God's Lavish Grace: How to live a Grace-filled life pt1

Terry and Wendy Virgo

Acts 4:4 -9 This is the key to understanding the book of Acts. Peter then goes on to talk about Jesus who was crucified…..

In the gospels we see how the disciples deny Jesus, have bad motives like Judas and so on, and yet, they turned the world upside down. How could fishermen turn the world upside down. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Luke 24:49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Don’t start until you are clothed with power from on high. Gideon will be a mighty man of valour and he was transformed by the spirit of God. There are examples of Saul and David. The Bible is full of stories of when the spirit came upon them. We need to be clothed with power from on high, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills us up. It’s transforming. Acts 2:1 “When the day of Penticost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

1. Jesus is born of the spirit and when the spirit came upon him, he started doing his ministry. The Father clothed with power from on high
2. Acts 8:12 – 20 Philip went to Samaria. He preached the gospel, laid hands on the people and the spirit came on the new Christians. People were saved through Philips preaching.
3. Acts 9:17 Conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Ananias went to Saul’s home and told him that he was to receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
4. Acts 10 Peter went to Cornelius home. God had spoken to Cornelius. While peter was speaking v44, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word, including the Gentiles.


Read on for pt 2 on “How we can live a grace-filled life”

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

"Leadership: Power" by Dr Shana

Dr Goodwill Shana

Power:
Recap: Genesis 1:26 Image, likeness and dominion. Mark 16:17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;”

Power is there to produce CHANGE. Not for profile or show. We need to understand what power is for!

The level of power in a person depends on 5 things:

1. Information/knowledge: Be an informed people and anointed. Be organized in your thinking and articulate the order of your thoughts. Communication is an important leadership power. Communication is information so that we can follow you when you are there and when you are not there. Leaders are readers. It is information necessary for us to change things. Knowing How To… is the key. The knowing is important. It makes the difference.
2. Inspiration: Power to inspire people. All scripture is inspired, in filled, breathed by God. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” Put a God-energy and ability to make people rise to a God-level of believing and achieving.
3. Instruction: Leaders have the ability to break down how a thing is done. They are not just commanders. Leaders have the power to instruct others and give guidelines.
4. Impartation: Taking what you have, who you are and giving it to others so it’s theirs. We need linear impartation. Impartation of something. Leadership needs to say: “What I have, I give to you.” Pass it on and let it multiply in others.
5. Transform situations and people: Leadership is having the ability to transform situations and people but first themselves. The person I transform first is myself. There must be a change. Transformation means empowering others to change. People can decide to change. We are made in the image of God.

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

"Leadership: Personality" by Dr Shana

Dr Goodwill Shana

Personality

Find, explain and demonstrate God’s purpose for your life. Develop a personality. Your purpose and personality need to line up otherwise confusion exists. If you know your purpose and yet your personality is chasing after the things of this world, it brings confusion. Who we are matters as much as what we do. “You can teach all you know but you reproduce who you are.” We reproduce who we are. I need to reproduce someone that looks like God.

Personality alone cannot make you a leader. People will follow you because you have a purpose but will stay with you because of your personality. The idea of heaven is to get people to go with you to heaven.

Churches should be family places. People never leave churches but they leave people in the Church. 1 Corinthians 12:24 – 25 “….but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honour to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” What is the personality of the Church? It should have a conducive environment which allows for people to operate in their gifting. The personality of the Church should have the characteristic of the God – it should be healthy! Does it have the character of Christ?

Power follows on to this…..

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

Leadership: General indicators on leadership

Dr Goodwill Shana

Genesis 1:26 “ Then God said, “let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Leadership is
1. Purpose
2. Personality
3. Power

The Church can get confused with events. We enjoy the power of God but what is the purpose. The whole idea is to look like God. When we are through with people, they need to look like God. If we don’t know the purpose of a thing, neglect, misuse and abuse are inevitable.

From Genesis 1:26 we see image, likeness and dominion. God works in a three fold aspect. He made the sun, moon and stars. He made us with a body, soul and spirit. There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2 and Genesis 1:11.

Purpose

a) Every leader must be a leader of purpose. Why are you doing what you are doing? God is a purposeful God. He is intentional. We need to be intentional leaders not accidental leaders. We need to look like God, act like God and have dominion like God. If I’m intentional, I have a preset goal, a plan. Africa doesn’t have intentional thinking or purposefulness. 1 John 3:8 “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Be clear about people and their purpose. Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Have a desire for something. Good leaders have intentions and are clear about where they are going. If you have no purpose, you’ll be diswayed and discouraged. Nehemiah had a purpose, Joseph had a purpose and even though he faced many challenges, he wasn’t discouraged. Leadership going nowhere will poison the Church. Purpose gives us a reason for living – not borrowed purpose! Start by serving others to develop the spirit of serving. No one is exempt from service or servanthood.
b) God’s divine intervention e.g. Paul of Tarsus. God helps us find ourselves in our circumstances.
c) Gifting and abilities God has given us. Our purpose will always breed passion. Good leaders give people a purpose for living. Show me a person who is passionate and it produces pursuit – you go after it.

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

Continue Reading on Personality and Power

"Leadership: The problem" by Dr Shana

Dr Goodwill Shana

Operation Trumpet Call is a Call for the Church to rise up and be the voice in Zimbabwe, Africa and the world. When things go wrong, we then find our destiny. God has not forsaken Zimbabwe but he is shifting things. At the point of crisis, true leadership emerges.

Paul was a preacher, teacher and an apostle and this defined his mandate. As leaders, let’s be clear where we are going. Africa has had problems for a long time. We have the world’s natural resources here and the fastest church growth and yet there is so much tragedy, wars and division.

There are wrong attitudes to:
1. Colonialism
2. Ethnic division
3. Witchcraft
4. Culture
5. Social anthropological development

Part of the problem of poverty is not just putting money into people’s pockets. We need viable/valuable ideas like Foundations for Farming. If implemented correctly, you’ll get the correct result. We need to change our level of thinking – have a paradigm shift.

Leadership shouldn’t be confused with authority. You can have authority but it doesn’t make you a leader. A leader shouldn’t be after power and it doesn’t mean position or privilege. Therefore, leadership is not about position, power, authority or privilege.

Leadership is having a VISION. It’s about people, being with people, arriving with people. You are defined by those you are leading. If you’re not leading anyone, you’re simply “taking a walk” or you’re just ambitious. Leading is taking people with us on a journey – influencing people to come along with you.

Read on about the “General Indicators on Leadership”

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

Things we need to get right with God by Scott Marques

Scott Marques

Wicked ways…..
1. Idolatry: we are prone to trust in other solutions other than God i.e. money or men or both. We cannot serve God and mammon. It’s a spiritual issue. Abide in Christ. This is where fruitfulness comes. Be content. God can supply all our needs according to His riches in Glory. We can be a light in this world. Our hope is in God.
2. Syncretism: This is when we mix African, Western, Eastern etc ways with Biblical ways. God says “I am a jealous God” We need to stand on clear ground and trust Jesus. Blow it like a trumpet. Have a Daniel or Joseph spirit.
3. Legalism: “You foolish Galatians. Who has bewitched you.” We think our behavior can secure a place with God. Our works are like filthy rags in our effort to please Him. The best of our good works are like nothing. True faith is by our actions. It is the grace of God that teaches us to say NO to worldly passions and behavior. We can boldly preach against legalism. When we blow it, there is grace to forgive.

Oppression - Undo the straps of the yoke…(Yokes we can put on each other)
1. Disunity: It grieves the Father. There should be no measure of jealousy. Don’t measure ourselves against each other. God loves unity.
2. A worldly spirit: See in the Church the same things like at a political meeting. In humility, we need to prefer others.
3. Elitist racism: powerful dynamic where we put bounds around each other because of externals. Dangerous potential (e.g. apartheid. One thinks they are better than the other based on the colour of their skin) Be free from racism. God has made us in His image. We need to do things in the Church that make people ask questions.

“Giving bread to the hungry, clothing those that are naked “ and so on
We run the risk of being indifferent to the plight of the poor. We need to throw away our reputation even if people mock us. Let God receive all the glory. Be faithful with what God has given us. God is eager to reward those who are faithful. Real faith shows itself in action and there is fruitfulness.

In Zimbabwe, we need to plant our maize on time. We will reap the rewards and be able to export maize.

Let us show the life of God in the Church.

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

Let your light shine by Scott Marques

Scott Marques

Matthew 5:13 – 16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses it’s flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The top of God’s agenda is to remember the poor. The grace of God in us causes us to love and good works. We are not saved by good works. Let your light so shine that others may see. We need to shine. Our works should cause people to ask questions.

Genesis 1:27 – 28. “So God created man in His own image; in the image og God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ God has given to us the mandate and potential to steward everything that He has created.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 – 12. Love God and one another with practical application. V11 – 12 “….that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.”

Isaiah 58:1 – 12
We can identify with Isaiah’s day with political and economic problems. Africa is facing the problem of poverty. God has passion and compassion for the hungry.
2 Peter 1: “God has given to us everything for life and Godliness.” Where is the problem? Where is the breakdown? Some blame others. There is a sense of God but without unity and the body of Christ rallying together.

Isaiah 58:6: “Is this not the fast that I have chosen…
1. To loose the bonds of the wicked – Primarily an issue between God and us
2. To undo the heavy burdens - things we do that yoke or bind others
3. To let the oppressed go free – things that need to go

Follow on to see the Things we need to get right with God………

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

God's Lavish Grace: Serving the Living God

Terry and Wendy Virgo

What does it look like to serve the Living God?

Mark 16:20 “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”
When you are doing what God wants you to do, He is with you. There will be expressions of love and the love of Jesus will come flooding through.

John 17. I have glorified God in all I do. I’ve done the work you’ve given me to do. As you serve the body, you find your calling – your skill. You’ll be very good at that and be part of a loving body. They will say it and you’ll speak and laugh within the loving body. God gives gifts. Let’s find out what God has in store for us and do His will. Let’s not say I have wasted my life. Let each of us use the diverse gifts God has given us. Lets say, I have run the race. There is laid a crown for me and I wasn’t disobedient. Each one of us using the diverse gifts God has given to us.

God is for me. His grace has brought us safely home. God is inclined to reward me. He is worthy of our pure devotion.

God's Lavish Grace: Do we do works to impress God?

Terry and Wendy Virgo

Hebrews 9:11
Death can creep into the life of the Church. It doesn’t happen overnight. We do things that are dead works. We need to repent from dead works. What are dead works?
1. Doing works without faith like our Sunday meetings. What is our faith goal? What is our expectation?
2. Doing works without hope like salvation. Can God do it?
3. Working presumptuously. Move from faith to presumption. Can do it without God.
4. Works that are not from God. Many doors open but is it from God? We end up very busy – busy doing things but is it living?
5. Not motivated by love. If we don’t have love we are like a clanging symbol. Without love, it profits nothing. Paul says to the Thessalonians as Jesus wrote to the Church of Ephesus that you’ve lost your first love. The heart is gone. Unless you come back, I will remove your lamp stand. Where is the love? God said to Saul, “Today your kingdom is removed from you”. I want Jesus. I don’t want dead religion that’s lost its heart. Let the blood of Jesus cleanse our conscience.

Many Christians are driven from guilt. We want to appease our conscience. What will people think? People do things for conscience sake. Romans 4:4 – 5. The blood of Jesus cleanses my conscience. We don’t have to justify ourselves and get into activity mode because of what people will think. We get people doing things they don’t want to do and gradually the church dies.

Titus 22:14
God wants a people that are zealous for good works. Matthew 5:16, John 9:14, Revelation22:12. Jesus wants to reward good works.

Our works will be tested. All of us will give an account to God. We’ll be tested by fire. The quality of our works will be tested. God is testing more than what has gone in. He is testing our hearts. We are not saved through our works. God will judge the quality of our works. There are those who will stand the test and those who will suffer loss. God is not interested in dead works.

1 Corinthians 4:4 – 5 God will bring things to light and disclose our motives. God will disclose things hidden in darkness. We don’t need to get involved in conscience work.
Good works open with a good heart will be rewarded. Lets not get into religious activity.

God's Lavish Grace: Overcoming sin's power

Terry and Wendy Virgo

Overcoming sin’s power

Introduction
Romans 6:1 – 14
1. In view of the freedom of grace, shall we carry on sinning?
2. By no means!

How do Christians live the holy life?
Paul asks, “Do you not know?” Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
All of us died to sin – notice ALL of us, not some special Christians. Therefore you cannot be a Christian without being crucified with Christ.
Notice “baptized into His death” not “into our death to sin experience.”
a) Not something we are trying to feel
b) Not something that is going to happen
c) Not something that ought to happen
d) Not something we try and experience
This is something that is true of every Christian. Build the Christian life on God’s truth. Believe what God says.

What we need to know?
V6 Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him
V7 He that has died is free from sin

What must we consider?
V11 Consider yourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God. We need to think this way. Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Our minds need to be renewed and lined up with truth. Line up your thinking with Truth. Consider it. Live in the truth of what God says is true.

The action we must take
V12 Do not let sin reign in your mortal body. Why mortal? Mortal emphasizes that though our souls have been saved our bodies are awaiting salvation – Romans 8:23, Philippians 3. We need to take responsibility for ourselves and for the members of our bodies. We need to make good choices. Sanctification is about making good choices. We need to live wisely as we have been born again. We are new people. Formerly sin was expressed through our bodies. Our old self was very happy with this. Now our old self has died so our mortal body becomes the target of sin.

V13 Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness.

V18 You were slaves of sin but have now become slaves of righteousness. This is a proclamation. “I am a slave of righteousness” He that is born of God doesn’t live in the world of sinning all the time. God has set us free by the Cross. 1 Corinthians 10:13. We will not be tempted beyond that which we are able to handle.

God's Lavish Grace: Reigning in life

Terry and Wendy Virgo in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Reigning in life:

Romans 5:17 “For if by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”

Introduction:
The promise to ‘reign in life’ is a wonderful promise. It does not stand alone. There are similar promises, namely that we shall be:-
a) More than conquerors through His love
b) Always be led in His triumph
Often we feel that we are failing to fulfil that lifestyle.

1. The sense of failure can lead Christians to embrace a legalistic approach: The Bible says clearly in Romans 6:14 “Sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace.” Galatians 5:4 “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” And Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
2. Are Christians under the law? A review of Romans 7:1 – 6. We were made to die to the law. We died to the law through the body of Christ. We are married to another – to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. Galatians 3:21 shows that the law is impotent. Jesus is potent. If we abide in Him the spirit will give us life. Jesus is a life imparting husband.
3. The purpose of the law (it tells man this is where the line is) It reveals sin – Romans 3:20 “Through the law comes the knowledge of sin…” (Sin is against God) and Romans 7:7 “…. I would not have known sin apart from the law…”, It provokes sin – V8 sin took opportunity, V9 sin came alive,
4. The free gift of righteousness (He changes us from the inside radically) Christians battle with condemnation. They try to remove condemnation through sanctification but sanctification cannot remove condemnation. God removes condemnation through justification. He gives us the very righteousness of Christ and makes us completely acceptable! It’s not my performance but my position in Christ. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
Romans 5:14 “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” (It’s comparing Adams sin to Jesus righteousness) Adam is a type of Him who is to come. When he sinned, it affected the whole human race. We also see it in Moses, David, Noah’s ark and Joseph.

Stay tuned for Terry Virgo on “Overcoming sin’s power” from Romans 6

OTC Conference in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Leaders worshipping God at the recent OTC conference

We had been waiting with great expectation for the Operation Trumpet Call Conference which was held in Bulawayo from Monday 22nd March to Wednesday 24th March 2010. The speakers Terry Virgo, Dr Goodwill Shana, and Scott Marques were outstanding. They inspired, motivated and encouraged the church leaders from the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe and Newfrontiers Zimbabwe. Terry Virgo did a series on “God’s Lavish Grace”, Scott Marques spoke excellently on “Let your light shine” and Dr Shana closed the conference by speaking on “Leadership”. It was an excellent conference and we are so excited with what God is doing through the Church in Zimbabwe.

Read on to find out more about the Operation Trumpet Call Conference……

By Molly Manhanga

Prophetic word for Zimbabwe

“….They Will Believe….”

Everybody says what good can
Come out of Zimbabwe
I say My Glory, My Glory will come
On the dry bones that laid slain I
Have breathed My life
Into a mighty armour of God, the 1
Bride of Christ
Like a city on a hill, your light so
Shines

And My Glory shall be seen in the
Whole earth
As the waters cover the sea
And the whole world will look to
This nation
And they will believe.

Everybody says what good can
Come out of Zimbabwe
I say My Glory, My Glory will come
I’ve called this nation forth from
The grave
My Kingdom shall be seen here on
Earth
The lame will leap the dumb will
Speak
The dead will live again.
There is dancing in the street, hear
The sound
The celebration is heard all around
It’s getting louder, it’s getting
Stronger all the time.

Zimbabwe and beyond with Adrian Willard

Adrian Willard

It was fascinating listening to Adrian Willard at the recent Foundations for Nations Conference as he spoke about Operation Trumpet Call.

In essence, Operation Trumpet Call is:
1. A Call to God: 2 Chronicles 7:14 – 16 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”
2. A Call to Unity: Ephesians 4:1 – 7 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one Lord and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”
3. A Call to Help the Poor: Isaiah 58:9 – 10 “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing finger, and speaking wickedness, if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.”

Operation Trumpet Call is a cry out to God to do something in Zimbabwe. The tool we are using is Foundations for Farming through which we hope our nation will be hugely impacted.

The goal of Operation Trumpet Call is to feed by training and equipping every rural family in Zimbabwe in 5 years i.e. 5,000,000 through Foundations for Farming. Operation Trumpet Call could revolutionize Zimbabwe in terms of feeding the Nation.

Zimbabwe is in a unique place and the Church is responding in a practical way. We have land and good weather so it’s extraordinary! If Zimbabwe is able to feed itself, it will be AMAZING!

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

"From The Heart" with Nigel Ring

Nigel Ring

M.M: What are your thoughts on Foundations for Farming?
N.R: It’s one of the most exciting ministries I’ve ever seen because of its excellence and its desire to be practical in discipling people in the knowledge of Christ. It has the potential to transform communities. It’s AMAZING and it’s led by the most Godly, humble people I’ve ever met.

M.M: I agree with you 100%! What are your impressions of Operation Trumpet Call?
N.R: The vision for OTC is so huge that God has to be in it. It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone feeling that the Church can transform a Nation – but I believe it can!

Nigel Ring praying for Zimbabwe

M.M: What do you feel God is saying to the Nation of Zimbabwe?
N.R: It feels presumptuous to offer an opinion but it does seem that all of man’s endeavours are seen to be inadequate, leaving a vacuum that only the Church can fill.

M.M: Thank you so much Nigel.

By Molly Manhanga

OTC Farmer Groups

OTC farmer group led by Brilliant Khoza praying at the start of their session

One of the OTC farmer Groups in the Kezi area are led by Brilliant Khoza. He met with about 15 farmers and shared on Faith, Faithfulness and Fruitfulness. It was quite interactive as people discussed how their thoughts on Foundations for Farming.

The objective of the meeting was to:
1. Help the group to see that the world is in the predicament it’s in because of our lack of faithfulness towards God, each other and creation
2. That we are in disbelief, leading to disobedience, which leads to destruction
3. To show that in Jesus we can have faith outworking itself in faithfulness which leads to fruitfulness.
The OTC farmers were really appreciative of the teachings of Foundations for Farming.

It was an excellent meeting!

Compiled By Molly Manhanga