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168 messages
10mZac Poonen · May 14
11mZac Poonen · May 12
10mZac Poonen · May 9
9mZac Poonen · May 1
11mZac Poonen · Apr 30
10mZac Poonen · Apr 29
9mZac Poonen · Apr 28
9mZac Poonen · Apr 27
10mZac Poonen · Apr 10
11mZac Poonen · Apr 9
9mZac Poonen · Mar 30
13mZac Poonen · Mar 19
13mZac Poonen · Mar 18
13mZac Poonen · Mar 13
11mZac Poonen · Mar 3
9mZac Poonen · Feb 27
11mZac Poonen · Feb 26
10mZac Poonen · Feb 12
10mZac Poonen · Feb 10
9mZac Poonen · Feb 9
12mZac Poonen · Jan 29
9mZac Poonen · Jan 27
11mZac Poonen · Jan 23
11mZac Poonen · Jan 18
Zac Poonen · 11m · CFC Daily Devotions
True blessing under the New Covenant is not measured by material wealth and health, but by spiritual transformation and union with Christ. The mark of God's blessing is internal holiness and a clear vision of Christ, not external prosperity.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 14, 2025 · 10m
True spiritual growth comes not just from reading scripture, but from meditating on it daily, which is likened to digesting food for nourishment. To meditate effectively, one must first guard against sin and the counsel of the wicked. The speaker emphasizes maintaining a humble attitude, approaching scripture as if it's a daily, delicious meal, recognizing that profound depth is available even in familiar passages.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 12, 2025 · 11m
The sermon uses the story of King Saul to warn against pride and self-importance in the Christian race. Saul, despite initial victories, became arrogant and disobeyed God's clear commands, leading to the loss of his kingship. The central message is to always remain humble, keeping oneself small in one's own eyes, as God favors the humble, which is essential for finishing the race well.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 9, 2025 · 10m
The central message is that to run the Christian race and win, one must daily 'die to self' by denying personal rights and being willing to forgive others, even when wronged. The speaker emphasizes that this self-denial involves accepting shame for Christ's sake, mirroring Jesus' endurance on the cross. Ultimately, overcoming means consistently choosing to forgive and stand for Christ, regardless of the resulting shame or opposition.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 1, 2025 · 9m
The message warns against the danger of losing fervent devotion to Christ, citing examples from the churches in Ephesus and Revelation. True devotion is marked by humility, self-examination, and prioritizing Christ above worldly things like wealth, comfort, or ministry success. The speaker urges the audience to continually focus on loving Jesus with all the heart, asking, "Lord, whom have I in heaven but you?"
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 30, 2025 · 11m
The message uses the lives of Moses and Jacob to illustrate that God's plan for an individual often requires breaking them down to achieve true readiness. Moses, despite his power and education, could not lead God's people until God humbled him through years of servitude. Similarly, the speaker advises that true spiritual maturity comes when one recognizes their own total incapability before God.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 29, 2025 · 10m
True Christian character, such as humility and kindness, must originate from a genuine root of salvation, otherwise, it is mere hypocrisy. The speaker emphasizes that believers should learn humility and gentleness directly from Jesus' life and teachings, rather than from human definitions or imitation of others. This genuine learning involves accepting God's will, even when it requires great humility, such as receiving gifts or forgiving others.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 28, 2025 · 9m
The speaker teaches that the origin of all sin is pride, citing Ezekiel 28:17, which speaks of a heart being lifted up. He emphasizes that dealing with this root sin is necessary for true spiritual progress, as external sins are merely manifestations. Ultimately, God opposes the proud, and grace is given only to the humble, suggesting that humility is the key to receiving the Holy Spirit's work.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 27, 2025 · 9m
The message emphasizes that peacemaking is a core responsibility in marriage, drawing parallels to Jesus' teaching on proclaiming peace. True peacemaking requires humility, exemplified by God taking the first step to reconcile with humanity. In marital conflict, the one who is most spiritually mature should initiate reconciliation, moving the relationship from conflict to peace, and ultimately to fellowship.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 10, 2025 · 10m
The central message is that true greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven comes not from worldly achievement or status, but from profound humility, exemplified by a child. The speaker contrasts the human tendency toward competition and pride with the natural state of a baby, who is unconcerned with comparison or status. He urges listeners to adopt the child's dependence, willingness to ask for help, and lack of pride, applying this lesson to their relationship with God by constantly crying out for grace.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 9, 2025 · 11m
Paul urges believers to ensure their love grows in wisdom, citing examples from parenting and marriage. The message emphasizes that when lacking wisdom, one must ask God in faith, as He promises to give generously without reproach. True wisdom is linked to humility, and the key condition for receiving God's wisdom is asking without doubting.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 30, 2025 · 9m
The central message is that Christian understanding of the cross must progress beyond merely acknowledging that Christ died for sin. True discipleship requires a deep humility, recognizing that one has nothing to boast about, and a commitment to live completely for Christ. This progression is symbolized by being immersed in water, representing dying to self and living only for Christ, mirroring Jesus' sacrifice.
13mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 19, 2025 · 13m
Repentance is defined as a complete 180-degree turn away from sin, which is fundamentally rooted in pride and rebellion against authority. The speaker emphasizes that merely accepting Christ is not enough; one must actively change one's attitude toward sin, becoming as passionate about God as they once were about sin. True repentance requires humility, mirroring Jesus' descent, and recognizing that pride is the origin of all sin, tracing back to Lucifer's rebellion against God.
13mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 18, 2025 · 13m
The sermon uses the story of Samuel to illustrate that God speaks to the humble and pure heart, bypassing the knowledgeable but burdened. The central message is that knowing God as a loving Father, as taught in the Lord's Prayer, provides profound security. The speaker warns against the 'no entry' roads of discouragement and self-condemnation, reminding listeners that through Christ, there is no condemnation for those who are in Him.
13mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 13, 2025 · 13m
To achieve spiritual richness, one must cultivate humility and reverence for God, which are contrasted with the world's pursuit of earthly honors. The speaker emphasizes that God has a specific plan for each life, and the greatest threat to fulfilling this plan is personal sin, pride, or unforgiveness. True reverence involves desiring to decrease in the eyes of men so that Christ can be exalted, mirroring the desire of angels in heaven.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 3, 2025 · 11m
The central message is that the true spirit of Christ is characterized by genuinely caring for the welfare of others, rather than seeking personal gain or status. The speaker emphasizes that true spiritual maturity is demonstrated by a willingness to serve and sacrifice one's time and resources for the glory of God and the eternal lives of others. This attitude requires humility, viewing others as more important than oneself, mirroring Christ's actions, such as washing his disciples' feet.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Feb 27, 2025 · 9m
The message emphasizes the importance of diligently preparing one's heart for God by learning to 'number one's days' rather than just years. The central message is to cultivate a heart of wisdom characterized by forgiveness, love for all people, and the constant setting right of wrong attitudes. Furthermore, the speaker warns against false teachings that diminish the necessity of enduring in love until the end, urging listeners to prioritize Christ-centered love above all else.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Feb 26, 2025 · 11m
The central message is that believers are not destined to be ruled by sin, but rather, they are protected by God's grace. The speaker contrasts the common teaching that sin will eventually be cleansed by the blood of Christ with the gospel truth that grace actively prevents sin from mastering a person. He emphasizes that this victory is achieved by remaining under grace and adopting humility, as scripture states God gives grace to the humble.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Feb 12, 2025 · 10m
The central message is that God uses difficult trials and testing to build us into overcomers through His grace. The speaker emphasizes that God will never test us beyond our ability, comparing this to steam pressure in a boiler room. True victory comes not from blaming others, but from acknowledging that God orchestrated the difficult circumstances, leading ultimately to a place of abundance. Believers are encouraged to draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and rely on God's sufficient grace through brokenness and humility.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Feb 10, 2025 · 10m
The central message is that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, making grace the source of our overcoming power. The speaker emphasizes that true spiritual strength comes not from quoting scripture or asserting titles, but from deep humility before God. He advises believers to embrace difficult circumstances as the 'mighty hand of God' to be broken down, knowing that God will exalt them at the proper time, specifically over sin and Satan, not over worldly achievements.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Feb 9, 2025 · 9m
The central message is that God's grace is sufficient for every situation, and His power is perfected in human weakness. The speaker emphasizes that true confidence comes not from self-sufficiency, but from trusting in God's grace, which requires us to allow ourselves to be broken by life's circumstances. This process of being weakened is necessary for God to manifest His power through us, as exemplified by the Apostle Paul.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Jan 29, 2025 · 12m
The message warns against self-deception, particularly when believers become complacent due to seniority or perceived gifts, leading them to think they are 'somebody' when they are spiritually 'nobody.' True spiritual maturity requires remembering one's humble beginnings. Furthermore, the speaker emphasizes that believers must sow to the Holy Spirit's promptings to reap eternal life, rather than sowing to the flesh, which leads to corruption.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Jan 27, 2025 · 9m
The central message is that true spiritual wisdom comes not from intellectual cleverness or intelligence, but from a humble heart. The speaker emphasizes that one must acknowledge their spiritual foolishness before God's Word to avoid self-deception. This humility is presented as the essential prerequisite for understanding divine truths.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Jan 23, 2025 · 11m
The central message is the necessity of daily self-denial, echoing Jesus' command to take up the cross every day. The speaker emphasizes that true discipleship requires constantly saying 'no' to one's own will and saying 'yes' to the Father's will, a process that must be lived out daily, not just once. This daily surrender is likened to the 'New and Living Way' inaugurated by Christ, which allows believers to enter God's presence.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Jan 18, 2025 · 11m
The speaker compares Moses to a New Covenant person living in Old Covenant times, arguing that true spiritual understanding comes from receiving God's Revelation, which is different from mere intellectual knowledge. He emphasizes that humility is key to receiving this revelation, citing Moses' humility as an example. Furthermore, true revelation changes one's priorities, leading one to reject the honor of the world, the pleasures of sin, and the riches of earthly possessions.