Outside Your Comfort Zone

Comfort zones -- those places where you are most comfortable, those people with whom you are most comfortable, those things with which you are most comfortable.  How did you respond the last time you were called upon or felt led to do something differently?  Stepping outside your comfort zone meant that you’d have to make a change.  How often do you find yourself resisting change?  Resisting doing something differently?  Resisting a move outside your comfort zone?

Consider Esther, the little Jewish girl whose identity was unknown as she married the king of Persia.  As queen, her cousin Mordecai called upon her to go before the king and save her people from destruction.  Facing this life or death challenge, she stepped outside of her comfort zone to go before the king without being called for.  If the king had not held out the golden scepter, she would have been killed instantly.  God moved on her behalf, and the rest is world history.

Consider Nehemiah, a Jewish exile in Persia, whose job was cupbearer to the king.  God purposed in his heart to go to Judah to rebuild the burned walls and broken down gates around Jerusalem.  Endowed with divine favor, Nehemiah stepped outside his comfort zone, received permission from the king to take a long leave of absence, was given considerable resources for the project, and faced great opposition and many trials.   Even so, the rebuilding project was completed in 52 days.  God moved on his behalf, and did more than Nehemiah could ever have asked or imagined.

Choose this day to step outside your comfort zone. Do what God has purposed and planned for you. Understand that if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.

Strengthen My Hands

Is there something going on with you that has caused you to feel weak?  Has your boss at work or your pastor at church asked you to do something that has presented considerable challenge to you?  Do you feel that you are literally stuck between a rock and a hard place?  Are you feeling that a particular situation is like six in one hand, a half dozen in the other?  Has God given you what seems like the impossible dream?  Does the mountain in your life seem too high to climb? Is there a giant standing in your way?  If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, God has a Word for you.  Open your eyes, look to see what the Lord is saying to you. Now, read on.  

 Nehemiah's story is told in the book that bears his name.  He described himself as the cupbearer to the king of Persia who resided in Susa.  The Lord placed on Nehemiah's heart a burning desire to join the returning exiles in Judah and Jerusalem, and to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.  He was passionate and determined to restore the gates that had been burned 70 years earlier when Judah was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  Nehemiah was granted favor by the king who not only granted him a leave of absence to go to Judah, but gave him considerable timber, building supplies, and other resources.  Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, he found a people with a mind and heart to do this work.  And he also found enemies who did everything in their power to keep the walls from being rebuilt and the gates from being restored.  Some of the enemies that came against the people were outsiders.  But, guess what?  Some of the enemies were insiders, their friends and neighbors.

 So, no matter where you are, irregardless of what's going on, pray continually as Nehemiah did.  I describe one of his prayers as short and sweet, quick and to the point.  Nehemiah simply prayed "O God, strengthen my hands."  Let that become your prayer, "O God, strengthen my hands" (see Nehemiah 6:9).  Then watch God move “exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask or imagine according to the power at work in you” (see Ephesians 3:20-21).

 

How Big Is Your God? part 7

My pastor, Bishop Jim Lowe at The Guiding Light Church, has been encouraging us to step outside of ourselves, and to pull on God. He's asking us to know that we know that we know that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20). These messages are reminders to me to consider how big God is to me. Is God really able to do immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine? Can I really believe this? Can I truly expect more from God? Can I create new norms for me?

Consider Moses who God had climb Mt. Nebo when he was 120 years old. The amazing thing is that Moses climbed the mountain. Can you believe that? Do you know a 65 ... or 70 ... or 80 ... or 90 year old person? Would you ask, could you expect them to climb not even a mountain but a hill? However, Moses climbed the mountain, God showed him the promised land. Because his eyes were neither weak nor dim, he was able to see clearly the land that God had promised. He would not cross over into it, but he was able to see it.

What to me seems so unfair of God is that Moses climbed the mountain, saw the promised land, and then died. Why did he, at age 120, have to climb the mountain only to die? Wasn't that a bit much of God to require such a strenuous effort? Why couldn't Moses have just fallen asleep at the foot of the mountain? In Deuteronomy 34:7, we are also told that Moses' strength was not gone.

Moses' strength equaled his days. If God is no respecter of persons, can he do for you and me what he did for Moses? Can we not expect that our strength will = our days? Is your God big enough that you can expect and declare that your strength = your days? Is your God big enough that you will prophesy to others -- may your strength = your days? Is your God big enough that this becomes your new norm? May your strength = your days.

 

How Big Is Your God? part 6

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Zechariah 4:6

At first glance, prophetic writings from the Old Testament with next to impossible names to pronounce may not get our attention or may be difficult to understand.  Take a second glance and realize that the prophet Zechariah has been instructed by God to give a message to Zerubbabel, the governor of Jerusalem.  Zerubbabel had been among the first of the Jews to return to their homeland from having been in captivity, first in Babylon and then in Persia.  When he first returned to Jerusalem, he led a team in rebuilding the temple which had been destroyed by fire.  The foundation was laid, then the work stopped.  This message was given to Zerubbabel some 16 years later.  Yes, you've read correctly, work on the temple was left unfinished for 16 years.

Have you left a job or a task uncompleted for a long period of time? For 16 years?  For more than 16 years?  For less than 16 years?  What project ... task ... assignment ... relationship ... job ... work did you leave undone?  Have you purposed in your heart to do something, and then didn't do it?  Did you start something and then didn't finish it?

Could it be that the same message from God, given through the prophet Zechariah to Zerubbabel, is your message for today?  As you are challenged to return to the task left undone, you are reminded that the work can be accomplished not by your might, nor by your power, but by the Spirit of God. Remember that God is ready to help you, willing to help you, and is able to do immeasurably more for you than you could ever ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20).  Finally, remember that in all things, you are more than a conqueror (see Romans 8:37).

How Big Is Your God? part 5

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

Romans 8:37

How big is your God? Is he big enough for you to believe that in all things, you are more than conquerors?  Personalize the amazing words: I am more than a conqueror.  Now think about whatever it is you are going through at this very moment.  What obstacle is before you?  What burden are you encountering?  What sickness or disease seems to be getting the most of you?  What relationship is so out of order?  Are your finances upside down, inside out, topsy turvy? Are you on an emotional roller coaster? Is it that you just don’t know what else to say?  You don’t know where to turn?  You just don’t know what to do?

The Word of God says that in all these things, you don't merely conquer; you are more than a conqueror.  What does being more than a conqueror mean?  Stop! Look! Listen! It means that you have complete triumph ... you win a most thorough victory ... you have an overwhelming victory ... you are triumphantly victorious ... you conquer overwhelmingly.   

My brothers and sisters, please don't settle for something less than God's best.  Choose to be what God says you are.  It doesn't matter what you see.  It doesn't matter what you hear.  It doesn't matter what you think.  And it absolutely doesn't matter what you feel.  All that matters is what God says.  He says that in all these things, you are more than conquerors.

 

How Big Is Your God, part 4

Is your God bigger than any and all of your fears? God has said, in 2 Timothy 1:7, that He has not given us the spirit of fear. So if God has not given us the spirit of fear, where then has the spirit come from? To whom, through whom has this fear come? If not from God, then obviously from the enemy, the thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy (see John 10:10).

 

Consider your fears. What are those fears that keep you from achieving your divine potential? From accomplishing your God given purpose? From being all that you can do or be? Fear of people ... rejection, being told no ... lack, not enough ... money ... speaking in public, before a group ... embarrassment ... failure ... taking the first step ... . What are you afraid of? What makes you scared. What are you running away from? What makes you hesitant? What gives you pause?

 

After Job's great loss of all his children and their families, his wealth, and his health. he said that what he feared the most had come upon him (see Job 3:25-26). What were Job's fears?

 

Is your God bigger than your greatest fear? Is your God big enough to get you past all your fears? Is anything impossible for your God? Is anything too hard for your God? How big is your God? Since God has not given you the spirit of fear, what has he given? See 2 Timothy 1:7, for God has given you the spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Is your God big enough for you to accept this truth and be made free from all your fears?

How Big Is Your God, part 3

When you are confronted with and challenged by the circumstances of life and living, how big is your God?  Consider the Apostle Paul who was called to be a witness ... a servant ... an evangelist ... a pastor ... an apostle to the nations.  The disciple, Ananias, was instructed to tell Paul (then Saul) that he would suffer many things for Jesus' sake.  Is your God big enough for you to accept and follow through with your purpose, your gifting, your calling when it involves suffering?  Is your God big enough for you to accept such a challenge, for you to go forward without hesitation, boldly, and confidently?

Is your God big enough that you never give up even when you have suffered greatly?  Can you imagine how big Paul's God was?  About midway his time of ministry, Paul reflected on the sufferings he has already endured for the Name of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-29) -- 39 lashes from his own people on five different occasions ... beaten with rods three times ... stoned and left for dead once ... three times aboard a ship wrecked at sea ... and more?  Can you imagine this level of hardship and suffering?  When would you have stopped?   Would you have given up long before going through all of this suffering?  When is enough, enough?

Is your God big enough for you to keep on keeping on amid many trials and obstacles and sufferings?  Is your God as big to you as Paul's God was to him?  What has God called you to do?  What is your purpose in life?  How hard is your walk?  How difficult is your journey?

Paul believed and so he wrote words that encouraged him so that we may be encouraged -- "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)