STEPPING OUTSIDE MY PERSONAL COMFORT ZONE!

Image result for cLIP ART SHOWING COMFORT ZONE  Gideon has been so very comfortable hiding in the caves from the Midianite hoards.He has even resorted to threshing his wheat in a wine vat so his grain would not be taken.  He gets a surprise visit, not from the Midianites, but the LORD.  He has given Gideon a task, a challenge that is certainly beyond his own ability.  He is going to be sent to deliver Israel from Midian.  The LORD gives Gideon the promise, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man."  Judges 6:9. Gideon reminds me somewhat of Moses when God gave him his assignment to deliver Israel from the Egyptians.  Moses also offers up his excuses why he is NOT the man for the assignment. 

Gideon now moves to try to negotiate with the LORD.  Remember, Gideon may have been an idol worshiper with his family.  He may not have been taught or has heard the stories of God's wonders and miracles in delivering Israel from Egypt. This is before the Holy Spirit is given to indwell man permanently.  He has no Bible to instruct him!  He asks of the LORD to show him a sign that it is the Lord speaking to him.  He is told by the LORD to prepare a kid and unleavened bread and to place them on a nearby rock.  Gideon puts the objects on the rock.  The LORD uses the end of the staff that He has in his hand and touches the meat and the unleavened bread.  Fire "springs" up from the rock and "consumes the meat and the bread.  The LORD then vanishes from Gideon's sight.  The action dawns on Gideon that he has been visited by the LORD in a very close encounter and he is still living!  The LORD quietens him with the words, "Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die." Gideon builds an altar to the LORD and names it THE LORD IS PEACE.  

Comfort Zones can be relaxing and safe places when the body and mind are weary and need rest.  However to "hunker" down in the zone as a permanent resting place can be spiritually unhealthy for the Christ follower. It can become the place that all of the fears and insecurities gather to promote the negative, "No thank you, LORD." It can become an excuse, a rut, or a stronghold for the "not me LORD" response when the LORD gives an assignment. Am I willing to take the risk/assignment that the LORD has for me?  "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed..." 2 Corinthians 9:8  The reason why we have all sufficiency to do what has been assigned us is the work of the EMPOWERING HOLY SPIRIT who indwells us as Christ followers.  Shall I trust my flesh to accomplish or will I trust the All Powerful Spirit of God who indwells me to accomplish?  I encourage you: Step out of your spiritual rut!  #IHAVETHREESONS

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THOSE SEEING CAN BECOME BLIND

Image
John 9 is the story of the healing of the blind beggar.  Not only is it a marvelous story of the miraculous healing of the man as he is given his sight, but a sad story of the religious of whom Jesus said, "For judgment, I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind ." The religious have seen the miracle, even though it has taken place on a Sabbath, and they interview the man and his parents for their stories and understanding. I find it so thrilling that the healed man speaks so articulately and logically with the religious in their "interview" with him.  His statement, " Now that is remarkable!  You don't know where HE comes from, yet HE opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners.  He listens to the godly man who does His will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." What truth he has spoken to the religious wh...
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress...
Read more

A DONKEY SPEAKS!

Image
    Numbers has been full of repetitive accounts of the Israelites and their disobedience.  They have now made several laps around Mt. Sinai, many of the original people have died off, or been killed for their arrogant and presumptuous actions against the LORD, Moses, and Aaron. The overriding truth of the accounts is the merciful grace of the LORD! Moses is in his last days of leadership.  The forty years are coming to an end and they are moving toward a second attempt to enter the Promise Land.  They have been victorious in taking land, and they are moving further into the interior of the land of Moab.  The king and the residents of Moab are "filled with dread because of the Israelites.  The king of Moab, Balak, sends messages to Balaam, who is a sorcerer and is able to to place curses or blessings on others.  King Balak wants to know how to defeat "this horde" that is licking up everything around them.  Of course, he is desirous th...
Read more