CONSIDER THE PRICE OF THE COMFORT ZONE
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
SEEMS LIKE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STAY FOCUSED IN LIFE ---
EVERYTHING CAN BECOME A DISTRATION --- AND YOU LOSE SIGHT OF
THE GOAL...
Have you ever been driving down the road and get distracted?
Changing a radio station? CD? Text messaging?
Then with the distraction you realize, OH NO!
And you swerve of the road?
OBSTACLES ARE WHAT YPOU SEE WHEN YOU LOSE SIGHT OF YOUR GOAL...
DO WE UNDERSTAND AND KNOW --- GOD KNOWS---
YOU CAN TRUST THE PLAN OF THE UNSEEN HANDS OF A MIGHTY GOD...
Romans 8:28 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the
good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
I ONCE READ A STORY OF CORRIE TEN BOOM...
I recommend you read Corrie's writings, especially THE HIDING PLACE...
But Corrie tells the story of her and her sister BETSY.
BETSY AND CORRIE WERE LOCKED UP IN A JEWISH CONCENTRATION CAMP.
There was so little food. It was freezing cold in Germany that winter.
THE GERMAN SOLDIERS WERE MEAN AND OFTEN ABUSED THE WOMEN.
Corrie told the STORY OF THE FLEAS...
FLEAS INFESTED THE DORM WHERE HER AND BETSY WAS STAYING.
The flea infestation was so terrible, they had sores and the itch was so bad.
CORRIE AND BETSY STARTED PRAYING: GOD PLEASE KILL THE FLEAS...
They earnestly prayed and prayed for the FLEAS TO LEAVE THEM ALONE.
LATER CORRIE AND BETSY FOUND OUT: GOD WAS PROTECTING THEM WITH
THIS FLEA INFESTATION. THE GERMAN SOLDIERS WERE GOING INTO THE
OTHER DORMS AND HAVING THEIR FREE USAGE OF THE WOMEN'S BODIES.
IT WAS TERRIBLE WHAT THE WOMEN WERE ENDURING...
THE GERMAN SOLDIERS HAD HEARD ABOUT THE FLEA INFESTATION IN THEIR
DORM AND THE MEAN GERMAN SOLDIERS WOULD NOT COME NEAR THEIR
BUILDING, WHILE THE FLEAS WERE SO BAD, IT WAS MUCH BETTER THAN
WHAT THE MEN WERE DOING...
My friend, GOD CAUSES EVERYTHING TO WORK FOR THE GOOD --- (for the believer)
EVEN WHEN IT SEEMS BAD...
LET US ENJOY BEING WRONG? LEAVE ME ALONE!
BELIEVE A LIE?
2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (NLT) So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe
these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.
MANY PEOPLE JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS... and believe delusions...
ONE DANGEROUS CONCLUSION IS SIMPLE: LIFE WILL GET EASIER...
AND THE PRICE OF ACHIEVING MY GOALS WILL GET CHEAPER, AND I WILL
NOT HAVE TO APPLY MUCH EFFORT FOR THIS VICTORY...
NO PERSON THAT SETS OUT TO REACH ANY GOAL PLANS ON FAILURE...
Nothing creates more deep seated WORRIES and ANXIETIES than the false assumption
WE SHOULD WALK AND LIVE FREE FROM ALL ANXIETIES---
WE CAN NOT SIT IDLELY BY AN WAIT TO WATCH WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN...
You know the story of God's call to JONAH... ARISE AND GO PREACH IN NINEVAH...
So Jonah buys a boat ticket to TARSHISH?
Tarshish was the PLACE OF EASE...It was a RESORT CITY OF FUN...
NINEVAH had been very mean to the Jewish people. The history was very ugly.
Preacher Jonah wanted to see the WRATH OF GOD BURN THE TOWN DOWN...
After a FREE RIDE in a CAPTAIN D'S special, JONAH DECIDED TO LEAVE HIS
COMFORT ZONE AND HEAD TO NINEVAH...
SO JONAH DECIDED WHILE LAYING ON A BEACH--- I BELIEVE I WILL LEAVE MY
COMFORT ZONE AND GO PREACH AT NINEVAH. My personal belief is the Preacher
never ate fish again....
TALK about OUT OF THE BOX...
The Ninevahites accepted the message and REPENTED....
NOW WHAT IS THE PREACHER GOING TO DO?
Jonah 4:5 (KJV) So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there
made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
GOD CAN GIVE A COMFORT ZONE ---
JONAH REFUSES TO TEACH OR DISCIPLE THE NIVEVAHITES, HE WILL JUST TAKE IT
EASY--- GOD HELPS HIS EASY LIFE STYLE FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME...
God prepares some shade for the Preacher...
WOW, HE REALLY ENJOYS THE COMFORT ZONE OF THE SHADE...
Jonah 4:6 (KJV) And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it
might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of
the gourd.
JONAH WAS SO HAPPY! He was exceeding glad... for GOD'S PROVISIONS OF COMFORT...
GOD WAS NOT FINISHED WITH HIS PLAN--- JONAH GET UP!
NO, JONAH IS VERY COMFORTABLE IN THE SHADE OF EASE...
GOD SAYS: I WILL SHOW YOU...
God never promises a ROSE GARDEN...
It is time to GET UP, ARISE --- TEACH AND PREACH... GO TO WORK...
JONAH HAD REACHED HIS GOAL...
THERE ARE NO VICTORIES AT BARGAIN PRICES--- D.D. EISENHOWER
Jonah 4:7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the
gourd that it withered.
YOU MUST NOT QUIT AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN ---
YOU WILL GAIN A BETTER VISION AND GROW STRONGER LEAVING THE COMFORT
ZONE AND REACHING THE SUMMIT OF GOD'S PLAN...
TO ACHIEVE THE TROPHY REQUIRES GREAT EFFORT BEYOND THE COMFORT ZONE.
GOD'S PLAN IS TO ARISE AND REACH OUT OF THE BOX OF COMFORT INTO THE REALM
OF DIVINE ABILITY...
Jonah 4:8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind;
and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said,
It is better for me to die than to live.
STUBBORN JONAH WOULD RATHER DIE THAN CHANGE?
STAYING IN THE BOX WILL ALWAYS CONCLUDE AT ONE SPOT: ANGER...
CAIN GOT ANGRY! KING SAUL WAS ANGRY! GETTING OUT OF THE BOX
REQUIRES SELF SACRIFICE ---
LITTLE ACCOMPLISHISHMENT REQUIRE LITTLE SACRIFICES... Stay in the comfort zone.
Medium accomplishes require some effort and some sacrifices... Get one foot out of the box.
GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FAMILY DELIVERANCES REQUIRE GREAT EFFORTS
AND GREAT SACRIFICES --- AND BURNING THE BRIDGES BACK TO THE COMFORT ZONE
THORNS HAVE A REASON --- STAY OUT OF THE BOX OF COMFORT---
MY FRIEND, IF YOU NEVER REACH YOUR POTENTIAL IT IS SELDOM OF THE LACKING
OF ABILITY... DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS JUST OUTSIDE
THE BOX OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE...
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me,
lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might
depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,
in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
No sadder words of pen or tongue are the WORDS: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DONE...
Some see the things the way they are and say: WHY?
Others see things the way they could be and say: WHY NOT!
IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE OF WINNING AND BE WILLING TO LEAVE
OUR COMFORT ZONE, THEN WE MUST BE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE OF LOSING.
CONCLUSION: GOD CALLS PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR COMFORT ZONES AND
INVEST IN PEOPLE. Our prayers are kind of like when NOAH RELEASED THE DOVE...
from out of the ark. Once the dove returned with HOPE: it had the branch of the
olive tree in it's mouth. BUT THE REAL ANSWER TO PRAYER WAS WHEN THE
DOVE NEVER RETURNED BACK TO THE ARK... Are you willing to walk by faith ---
Give your best... TRUST GOD FOR THE REST!
CONSIDER THE SAD END OF AN ANGRY PERSON...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
