GOD Needs Men -- by Zac Poonen

GOD needs men today -- words of wisdom from our Brother Zac Poonen

• Men who will stand before His face and hear His voice DAILY,
• Men who have no desire in their heart for anyone or anything other than GOD HIMSELF,
• Men who fear Him so greatly that they HATE SIN in every form and LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUTH in all their ways,
• Men who have OVERCOME anger and sexually sinful thoughts, and who would rather die than sin even in thought or attitude,
• Men whose DAILY lifestyle is one of taking up the CROSS and pressing on to perfection, and who are constantly working out their own salvation with fear and trembling,
• Men, FULL of the Holy SPIRIT, who are so rooted and grounded in LOVE that nothing can ever move them into an unloving attitude towards another human being, however great the provocation,
• Men who are so rooted and grounded in HUMILITY that neither human praise nor spiritual growth, neither a divinely endorsed ministry nor anything else will be able to make them lose the awareness of their being less than the least of all the saints,
• Men who have an understanding of GOD's nature and purpose through His WORD, and who tremble at that WORD so that they will not disobey even the smallest commandment or neglect to teach it to others,
• Men who will proclaim the WHOLE counsel of GOD and expose religious harlotry and unscriptural human traditions,
• Men who have the REVELATION of the Holy SPIRIT on the secret of godliness, on CHRIST having come in the flesh and opened a new and living way through the flesh,
• Men who are diligent and hard-working, but who also have a sense of humour, and know how to relax and play with children and enjoy GOD's good gifts in nature,
• Men who are not ascetics, but who at the same time live a DISCIPLINED life and who are not afraid of hardships,
• Men who have no interest in expensive clothing or sight seeing and who will not waste their time in unprofitable activities or their money in unnecessary purchases,
• Men who have mastered their desire for fancy foods and who are not enslaved to music or sport or any other legitimate activity,
• Men who have been disciplined successfully by GOD in the fires of affliction, abuse, tribulations, false accusation, physical sickness, financial hardships and opposition from relatives and religious leaders,
• Men full of MERCY, who can sympathise with the worst of sinners and the worst of believers, and have HOPE for them, because they consider themselves to be the foremost of all sinners,
• Men who are so deeply rooted in the SECURITY of the LOVE of their Heavenly FATHER that they are never anxious about anything, or afraid of Satan or evil men or difficult situations or anything,
• Men who have entered into GOD's rest, believing in the SOVEREIGN working of GOD in ALL matters for their BEST and who therefore GIVE THANKS ALWAYS for ALL men, for ALL things and in ALL circumstances,
• Men who find their JOY in GOD ALONE and who are therefore full of the JOY of the LORD, having overcome all bad moods,
• Men of living faith, who have no confidence in themselves or their natural abilities, but complete confidence in GOD as their unfailing HELPER in all situations,
• Men who live, not by the promptings of their own reason, but by the leading of the Holy SPIRIT,
• Men who have been genuinely baptized in the Holy SPIRIT and FIRE by CHRIST HIMSELF (and not just thrilled by some emotional counterfeit or convinced by some theological argument),
• Men who live constantly under the anointing of the SPIRIT, endowed with the SUPERNATURAL gifts that He has given them,
• Men who have revelation of the church as the body of CHRIST (and not a congregation or a denomination), and who give all their energies, their material wealth and spiritual gifts to build that church,
• Men who have learnt to bridle their tongues through the help of the Holy SPIRIT and whose tongues are now aflame with the divine WORD,
• Men who have forsaken ALL, who are not attracted any more to money or material things, and who desire no gifts from others,
• Men who can trust GOD for ALL their earthly needs and who never hint about their material needs or boast about their labours, either in their conversation or through letters and reports,
• Men who are not stubborn, but GENTLE, and OPEN to criticism and EAGER for correction from older and wiser brothers,
• Men who have no desire to dominate or advise others (although ready to give advice, when asked for), and who have no longing to be considered as 'elder' brothers, or leaders, but who only desire to be ORDINARY brothers and SERVANTS of ALL,
• Men who are easy to get along with, and who are willing to be inconvenienced and taken advantage of by others,
• Men who will make no distinction between the millionaire and the beggar, the white-skinned and the dark-skinned, the intellectual and the idiot, and the cultured and the barbarian, but who will treat them all alike,
• Men who will never be influenced by their wife, children, relatives, friends or other believers to cool off even slightly in their DEVOTION to CHRIST or their OBEDIENCE to GOD's commandments,
• Men who can never be bribed to compromise by any reward that Satan may offer (whether honour or money or whatever),
• Men who are FEARLESS witnesses for CHRIST, fearing neither religious heads nor secular heads,
• Men who desire to please no human being on the face of the earth, and who are willing to offend all men, if necessary, in order to PLEASE GOD ALONE,
• Men for whom GOD's GLORY, GOD's WILL and GOD's KINGDOM always take priority over mere human need and their own comfort,
• Men who cannot be pressurised either by others or by their own reason into doing 'dead works' for GOD, but who are eager and content to do the revealed will of GOD for their lives alone,
• Men who have the DISCERNMENT of the SPIRIT to distinguish between the soulish and the spiritual in CHRISTian work,
• Men who look at things from a heavenly view point and not an earthly one,
• Men who will refuse ALL earthly honours and titles offered them for their labours for GOD,
• Men who know how to PRAY without ceasing, and also how to FAST and pray when needed,
• Men who have learned to GIVE generously, cheerfully, SECRETLY and with wisdom,
• Men who are willing to be all things for all men, so that by all means they might save some,
• Men who have a longing to see others not only SAVED but also made DISCIPLES of CHRIST, and brought to the knowledge of the TRUTH and to obedience to all of GOD's commandments,
• Men who have a longing to see a pure testimony established for GOD in every place,
• Men who have a burning PASSION to see CHRIST glorified in the church,
• Men who do not seek their own in ANY matter,
• Men with spiritual authority and spiritual dignity,
• Men who will stand alone for GOD in the world, if need be,
• Men who are totally uncompromising, like the apostles and prophets of old.
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GOD's work in the world suffers today, because such men are few in number. Determine with all your heart that you will be such a man for GOD, in the midst of a sinful and adulterous generation and a compromising CHRISTendom. Since there is no partiality with GOD, it is possible for you too to be such a man, provided you yourself earnestly desire to be one. Since GOD demands commitment and obedience only in the conscious area of one's life, it is possible for you to be such a man, even though the conscious area of your life may be limited. (That area will keep increasing as you walk in the light and press on to perfection). There is no excuse then why you cannot be such a man. Since nothing good dwells in the flesh, we have to seek for grace from GOD to have the virtues listed above. Cry out to GOD daily then, that He will give you grace to be such a man in these, the closing days of the age.

LETTER To My Lovely Daughter And Sister IN CHRIST

When i think of the Wisdom and scope of GOD's Plan, i fall to my knees and pray to The FATHER -- our Heavenly ABBA... PAPA -- The CREATOR of EVERYthing in Heaven and on earth. i pray that from HIS glorious, UNlimited resources HE will give you, my lovely daughter Maia Villanueva Jones, ALL-Mighty INNER Strength through His Holy SPIRIT. i pray that CHRIST JESUS will be more and MORE at home in your Heart AS you TRUST in HIM alone. May your roots go down deep into the soil of GOD's Marvelous LOVE.

And may you, sweet Maia, have the POWER to understand, as all GOD's people should, how WIDE, how LONG, how HIGH, and how DEEP HIS LOVE for you REALLY is. May you TRULY experience the LOVE of CHRIST, though it is SO GREAT you will never fully understand it. Then you will be FILLED with the FULLness of LIFE and POWER that comes from GOD -- our Heavenly ABBA.

Now to HIM Who is ABLE to DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL that you ask or think, according to the POWER that works IN us, to HIM be GLORY in the Church by CHRIST JESUS to all generations, forEVER and EVER. AMEN! 

(Ephesians 3:14-21)

May you, child of GOD that you are, remember that our Heavenly Almighty ABBA is good in ALL ways ALWAYS, so that -- "IT MATTERS NOT WHAT GOD DOES, IT MATTERS ONLY WHO HE IS." (Oswald Chambers)

(Poem from brother Zac Poonen --
CHRISTian Fellowship Church, Bangalore, India)

May you remember that when you see our LORD JESUS with the opened eyes of your Heart, you will also see our Almighty FATHER -- that when you are IN CHRIST, you are also IN GOD The FATHER.

May you remember how HUMBLE and MEEK and GENTLE was our LORD JESUS when He lived on this earth. Our LORD never once uttered an UNkind word nor was He EVER rude nor did He EVER reject any person who sought Him with a HUMBLE Heart.

May we both remember how SO very far down JESUS -- GOD The SON -- came from His heavenly Kingdom to SERVE us, in TOTAL OBEDIENCE to our FATHER's will...even to DEATH on The CROSS.  May we also realize that we are BUT dust without the Life of CHRIST in us, that we would STILL be "DEAD (wo)man WALKING" without His Gift of SALVATION, that IN us (in our Flesh) there is NO good thing -- NOthing at all...other than what GOOD The Holy SPIRIT works IN, for us to work OUT.

EVERY thing OUTside of CHRIST JESUS is rubbish...filthy rags...dung!

Don't just be fear LESS...

fear NOthing -- BUT GOD!

And if you forget all of momma's words, just remember John 17:23 -- our Almighty ABBA in Heaven LOVES you AS MUCH as HE LOVES JESUS! i LOVE you, Maia, but our Heavenly PAPA LOVES you SO MUCH MORE -- a GAZILLION times MORE!

LIFE is short! If our FATHER calls me Home before He calls you, don't forget to read my EULOGY. MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT -- FOR JESUS!

A.D. (Anno Domini) -- In CHRIST JESUS (Part 2)

B.C. -- Before CHRIST
Depraved sinner (lust, porn), immoral adulteress, gossip, murderer, self-righteous, fornicator, liar, thief, pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, child-abuse, self-pity, self-love, idolatry.

A.D. (Anno Domini)--In CHRIST JESUS
Although i was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; i obtained mercy because i did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our LORD was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in CHRIST JESUS. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that CHRIST JESUS came into the world to save sinners, of whom i am chief. (1 Timothy 1, NKJV)

Redeemed -- bought with a price: the infinitely precious blood of JESUS. "In HIM we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Ephesians 1:7, NIV)

For GOD saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time—to show us His grace through CHRIST JESUS. (2 Timothy 1:9, NLT)

JESUS: "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of GOD." (John 3:3, NLT) All praise to GOD, the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because GOD raised JESUS CHRIST from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3, NLT)

All praise to GOD, the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with CHRIST. (Eph 1:3, NLT)

In CHRIST we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. (Ephesians 1:11, NIV)

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His SON, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29, NKJV)

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:30, NKJV)

Blessed, forgiven, justified, sanctified, adopted, glorified...
i am -- IN CHRIST!

Friend of GOD, not of this world, SPIRIT-filled...
i am -- IN CHRIST!It is GOD who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13, NKJV) HE was shown to be the SON of GOD when He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy SPIRIT. HE is JESUS CHRIST our LORD. (Romans 1:4, NLT) I pray that GOD, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy SPIRIT. (Romans 15:13, NLT) Through the power of the Holy SPIRIT who lives within us, carefully guard the precious TRUTH that has been entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:14, NLT) But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy SPIRIT. (Jude 1:20, NLT)

IN CHRIST JESUS --
blessed saved redeemed chosen called slave born-again predestined new-creation adopted forgiven justified sanctified glorified friend-of-GOD not-of-this-world
SPIRIT-filled!

Salvation is by GRACE alone through FAITH alone IN CHRIST alone.

A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in JESUS CHRIST, and we have believed in CHRIST JESUS, that we might be justified by faith in CHRIST and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS, whom GOD set forth as propitiation (satisfaction) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance GOD had passed over sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in JESUS.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST -- Who is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to GOD through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the righteous. For there is one GOD and one Mediator between GOD and men, the Man CHRIST JESUS, who gave Himself a ransom for all. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.  (from One Perfect Life, by John MacArthur, selected passages from pp 508, 509, 510)

There is therefore now NO condemnation to those
who are IN CHRIST JESUS. (Romans 8:1)

B.C. -- Before CHRIST (Part 1)

GOD shows His anger from heaven against sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about GOD because He has made it known to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky.  Through everything GOD made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing GOD.

Yes, they knew GOD, but they wouldn't worship Him as GOD or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what GOD was like. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living GOD, they worshiped idols. So GOD abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. 

They traded the truth about GOD for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things GOD created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! 

That is why GOD abandoned them to their shameful desires. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge GOD, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of GOD, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. (Romans 1, NLT)

Everyone has sinned; we ALL fall short of GOD's glorious standard. No one is righteous -- not even one.  No one is seeking GOD. ALL have turned away; ALL have become useless. No one does good, not a single one. (Romans 3, NLT)

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! How you are cut down to the ground. For you have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD; I will sit on the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14, NKJV) Self-righteousness, self-aggrandizement, self-seeking...PRIDE.

All that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16, NKJV) Gluttony, greed, (self-) glory.

JESUS: "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) 




Pornography is the lust of the eyes. Pornography is as adultery to the married person. Pornography is as sexual immorality (fornication) to the unmarried person.

A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. (Proverbs 11:13) They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere. (Psalm 41:6) Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 

(James 1:26) (all NLT)

...this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act...such should be stoned. (John 8:4-5, NKJV) 

For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.  (Acts 8:23, NKJV) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like...those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of GOD. (Galatians 5:19-20, NKJV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44, NIV)

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of CHRIST and GOD. (Ephesians 5:5, NKJV)

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:16, NIV) No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of CHRIST and of GOD. (Ephesians 5:5, NIV)

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15, NIV)

Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

JESUS: "That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart." (Matthew 18:32-35, NLT)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10, NIV) A gossip is a thief who steals a person's reputation.

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10, NKJV)

JESUS: "But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." (Matthew 5:22, NLT) Deep-seated malice is from the heart, which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Abortion--killing babies inside the mother's womb--is murder. A backstabber is a murderer at heart.

...slaves of depravity—for "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them." Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud." (2 Peter 2:19, 22, NIV)

Such is the person Before CHRIST.

slave Of CHRIST--Possession Of JESUS (Essay 3)

Slave: a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a person entirely under the domination of a person or of some influence, such as -- slave to drugs/booze, slave to fashion: a person who is a helpless and hapless victim to an overpowering influence that in effect "owns" the person.

i was a slave to sin. TOday, i am a slave of CHRIST. JESUS is my Owner, i am HIS possession. He paid a price for me -- a price that is infinitely steep. He bought me with His own blood that was shed on that shame-FULL cross (see 1 Corinthians 6:20).  WHAT an amazing, awe-FULL, extremely astonishing, exceedingly incredible FACT!

How do i live this redeemed life that is now under the LORDship of JESUS? Oswald Chambers hit a bull's eye when he wrote in My Utmost For His Highest -- "those IN CHRIST no longer have rights to their rights." Just like a slave who has no rights at all, with utter gratefulness, i have willingly surrendered all my imagined rights to CHRIST, my Owner, my Master -- my LORD (see 2 Peter 1:1, CHSB).

JESUS owns my body. i will to no longer dishonor it with sexual immorality, gluttony or other destructive behaviors. This outer shell, this physical dwelling place of my soul is the outward expression of my IN CHRISTness (see Romans 12:1). i will clothe this body to please CHRIST; and He will adorn my inner person with the incorruptible beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit (1 Peter 3:4).

JESUS owns my mind. i will to no longer trash it with pornography, lewd TV programs, soul-deadening novels and magazines. CHRIST has redeemed my mind, continually renewing and transforming my mindset so that i am more and more sober minded -- less and less conformed to the culture of this world. i now eagerly desire HIS thoughts -- which are in ALL ways pure and holy ALWAYS. i make it my goal to subjugate and submit my thoughts to His infinitely wise mind.

JESUS owns my eyes. i zealously guard these windows to my soul. i made a covenant with my eyes (Job 31:1) that i will not pay attention to crude, indecent, unwholesome images that pollute my vision. i will to not allow them entrance through my eyes, this type of satanic degradation of our GOD-given sexuality.

JESUS owns my ears. i will not to listen to obscenities that typify rap music, to poisonous gossip, to backbiting and backstabbing stories (see Ephesians 4:31), to malicious sharing disguised as prayer requests, to sermons which do not glorify or magnify JESUS and His Gospel, to sexually charged word-pictures which feed my natural proclivity to depravity.

JESUS owns my feet. i go where HE wants me to go. i will no longer go anywhere just for the sake of self-centered adventures. Where He prompts me to go, where He leads, i will follow (see Psalm 23:3). Wherever He directs my feet, i will go -- not balking with 1,000+ questions, not protesting with "but... but... BUT!" -- trusting that HE has already blazed the trail.

JESUS owns my hands. They are to be used for HIS good works, for open-handed giving, for sharing His comfort through a loving touch. My hands are His to be used towards all godliness.

JESUS owns "my" money. i am called to use it responsibly -- to spend it wisely -- not wastefully. When He prompts me to give, it is my joy-FULL response to cheer-FULLY give away HIS money (2 Corinthians 9:7)! i am also to share the talents He has gifted for the building up of His church, His body (1 Corinthians 14:12).

JESUS owns my mouth, my speech. What comes forth -- words, tone, truthfulness, volume, attitudes -- are filtered through HIS standard. i strive for my words to be CHRISTlike -- kind, intelligent, wise, building up, clean and wholesome. i study to be ready in all seasons to give good Biblical counsel, but more importantly -- to share the GOOD NEWS as prompted by the Holy SPIRIT (see Isaiah 52:7).

JESUS owns my heart. My affections are now to line up with what HE loves. He took away my hardened, stony heart and gave me a  new heart that's tender and sensitive for the things that are dear to Him (see 2 Corinthians 3:3). HE directs my emotions towards those things of eternal value -- true love, true joy, true peace. His love compels me.

JESUS owns me -- ALL of me...my body, my mind, my personality, my spirit, my love, my ambitions -- ALL!

Because i know who i am -- i know what to do. 

i know that i am a well-beloved slave of THE most fascinating, most captivating, most admirable, most delight-FULL, most generous, most compassionate, most gentle and tenderhearted, most power-FULL, most glorious, most holy, most brilliant, most enchanting, most marvelous, most magnificent, most wise, MOST LOVABLE MAN who is also the SOVEREIGN RULER and SOVEREIGN GOD of the entire Creation!

i know what to do because i know who i am. 

i fall on my face in exceeding adoration. i dance to HIS tune with JOY inexpressible. i worship JESUS 24/7 as practice for the eternal gathering in the Kingdom of GOD when all who have received JESUS as LORD will wholeheartedly and blissfully worship HIM -- the perfect sinless LAMB of GOD who died for wretched sinners like me. i sit at His feet, feeding on His EVERY Word, getting FAT in my soul! i get down on my knees and bow down, with both hands raised in praise, and call HIM, "my LORD and my GOD!"

CHRIST JESUS. WHAT a Name! WHAT a Master! WHAT a GRAND privilege to be HIS very own possession!

And you? Are you owned by god -- or by GOD?