Session 5 || Depending on God to Love Until the End || CFC Bangalore Family Conference 2025 || Br Zac Poonen

Regards From Sister Annie Poonen:

Joy of the Bangalore Conference

The Bangalore conference is a cherished highlight, eagerly anticipated each year. It provides a special opportunity to pause busy activities, such as housework, and focus on sitting at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word, singing His praises, and meditating on Him. Every session is a blessing, leaving a lasting impact and a longing for the next conference. The atmosphere fosters spiritual growth, influencing children and grandchildren to value conferences and God’s word. For example, children express excitement about visiting India, feeling a connection as if they have relatives and cousins there.

Theme of Enduring in Love

The theme of enduring in love until the end is deeply challenging, particularly when viewed through the lens of a mother’s love. A mother’s love is enduring, carrying the weight of a growing child without feeling burdened. This love persists through trials, sickness, or even backsliding, as mothers uphold their children in prayer with unwavering faith that God will guide them. For instance, a mother never gives up on a child who strays, trusting that God will see them through spiritually. This enduring love mirrors the call to love others in the church and beyond.

Characteristics of Godly Love

Godly love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, does not rejoice in evil but grieves when bad things happen to loved ones. In the church, true godly love leads to sharing in the sorrows of brothers and sisters, rather than rejoicing in their misfortunes. This love involves upholding others in prayer, rejoicing in their faithfulness, and celebrating their blessings. For example, instead of delighting in a brother or sister’s calamity, one should pray for them and share their burdens, fostering a community of compassion and support.

Call to Endure in Love

The church provides a vital environment for hearing God’s word, which challenges believers to love their families, spouses, children, and fellow believers despite difficulties. Without this constant reminder, there is a risk of backsliding, allowing seeds of hatred or doubt to take root. The church, with its elders and provisions, equips believers to endure in love until the end. For instance, the encouragement to love a difficult family member or church member is reinforced through regular teaching, preventing the devil from sowing discord.

Bible References:

1 Corinthians 13 (Characteristics of godly love, specifically not rejoicing in evil)

Depending on God to Love Until the End

- Zac Poonen

Love for the Lord and One Another

Love for the Lord is inseparable from love for one another, as the two form the two arms of the cross. Evaluating love for Jesus involves assessing how much one loves difficult brothers and sisters in the church. For example, I have found in my life that claiming to love Jesus while disliking a church member reveals deception. The cross requires both vertical love for God and horizontal love for others, and neglecting either results in a counterfeit faith.

The Greatest Commandment

In Matthew 22:36-39, Jesus identifies the greatest commandment as loving the Lord with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, summarizing the 613 commandments of the Law. However, He adds a second commandment—loving one’s neighbor as oneself—because love for God is incomplete without love for others. These two commandments are like two sides of a coin; one without the other is counterfeit. For instance, claiming to love God while avoiding less spiritual sisters in the church contradicts Jesus’ teaching, as He loved us despite our lack of spirituality.

Jesus’ Prayer for Unity

In John 17, Jesus demonstrates His love for the Father by serving and praying for His disciples. He prays for their unity, asking the Father to keep them in His name so they may be one, as He and the Father are one (John 17:11). This reflects the desire of a bride to align with her bridegroom’s heart. Believers show love for Christ by submitting to Him and desiring unity among His people, just as Jesus prayed.

Submission as Love’s Foundation

The first sin in the Garden of Eden was not eating the forbidden fruit but Eve’s failure to submit to Adam’s authority, leading to division (Genesis 3). Similarly, Satan’s fall resulted from refusing to submit to God’s authority. Submission is central to God’s kingdom, as seen in Jesus’ life, who came not to do His own will but the Father’s (John 6:38). For example, Jesus submitted to Joseph and Mary, demonstrating love for the Father through obedience to earthly authority. Wives show love for the Lord by submitting to their husbands, as taught in 1 Corinthians 11:3, where Christ is the head of man, and man is the head of woman.

Practical Submission in Daily Life

Submission to authority proves love for the Lord. Children demonstrate this by obeying their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2), which carries a promise of a long, fulfilling life—not necessarily in years but in completing God’s plan. Husbands submit to Christ, and church members submit to elders. For instance, I recall criticizing a godly elder as a young man and facing God’s discipline, teaching me never to speak evil of God’s servants. This practical submission, rather than emotional expressions like singing hymns, is the true test of love.

Teaching Children Obedience

Parents must teach children to keep a clear conscience, acknowledging wrong actions like lying or fighting and seeking forgiveness. This builds a foundation for enduring in love. For example, parents should instruct children to forgive rather than retaliate when wronged, ensuring they stay away from troublemakers. Strict discipline for disobedience is an act of love, as leniency ruins children. The promise in Ephesians 6:3—that honoring parents leads to a fulfilling life—applies to completing God’s plan, whether in 33 years like Jesus or 120 years like Moses.

Jesus’ Burden for Believers

In John 17:14-17, Jesus prays for believers to be kept from the evil one and sanctified, showing His love for the Father through His burden for His disciples. Elders and parents should pray similarly, asking God to protect their flock or children from evil. For example, praying, “Father, keep these ones from evil,” mirrors Jesus’ heart and proves love for God through love for others.

God’s Unconditional Love

John 17:23 reveals that God loves believers as much as He loves Jesus, an unconditional love not based on worthiness. This is illustrated in Romans 8:28-29, where God makes all things work for good for those who love Him, conforming them to Christ’s likeness. The crucifixion, the greatest evil, became the greatest good, demonstrating that God turns even evil acts for good. For instance, I learned that God loves all my sons equally, regardless of their behavior, reflecting His impartial love for imperfect believers.

God’s Love Compared to a Mother’s

In Isaiah 49:14-15, God assures believers that He will never forget them, even if a mother forgets her nursing child. A nursing baby does nothing for its mother yet is loved unconditionally, mirroring God’s love for believers who may feel inadequate. For example, I responded to this love by committing to live fully for God and love difficult believers, trusting Him to provide the resources.

Dependence on the Holy Spirit

John 15:5 teaches that without Christ, believers can do nothing, like a branch detached from the vine. The Holy Spirit, like sap, produces fruit effortlessly when believers remain connected to Christ. For instance, I noස්ට, the Christian life is not a struggle but a life of rest when dependent on the Holy Spirit. God provides the power to love difficult people or overcome sin, just as a parent gives money to a child for a task. For example, praying, “Lord, give me love for this difficult person,” ensures God supplies the needed love.

Call to Ask and Receive

Believers lack power because they do not ask (James 4:2). Asking God for strength to overcome sin, love others, or find peace results in receiving His provision. For example, praying, “Daddy, give me power to overcome dirty thoughts,” or “Give me love for my difficult neighbor,” taps into God’s limitless resources. This dependence ensures enduring love for the Lord and others until the end.

Bible References: