'Keep your spiritual fervor' by P.J Smyth

P.J Smyth

P.J Smyth, leader of God First Church, shared a nugget with the leaders before he expounded on Colossians 1. His nugget was encouraging the leaders to 'Keep your spiritual fervor'. From Romans 12:11 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." God is charging each one of us to keep our spiritual fervor. South Africa has challenges but in Zimbabwe, the challenges are great. We will be comforted, encouraged and 'buoyed' up. Keep your spiritual fervor. It's important how we approach the hours. v 9 "Love must be sincere; hate what is evil; cling to what is good...." If we need to stop doing certain things, lets stop. Hang out with people, gather as servants v 10 "be devoted to one another in love. honour one another above yourself." Let us be firelighters. We want to be set ablaze for God.

summarised by molly manhanga

'Journey through the wilderness' by Ashleigh Smyth

Ashleigh Smyth

The ladies had a wonderful time with Ash Smyth at the Leaders morning before the Mega Vision Conference. Ashleigh encouraged the ladies to live Christ Centred lives. God speaks to us through difficulties. Crux - an abundant life is not an easy life. We sometimes confuse it. Abundant life is a life rooted in Jesus and centred on Him.

Ashleigh then read from Exodus 13:17 - 18 "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. So God led the people around the desert road toward the Red Sea. "The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle."
God didn't take them the near way. We plan our journey the quick route but God doesn't do that.

Matthew 7:13 - 14 "Enter through the narrow gate. for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
The way to Him is difficult. Why does God lead us deliberately through tricky trials? God is interested in winning us. We need to see God work, His activity.......

1. Protection: When we find ourselves in vulnerable positions, we are afraid and daunted. God says do not be afraid. He is right with us. e.g. the parting of the Red Sea - it happened because they were in an impossible situation  - between a rock and a hard place and they saw this miracle. It was a faith building show. Things don't always go as planned. It may look like God is not on the job but we are in the place where He wants us.
2. Provision of manna and quails: God provided just what they needed. Ask God for what you need daily. Mara was a place where they got to see water but the water was bitter. We see God stepping in with a miracle. God is acting on our behalf. Look for Gods activity. In Exodus, although we see many miracles, there is lots of grumbling. It can rob us of the joy and of what God is doing in our lives here and now. Our eyes are blind to his activity. The right attitude is unconditional acceptance and obedience. Keep being obedient to Him.
3. Perspective: It was one thing getting the Israelites out of Egypt but another to get the Egyptian out of the Israelites. They were slaves and had a very difficult time in Egypt. Now that they were in the wilderness, they conveniently forgot what God brought them out of. They began to murmur and complain. Numbers 11: 4 - 6 "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost - also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!'" There is one thing worse than slavery and that's addictive perks. We need to move away from addictive perks and follow God's lead. Live within new perimeter's. The fear of change and challenges deters our growth in God. Keep our lives centred on God. Press forward in God with courage. Joshua and Caleb had a good report. They knew that God was with them and they could overcome the giants. The 10 had a bad report. They thought the circumstances were too big. The Israelites disobeyed and therefore didn't enter the promised land. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Don't live in paradise in disobedience. The milk and honey is a life centred on Jesus. Note: The rabble - these were people who were half hearted. They influenced God's people to grumble. Who is having the biggest influence on you? Are your friends arousing you in the pursuit of God.
4. Presence of God: Throughout their highs and lows, Gods presence was with them. at Mount Sinai, Moses encountered God. It was the furthest place from where they were going and yet it was the place he met God. Psalm 23 - God prepares a table for us in the midst of our enemies. Don't get into 'shortcuts' as you may miss the Mount Sinai experience. Exodus 33:15 - 16 "Then Moses said to him, 'If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us.'" They wanted Gods presence to go with them. We need to have an attractive life.

An abundant life is centred on God. Lets surrender our own plan and yield on the journey and process He has for us.



Summarised by Molly Manhanga

'Shortcuts' by Arno De Bruyn

Arno De Bruyn

Arno De Bruyn and his lovely wife were part of the team that P.J Smyth came with from South Africa. Arno spoke about leaders taking shortcuts and it's one of those messages that will be remembered for a long time to come.........

Some pointers from his message:

1. How the gospel frees us as leaders from taking shortcuts
2. Second to Suffering is Waiting......  
3. Leaders want to achieve success.
4. Leaders, do people follow you because you are worth following? Do you have integrity?
5. In Africa, it seems like we like to take shortcuts. If we can cut across something to get to a destination quicker, then we'll do it BUT, shortcuts is actually the longest distance between point A and point B.
6. As leaders, we get tempted to take shortcuts to achieve success e.g. Abram and Sarai in Genesis 16: 1 - 5 etc "Now Sarai, Abram's wife had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram. 'The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.' Abram agreed to what Sarai said.................................................................................. he slept with Hagar and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then sarai said to Abram, 'You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering..........'" It was Sarai's suggestion for Abram to sleep with her Egyptian slave and yet she blames Abram when the slave is pregnant.
7. Emerging leaders, shortcuts will be radically offered to us as a quick way to reach success. Even Jesus was tempted by the enemy. After Jesus had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. The enemy led jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
8. Success can be like a drug, once you have tasted it, you want to maintain it and the enemy offers shortcuts. 
9. Emerging leaders - it's difficult to be a leader without integrity. You can be gifted and yet have no integrity. People want to follow leaders with integrity.
10. As leaders, you don't have to keep quiet in order to keep people. Your integrity will cause some people to leave but others will come. 
11. When you've tasted success, it was sweet and good. The enemy will tempt you with a shortcut. Be careful of chasing the 'dragon'.

How do I be a leader that people will follow?
Hebrews 2:7 - 8 "You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honour and put everything under their feet."

Jesus knows what it's like to be offered the shortcut.

1 Peter 5:6- 7 "Humble yourselves therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

• If you are chasing the 'dragon', people will watch you and see where you are going. Jesus never confused Who He was with What He was.
• Be content in your calling, with who you are married to, who we lead etc. Don't compare yourself with others.
• Jesus temptation came when He was at his most spiritual.
• You know what your 'poison or your dragon' is. Be content with who you are.
• What does being successful mean to you? What does it look like when you achieve that success? We need to look at ourselves soberly. 

Summarised by Molly Manhanga