Finally, I got tired of everybody telling me how awesome my phone is and all the great things it’s capable of doing. So I enlisted the help of one of my IT guys to pick his brain. And to my amazement, I could not believe all the things I was able to do, that I wasn’t doing, only because I didn’t know that I could! I was so comfortable with what I knew, that I didn’t want to put in the work to find out what I really needed to know. And what I need to know was that my comfort was crippling my capability! Now, at the click of one button I can access all of my schedules (and finally avoid so many scheduling conflicts because who knew my phone could organize my dates in priority without my help?). With one button I can check all of my email accounts. With one button I could have all of my social media sites on one page. I could even control what goes on in my house, while I’m away, all by my phone! And all of this was at my fingertips, but I was too complacent to grab a hold of its full capability!
Now, let’s see what the Bible has to say about this. Matthew 14:25-29, “And in the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 a.m.) Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately He spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid!” Peter replied to Him, “Lord, if it is [really] You, command me to come to You on the water.” He said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus." (AMP).
All the disciples were trying to do is ride out the storm. But Peter suddenly got a glimpse of the power of his Master and of something supernatural he could do if he risked everything on Jesus. And suddenly Peter was doing what people don't do. He was walking on water!
Jesus may be preparing you to step up to something far more supernatural than you've ever been or you've ever done before. In fact, if you’re anything like me, He's made your heart restless for more so you would get out of the boat and start walking toward Him in an exciting new way. Truth is, there are quite a few endeavors that I’ve had my heart set on for quite a while now. And fear and nervousness about stepping into something new, uncomfortable, and unfamiliar is honestly terrifying! But I don’t want to miss a moment because of a minute of insecurity.
Peter found out that day that if Jesus wants you to do it - no matter how beyond your capability it may be - He will give you whatever it takes to get it done!
A lot of our Christian lives are like my multi-faceted cellphone. We're settling for a level that is far below where we could be living. We're looking at all those spiritual buttons and gadgets. Maybe we even know some other people who have already tapped into those capabilities, but we're settling for a powerless life when Christ in us wants to make our life absolutely powerful. We're settling for the mediocre when we're wired for the miraculous. Who knows what will happen if you finally decide to get out the boat and apply for the mortgage, the business, student or car loan. Who knows what will happen if you finally decide to get out the boat and head that ministry or start a new one. Who knows what will happen if you finally decide to get out the boat and try that, or go there. Truth is, being inside the boat, especially during a storm, seems like the safest, best and most comfortable, and sensible place to be. But if Jesus isn’t in the boat, do you really think it’s the best place to be? If He’s outside the boat, even in the storm, don’t you think it’s better to be where Christ is than where your Cushion is?
You have the Holy Spirit of Almighty God living in you. You have backing you up the authority that Jesus has over everything in this universe. You have Jesus' resurrection power in your life. Question is: So why aren’t you living like it? Are you settling for only pushing a couple of God's buttons when there are so many more that could open up a whole new frontier for you?
You need to be reading the Manual. You know that's the Bible, and you need to be reading it every single day. Not just for theology, not just for a lesson to teach or a Word to preach. But looking for the keys to powerful faith and then using them. And tell the Lord, "Lord, I want the "something more" you've made my heart hungry for. Then surrender yourself in a new, fresh way to Him. With all the things that are going on in your life now, update that old surrender. Let go of those areas that you've insisted on controlling. Get out of that safe little boat and dare to walk where you've never walked before!
Facts: You will never get THERE staying HERE! Selah! Yes, this requires chance, risks, the probability that it won’t work, even failure. And yet I challenge you to try it anyway!
Think about it: Can you imagine how David’s story would’ve turned out if he stayed in the field with the sheep because he’d become comfortable in what he’s used to doing? What if Abraham decided not to leave his people and country? What if Noah decided he didn’t want to chance looking silly building an ark? What if Moses’ stutter kept his mouth shut? What if Esther thought that she wasn’t good enough since she was an orphan? What if Deborah said ‘no thanks, I’ll just stay in the back since men go in the front’? What if Paul thought his past was too bad for him to have a better future? What if Peter thought his denial would lead to the Lord’s ultimate denial? What if Hannah decided to accept her barrenness as this is just the cards I’ve been dealt? What if Joshua and Caleb agreed that the majority was right? What if Rahab thought my profession will hinder me from protection? What if Mary said the public scandal would be too much for me to bear, kindly use someone else? Can you imagine the tragedy of having their stories re-written with the pen of fear?
Today, listen to what your manual is telling you:
Matthew 19:26, “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (AMP);
Matthew 17:20, “… for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and [if it is God’s will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (AMP);
Mark 11:23, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will].” (AMP);
Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]” (AMP)
Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us,” (AMP).
Like my cellphone, when you read the manual, you’ll be amazed at all you’re capable of doing! So stop allowing your comfort to cripple your capability!
The word “cripple” is defined as “unable to walk or move properly through disability or injury; to make someone unable to move or walk properly; to cause severe and disabling damage to something”. And that’s exactly what your comfort is doing! It’s crippling your spiritual walk! When something or someone is cripple, their walk is unsteady and unstable. Reminds me of James 1:8, “being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides]” (AMP). You never want fear and comfort to cause you to be unstable, because that will cause you to think ‘I can’t do this’; to feel like ‘I’m not strong enough to accomplish this’; and then make poor decisions like ‘let someone else who is more qualified attempt this.’
However, that’s not how your story is going to end! Today is the day you find your courage, your strength and your faith. Today is the day you deliberately decide I’m not staying in this comfort zone any longer. I may fall, I may fail, I may get it wrong, but I won’t get stuck in this place of mediocrity any longer. Today, I’m getting out of the boat! Yes, I know no one has ever done it before; yes, I know it’s safer in the boat during the storm; yes, I know I’m taking a big risk and chance; yes, I know those who are in the boat are probably talking about me making the dumb decision to do something new, uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and different; yes, I know they’re sitting in the boat thinking I’m crazy for even trying this; yes, I know they’re waiting for me to sink so they can say I told you so; yes, I know getting out of the boat to walk on water is strange, nuts, odd, and even dangerous. AND YES, I’M STILL GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY! Selah!
Think of all the inventors and inventions. Can
you imagine if they allowed the ridiculousness of doing something different to
stop them from trying? We wouldn’t have lights, trains, planes, cars,
computers, medicine, washing machines, or cellphones! People on transplant
lists would just have to die because who’s crazy enough to try and replace a
heart or kidney?
Saints, it’s a new day, a new month and it’s
about to be a new year! Don’t you want better next year than this year? Well
then, do something better! Do something different! Do something new!
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and
over again and expecting different results” (Albert Einstein)
So, this year, stretch yourself; challenge
yourself; dare yourself; compete with yourself; push yourself; encourage
yourself; motivate yourself! Remember this: There Is No GROWTH In Comfort Zones;
Only Stagnation! Ronald E. Osborn said, “Undertake something difficult; it will do
you good. Unless you try something beyond what you have already mastered,
you’ll never grow.”
“…Now GO out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” (NLT); “…PUSH out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch.” (ISV)
The word “Go” in its simplest form means “To Move To Or From a Place” And that’s what you need to do if you are going to get what you’ve never gotten before! You’re going to have to Move From Where You Are and Move Towards Where You Need To Be! You Can’t Get It Standing Still or Staying Where You Are! Your Destiny Is Not On a Shallow Shore, It’s Out In The Deep Sea, So Get Up Off Your Hind Parts and GO! Move Out Into the Deep!
The word “Push” in its simplest form means “To Exert Force So As To Move From and Move To” Listen, You Are Not Going to Get This Passively! You are going to have to Exert Force! Which is why Comfort Zones are so Dangerous! They make you Complacent! And worse yet, they make you Stagnant!
The word “Complacent” means “Smug and uncritically satisfied with oneself or one’s achievements” Which is why so many miss out on greater blessings because they’ve become so satisfied with where they are currently and what they’ve achieved and attained thus far! It’s Latin Origin “Complacere” means “To Please”. And that’s all they did, was reach a certain goal, and sit back with the 3rd place ribbon in their hands and never getting back in the next race to try for the number one slot! Don’t Do It! Don’t Become Complacent! There Is Far Too Much MORE For You To Attain, But You’ve Got to Believe You Can and Then Exert Force to Attain It!
The word “Stagnant” means “Motionless and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence” Don’t Let This Happen To You! Stagnant Water Stinks because it goes No Where! So animals in particular, go to the bathroom in Stagnant Water! And any waste just lying around gets stuck in Stagnant Water furthering its Awful Smell! Warning: Gossip Garbage Is Dumped In the Lives of Stagnant People! After All, They’re Going No Where and Doing Nothing and So Everyone with Everything and Anything Just Dumps and Deposits! On the other hand, When You’re Moving You Have No Time For Mess! So Don’t Just Stand There…MOVE….AND LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP!
You’ve been HERE too long, today you’re moving
over THERE!
“Life begins at the end of your comfort
zone.” (Neale Donald Walsch)
“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but
nothing ever grows there.” (Author Unknown)
“The hardest thing to do is leaving your
comfort zone. But you have to let go of the life you’re familiar with and take the
risk to live the life you dream about.” (T. Arigo)
“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be
out of our comfort zone.” (John Maxwell)
“Move out of your comfort zone. You can
only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try
something new.” (Brian Tracey)
“Like fish in a bowl, we often just accept it
for what it is and always has been, unaware that there’s an entire ocean of
possibility out there.” (Kacey Cardin)
“If we are not a little bit uncomfortable
every day, we’re not growing. All the good stuff is outside our comfort zone.”
(Jack Canfield)
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
(Eleanor Roosevelt)
“The sooner you step away from your comfort
zone, you’ll realize that it really wasn’t all that comfortable.” (Eddie Harris,
Jr.)
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good and go
for the great.” (Steve Prefontaine)
“Life’s like working out; there’s no pain
in the comfort zone, but is that really where you want to live?” (Robin Sharma)
“If you want something you’ve never had,
you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” (Thomas Jefferson)
“If we all did the things we are capable
of, we would astound ourselves.” (Thomas Edison)
“God does not begin by asking us about our
ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our
dependability, He will increase our capability.” (Neal A. Maxwell)
“Don’t limit yourself to someone else’s
opinion of your capabilities. Be you. Dream, plan, execute!” (Dr. Steve
Maraboli)
Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)
"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)
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