Please consider registering just to the right of this message (click on 'Login/Register') so that we can know who you are and keep in touch. You don't have to be a member of the church to be a member of our online community.
If you already have an account please login so that you can add your comments and participate.
Weekly Greeting: Sunday 21 June
Submitted by Brian Smith on Fri, 2009-06-19 08:16
Dear Friends
The topic for today, as we journey with the theme "Generous Living", is "Living Beyond Comfort Zones". Dr Stan Dale, a Transactional Analyst, educator, workshop facilitator and author once said - "Comfort Zones are plush lined coffins. When you stay in a your plush lined coffins, you die." It might sound a bit harsh but consider also what George Bernard Shaw had to say - "If all you are going to do in life are the things that are convenient and comfortable, the great things never get done."
Jesus had a way of shifting people beyond their comfort zones:
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of (people). Matt 4:19. But Jesus told him,"Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead." Matt 8:22. "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come, he said." Matt 14:28,29
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..... Matt 28:19
Moving beyond our comfort zones is never easy. An interesting exercise would be to divide our life into different categories e.g. Faith, Physical, Relational / Family, Finance, Career, Recreation and answer the question: "What would be the stretching thing to do"? What would take you beyond your comfort zone in each of these areas into a new experience of Generous Living? What have you always wanted to do but have been afraid to do? What ought you have done but have chosen not to, simply because it would mean moving out of your comfort zone? There is more life beyond our comfort zones. We all need to escape our comfort zones and not let boundaries rule our lives.
Jesus was not a prisoner of comfort zones. His life, ministry and expectations of those who follow him clearly demonstrate this.
Think about dividing your Faith life into different segments, e.g. Worship, Devotion, Prayer, Giving, Serving, Witnessing etc. Again consider, What would be the stretching thing to do"? What would take you beyond your comfort zone in each of these areas into a new experience of Generous Living?
Imagine if, each one of us, all of us, decided that we would move beyond our comfort zones by doing one new stretching thing in each of these areas - it would be tangible, it would be infectious, it would be inspiring, it would radically shift our experience of a worshipping community. Why not!
Blessings
The Ministry Team
Post new comment