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46mFaith is What Pleases God - Santosh Poonen - September 21, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Sep 22
49mGod's Purpose in Breaking Us - Santosh Poonen - August 31, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Aug 31
45mBeware of Practicing Your Brokenness Before Men - Santosh Poonen - August 24, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Aug 25
45mBe a Worshiper - Santosh Poonen - July 30, 2014 (Session 5)
Santosh Poonen · Aug 5
47mBe Rich Towards God - Santosh Poonen - July 29, 2014 (Session 2)
Santosh Poonen · Jul 30
55mPray, Then, In This Way - 3: The Effective Prayer Of The Righteous - Santosh Poonen - July 27, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jul 28
57mPray, Then, In This Way - 2: Pregnant With Prayer - Santosh Poonen - July 13, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jul 15
52mPray, Then, In This Way - 1: From Him, Through Him, To Him - Santosh Poonen - July 6, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jul 7
52mTesting Your Godliness - 3: Love From the Center of Who You Are - Santosh Poonen - June 22, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jun 23
50mTesting Your Godliness - 2: Who is Your Enemy? - Santosh Poonen - June 8, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jun 10
53mSession 3: A Pure Bride for Christ - Santosh Poonen - May 23, 2014
Santosh Poonen · May 24
40mTesting Your Godliness - 1: Love Your Enemy - Santosh Poonen - May 4, 2014
Santosh Poonen · May 5
54mAnything More Than Yes or No is of the Evil One - Santosh Poonen - April 20, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Apr 20
56mTo Present to Thee a Heart of Wisdom - Santosh Poonen - April 6, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Apr 7
54mPower to Overcome - Santosh Poonen - March 16, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Mar 17
1h 1mAfraid? Of What? - Santosh Poonen - February 23, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Feb 24
54mPeace-Pursuers - Santosh Poonen - February 16, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Feb 17
49mHave You Truly Seen God? - Santosh Poonen - February 2, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Feb 3
53mIs There a Camel in Your Teacup? - Santosh Poonen - January 19, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jan 20
59mTo Live Full Lives... Full in the Fullness of God - Santosh Poonen - January 5, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jan 7
54mHungering and Thirsting for the Face of God - Santosh Poonen - December 29, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Dec 30
57mBlessed Are the Tamed - Santosh Poonen - December 1, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Dec 2
1h 1mThe God of All Encouragement: Part 2 - Santosh Poonen - November 17, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Nov 18
51mThe God of All Encouragement: Part 1 - Santosh Poonen - November 3, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Nov 4
August 5 | Daily Devotion | Idolatry Is Spiritual Adultery | Zac Poonen
Zac Poonen · 10m · CFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen teaches that idolatry constitutes spiritual adultery against God, drawing a parallel between unfaithfulness in marriage and unfaithfulness in our devotion to God. The message calls believers to recognize idolatry in their lives and turn from it in repentance to restore their relationship with God.
46mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Faith is What Pleases God - Santosh Poonen - September 21, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Sep 22, 2014 · 46m
The central message emphasizes that God sees in secret, contrasting this with the world's tendency to broadcast everything on social media. The speaker argues that true discipleship, like Jesus' life, involves internal, secret obedience rather than only outward, visible acts. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit's primary purpose is not just for gifts, but to guide believers into deeper truths that were not publicly revealed, mirroring Jesus' private life.
49mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
God's Purpose in Breaking Us - Santosh Poonen - August 31, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Aug 31, 2014 · 49m
The speaker warns against the danger of making spiritual experiences, such as brokenness or righteousness, into public performances. He draws parallels from church history, noting that zeal can devolve into legalism and outward appearance. Ultimately, he cautions that even deep spiritual work can become ineffective if the goal shifts from pleasing God to gaining recognition from others.
45mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Beware of Practicing Your Brokenness Before Men - Santosh Poonen - August 24, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Aug 25, 2014 · 45m
The speaker cautions against focusing solely on external religious actions or manifestations, arguing that true Christian life stems from an inner nature. He emphasizes that while external acts are important, they are merely an overflow of a deeply filled inner life, urging listeners to meditate on the internal nature of Christ rather than just His visible deeds. The core message is the necessity of cultivating this inner life, which is more crucial than any specific external performance.
45mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
transcribingBe a Worshiper - Santosh Poonen - July 30, 2014 (Session 5)
Santosh Poonen · Aug 5, 2014 · 45m
This session focuses on the concept of being a true worshiper. The message emphasizes that worship is not merely an activity but a lifestyle that should permeate every aspect of the believer's life. It encourages the audience to live in a constant state of worship before God.
47mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Be Rich Towards God - Santosh Poonen - July 29, 2014 (Session 2)
Santosh Poonen · Jul 30, 2014 · 47m
The speaker emphasizes that Jesus Christ must have preeminence—superiority and priority—in every aspect of a believer's life. He argues that if Christ is not preeminent, the believer is wasting their Christian life. The message introduces
55mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Pray, Then, In This Way - 3: The Effective Prayer Of The Righteous - Santosh Poonen - July 27, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jul 28, 2014 · 55m
The core message is that effective prayer must originate from God's breath, making it a communion with Him rather than merely expressing human need. To ensure prayers are answered, one must seek God's guidance first, rather than being driven solely by desperation or need. True prayer requires forsaking outward displays of piety and instead yielding to the Holy Spirit's prompting.
57mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Pray, Then, In This Way - 2: Pregnant With Prayer - Santosh Poonen - July 13, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jul 15, 2014 · 57m
The central message is that effective prayer must originate from God's word and will, rather than merely being a litany of requests. The speaker emphasizes that true prayer is communion with God, flowing from His breath through His Spirit dwelling in us and back to Him. He contrasts the long, unanswered prayers of the prophets of Baal with Elijah's brief, focused prayer, illustrating that God responds to alignment with His will, not the sheer volume or dramatic nature of the effort.
52mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Pray, Then, In This Way - 1: From Him, Through Him, To Him - Santosh Poonen - July 6, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jul 7, 2014 · 52m
The sermon emphasizes that the condition of a church can be accurately gauged by the fervor of its prayer meetings, quoting Charles Spurgeon to stress that God's presence requires diligent prayer. The speaker encourages the congregation to commit to attending the scheduled prayer meetings, warning that spiritual neglect in prayer is a primary sign of God's absence. Finally, he directs the listeners to pray privately, as Jesus taught, rather than praying publicly for recognition.
52mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Testing Your Godliness - 3: Love From the Center of Who You Are - Santosh Poonen - June 22, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jun 23, 2014 · 52m
The central message is that the true test of godliness is the depth and nature of our love, which must be rooted in the understanding that God Himself is love. The speaker emphasizes that this divine love is an unchangeable nature, not merely a feeling. He concludes by stating that the ultimate test of our love is our ability to love our enemies, which requires a divine love that surpasses human capacity.
50mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Testing Your Godliness - 2: Who is Your Enemy? - Santosh Poonen - June 8, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jun 10, 2014 · 50m
The sermon explores the depth of knowing God, arguing that true knowledge comes not just from knowing His works or reading His word, but from experiencing Him through Jesus Christ. Jesus' teachings, particularly in Matthew 5, shift the standard from the letter of the law to the heart of God's love, exemplified by loving enemies. The speaker cautions against merely 'working for Christ' based on personal fancies, emphasizing that all Christian service must originate from the Sovereign will and command of the Lord.
53mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
transcribingSession 3: A Pure Bride for Christ - Santosh Poonen - May 23, 2014
Santosh Poonen · May 24, 2014 · 53m
This session focuses on the concept of being a pure bride for Christ. The message emphasizes the believer's calling to holiness and preparation for Christ's return. It speaks to the need for a dedicated life focused on Christ's glory.
40mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Testing Your Godliness - 1: Love Your Enemy - Santosh Poonen - May 4, 2014
Santosh Poonen · May 5, 2014 · 40m
The speaker emphasizes that true godliness is measured not by programs or activities, but by a deep, increasing love for God and for fellow believers. He argues that a genuine love for God is demonstrated through loving one's spouse, children, and church community self-sacrificially. The message warns against treating Christ or the church as a 'project' or a cause to be promoted, stressing instead that obedience must originate from the Lord's sovereign will.
54mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Anything More Than Yes or No is of the Evil One - Santosh Poonen - April 20, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Apr 20, 2014 · 54m
Jesus teaches that oaths are unnecessary because one's statement should simply be 'yes' or 'no,' as anything beyond these two words belongs to the evil one. This principle restores the original standard of God's law, emphasizing that the command to love and not lust or get angry is not a new standard but a return to what God always intended for humanity. Jesus' words correct loopholes that people had used in the law to excuse sin.
56mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
To Present to Thee a Heart of Wisdom - Santosh Poonen - April 6, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Apr 7, 2014 · 56m
The speaker encourages the audience to live mindful of the shortness of life, drawing from Psalm 90, and to seek a heart of wisdom from God. He emphasizes that our legacy should not be based on our skills or achievements, but rather on our relationship with Jesus, who was filled with the Holy Spirit and used that power to do good. The core message is to live intentionally to present a life pleasing to God.
54mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Power to Overcome - Santosh Poonen - March 16, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Mar 17, 2014 · 54m
The central message is the necessity of being an 'overcomer,' a theme repeated throughout Revelation to the seven churches. The speaker emphasizes that overcoming is not a one-time event but a continuous process of perseverance in faith. This overcoming leads to eternal rewards, such as eating from the Tree of Life and receiving eternal life with Christ.
1h 1mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Afraid? Of What? - Santosh Poonen - February 23, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Feb 24, 2014 · 1h 1m
Jesus contrasts the blessings of the Old Covenant with the blessings of the New Covenant, emphasizing that true fortune comes from being poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, and hunger for righteousness. Specifically, the speaker highlights that being persecuted for the sake of righteousness is a sign of great fortune, a concept that reverses the old understanding of earthly prosperity as God's favor.
54mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Peace-Pursuers - Santosh Poonen - February 16, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Feb 17, 2014 · 54m
The central mark of true Christianity is demonstrated by loving one's enemies and praying for those who persecute us. This goes beyond merely loving friends or those within one's own group, distinguishing true followers of God from others. The speaker emphasizes that this radical love is the defining characteristic that proves one is a son of the Father in heaven.
49mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Have You Truly Seen God? - Santosh Poonen - February 2, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Feb 3, 2014 · 49m
The central message is that true understanding and seeing God come from a pure heart, defined as having an unadulterated devotion to Jesus, rather than mere religious performance. The speaker contrasts this with the superficial piety of the Pharisees and uses Psalm 73 to illustrate that envy of others' prosperity and comparing oneself to others are signs that one has not yet truly seen God. Ultimately, seeing God requires a divine revelation that surpasses human effort or knowledge.
53mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Is There a Camel in Your Teacup? - Santosh Poonen - January 19, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jan 20, 2014 · 53m
The speaker advises that true prayer life should be private, occurring in one's inner room, rather than being performed publicly for show. While planned prayer meetings are beneficial, the core of our spiritual life must be a secret devotion to God. He warns against being deceived by false teachings or 'another Jesus' that might offer a false sense of righteousness, emphasizing that true righteousness comes only through faith in the true Jesus Christ.
59mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
To Live Full Lives... Full in the Fullness of God - Santosh Poonen - January 5, 2014
Santosh Poonen · Jan 7, 2014 · 59m
The speaker urges the congregation to live life to the fullest, not according to worldly standards of achievement, but in the fullness of God's will, referencing Ephesians. He emphasizes that true spiritual growth involves examining one's life to ensure increasing oneness and unity with fellow believers, which is a process that requires effort and working through conflict. Ultimately, the goal is to experience the 'glory' of unity and submission to one another in love.
54mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Hungering and Thirsting for the Face of God - Santosh Poonen - December 29, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Dec 30, 2013 · 54m
The speaker encourages a deep, active desire for God's word and presence, moving beyond merely hearing sermons to cultivating a daily, intimate walk with the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes that achieving spiritual goals, such as obeying every New Covenant command and experiencing every promise, requires taking consistent, daily steps of obedience rather than waiting for a distant future. These daily choices are crucial because neglecting them allows sin and distraction to derail spiritual progress.
57mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Blessed Are the Tamed - Santosh Poonen - December 1, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Dec 2, 2013 · 57m
The central message is that true meekness is not weakness or passivity, but rather the process of taming the wild, uncontrolled spirit within us. Drawing parallels to taming a powerful wild animal, the speaker argues that meekness, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, does not diminish our strength but channels our power for God's kingdom. This understanding shifts our perspective away from worldly definitions of meekness.
1h 1mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
The God of All Encouragement: Part 2 - Santosh Poonen - November 17, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Nov 18, 2013 · 1h 1m
The message emphasizes that true spiritual understanding requires deep study of scripture, comparing the need to understand spiritual meaning to looking up words in a dictionary. The core focus is on Jesus' profound value for fellowship with the Father, which he feared losing even more than physical death. The speaker urges listeners to value this relationship above all else, recognizing that sin breaks this fellowship.
51mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
The God of All Encouragement: Part 1 - Santosh Poonen - November 3, 2013
Santosh Poonen · Nov 4, 2013 · 51m
The speaker argues that while the preaching of the cross is vital, many Christians mistake worldly or emotional happiness for true joy. He distinguishes between this fleeting, imitative joy and the deep, sustaining joy of the Lord, which he asserts is the source of true strength. Drawing from Nehemiah 8:10, he emphasizes that this divine joy empowers believers to remain strong even amidst trials and difficulties.