Download Anton Cuyler - Connect Network

Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation
“Being Better Together” Remember
who you are
o Key Verse for today comes from one from one of those “ let’s give this one a skip”
books of the bible.
o Chronicles is a difficult book to read because:
 1st 9 chapters are nothing more than genealogies filled with tons of
unpronounceable names
 Also it follows after 1&2 Kings and people are puzzled to find that many of the
same stories are repeated SO: Decide not to bother with it?
 This is a real pity because it is a book with a message of hope for the future
showing us what we’re here for and how to find our true identity as the people of
God in a STRANGE LAND –
 It records those mighty men and tribes who forcefully advanced this “New
Kingdom” that God had declared will be established over all Israel through King
DAVID and later over all people through KING JESUS
 Romans 11 reminds us that we too have been grafted into God’s people and we
are now descendants of Abraham through JESUS
 Peter reminds us that we have become a Royal Priesthood , a Holy nation and a
chosen generation
 Paul reminds us- we are sons and daughters of GOD and WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST
JESUS
 So Chronicles has direct links to each of us…
 For the first 7 years David rules only over one Tribe Judah
 Then at Hebron all the other tribes mighty men gather to usher in this NEW KINGDOM
1 Chronicles:12 23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who
came to David at Hebron(A) to turn(B) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord
had said.
I Chronicles lists them, sometimes mentioning their bravery.
But when it mentions the men of Issachar in the middle of them list, it draws special
attention to them as
key verse
1 Chronicles 12:32:
“men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel
should do”
2 Key points:
1. They understood Hebrew
BIN = To discern the times they were in
Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation





2. They knew what they had to do
Do we understand the times we are in
Do we , our organisations, this network DO WE KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING
It is very easy to become overwhelmed by THE TIMES
TO become confused about what we should be doing or are doing
And finally to feel disconnected, disillusioned and alone…as individuals and as
organisations.
Somewhere in between this understanding of our times and the knowing what
to do is a vital component of understanding and knowing
Today I want to encourage you to “ Remember who you are”
Video Clip
: WHO WE ARE
I want to try and give you 5 Keys to help you unlock this TRUTH of
“Remembering who you are”
I call them the 5 Ace’s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Know you Grace
Know your Space
Know your Place
Know you Pace
Know your Face
1. KNOW YOUR GRACE
Each individuals has a unique grace upon you
Each NGO has a unique Grace upon you
This is commonly identified by the PASSION you AND YOUR NGO have for a certain
people group or culture or gender or age group or demographic area or specific
service area, such as HEALTHCARE or EDUCATION or SOCIAL JUSTICE or HUNGER and
POVERTY
It is a unique GRACE that is upon your NGO to excel in this specific Grace





Sozo = youth
Sozo does not = children
Our staff = great with youth!
Our staff may suddenly change if we were to start working with children
We have a unique Grace to work among youth
 ACTS 4:33 “With great power the apostles continued to
testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace
(GREEK = CHARIS) was upon them all.”
Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation
 God freely extending Himself (His favour, his grace) UPON
YOUR NGO
 God’s unique Favour poured out upon your organisation
 Don’t expect to BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE
 If you want to grow in another area: PRAY AND ASK GOD FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
THAT UNIQUE GRACE UPON THEM
2. KNOW YOUR SPACE
 Sphere of influence – Who are you and your NGO impacting for the Kingdom
of God
 Example small Woman group in the community – increase to the families of
those woman – increase to the local community forums increase to local
council – increase to local the government etc etc…..
 In the middle of another genealogical record we find another very interesting
scripture:
1 Chronicles 4:10
New International Version (NIV)
10
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my
territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free
from pain.” And God granted his request.
Prayer of jabez – Jabez, named out of sorrow, chose to invite God into his everyday
life. His desire was to have God in the center of all that he did. His prayer allowed
God to widen his sphere of influence so others could see God. Just like Jabez, we too
should want to allow God to increase our sphere of influence so God will shine more
brightly though our NGO’s
 Example small Woman’s group in the community – increase to all woman in
the community- the families of those woman – the local community forums
increase to local council – increase to local the government etc etc…..
 Know your SPACE – What is your organisation’s sphere of
influence?
3. KNOW YOUR PLACE
You form a unique PART OF THE BODY
YOU MAY FEEL ALONE AT TIMES
YOU MAY FEEL DISCONNECTED AT TIMES
YOU MAY FEEL SEPERATED FROM EVERYONE ELSE
BUT YOU ARE NOT!
1 Corinthians 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and
though all its parts are many, they form one body. V14 15 Now if the foot should say,
Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation
“Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason
stop being part of the body
Romans 12:4 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these
members do not all have the same function,(I) 5 so in Christ we, though many, form
one body,(J) and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts,(K)
according to the grace given to each of us.
Your NGO has a PLACE in the BODY
eye vs toe – example?
4. KNOW YOUR PACE
Each one of us has a unique Pace of life
This is also true for each of our organisations
We are running on the same track as many other organisations but WE ARE
RUNNING A DIFFERENT RACE
The Christian’s race is not a sprint—it’s a marathon.
My question to you is this: What is your pace and more importantly Who is your
pacemaker?
Dictionary says this
A pacemaker or pace-setter (sometimes colloquially called a rabbit[1]) is a runner who
leads a middle- or long distance running event for the first section to ensure a fast
time and avoid excessive tactical racing.
Pacemakers may be used to avoid the tactics of deception that are possible in
competition by those who, for example, race away from the start line (and are likely
to subsequently slow down), giving the other runners the impression that they are
far behind.
Do you sometimes feel far behind? Watch out for those RABBITS!
Earthly competitors follow the counsel of their trainers, and they do it for an earthly,
perishable crown.
Paul is pushing us to follow the counsel of our trainer, Christ, and do so for an
imperishable crown
We are to run the race to win, but the idea is to persevere and run to the end and to
do that we need to know our own unique pace
We are all different – God’s timing and God’s pace for each of us enable us to run
from a place of REST.
ACTS 20:24 New International Version(©1984)
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and
complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of
God's grace.
Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation
5 KNOW YOUR FACE
Identity
What defines us as Christian NGO’s?
Is it our LOGO
Is it our branding
Is it the wording of our vison, mission, strategic plan or logic model?
Though all these things are important – we can never seek to find our identity in
them
What’s the DNA of your organisation?
Or rather: Who’s the DNA of your Organisation?
If someone was to spend a month in your organisation as an intern and not allowed
to read any documents –
What would they experience ?
Like to Church, our Organisations are made up of individuals:
Here are some scriptures that confirms our Identity in Jesus:
The Word of God Says in Jesus Christ...
I am faithful (Ephesians 1:1)
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ's Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2
Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God's glorious grace lavishly and without restriction (Ephesians 1:5,8)
I am in Him (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
I have redemption (Ephesians 1:8)
I am forgiven (Ephesians 1:8; Colossians 1:14)
I have purpose (Ephesians 1:9 & 3:11)
I have hope (Ephesians 1:12)
Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation
I am included (Ephesians 1:13)
I am sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)
I am a saint (Ephesians 1:18)
I am salt and light of the earth (Matfthew 5:13-14)
I have been chosen and God desires me to bear fruit (John 15:1,5)
I am a personal witness of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am God's co-worker (2 Corinthians 6:1)
I am a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)
I am raised up with Christ (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)
I am God's workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
I have peace (Ephesians 2:14)
I have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18)
I am a member of God's household (Ephesians 2:19)
I am secure (Ephesians 2:20)
I am a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19)
I am a dwelling for the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22)
I share in the promise of Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6)
God's power works through me (Ephesians 3:7)
I can approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
I know there is a purpose for my sufferings (Ephesians 3:13)
I am completed by God (Ephesians 3:19)
I am dead to sin (Romans 1:12)
I am not alone (Hebrews 13:5)
I am growing (Colossians 2:7)
I am His disciple (John 13:15)
I am prayed for by Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23)
I am united with other believers (John 17:20-23)
I am not in want (Philippians 4:19)
I possess the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16)
I am promised eternal life (John 6:47)
I am promised a full life (John 10:10)
My heart and mind is protected with God's peace (Philippians 4:7)
I am chosen and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12)
I am blameless (I Corinthians 1:8)
I am set free (Romans 8:2; John 8:32)
I am crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20)
I am a light in the world (Matthew 5:14)
I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)
I am the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)
I am safe (I John 5:18)
I am part of God's kingdom (Revelation 1:6)
I am healed from sin (I Peter 2:24)
Anton Cuyler - The Sozo Foundation
I am no longer condemned (Romans 8:1, 2)
I am not helpless (Philippians 4:13)
I am overcoming (I John 4:4)
I am persevering (Philippians 3:14)
I am protected (John 10:28)
I am born again (I Peter 1:23)
I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I am delivered (Colossians 1:13)
I am redeemed from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)
I am qualified to share in His inheritance (Colossians 1:12)
I am victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Remember who you are
We are the mighty men and woman of Connect Network , who understand the times we
live in and we know what we should do
Because we know who we are: WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE KING OF KINGS AND
THE LORD OF LORDS