Sister Annie Poonen is married to Brother Zac Poonen of Christian Fellowship Church in Banglore, India. They have four sons that are married with children and live in the USA. They have been serving the Lord together in India for more than 40 years. Annie is also a medical doctor. She was born December 25, 1942.
A little about Zac Poonen.
Zac Poonen was formerly an Indian Naval Officer who has been serving the Lord in India for nearly 50 years as a Bible-teacher. He has responsibility for a number of churches in India and abroad.
He has written more than 25 books and numerous articles in English - which have been translated into many Indian and foreign languages. His messages are available on audio CDs and video DVDs.
Like the other elders in CFC, Zac Poonen also supports himself and his family through "tent-making" and does not receive any salary for his services. He does not receive any royalty for any of his books, CDs or DVDs, that are published by Christian Fellowship Centre, Bangalore.
Books by Dr. Annie Zac Poonen
(Click on the picture to go to the link.)
|
"Have patience with me," cried the slave as he begged his fellow-slave for mercy (Matt.18:29).
This is also the unspoken cry that comes to us as housewives and mothers from many of those with whom we have to do each day. But we need to be sensitive in our spirits if we are to hear that cry - for it is unspoken.
It may be that our children are slow at learning something that we have repeatedly been trying to teach them, and we are sorely tempted to become impatient with them. If we could hear their unspoken cry, saying, "Have patience with me, I am trying my best to do it right," then it would be easier for us to overcome the temptation to get irritated with them.
Perhaps the servant who helps us with our work around the home is somewhat clumsy, and not as clean as we want her to be, and we are tempted to be hard on her. But her unspoken cry is, "Have patience with me. Give me another chance and I'll improve" - and we are presented with another opportunity to be more gentle.
Or it may be that our aged parents, being old and infirm, are now dependent on us. Their feeble, unspoken cry is also, "Have patience with me. I don't want to trouble you, but I need your help now." If we are sensitive to their feelings, we will hear their cry and help them, without depriving them of their dignity, and without letting them feel their dependence.
Perhaps the behaviour of our fellow-sisters in the church is a trial for us. Their unspoken cry is also, "Have patience with me. I still lack a lot of wisdom." Then we realise that they also, like us, are struggling towards perfection.
In such situations, we all find a tendency in our flesh to be like that unmerciful slave. Yet those are the very times when we need to remember afresh how much we have been forgiven by God, and how patient others have been with our own follies.
So we should have our spiritual ears attuned at all times to hear the cry for patience that comes to us from our fellow-slaves - both young and old.
"Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:4).
In John 4, we read of another needy woman - this time a Samaritan - whose life was one of rejection, and who had married and remarried five times. The one she was living with finally was not even her husband. She must have been sick of her life. The Jews despised the Samaritans as an inferior race. Women in Samaria normally went to the village-well in the mornings, to collect their water. But she must have had so many bad experiences in the past, with the other women of that village. They may have despised her, taunted her, and shunned her. Shame, rejection and sorrow may have been her constant companions in Samaria. So she now preferred to come to the well at noon, when no-one else would be around. Imagine her surprise then when she found a man there. The Master had deliberately travelled through Samaria to meet her and had stayed back at the well that afternoon to talk to her. He used His thirst as a starting point for the conversation and gradually pointed her to her need for the water of Life. Finally, the Lord used her to bring the entire village to repentance.
What hope Jesus gives for despised women who are shunned by society. You may be downtrodden, ignored and belonging to a despised race, with no-one to fight for your rights. Woman, you don't have to weep any longer. Your redeemer has come for you.
From the book 'Woman, Why Are You Weeping?' Chapter 9
In Matthew 15:22, we read of a weeping, but persistent Canaanite woman. She was not a part of the “chosen race”. But God cared for her. Her daughter had been demon-possessed for many years and she did not know where to turn for help. She had heard that a Prophet had come to Israel Who cast out demons. But it was very difficult and perhaps too expensive for her to travel to Israel. Besides she was not an Israelite and she did not know if Jesus would have the time to listen to her or help her. And so she gave up all hope of ever seeing her daughter healed. Little did she know however, how much God loved her and how He had seen her tears: God sent Jesus to her. Jesus walked from Galilee to her hometown and back - 50 miles each way - just to help her. When she met Jesus, she knew that she was an alien and deserved nothing from God. She gladly accepted the position of a dog before the Lord and asked if she might have at least a crumb that fell from the children’s table. She believed that one crumb from the hand of the Lord was enough to drive the demon out of her daughter. What faith!!Jesus granted her request. The daughter was miles away, but she was delivered instantly. The tearful years were replaced with joy and laughter that day.
What an example for you, dear mother, to seek our wonderful Lord. He has seen your tears too, and He knows your need. Your child may be living far away from you. But you can bring her to the feet of our Lord and she can be delivered. The Lord will travel any distance to wipe away your tears and to turn your weeping into laughter. And remember, you are not a dog, but a daughter of God. You can have the children’s bread itself, and not just the crumbs that fall from the table! Go then in faith to the Lord and ask what you will for your daughters and sons, who have been deceived and possessed by Satan. The Lord will deliver every one of them.
From the book 'Woman, Why Are You Weeping?' Chapter 9
A weeping woman caught in adultery was once brought to Jesus by the Pharisees (John 8 ). According to Jewish law she deserved to be stoned to death. And so they brought her to the Rabbi of Rabbis, in order to trap Him. If He set her free, they would accuse Him of nullifying the Law. If He commanded her to be stoned, He would lose His reputation for compassion. It was a “No-win” situation. “Heads they win and Tails you lose”. Jesus dealt with each situation wisely. Even the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men (1 Cor.1:25). Jesus had compassion on her because He understood what it was that made her live the life she was living. It may not have been of her own free choice. Some man may have lured her with false promises and then ditched her. After that, men had repeatedly used her and discarded her. She hated this life. But how could she earn her living? Hardly a day went by without shedding tears. But who would understand her? Who would help her? Yes, Jesus would do both. He would understand her and help her.
I know of many women today who are being rescued from such a life by brave disciples of Jesus, who are taking the risk of confronting the mafia lords who run the brothels. The weeping women in such brothels have lost all hope of living a normal life. Some of them were kidnapped as children by agents who operate the flesh trade. They do not even know who their parents are, or where they come from. Many of these women have now become drug-addicts and need the money they get from prostitution to satisfy their craving for drugs. Many others are infected by HIV and are dying a slow death. Jesus cares for such weeping women and wants to deliver them. He wants to use you and me for this ministry, even today.
That woman ( of John 8 ) never thought she would live another day. She must have been weeping even as she was standing there before her accusers, expecting the first stone to hit her any moment. She saw the compassion on the face of Jesus and her pleading eyes hoped He would understand. He did. He forgave her and turned her path into a new life of discipleship and usefulness to society. He can do the same for you, no matter how low you may have fallen. “I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more”, are His words to you today.
From the book 'Woman, Why Are You Weeping?' Chapter 9
Das ist auch der unausgesprochene Ruf, der von vielen, mit denen wir den Tag über zu tun haben, zu uns dringt. Ich muss in meinem Geist empfindsam sein, so dass ich diesen Ruf hören kann - denn er ist unausgesprochen.
Es kann sein, dass unsere Kinder langsam darin sind, etwas zu lernen, und wir wiederholt versucht haben, es ihnen beizubringen. Wir werden stark versucht, ungeduldig mit ihnen zu werden. Wenn wir dann ihren unausgesprochenen Ruf hören könnten: “Habe Geduld mit mir, ich tue mein Bestes, es richtig zu machen!”, dann wäre es leichter für uns, in dieser Versuchung zu überwinden.
Vielleicht ist das Mädchen, das uns bei unserer Hausarbeit hilft, etwas unbeholfen und nicht so sauber, wie wir es gerne hätten, und wir werden versucht, hart gegen sie zu sein. Aber ihr unausgesprochener Ruf lautet: “Habe Geduld mit mir, gib mir noch eine Möglichkeit, und ich will es besser machen!” - und wir haben wieder eine Gelegenheit bekommen, um freundlich zu sein.
Oder vielleicht sind es betagte Eltern, die alt und gebrechlich sind, und die jetzt von uns abhängig sind. Ihr schwacher, unausgesprochener Ruf lautet auch: “Habe Geduld mit mir! Ich möchte dich nicht beschweren, aber ich brauche nun deine Hilfe!” Wenn wir empfindsam sind für ihre Nöte, werden wir ihren Ruf hören und ihnen helfen, ohne sie ihre Abhängigkeit von uns fühlen zu lassen.
Vielleicht ist das Benehmen von unseren Mitschwestern in der Gemeinde eine Prüfung für uns. Auch ihr unausgesprochener Ruf lautet: “Habe Geduld mit mir, noch fehlt mir viel Weisheit!” Dann erkennen wir, dass auch sie, gleichwie wir, nach dem Vollkommenen jagen.
In solchen und ähnlichen Gelegenheiten finde ich eine Neigung in meinem Fleisch, so wie der unbarmherzige Knecht zu sein. Aber gerade dann habe ich es nötig, ganz frisch daran erinnert zu werden, wieviel mir von Gott vergeben worden ist, und wie geduldig die andern mit meinen Dummheiten sind.
Darum möchte ich meine geistlichen Ohren zu jeder Zeit gestimmt haben, um den Ruf nach Geduld, der von allen meinen Mitknechten - von jung und alt - zu mir dringt, zu hören.
“Das standhafte Ausharren muss aber zu voller Betätigung führen, damit ihr vollkommen und tadellos seid und sich in keiner Beziehung ein Mangel an euch zeigt.” (Jakobus 1,4)
“A message given in a sisters meeting by Annie Poonen on 04/14/2012 at the CFC Paris Conference. This message is translated in French, please be aware that the French translation.”