Clean Heart — Zac Poonen

You know you children answer so quickly. If I were to ask the older people on Sunday morning, do you see me? I'll be silence. One or two people may say yes. Much better so much of it so full of energy all of you good.

Jesus as the Visible Example of God

You must be like that always. You know in the church all those who hear me speak always hear me speak about. The example of who? Jesus see God is in heaven and The only way we can't see him, but he wanted us to see him.

So he came down in the person of Jesus Christ. So If you want to know what God is like. You just look at Jesus and that's exactly how God is like. Okay, let me ask you a question. Do you think God loves little children?

How do you know, how do you know. I just told you the answer a little while ago. Okay, I'll say it again God cannot be seen. So because God wanted us to see him he came in the person of Jesus Christ. So, how do you know God loves little children?

Children as a Picture of Heaven

Because Jesus loved little children, so when you see Jesus loving little children that God loves little children and. Do you know that Jesus said that if you want to see what heaven is like. Don't look at the older people but look at.

Hey. Look at Jesus that's right and also look at little children. So tell me. Is the Sunday morning meeting here more like heaven or is this meeting more like heaven. Which do you think this meeting because Jesus said the heaven is like little children.

And we've got such a lot of little children here. This is like heaven. Some people are afraid to say that but it is true. I'll give you an example. You all of you at home you fight with your brothers and sisters, right?

Yes. Yes, some honest people, but I know that everybody fights with their brothers and sisters but Almost all of you before the day is over not even before the very short time you become friends again.

Yes, or no. Yes. That is the difference between children and older people, you know and older people have a fight sometimes for many years. They don't talk to each other. That is why Jesus said heaven is like little children.

Because little children if they make a mistake that they fight they still become friends very quickly and there's a lesson that all Older people can learn from your children. So one of the things you must learn is If you have a fight, you must become friends again quickly with everybody.

Jesus’ Humility and Sinlessness as a Child

Okay, I told you that in the church we always speak about Jesus as our example so. Some of you are so small do you think Jesus was small at some time or was he always a big man? Hey. Was he like a baby once?

Was Jesus a baby? Really do you think he cried when he was a baby? No. Yes, he did cry. Some people think that crying is wrong, but you know why a baby cries. They're not because it's angry. Because it cannot speak.

When you want to eat something you go and tell mommy. No, I want this. I want that but a baby can't say it. So what does the baby do? Cries and it's crying is it's speaking. That's its way of speaking.

Do you think Jesus spoke? Yes, so as a baby, he must have cried a. Baby cries saying I want milk. I'm hungry or My nappy is dirty. Or my diaper is dirty. It's crying. So Jesus what I want to say is Jesus was just like us.

The only thing he did not do Was he did not hurt anybody else. He never hit anybody. He never said words to hurt others. That's where we must learn to follow him. So even as a child you must try and think.

How was Jesus when he was a little child all of you can think. How do you think Jesus was as a little child in your home? Do you know that Jesus had four brothers? And two sisters. So how many children were there in that family?

Four brothers correct seven. I thought somebody would say six four brothers plus two sisters plus Jesus is Seven, so that's a big family. We don't see many families like that today with seven children.

I don't think any of you got seven children in your home. So, can you imagine what a big family that was? Seven little children and Jesus was the eldest brother and you know, some elder brothers are very bossy.

Even elder sisters can sometimes be very bossy. Tell everybody else what to do and order them around and do this do that and They act like kings and queens. But Jesus wasn't like that. He was a friend.

You must be a friend of your brothers and sisters and all the others if you want to be like Jesus you got to think of those things. How did he behave with? His brothers and sisters. That's how you must behave with All the children in the school on in the class and school and your home.

Okay, but you know Jesus brothers and sisters. They were not holy they were just ordinary children like all of you and they would fight. When somebody one of his brothers came to fight with Jesus, do you think Jesus fought back?

Hey, no, he wouldn't fight back. That's a great example to follow. The other thing, you know children tell lies. Haven't you told some lies to your daddy and mommy everybody quiet. Yes, we have the Bible says every person has told lies.

Everybody. From the time they are born that lying is in our nature. So think that Jesus became like us and he never told a lie. So that's another habit. That you must try and develop. Try not to tell lies ever and When you tell a lie Accidentally and you realize later that was wrong.

You must go to your daddy and mommy and tell them. I'm sorry mommy. I told a lie. Shall we do that from today? So what should you do when you tell a lie afterwards you realize it was wrong? You you must say sorry to your mommy and say I Don't want to do that again.

Now in one day you may not Get over that habit. But every time if you make any mistake Not just telling a lie supposing in anger you hit one of your brothers or sisters or spoke rudely To your mommy. Afterwards you feel bad about it.

You must go and say I'm sorry and If you keep doing that After some maybe some years it may take some years. But one day you will completely stop telling lies and one day you'll completely stop Arguing with your mommy or Hurting them with your words or even your brothers and sisters.

So everything takes time. You know, just like you take time to grow and become bigger and bigger and bigger. In the same way all these habits that you have. It takes time to Overcome them. Okay. Are you paying attention?

Jesus’ Example at School and Among the Poor

Are you looking at me? Did Jesus go to school? No. Of course, he had to go to school. Otherwise, how can he learn? He was just like us. Do you believe he was just like you? Yes, then did he go to school.

Did he shout at his teachers. Do you think he fought with the other children in school? What if one of the other children grabbed his book or did something like that? You think you'd fight with him. What a good example we have in Jesus as a little boy.

Okay, let me ask you another thing. Do you think Jesus made friends Only with all the rich children. Or do you think he made friends with the poor children also? I'm sure he made friends with everybody.

He wouldn't look at a child and say oh That's a rich child. So if I make friends with him, he may give me a chocolate. No, he didn't make friends like that or that's a poor child. So if I make friends with him, I can't get anything from him.

I Personally think he loved the poor children more. Because nobody else would make friends with them. So supposing there was one boy in Jesus class Who was Who say whose leg was a little bent so he always walked in a crooked way.

There are some children like that who can't walk properly Because of some problem in their legs. Don't you think Jesus would have gone and made friends with that person? Because nobody was his friend.

So if you want to follow Jesus, there are little things like this you can do when you go to school and You see some boy Lonely and maybe he has a lot of problems at home maybe his daddy and mommy don't love him like your daddy and mommy love you and So he feels sad and he's lonely you must look for such a child.

And go and say hey, I want to be friends with you, what's your name? That's that's what Jesus would do. So in everything if you say Lord Jesus, I want to be like you. I Want to from childhood I want to be like you.

Learning Scripture and Listening to God

Then as you grow up. You know Jesus was being prepared Little by little and I'm sure his mother told him stories About the Bible about Adam and Eve and About Noah and the Ark. Have you heard those stories?

You know Noah built an ark When a rain came and a lot of people so Jesus heard those stories as a little child his mother told him about Abraham and Isaac and how the Israelites were in Egypt and they came through the Red Sea and so many stories and You know what the result of that was.

When he was 12 years old He knew the all the stories in the Old Testament that's because he paid attention to his mother and Listened so when you hear something that your parents tell you or you hear in Sunday school.

You pay attention. By the time you're 12 years old You can really know so much about the Bible. By the time you finish with Sunday school you can know you may not know the Bible itself, but you know all the stories and There are some wonderful stories in the Bible.

Do you know? Can you tell me the name of a little boy? Whom God spoke to one day at night? Ah, oh. You know the stories. What did how did God call him? He said Samuel. Samuel. He didn't say hey little boy.

He knew his name, right. Do you think God in heaven knows your name? Yes. So God called Samuel. And what happened in the beginning he thoughts that older man in the next room was calling him the priest.

So he went there and that man said no, I didn't call you. Again, he heard Samuel. He couldn't think that God was calling. So then finally he realized and he said You know what Samuel said, you know, do you remember what Samuel said to God?

Speak Lord. Your servant is listening. I'm listening. That's a very good Managers a little child. I think he was like one of these children all of you here. As a little child he looked up and he couldn't see God.

No one has seen God but Said I want to hear what you have to say to me and God spoke to him. After Jesus came God speaks to us in our heart because before Jesus came God could not live inside anybody's heart.

That's why he spoke from outside. Samuel Abraham he always spoke from outside. But after Jesus came when he went up to heaven, you know, he died. After he died After three days, he came out of the grave and you know in the presence of others.

He went up can imagine picturing Jesus going up like that. Just moving up going straight up into the clouds and into heaven and then a few days later, he sent the Holy Spirit and When the Holy Spirit came inside people's hearts God came inside now.

He was not outside. So when you ask Jesus to come into your heart He comes inside. Have you asked Jesus to come into your heart? Yes. You should do that. I used to tell my I have I have four Grown-up boys who were once little boys like you and I used to tell them and they were very small.

Yeah sister Annie used to tell let's to tell the Boys when they're even three years old ask Jesus to come into your heart. I had to tell them to Ask Jesus to come into your heart. So all of you can Ask Jesus to come to your heart and sometimes you say that many many times because you're not sure.

Nothing wrong in that. But you must say Lord Jesus I've done many wrong things. I Want you to come into my heart. I Want you to forgive me. I want to. I want you to clean up my black heart and make it white.

Will you do that what will you tell Jesus to do clean your black heart and make it to forgive you all the wrong things you did in your life and I want to tell you Jesus will hear you and When Jesus comes inside you he will come inside.

If you ask him to come he'll come definitely and then He will speak to you from inside. That's like having somebody inside your house instead of outside your house. So isn't it better than now that? Jesus can speak to us inside.

Wherever we go He can be there and supposing you're finding it some problem. Supposing you lost something your schoolbook or Your pencil small thing or big thing and you're looking for it. Isn't it good to ask Jesus?

Lord help me to find it. You know, I do that even now sometimes I misplace a Paper or something. And I say Lord Jesus, where did I leave it, please remind me please tell me. I Want to be like little children because I know that if I'm like a little child Jesus will hear my prayer.

Developing a Personal Prayer Life

I Pray just like you. If I am hurt somewhere, I say Lord Jesus, please heal me. Anything even a small thing if I get a small injury. You know, you can get hurt. Lord Jesus, please heal me. Some people think all we shouldn't pray about little things.

Because I pray to Jesus about little things. Over many years he and I have become very good friends. You want to be a good friend of Jesus? Yes. Okay, then I'll tell you what to do. You must talk to him about the little things.

Lord Jesus, I I don't know where my school book is. Can you help me to find it? Or I'm feeling very Discouraged today, please help me anything you can ask him for anything anything anything you must develop that habit when you are small and If you do it by the time you come to my age.

You and Jesus will become very close friends. Imagine if you talk to somebody here was many years He'll become good friends. So how old do you think I am? 25 30 70 8. How did you know? Okay, and Do you know when I asked Jesus to come to my heart first time?

Maybe when I was about 13 maybe even before that I don't know but I was never sure. Sometimes, you know you ask Jesus to come into your heart and you're not sure has he come has he not come. I was like that many times.

So I must have asked Jesus more than a hundred times. Lord Jesus come to my heart come into my heart just like you. There's nothing wrong in that. Nothing wrong in asking again again till you are sure.

So one day I became sure. By the time I was very old. You know, how old 19 that's very old for you you shouldn't wait till then you must say Lord Jesus, you know why I was not sure because I Didn't there was a word.

There's a verse in the Bible which says Jesus says if anyone comes to me, I Will not push him away. So if you ask Jesus to so I said Lord Jesus I came to you. He says I didn't push you away. I came into your heart.

So I want you to believe that that Jesus says if you come to him, he will not push you away. He'll accept you. So that's very very important to be sure and if Jesus in your heart you must talk to him every day.

Thanksgiving for Jesus’ Presence

Okay. Hey, are you all listening. Look at me. Can you see me? You must say Lord Jesus. Thank you for coming into my heart. You must say Lord Jesus. Thank you. When you say thank you Then you know that he has come just like, you know.

Some uncle or auntie gives you The chocolate or something you say. Thank you uncle. So you must say thank you Jesus. Lord Jesus for Cleaning my heart. Thank you for coming into my heart. Thank you for being my friend.

Supposing you asked Jesus one day you lost your pencil or your book or something say Lord Jesus. Please help me to find it and when you find it, what should you do? Hey. Say thank you. That's right. Many people don't say thank you.

If you learn to say thank you to Jesus, you will get something more from Jesus than others others who don't say Thank you. There were once as Jesus is there's a story of ten people with leprosy who came to Jesus and said, please heal us.

And Jesus said okay go your way you'll be healed. And all ten got healed of leprosy is a terrible disease and they all got healed but only one of them Came back to Jesus and said thank you Lord Jesus and because of that he got something more.

Which the other nine did not get. All ten were healed of their leprosy. But Jesus said to this man You came back and you said thank you I'm giving you Salvation you are saved. So he got something inside his heart.

Which the other nine didn't get. What do we learn from that story? That if you come back to Jesus and say, thank you. You'll get something more. If you only pray and say Lord help me, please help me to find this.

Please help me to do this. Okay, you'll get that thing but after that if you come back and say thank you you'll get something more. So there are many things like this we can learn from stories of Jesus.

Taking Responsibility Instead of Blaming Others

You know, there's no there's nothing that Jesus will not forgive anything that you do wrong. You forgive now the. You know how little children are all of you sometimes you have a fight with somebody and Mommy asks you.

Why did you hit him? And Sometimes you'll say he hit me first there's a always a Habit of putting the blame on somebody else. Do you find that in your life sometimes? Blaming somebody else he did that or she did that.

That's why I did this. Okay in the Bible there was a man like that I'll tell you. You know his name. His name was Adam do you know Adam? He was the first man. And God told him not to do something and he went and did it.

He took something from a tree. And then God came and said did you do this? Actually, he didn't do it himself. His wife took it and gave it to him, but he ate it so the God came and asked Adam. Did you eat from that tree?

He should have said yes God, I'm sorry. I ate that but instead of saying that you know what he said. He said my wife gave it to me. He was trying to put the blame on somebody else. That's the first thing you see in the Bible of a man putting the blame on somebody else and God put them out of heaven out of Eden out of that garden so you can't come back here so what we learned from that is Never blame somebody else if you did something wrong.

Okay, he hit you first never mind, but you hit him didn't you? You say I'm sorry. Don't worry about whether he hit you first. That's his business. So don't try to give an excuse when you do something wrong to blame somebody else.

Confession and Forgiveness at the Cross

Now I'll tell you another story of a man who did not blame others. Do you know that Jesus was crucified on a cross? You know that story and you know that two others were crucified beside him. They were very bad people.

They had killed people they were thieves and do you know that those two bad people. One went to heaven the other went to hell. You know that you don't know that. Okay. Let me tell you. Do you know that some of you okay some of you know it.

One of them went to heaven. Both were equally bad, but one went to heaven the other went to hell. You know why? Because. Only one reason now listen to this all of you children. That man went to heaven only because of one reason and that's a good lesson for all of you to learn.

He said Lord Jesus it is my fault. That's not what Adam said. Adam said is my wife's fault, so God said get out of here and this man Said it's my fault even though he did so many wrong things. He didn't blame anybody else.

He didn't say my mother brought me up badly or I got it got into fellowship with bad friends. He never said any of that. He said my fault and Jesus said really it's your fault. Okay. You're willing to take the blame you don't want to blame anybody else.

Then you're forgiven come with me to heaven today. What a wonderful lesson we can learn from that. Tell me again. What did Adam do blame somebody else and God kicked him out. What did this thief do? Took the blame himself and he went to heaven that day.

So there are a lot of lessons we can learn from these stories for ourselves as to how we should live the Christian life. Okay. Are you tired of hearing me. I'll stop. Anyway, thank you for listening. God bless you all.

A Prayer for a Clean Heart

I want you to close your eyes for a moment. Bow your head. Close your eyes. Please close your eyes. I want you to say loud Lord Jesus. Forgive me for all the wrong things. That I did. Thank you for dying for me.

I know you're living today. Lord Jesus. Come into my heart now clean my heart. Make it white. Help me to be a Good child. Help me to obey daddy and mommy. To obey my Sunday school teachers and to always do what is right.

Help me. Not to tell lies. When I fight to ask to say sorry. To say sorry, thank you Lord Jesus For coming into my heart. Amen. Okay, boys and girls. God bless you all. Thank you for listening.