I'm preaching on Sunday!

[Gaurav]

Hello Guys
I haven't posted for a couple of months but I have been very busy with university. I was wondering if someone would moind taking a look at my very 1st preaching notes! I'm so nervous but I really think that God wants me to preach this word.

Comfort Zones:
Introduction: Comfort and risk – Restricting God’s purpose.
Middle: Examples
End: What we should do?

·   Prayer: What ever I say will be under God and that he will reveal Himself in the meeting.
·   Introduction: Today I will be talking about our comfort zone.
·   Definition: ‘Physical ease or well-being.’ It’s an area where we feel comfortable and at ease. Going out of this area causes us to become uncomfortable. We resist any violation to our comfort. Personal preference.
·   Text: Genesis 12: 1 –9
·   First thing to notice is that God makes a promise. If God makes a promise, He will not go back on His word but faith is needed for God’s promise to be implemented. Abraham had to leave His comfort zone, take a risk and trust in the Lord. Not easy – we are not always prepared to follow God. For example, I didn’t want to come up here today but I’ve left my comfort zone. Without knowing where he was going, he packed up and obeyed God.
·   Sometimes you can’t understand God and why He has to change situations. For His purposes to be fulfilled, He has to move us away from certain places and people, as He did with Abraham: When I applied for my place at university, I wanted to live in but it didn’t work out; I lived at home but after two years, it has become apparent why this happened – if I lived at university my relationship with God would not have strengthened. Sometimes we must allow God to lead us to the blessing and come out of our comfort zone. If I had lived at university, I would not have got the blessings I have received. Often our comfort zone acts as the barrier to the blessing and to God’s purposes. I know that if I had lived in halls, this would have happened. 
·   Jesus once said: ‘I will make you fishers of men.’ I wonder how Peter, Andrew, James and John, left the livelihoods to follow Jesus. If you were faced with the same situation, could you give up everything? I think I would have problems – I would possibly question Jesus. The faith Peter, Andrew, James and John had, greatly blessed them. They had a wonderful ministry and many came to know Jesus through this ministry. This is the faith we must aspire to, because God will greatly bless our ministry here on earth, providing we act in accordance to His will, which subsequently means we need to move beyond our comfort zones.
·   Genesis 12 vs.1: In this verse the Lord is telling Abram to leave his people. Abram would have required immense faith to leave those people who have been a comfort to him. Sometimes we realise we need to change but we can’t, because we need to take our comfort with us. This is not always in line with God’s plan, because the people we rely on are not always good for us; they may inhibit a closer relationship with God. We must trust the Lord and faithfully adhere to His promises.
·   My biggest comfort zone is this church. I feel comfortable to allow myself to worship and allow my light, my fire for Jesus, to be exposed in church; yet, when I am with non-believers, I lock my fire for Jesus and I enter into a comfort zone. Matthew 18 vs. 14. We need to ensure that we minister with these lost sheep and come out of our comfort zone. It’s time to stop worrying about what others say, because what they say is foolish and God will judge them. If we take a risk and minister, we can help save those who are lost. I like being among the fellowship here but I’m afraid to talk to prostitutes, drug addicts, murderers and anything associated with evil – Jesus spoke to the prostitutes and hardcore sinners. As Christians we should aim to be more like Jesus and be among these people.
·   Conclusion: Our time on earth is limited; there are many people on this earth who are need of Jesus. We need to step of our comfort zone and take risks. We shouldn’t serve the Lord behind closed doors but we must serve Him in the presence of all. If I was to always be in my comfort zone, I could never receive the true blessing that the Lord has to offer.
·   We do need to be discerning and act under the will of God and not act against Him. We need to trust, step out and believe that the Lord is control; He will guide us. Stop doubting, questioning but believe and follow.
Pray.

[Soldier4Christ]

Brother, I didn't read your notes in detail but what I did read of them it sounds like you will do just fine remember the first point you made .....

Prayer: What ever I say will be under God and that he will reveal Himself in the meeting.

As long as you hold to this you will do just fine.

[Gaurav]

Thank you for your encouraging words.

[sincereheart]

The notes look good! And as long as you are praying that the Lord will speak through you, it WILL be fine! 
And IF you feel you've made a mistake; wait and see what the Lord will do with it! I'm constantly amazed at what he does do with them! 


Moses had a staff that was just a staff until he threw it down and gave it to the Lord! Then it became more..... Exodus 4
Throw down all those doubts and worries and hand them to God!

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."

The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
 
Ex 4:10-11