Don't park in your comfort zone!

Here is the lesson I have been led to bring to the WMA today...I have never taught adults before, much less bringing a devotional type lesson to a group of more spiritually mature women than myself, but when a volunteer was needed, I felt that God was telling me to do it, so here is what I've gotten peace to deliver. Maybe I will post later and tell you how it went.

OPEN: First thing I'd like us to do is switch sides of the room. At least changes seats, sit somewhere you have never sit before. (allow time for them to move) I realize this doesn't make you happy, but I need your help by doing this to open my lesson point. (after they have all settled back down) I'd like for you to fold your arms, whatever comes natural. Now switch them, ... (pause and allow them to switch)...feels kind of weird doesn't it? You can uncross your arms. Now I want you to hand your bible to the person on your right. (allow time for trade) Are you getting irratated with me yet? (if they are complaining already then mention that you can tell they are irratated already. If I were in your seat I would be questioning the reasoning behind this nonsense already....
I haven't asked you to do anything that would harm you; Yet you are not comfortable with these actions I've asked of you. Most of you wish by now, that Sis. Kristy were standing here instead of me. At this point I know you are all ready for me to move on to the lesson. These actions, and you reactions, bring me to my point today. "DON'T PARK IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE!'
- Take oysters for example, they provide such beautiful pearls, but look at the irratation and DISCOMFORT they endure to produce those pearls.
- here's another example - DIETING - I am sure each of us in this room at some point or another have dieted....think back to that time.....what happened if or when you hit a plateau...You had to change things, you had to sacrafice additional foods, or exercise more....you had to get out of your COMFORT ZONE
- Or, how about an athlete,....records don't get broken by doing the same thing over and over....Gold medals aren't won without extra effort and DISCOMFORT in pushing themselves further than they have been before
- Here's an example I can tell you from personal expierence...and most of you in this room could as well...I have children, and darling as they are, the process in which they got here certainly was out of my COMFORT ZONE...But can I tell you that the rewards have so been worth the DISCOMFORT
There are COMFORT ZONES in our Christianity too...Many times as Christians, we find our niche and settle into it....never to be moved or stretched again....Don't get me wrong,... There is nothing wrong with finding a place, a position, a task or activity that we are well suited to and doing it very well, but if we never even look beyond it, we very well my be missing the fullness of joy Christ has for us in serving Him and His kingdom. As Christs church, we need to reach beyoun the walls of the church building and really let our relationship with Christ shine through us in every aspect of our lives. If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
All to often, we miss the opportunity to experience God's power at work in us because we're not willing to let Him have control....We won't surrender or own plans, our hopes and dreams....We don't want to do anything that might jeopardize our families, our careers, our lifestyles or our sense of COMFORT
Somehow we can't bring ourselves to step out of our COMFORT ZONES unless we have all the answers up front... unless we know how everything will turn out from the start....we are reluctant to obey....we want some sort of guarantee...we want to know that it will stay within our COMFORT ZONES
Over and over again, we read about men and women in the bible who did great things for God,,,notice I didn't say great men and women....but men and women who did great things...Do you know what they had in common...Each one of them had a big Heart for God, like Nehemiah. (Read Nehemiah 1:1-11)
I'd encourage you to read the entire story of Nehemiah. But today, there's one chapter of his life that I'd like to focus on....when Nehemiah took a step out of his comfort zone and made an eternal difference for God. Nehemiah was a displaced Jew living a long way from Jerusalem....He had risen to prominence as the cupbearer to the king and he lived quite a COMFORTABLE life in the king's palace....he was living the good life....
One fateful day, some Jewish friends of his returned from a jaunt to Jerusalem.....he asked them a question that ended up changing his life..."How is it with the people of Jerusalem"? The news was not good...When he heard this, it was like a shot to the solar plexus...It buckled him...It swept him off his feet and onto his knees!...He began to cry out to God....but not simply for a moment...He prayed for months before God showed him what to do! Nehemiah knew what God was doing in his heart....He knew God wanted him to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall....He could have chosen to stay in his COMFORT ZONE...he could have continued to live in luxury...but Nehemiah's heart was with God....


I believe God is doing that same thing in the hearts of His people today. That includes you and I. He's stirring our hearts to do something for His glory....You don't have to be a pastor, a missionary, or a super-spiritual star...just take a look at me....All you have to do is have a heart for God...and a willingness to get out of your COMFORT ZONE ...I certainly am not in my COMFORT ZONE standing here in front of you ladies, but when God pricked my heart, well I figured who was I to refuse....
(read Isaiah 30:21) Wether we turn to the right or to the left, our ears will hear a voice behind us, saying "This is the way, walk in it" We just have to start listening to that voice. (read Isaiah 28:26) God instructs us and teaches us the right way. He has a plan and a path for each of us, but we must make the decision to get beyond being COMFORTABLE in our Chrisianity and decide to live as Jesus did!
Even though we "Step out of our COMFORT ZONE" to be in the will of God, we still face trying moments....With that being said, may this thought be the one that sticks with you and encourages your heart: It is Great to be where God wants you!
I pose this question to you....What is your COMFORT ZONE?....it may be that God is calling you to another area of the Ministry other than where you are presently... It may be that you need to sacrifice something that you really enjoy but you know it is God's will (emphatic: It will be worth it!)
Jesus' methods to get you and I out of our COMFORT ZONES and watch over our lives are often NOT the way we would do it, but Obedience to God's ways will bring about His desired Results and Fruits in our lives...Whatever God tells us to do that affects our COMFORT ZONES, ... it is for the greater good of us and the body of Christ...God is not telling us to get out fo our COMFORT ZONES to make our lives miserable....He is telling us to get out of our COMFORT ZONES so that He can do a fresh work in our life.
There are people all around us that Jesus loves and died for who have yet to receive the marvelous gift of Salvation! Lets look at Matthew 28:18-20. (read it) It is our responsibility as Christians to share that gift with everyone we can reach, just as the Bible tells us. We really are to be evangelists everyday....living by the Word and Jesus' example....Our Saviour certainly stepped out of His COMFORT ZONE when He suffered the awful agony and died on the Cross! If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?....You may have to step out of your COMFORT ZONE to be convicted...
If you sense God is leading you "out of your COMFORT ZONE" and whatever that means for you, ..... be obedient to Him........If thats where God wants you, its the best place to be!