Enlarging Our Hearts - Part 5 — Zac Poonen

The Blessing of Being Poor in Spirit

Well, he, blessed are the poor in spirit. God gives the kingdom of heaven to such people. The poor in spirit are those who say, Lord, I'm a needy person. I don't claim to be better than anybody else. I'm just a needy person.

I'll tell you one thing. In the city of Samaria at that time, perhaps that woman was more poor in spirit than anybody else in the whole city. All the fellows who went to the synagogues and people who sat on the elders' chairs, and they were not as poor in spirit as this woman.

Their lives, external life, may have been better, but they didn't have a sense of need. Isn't it interesting that the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord begins with, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

A Large Heart Turns Us Away from Judging Others

And I'll tell you something about those who are poor in spirit. They don't watch other people closely to see what's wrong with them. They've got enough problems in their own lives to judge themselves.

And if you're like that, I tell you, the whole kingdom of heaven is yours. And it's amazing how God will use you. Is it possible that when you stand before the Lord, the Lord may say to you, you know, I wanted to use you much more than you actually did, than I actually could on earth.

And you say, Lord, why couldn't you use me? He says, your heart was so narrow, the Lord will say. You were always watching other people to find what was wrong with them, and your heart remained narrow.

And I spoke to you again and again and again and again in the meetings, but you wouldn't listen. You remained with your narrow heart, looking at other people. And you allowed jealousy to come in. That's what happened to these three preacher friends of Job.

Jealousy and the Temptation to Tear Others Down

I have a feeling now, it's not written in the Scriptures, but knowing human nature, I have a guess that these three preacher friends of Job were jealous of Job. Because they could see he was far more spiritual than them.

They could see he was far more respected than them. And they could see that he was much better off than them. He had ten God-fearing children. Imagine that. How would you look at someone who is far more spiritual than you, and far wealthier than you, and far more influential than you, and who's got ten godly children, and he's built ten houses for them.

He's fantastically rich. And on top of that, he's so spiritual. And he's got a word, the young people listen to him. Job says that. He says, when I open my mouth, the young people would sit there and listen to me.

And here you are, looking at this man, waiting to find some fault in him, to tear him down. Or it could be a sister. You look at some sister whom you're jealous of because she has so much more than you.

Maybe more acceptance, more wealth, or whatever it is. And you always look to find some fault, and you always try to tear the person down. Who are you destroying? Yourself. That's what we learn from the book of Job.

God Exposes Pharisaical Judgment Through Suffering

And one day, see how God tested them. How does God expose Pharisees? He allows a godly man to become sick. Not only to make that man large-hearted, but to find out who are all the Pharisees here, who will now pass their judgment on why this godly man has become sick.

Ah, there must be some sin. We knew there was something wrong with this fellow Job all along. You know, he looked very spiritual and all. At last we see. Do you find that type of delight when somebody you don't like has got a bit sick, so that it shows at last you can prove that that guy was not as spiritual?

You don't because you don't like the fact that he's spiritual. You know, it's amazing. We're supposed to be children of God. The non-Christians appreciate godly men more than many Christians. The Christians are jealous.

The non-Christians look at them and say, well, that's a fine man. But you can't say that. The non-Christians will look at somebody and say, that's a godly woman. But you can't say that. Because there's a jealousy there.

Enlarging the Heart for Our Own Good and God's Glory

There's a jealousy. Well, I can only tell you to deal with it in your own interest. I mean, even if you're the most selfish person in the world, please consider yourself and get a large heart. Because it's good for you.

I mean, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get a large heart. And even if you're selfish, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get a large heart. It will bless you. Move on from there to, I mean, start with that at least.

And then move on to the place where you want to have a large heart because it glorifies God. Isn't it a pity that I have to preach saying you should have a large heart because it blesses you? Because if I were to preach saying, you should have a large heart because it glorifies God, that might not interest you so much.

But we'll start at the low level. Start, get a large heart because it blesses you, brother. It blesses you, sister. Aha. That's where we begin. You shouldn't stay there. You remember the prodigal son?

The Prodigal Son's Selfish Motivation for Returning

Why did he come home? Did he kneel down there in the pigsty and say, oh, I've dishonored God so much. I've brought so much dishonor to my father. I think I must go and repent. Not at all. I'm hungry. I want something for myself.

And that is the only motivation with which God can bring many people to him initially. That is why I say get a large heart because it's good for you. It's pathetic if that's the only motivation. But what to do?

But at least begin there. Get back to God. And then come to the place where you want to have a large heart because it glorifies God. Whether it does good to me or not is unimportant. Then you become really spiritual.

Moving from Self-Interest to Spiritual Maturity

Jesus didn't have a large heart because that was good for him. But that's a long way. You know, when we're in the kindergarten, we can't think of PhD and all. We wait a few years before we think of PhD.

We started the kindergarten stuff, which is, I want to have a large heart because it's good for me. I want to go home to my father's house because I'm hungry. I want some food for myself. Okay, the Lord says, come.

You know he'll accept you on that basis. Supposing you come to Jesus and say, Lord, I don't want to go to hell. Will you accept me and take me to heaven? He says, sure, come. Do you think a man who is seeking to escape hell is really concerned about the glory of God and all that?

He says, no, no, no, no, no, no. How to stop people from lusting with their eyes? Supposing I say, there are two ways to put it. You know, if you lust with your eyes, it dishonors God so much. Don't do it, brother.

Jesus' Warning About Lust and Hell

Don't look at internet pornography because it dishonors God so much. Most Christians, it won't even shake. I'd say 99 of Christians, because 99 of believers are not spiritual. My conviction is, my experience, only 1 of believers I've met in my life are really spiritually minded.

That means everything in their life, they are concerned about the glory of God, not what's good for them. So even Jesus recognized that. So when he warns people about lusting with the eyes, how does he put it?

In the most spiritual sermon found in the whole Bible, Sermon on the Mount. He doesn't say, don't lust with your eyes because that will dishonor God. Because he knows people won't respond to that. He says, don't lust with your eyes because you'll go to hell.

That's what he says in Matthew 5. Oh, okay, Lord, I'll stop lusting. Because that's how we are. It'll affect me, is it? Or, next thing is, don't criticize people in the church to your children because it'll destroy your children.

Rejecting Evil Speech for the Sake of Spiritual Formation

Oh, it'll destroy my children. Okay, I'll stop criticizing people in the church. Not because it dishonors God or anything. I want my children to be spiritual. So I will not speak evil about anybody in the church to them.

Good. At least you've joined kindergarten. Thank God you're not outside the school. At least for the sake of bringing up your children properly, you'll stop speaking evil in your home. But don't you realize what a pathetic level that is?

I mean, do you want to be in kindergarten all your life? I'm not saying you shouldn't come there. Come there. Everybody joins church in kindergarten. But don't stay there.