Library
575 messages
9mZac Poonen · May 15
1h 8mZac Poonen · May 15
14mZac Poonen · May 10
57mZac Poonen · May 8
10mZac Poonen · May 7
10mZac Poonen · May 4
9mZac Poonen · May 3
1h 2mZac Poonen · Apr 28
8mZac Poonen · Apr 26
1h 22mZac Poonen · Apr 25
1h 14mZac Poonen · Apr 25
56mZac Poonen · Apr 25
53mZac Poonen · Apr 20
12mZac Poonen · Apr 15
11mZac Poonen · Apr 14
13mZac Poonen · Apr 14
12mZac Poonen · Apr 12
10mZac Poonen · Apr 8
11mZac Poonen · Apr 3
55mZac Poonen · Apr 3
10mZac Poonen · Mar 29
10mZac Poonen · Mar 23
12mZac Poonen · Mar 20
12mZac Poonen · Mar 17
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.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 15, 2025 · 9m
The central message is that true Christian life requires the inner reality to match the outward appearance, which is the essence of 'living the truth.' This truth, realized through Jesus Christ, is superior to the external adherence to law. The speaker warns against hypocrisy, emphasizing that while sin confession is for God alone, one must never live a pretense or lie about one's inner state.
1h 8mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 15, 2025 · 1h 8m
The sermon explains that true worship, as described in Romans 12:1, involves presenting one's entire body as a living and holy sacrifice, which is worship in the spirit and truth. Drawing parallels to the Old Testament burnt offering, the speaker argues that this requires a deep, tangible dedication of one's life, going beyond mere emotion or intellect. Ultimately, worshiping in the spirit means offering every part of oneself—including one's senses and thoughts—to God's will.
14mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 10, 2025 · 14m
To win the Christian race, one must exercise self-control in all things, which requires spiritual discipline and dying to self. This self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and involves mastering reactions to anger, practicing forgiveness, and setting a clear aim to become more Christlike. True success is measured by reflecting Christ in daily life, not by worldly achievements.
57mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 8, 2025 · 57m
The central message is that godliness is a means of great gain only when accompanied by contentment. Contentment means being joyful and accepting everything God has allowed in one's life, recognizing that God has established boundaries for all things, including human limitations. The speaker uses the Book of Job and the natural order of creation to illustrate that accepting God's established boundaries leads to a godly life.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 7, 2025 · 10m
The speaker emphasizes the profound warning in 1 Peter 4:1: suffering in the flesh leads to ceasing from sin. He argues that many Christians are content with a certain level of sin, but true progress requires taking this verse seriously. The speaker clarifies that 'flesh' in the New Testament refers not just to the physical body, but primarily to one's self-will, suggesting that holiness means yielding to God's will rather than asserting personal will.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 4, 2025 · 10m
The central message is that a proper understanding of God's grace must be founded upon the 'fear of the Lord,' which is presented as the fundamental wisdom. The speaker argues that many Christians operate under a 'false grace' that permits continued sin, contrasting this with the seriousness of sin under the Old Covenant law. He urges listeners to understand the gravity of obedience, citing examples from Deuteronomy, and warns against spiritual complacency.
9mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · May 3, 2025 · 9m
The speaker contrasts the advantage of those raised in a culture that taught the fear of God versus those who only hear about God's grace. He argues that while grace is vital, a foundational understanding of the fear of God—which is presented as the beginning of wisdom—is necessary for true spiritual maturity. Without this grounding, Christians may remain complacent in sin despite hearing about God's love.
1h 2mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Apr 28, 2025 · 1h 2m
The speaker interprets Psalm 50 to teach that true godliness is demonstrated by making a covenant with God through personal sacrifice, not merely by giving offerings. Using the example of Cain and Abel, he argues that Abel's offering was accepted because he gave his very best, while Cain only gave what was easily available. Ultimately, God desires an offering of one's life and time, not just money, and this dedication is what truly draws God's favor.
8mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 26, 2025 · 8m
The sermon emphasizes that Christians must actively prevent the devil from gaining any foothold in their lives, drawing heavily from Ephesians 4. Key areas where we give room to the devil include unresolved anger, covetousness (especially regarding material possessions), and negative speech. The speaker stresses that internal issues like bitterness, even if unspoken, are dangerous and must be purged, as these weaknesses allow Satan to attack various aspects of life, including marriage and finances.
1h 22mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Apr 25, 2025 · 1h 22m
The Christian life requires constant dependence on God, moving beyond mere intellectual understanding or shallow emotionalism. The speaker uses the analogy of the tabernacle, where passing through the curtain into the most holy place symbolizes moving from the soul to the spirit. True spirituality is achieved by crucifying one's self-will and yielding to the will of the Father, which allows one to dwell in God's presence, leading to fullness of joy.
1h 14mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Apr 25, 2025 · 1h 14m
The central message is that Christian living must be characterized by living according to God's will, following the pattern of 'from God, through God, to God.' Jesus exemplified this by living his entire life to fulfill the Father's will, which required him to be fully connected to the human race. Practically, this means that every aspect of life, including eating and drinking, must be done for the glory of God, requiring constant dependence on the Holy Spirit and self-discipline.
56mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Apr 25, 2025 · 56m
The central message is that true godliness is revealed in Christ and is characterized by contentment. The speaker warns against using godliness as a means for financial gain, emphasizing that genuine godliness leads to a profound contentment with one's lot. A key evidence of this contentment is the ability to always give thanks, which is presented as a promise associated with being filled with the Holy Spirit.
53mCFC India
Zac Poonen · Apr 20, 2025 · 53m
The sermon uses the Israelites' failure to enter the Promised Land of Canaan as an allegory for believers who fail to overcome sin. The speaker emphasizes that true Christian victory requires yielding the entire body and all its passions to the Lord, just as the body belongs completely to Christ. Failing to surrender one's body and desires to Christ, even while professing faith, is likened to a spiritual prostitution or a marriage where the heart is given but the body is withheld.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 15, 2025 · 12m
The speaker emphasizes that the true purpose of God's grace is not merely forgiveness for past sins, but a power that strengthens the heart to live righteously. He warns against misunderstanding grace, which can lead believers to settle for a low standard of living or focus only on physical healing. True grace, exemplified by Christ's sinless life, empowers believers to live without sin, lies, or retaliation, strengthening the heart rather than just instructing the mind.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 14, 2025 · 11m
True godliness, as taught in 1 Timothy 6:6, is only profitable when it is accompanied by contentment. This contentment must apply not only to material possessions and circumstances but also to our spiritual gifts and our marriages. The speaker emphasizes that wishing for what we do not have, whether it's another's gift or a different circumstance, undermines genuine godliness and prevents us from experiencing God's abundant blessings where we are.
13mNCCF Church
Zac Poonen · Apr 14, 2025 · 13m
Every member of the church body has a vital role in building up Christ's body, not just those in visible leadership positions. Whether through prayer with genuine burden, holiness, or other spiritual gifts, each believer contributes to the church's growth when functioning properly, and maintaining purity from sin is essential for effective service.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 12, 2025 · 12m
The central message is that developing an awareness of Christ's constant presence is the most effective way to overcome sin. The speaker encourages believers to practice this awareness in all aspects of life, such as in church services and at home, by focusing their worship and thoughts on Christ's sacrifice rather than self-pity. He urges the congregation to fix their eyes on Jesus, recognizing Him as the true leader in praise, to better see their sin and maintain devotion.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 8, 2025 · 10m
The message uses the story of Noah building the ark to illustrate the necessity of drawing a clear line between Christian values and the world's passing culture. This separation must be evident not just in words, but in one's entire lifestyle, including how one spends time, money, and energy. True commitment is demonstrated by actions that show one's ultimate allegiance is to God, not worldly pursuits.
11mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Apr 3, 2025 · 11m
The central message is that the greatest danger of deception is losing fervent devotion to Christ. When our primary focus shifts to money, material things, ministry, or any area other than Christ, we become vulnerable to spiritual deception. True protection comes from maintaining a deep, passionate love for Jesus Christ.
55mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Apr 3, 2025 · 55m
The speaker argues that true spiritual maturity is not measured by knowledge, gifted speaking, or even church attendance, but by a deep, Christ-like inner transformation. He contrasts the Corinthians, who were gifted but spiritually immature, with the calling to be holy and blameless in God's sight, which predates creation. The central message is that maturity involves a thorough, internal alignment of one's entire being with Christ, rather than merely focusing on post-death salvation.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 29, 2025 · 10m
The speaker uses the example of the Pharisee and the tax collector to illustrate that many Christians pray outwardly for the sake of appearance rather than sincerely to God. He shares personal testimonies about realizing he was performing piety for an audience, both in public prayer and when singing hymns, and emphasizes the need for genuine, heartfelt devotion to Jesus Christ.
10mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 23, 2025 · 10m
The central message is that pleasing God is not dependent on visible accomplishments like miracles, preaching, or extensive travel, as exemplified by Jesus's life in Nazareth. Instead, Jesus was pleasing to the Father through his deep knowledge of scripture, which he acquired through diligent study and meditation. The speaker encourages listeners to take scripture seriously, emphasizing that understanding God comes not from clever minds, but from having a pure heart.
12mCFC Daily Devotions
Zac Poonen · Mar 20, 2025 · 12m
The sermon emphasizes the critical importance of self-discipline, particularly regarding the body, to successfully complete the Christian race. Drawing parallels to Olympic athletes, the speaker stresses that discipline in eating, sleeping, and sexuality is necessary to avoid disqualification at the end. He encourages believers to discipline their bodies to serve God's will rather than their desires, using fasting as a practical example of this discipline.
12mNCCF Church
Zac Poonen · Mar 17, 2025 · 12m
God rewards small acts of service and faithfulness, whether visible or hidden. Zac Poonen illustrates through biblical examples like Bezalel (who worked with his hands filled with the Holy Spirit) and Hur (who held up Moses' hands in prayer) that seemingly insignificant acts—holding up someone in prayer, giving a cup of cold water to a child, or receiving a prophet—carry eternal weight and receive God's reward. Christians should persist in doing good without seeking recognition or growing weary, trusting that God sees and values every faithful act.