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1,747 messages
11mZac Poonen · Sep 24
1h 13mZac Poonen · Sep 24
1h 25mZac Poonen · Sep 23
1h 11mZac Poonen · Sep 23
59mZac Poonen · Sep 23
9mZac Poonen · Sep 23
12mZac Poonen · Sep 22
14mZac Poonen · Sep 20
11mZac Poonen · Sep 19
44mZac Poonen · Sep 16
13mZac Poonen · Sep 15
10mZac Poonen · Sep 13
11mZac Poonen · Sep 11
6mZac Poonen · Sep 10
8mZac Poonen · Sep 9
10mZac Poonen · Sep 8
8mZac Poonen · Sep 7
12mZac Poonen · Sep 6
13mZac Poonen · Sep 5
25mZac Poonen · Sep 5
1h 5mZac Poonen · Sep 5
59mZac Poonen · Sep 4
13mZac Poonen · Sep 3
12mZac Poonen · Sep 1
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.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 24, 2024 · 11m
The central message is that putting God first in every area of life—including relationships and possessions—is essential for spiritual cleansing and a fulfilling life. The speaker contrasts the Old Covenant, which emphasized rules that humans could not perfectly keep, with the New Covenant, which is established through Christ's blood and empowers believers with the desire and ability to obey. True discipleship involves choosing God's will freely, rather than being programmed like a robot.
1h 13mAustin Christian Fellowship Church (ACFC)
Zac Poonen · Sep 24, 2024 · 1h 13m
The speaker addresses several questions, emphasizing that while God knows our hearts, trials are necessary to humble us and reveal our true spiritual state. He strongly advises believers to seek out churches that provide deep spiritual examination, comparing it to an MRI scan for the soul. Furthermore, he cautions against intellectual pride regarding personal revelation, stressing that we must remain teachable and accept guidance from others in our walk with Christ.
1h 25mAustin Christian Fellowship Church (ACFC)
Zac Poonen · Sep 23, 2024 · 1h 25m
The speaker recounts his personal journey of faith, emphasizing the importance of diligent Bible study and obedience to God's clear commands. He contrasts seeking spiritual power through techniques with pursuing the genuine anointing of the Holy Spirit. The central message draws lessons from Jesus' life—specifically His willingness to be baptized by John the Baptist despite His sinlessness—highlighting that true service requires profound humility and a readiness to submit to death for Christ.
1h 11mAustin Christian Fellowship Church (ACFC)
Zac Poonen · Sep 23, 2024 · 1h 11m
The speaker emphasizes that God desires an intimate, daily relationship with each individual, comparing this to Genesis 1 where God spoke something new every day. He argues that a strong community life (the horizontal bar of the cross) is meaningless without a primary, personal devotion to Christ (the vertical bar). True discipleship requires prioritizing one's walk with God above all other relationships.
59mAustin Christian Fellowship Church (ACFC)
Zac Poonen · Sep 23, 2024 · 59m
The speaker contrasts two types of servants: those who follow the crowd when Israel strays, and a select group (like Zadok's sons) who remain dedicated to ministering directly to God. He urges all believers, regardless of profession, to live as witnesses for Christ by doing everything—even eating or drinking—to the glory of God, pointing attention away from themselves and toward Jesus.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 23, 2024 · 9m
The central message encourages believers to view the command to 'walk as Jesus walked' not as an impossible standard, but as a possibility granted by God's help, which is the language of faith. The speaker warns against the unbelief that treats biblical commands as unattainable, citing the example of the Sermon on the Mount. He cautions against selectively applying scripture, arguing that no part of the New Testament is exempt from God's teaching.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 22, 2024 · 12m
The message emphasizes that marriage is a partnership where husbands and wives must complement each other, much like the body needs all its parts to function fully. It stresses that wives should encourage their husbands to see things from their perspective, and that submission from wives should come through respectful behavior rather than preaching. Ultimately, the relationship should model the deep, loving fellowship described in Song of Solomon.
14mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 20, 2024 · 14m
The message warns against the dangers of wealth and comfort, using the Israelites' worship of the Golden Calf after leaving slavery as a prime example. The speaker emphasizes that spiritual devotion must remain constant, even when life becomes materially comfortable, and stresses that true discipleship requires humble acknowledgment of one's own spiritual failure. He urges listeners to remain devoted to God regardless of worldly success or ease.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 19, 2024 · 11m
The message emphasizes that human life is sustained not by material wealth or comfort, but by living by every word of God. Drawing from Deuteronomy 8, the speaker notes that God uses periods of hardship, like the wilderness, to humble us and test our commitment to His commandments. A warning is issued that when prosperity and comfort arrive, believers must guard against becoming proud, forgetting the Lord who brought them out of sin, and continuing to prioritize obedience to God's word.
44mCFC India
Zac Poonen · Sep 16, 2024 · 44m
The sermon emphasizes that true fellowship (ananyonyate) is not merely social comfort or superficial connection, but a deep reality rooted in understanding the New Covenant established by Christ. The speaker warns against hypocrisy, urging believers to live authentically before God rather than performing for people. Genuine fellowship must first be established with the Father and the Son, as this foundational relationship supports all other relationships.
13mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 15, 2024 · 13m
The sermon contrasts viewing Christian commands as burdensome weights, like those under the Old Covenant, versus understanding them as possibilities offered in the New Covenant. The speaker emphasizes that following Christ means living in a way that is possible, not forced. He concludes by explaining that understanding God's mysteries, as illustrated by the parables, is not based on intellect but on obedience; what is heard and obeyed becomes one's own possession, leading to further revelation.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 13, 2024 · 10m
The central message warns Christians against losing their first love for Jesus Christ, even while remaining active in ministry and good works. The speaker cautions that excessive focus on activity, service, or worldly comforts can dilute genuine devotion, making outward religious life meaningless if the heart's primary focus is not worship of Christ. True discipleship requires maintaining a pure, eager devotion to Jesus, rather than merely looking forward to earthly or heavenly comfort.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 11, 2024 · 11m
The central message is that building the church requires a complete self-giving, mirroring Christ's love for the church. The speaker contrasts a 'minimum' approach to faith—asking what little is required for salvation or ministry—with a 'maximum' approach, which involves giving everything for God. He warns that seeking mere knowledge or understanding (the 'tree of knowledge') can divert believers from the true 'tree of life,' which is simple, pure devotion to Jesus Christ.
6mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 10, 2024 · 6m
The central message is that pleasing God through a quiet, faithful life is more valuable than any visible ministry or accomplishment. Drawing from Jesus's life, the speaker emphasizes that God values hidden faithfulness—such as praying for one's family or submitting quietly—over public displays of religious achievement. Believers should focus on pleasing God in the small, unseen moments rather than seeking prominence.
8mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 9, 2024 · 8m
The speaker uses the example of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist to illustrate that pleasing God requires being willing to be misunderstood. Jesus willingly went through the public rite despite having no sin, demonstrating his commitment to the Father's will over personal comfort or understanding. Ultimately, baptism for Jesus symbolized dying to his own will and living only to please the Father.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 8, 2024 · 10m
The central message is that pleasing God requires submitting to imperfect authority, citing Jesus' life in Nazareth as the prime example. The speaker warns against criticizing authority figures, whether in church, family, or work, as this behavior displeases God. True spiritual maturity is demonstrated by submitting to difficult circumstances and learning from imperfect leaders.
8mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 7, 2024 · 8m
The central message is that a life pleasing to God is characterized by a deep, inherent interest in the Father's business, even if one is not actively engaged in ministry. Jesus exemplified this by being deeply interested in his father's house and work at a young age. The speaker urges listeners to refocus their interests on God's work, suggesting that genuine spiritual interest is more important than having specific gifts or ministry roles.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 6, 2024 · 12m
The central message is that pleasing God requires diligent study of Scripture, exemplified by Jesus at age twelve in the temple. The speaker emphasizes that true study involves meditating on the Word to see God, rather than just accumulating knowledge for teaching. Making time for Scripture requires sacrifice, but the reward is knowing God and seeing Jesus through the text.
13mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 5, 2024 · 13m
The central message is a call to repent from focusing on the 'kingdom of earth'—material blessings, prosperity, and physical health—and instead focus on the 'kingdom of heaven.' The speaker argues that throughout Israel's history, promises were always earthly, and modern Christianity has fallen into this trap by prioritizing worldly blessings over the true demonstration of the Kingdom of God, which should manifest through a life dedicated to God's rule.
25mCFC India
Zac Poonen · Sep 5, 2024 · 25m
The speaker emphasizes that true gratitude to Christ is not merely wanting to go to heaven, but actively living a life of devotion to Him on Earth. He warns against spiritual complacency, urging listeners to follow the 'ancient way' taught by the Apostles—which involves daily self-denial and taking up the cross. The core message is that while salvation is by grace, it requires actively sowing to the Spirit, which is the path to finding true rest from anxiety and fear.
1h 5mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Sep 5, 2024 · 1h 5m
The speaker provides an overview of the Book of Romans, emphasizing that it is the best explanation of the Gospel. He clarifies that salvation involves three tenses—from the penalty of sin (past), to the power of sin (present), and finally to the presence of sin (future). Crucially, he stresses that true righteousness requires not just believing in salvation by faith, but actively living daily in constant dependence upon God, like a branch dependent on the vine. Furthermore, he points out that the initial step into sin is a lack of thankfulness, making gratitude a foundational aspect of Christian life.
59mCFC India
Zac Poonen · Sep 4, 2024 · 59m
The speaker argues that human understanding of God's ways is often flawed because we try to balance truth in isolated areas, leading to imbalance in areas like evangelism and discipleship. He emphasizes that God's ways are vastly different from ours, citing Isaiah 55:8-9. A key point is that failure is not a sign of a weak Christian, but rather an essential part of spiritual education, as demonstrated throughout scripture with figures like Noah and Peter.
13mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 3, 2024 · 13m
The message uses the parable of the persistent friend to illustrate the need for persistence in seeking the Holy Spirit. The speaker emphasizes that true Christian life is not self-centered but focused on being a blessing to others, drawing parallels to Jesus' words about living water. He encourages believers to seek the Spirit not just for personal sin-victory, but to overflow with a life that blesses others.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Sep 1, 2024 · 12m
The central message is the vital importance of maintaining a passionate, first-love devotion to Jesus Christ, warning against spiritual complacency that can creep in with a sense of religious 'reputation.' The speaker uses the Song of Solomon and Malachi to illustrate that true devotion is not merely ritualistic attendance but a deep, personal longing for Christ's presence. Losing this initial passion leads to a dry, form-like Christianity.