The “Exclusivity” Of Our Comfort Zone

Sometimes we don’t really realize the Christ we have in us, until we have drifted from Him, because we have lived life so exclusively, in our comfort zone. It is hurtful when we realize we may have lost the opportunity to create a “living legacy”, because our lives were all about us and the maintaining of our personal comfort zone. Don’t lose hope, God is not done with us yet. God will teach us His way. A personal comfort zone, this is a really exclusive way to live. Jesus did not live a comfortable life.  Jesus was not exclusive; He was all in with people. If you are uncomfortable with someone and you do things to make sure you don’t have to relate to them, you ask them to stay outside of your life space, this becomes an exclusive way of living life. This is not growing through life; it is hiding in your own personal comfort zone. I have been here and done this. It leads to a very lonely, exclusive life style. Exclusivity is definitely a trick of the enemy and robs us of our spiritual growth. When you are exclusive, you don’t finish life well. Have you ever reset your life in the safety of a comfort zone? What this does is exclude other people. Jesus was never comfortable. He wholly-holy gave of Himself to all people, speaking the truth in love, He stepped way outside of His comfort zone and did many things that caused people’s eye brows to raise.

Later, Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Levi's house. Many tax collectors and other sinners had become followers of Jesus, and they were also guests at the dinner. Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses were Pharisees, and they saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors. So they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard them and answered, “Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners. Mark 2:15-17

Parading All Things Us

We try to make life all about us and you can tell when a person starts “show casing” their God given talents for personal validation, something is not right inside, in their inner spiritual core. Life is not always about “you” or your talents, it is about GOD and His gifts and how you give to others what You have been given in a wholly-holy way, all in for His glory, undivided in heart. The making of a living legacy is never comfortable living. A Living Legacy, is the mark of one who has lived well in the all of their everything, their lives point to Jesus, because out of their weakness, people see God’s strength. The Shalom, a peace that disrupts chaos, this is what I pray for us more than the use of our talents, because using a talent has no eternal significance if it is rendered through anxiety, people pleasing, and exclusivity.

Teach me your ways, O Lord , that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. Psalms 86:11-13

Kindling Our Own Fires

Living by the light of our man-made fires, this is not a living legacy, because these fires flame out and leave everyone in the dark. Sharing a talent, everyone can do this on the broad path of life, being, becoming like Jesus, walking the narrow path of His way, truth and life, In Christ, this is transformative living. Being talented and living sloppily, this is not a living legacy, and it only leaves a life path strewn with dashed expectations, unkept promises and broken hearts. Our lives should be a sacrifice where the fire of God falls upon us and burns it up, not a sacrifice where we light the fire and the fire goes up and flames out, changing nothing.

Who among you fears the Lord and listens to his servant? Who among you walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord; let him lean on his God. Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with torches; walk in the light of your fire and of the torches you have lit! This is what you’ll get from my hand: you will lie down in a place of torment. Isaiah 50:10-11 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him. But the people didn’t answer him a word. 1 Kings 18:21

Validating Ourselves

Why are we trying to validate ourselves, when a vital-vertical relationship with Jesus assures us that we will finish well and we won’t put ourselves up on a pedestal and when we fall off, break the hearts of people who trusted us with their heart. Counter culturally, our hearts will break for what God’s heart breaks for and when we are like this, we don’t break hearts, we live whole-heartedly for Jesus. We should “show case” Jesus, not ourselves, to God be the glory by living the whole of our lives well, by finishing the race well in followship of Him. Talents come and go, but the mark of Jesus on this world, it stays.Make your mark on this world by a living legacy that reflects Jesus.

Casual Christianity Changes Nothing

I hope we all leave behind casual Christianity and go all in with God. It is a good day to flesh out and let the truth of God reign in our lives, giving Him total access to our lives. Yes, it is a good day, on this day, to leave casual Christianity behind and close the gaps in our soul that keep our heart divided. We should have an undivided heart of loyalty in our relationship with God, because He does for us, the cross is our constant reminder of that. Our YES should be on the table with God, so much so that it obliterates our personal comfort zone. God should have total access to our lives, yet casual Christianity has a heart that is full of compartments that God is not allowed in. We need to decompartmentalize our soul and become wholly-holy His. Christianity was never meant to be convenient. The heart of the Gospel is radical change. Jesus ushered in the most disruptive peace to the chaos of the enemy’s death wish. Jesus rose from the dead. This defeat of death ushered in the greatest transformation mankind would ever know, death to life. There is nothing casual about this, there was nothing comfortable about the cross of Jesus Christ. Where does your loyalty to God lie, on the surface, or does it run deep within your heart, as a commitment that is never described as casual. Are you living life as God’s sacrifice, where the power of God falls down upon you, or are you lighting your own fire where the fire you kindled flies up and flames out, leaving everyone in darkness? We take on the name of Jesus, we run deep with His truth, in vital-vertical relationship with God and experience the supernatural power of God upon our lives. God’s power ruptures the confines of the natural, it is supernatural Christianity, that presses beyond traditional beliefs into the reality of truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to leave behind casual Christianity and go all in with God? Are you with me? All In? Religiosity is all about being a Christian in an exclusive comfort zone, and is a life without a living legacy, a life without the fire and power of GOD, a life that changes nothing. Renew your relationship with God. Ask Him: “How can I love you more? How can I love you better?” Lord give us an undivided heart that erases the casual in our Christianity and gives you total access to our lives. Listen up to this 1 Minute Encouragement about how to side step “Casual Christianity” and then Dig Deeper: https://thebridegroomscafe.com/you-are-warned/

Pray It Up: Love God Better ~ Love God More And Most

Jesus, we want to love you more than we love our comfort. Shake up our comfort zones Holy Spirit, change it up in our hearts so we can become wholly-holy God’s, on mission with His Kingdom, not our way, but His way. Help us to have an incredible vital-vertical relationship with You, Jesus, staying on the narrow path of followship of You. We  so desperately want to love you better Lord. Renew us Lord so our lives will lean into Your Sovereign Sway and out of our comfort zones. Help us to desire more of You and less of us being comfortable. Open our hearts wide to You, Jesus, may our YES be on the table with You and keep me from drifting back into my comfort zone. Listen Up To This Song Renew Us By Avalon. Change It Up. Pray It Up.Oh, God, put our YES on the table with you in times such as these, and renew us so we step outside of our comfort zones to be on mission with You.🙏

“God is not looking for extraordinary characters as His instruments, but He is looking for humble instruments through whom He can be honored throughout the ages.” Author~ A.B. Simpson

Thanks for stopping into The Bridegroom’s Café for a spiritual meal. The Dig Deeper Table has a menu that is not for a casual meal, but for a meal full of protein that will stick with you for a long while, changing things up in your life. Today we heard The Bridegroom’s Voice and His Heart very clearly through Chef Jesus. We are grateful for the appetizers served from our Heart To Heart Rumble Channel and hope you take the time to subscribe to these 1 Minute Encouragement Videos, they are short and inspiring. God bless you, KimberlyMac, Author