many others in a city are left behind. He takes out two and I will bring you to Zion. That's the church a local church. And how do you know you've come to Zion? There you will find verse 15 shepherds after my own heart.

Shepherds After God's Own Heart

It's a tremendous expression. Every one who serves God's people in a church must seek to be a shepherd after God's own heart. So then we have to study God's heart. God so loved that he took no. God so loved that he gave.

The devil is always stealing. He's a thief. Man is always selling or taking. God is always giving giving. That's God's heart. He's a he's not selling anything. Look at the oxygen you get free. You go to a hospital you to pay for oxygen.

Look at the water he gives in the river free when you pay the corporation of water. Man is always selling. He wants money he wants money and the preachers are selling their sermons for money. It's like that.

Salvation, Salaries, and Religious Tradition

You can see that that is not the heart of God. What is God? What did God sell to you? Preachers self. They take a salary. Jesus never took a salary. None of the Apostles took a salary. It is all a modern invention.

It's like infant baptism. Many have got light on infant baptism in some churches, but they haven't got light on salary. Infant baptism and salary and all these things came at the same time and rituals and traditions.

People have got rid of some of the things but some things remain. You want to know whether you'll come to Zion see if you've got a shepherd after God's own heart. Don't see whether it's connected to CFC connected with brother Zack.

No, no, no, no. The Jews said we've got Abraham for our father. John said John the Baptist said forget it. God can raise up children for Abraham from the stones. Not every shepherd in. The churches the Apostles planted were shepherds after God's own heart.

Apostolic Authority and the Discipline of Love

Do you know who planted the church in Ephesus all? He was there for three years. But see the condition of the elder in Revelation chapter 2. He has no love for Jesus. He's just loving his own honor. And the Lord says I'm taking away the anointing from you.

Who planted all those seven churches in Revelation? The Apostles. John must have planted some of them. In one church John says there's an elder called diatrophies. You read that in third letter of John.

I Appointed him as an elder, but he thinks so much of himself now. He won't even listen to me. And if I send somebody he won't accept him. And you know what John said, I'll come there and teach him a lesson.

John was not gonna sit back and say, okay, let him take over that church. No, no, no. No, you read third John. He says I'll come there and teach him a lesson. These Apostles had authority. They were not afraid of other people thought he's a hard guy.

John's being very hard. I thought he was the Apostle of love. Yeah, it's a fossil of divine love. The love that sends people to hell. The love that disciplines people with sickness. The love that disciplines people with financial difficulty.

That's the love that God has. That's the love that John had and So shepherds after God's own heart and I say if anybody here I don't only talk about the elders. God's given you a responsibility to care for younger sisters to younger people.

Giving Generously and Becoming Rich Toward God

You're a shepherd. Seek to be a shepherd after God's own heart. Study God's heart. God so loved that he gave. He gave the best. He didn't give stingily. A lot of people who give stingily. There's a beautiful expression in Luke chapter 12 Which says about?

Jesus said the world. So will it be? Verse 21. For a man who is not rich towards God. Have you heard that expression? Luke 12 and verse 21 rich towards God when. One day the books are opened and the videotape of your life is played out.

Will it be seen? That you were a man a woman Was rich towards God. However, men whatever people thought about you. Are you trying to give an impression to people that you're rich towards God? Or have you been rich towards God in sacrificing your time?

Rich towards God in sacrificing what you earn your time and your energy. You ever say I'm too tired to serve God. You say it's raining. I'm sick. So far to go. I'll never forget once I read in the gospel of Jesus traveled from Galilee all the way to Tyre 70 kilometers.

Christ's Costly Compassion for One Person

Must have taken him two days. Well, there are no chariots walking and he went there for one demon-possessed girl. Whose mother Said please he and you're not even an Israelite. Please heal my demon Jesus and I can't give food to the dogs just to test her.

She said okay, give me the crumbs. One crumb is enough to heal my daughter. Jesus disciples were with him and He took the disciple to teach them a lesson on faith woman. Great is your faith? Your daughter is healed.

You know that story the next morning Jesus gets up With his disciples walk 70 kilometers back. I say Lord Make me like that that I'll be led by the Holy Spirit to Inconvenience myself so much to help one person and that person may be a non-christian who has to come to the Lord.

Pray like that. That is God's heart. I thank God for some few elders like that. We have in CFC. I praise God for that. We've got the heart of God. I have seen Zion and then to the sisters. You heard a word to sisters from Esther one Peter chapter 3 we read you sisters verse 3 let not your adornment be external in the New American Standard Bible.

External Adornment and the Inner Life

They have added the word merely. You know why because it is American Bible. They don't want to offend the American people who want to decorate them so but they are honest to say that's not in the original.

I mean in italics means it's not in the original. I mean the Holy Spirit didn't put it but we American translators put it otherwise nobody will buy this Bible. But that's one of the few places where the NASB is bad.

Otherwise, it's generally good. Why do they put that? Because you you use that in America they'll get upset, you know on this Bible get us another Bible which says not merely external. That's better. That means it must be external plus in addition number two some internal also.

That's not what the way Holy Spirit wrote it that's not the way Peter wrote it. Let not your adornment be external braiding the hair. Wearing gold jewelry. Putting on expensive clothes. You know, you can be a legalist here.

Somebody who wants to wear gold jewelry will say Brother Zach, it says here. You should not put on dresses. Are we to go naked? Okay, I Never argue with legalists. Can I tell you all things are lawful for you.

Lawful Choices and What Is Profitable

You want to live at the lawful level live. I'd like to see what God accomplishes through your life the greatest men of God. Are the people who never lived at the lawful level they lived at? What is profitable?

1 Corinthians 6 12 what is profitable? 1 Corinthians 10 23 lawful, but not edifying. They lived at the level of profitable and edifying. I remember one sister told me Brother Zach, you're looking at my jewelry.

I said no, I don't look at these things. I I don't waste my time looking at Jewelry. In fact, sometimes I Come away from a sister and Somebody says they're wearing jewelry. I said hey, I didn't even notice that.

I'm not looking for it. Did she wear a ring? Did she wear a ring or gold chain? It's not what I'm looking for. I'm not interested. That's between her and God. So he said see. She was trying to teach me scripture.

Motives, Modesty, and God's Glory

Brother Zach man looks on the outward appearance. God looks at the heart. Jewelry and all is not important. So I said sister. You are hundred percent, right? God is looking at your heart to see why you are wearing this jewelry.

Is it for the which is 1 Corinthians 10 31, whatever you do do for the glory of God? Are you doing it for the glory of God? You can convince God you're wearing this for God's glory. Wear it. I'm not here to judge you.

It's your choice now parents choose for their children. I I Hope you will choose what is profitable. Not just what is lawful. Yeah, there are many ways you can argue around that verse. You can look at the Greek and look at other translations, which are more suited.

It's true. God looks at the heart. He sees the motive. It says in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 4 or 5 God will reveal the motive. There will be no record. In the final day of any sister who wore jewelry or expensive clothes.

Or the way they did their hair. God will see the motive of men's hearts women's hearts. Why did you comb your hair like that because you didn't want it flying around like some mad woman. Good more good motive.

Hmm. You braided your hair so that it didn't fly around like a mad woman. That's what God sees and God sees why somebody else did it some other way and I'm not here to judge anyone. We have a lot of sisters in CFC who wear jewelry and we have some who don't.

Choosing Between Legalism and Spiritual Wisdom

There was one brother who came to me and said what shall I tell my young daughter? When she says why can't I be what I can't. I'd be like that sister. And wear jewelry and dress like her and I told that brother what shall I tell my daughter?

I shall tell you what to tell her. In The Garden of Eden paradise there were two trees. Adam had to make a choice in CFC. There are two types of sisters. Those who are modestly dressed those were worldly stylishly dressed.

Both are there. Your daughter walks in like Adam walked into the garden. You can turn left or you can turn right. There's a choice in Paradise there was a choice. Why not in CFC? Dear brothers and sisters.

Judging Ourselves Before Judging Others

I Believe we have heard a prophetic word today for the shepherds and the women and There's only one thing to say. Don't judge others judge yourself. He who has years to hear. Let him hear. She who has years to hear let her hear.

Let's pray Heavenly Father. We bow before you. We don't want to be legalists. Finding excuses in scripture to do what we want. We can fool others, but we can't fool you. For you know the motives of our heart and the shepherds and leaders of your people.

We're not judges. We had to proclaim your word and your command to us is judge not we do not judge. You are the judge. Who is a good shepherd? Who is a good sister? You judge. But we have to proclaim your word faithfully and we will do that till the end.

Give us grace Lord to judge ourselves first and to keep on judging ourselves and not to judge others. But the word we heard today go home to everybody's heart and that there will be people who have years to hear.

Not to please men not to impress anyone. But to live before your face and to become men and women of God. Shepherds after your own heart women after your own heart. With a meek and a quiet spirit. That is a great value in your eyes.

Thank you. In Jesus name Amen.