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Living in My Comfort Zone · Bible Tract Echoes Podcast

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Hey, friend.
• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm Mike McCurray.
• 0:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: This is the Bible Trek Echo's radio program.
• 0:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much for joining me once again today.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: I have Pastor Dennis Leatherman on the broadcast with us on Monday.
• 0:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: We talked about obstacles.
• 0:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: We began the discussion about obstacles to your witness.
• 0:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: Reasons you might not be telling people about the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
• 0:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: We talked about lack of assurance on Monday.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: We talked about being locked up by fear yesterday.
• 0:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Remember, if you miss those broadcasts, go back on YouTube on your favorite podcast platform and listen to them.
• 0:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: But right now, we're gonna jump in because Brother Leatherman has two more obstacles for us.
• 0:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: Brother Leatherman, take it away.
• 0:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, well, this third one that we want to talk about here just a bit is one.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we don't give a whole lot of thought, too, but I think it's very, very real.
• 0:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And perhaps is at the very core of why we struggle with sharing the gospel, why we struggle with obeying the great commission God is given to us in various aspects.
• 1:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that is this, Lucifer's opposition.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, psychanic opposition to sharing the gospel and reaching people with the message of Christ.
• 1:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: In Acts chapter 4, it's kind of interesting.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Peter and John are apprehended by the priests and the sadacies, the religious authorities there in Jerusalem.
• 1:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they take them into custody and they grow them over their preaching of the gospel.
• 1:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sozer getting saved, lives are being changed.
• 1:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: to these religious leaders.
• 1:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so they're growing them and threatening them in what they're doing.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's interesting, you get down to verse 18, and these religious leaders, these sadgesies, scribes, they say to Peter John, they say, it says, and they called them and commanded them not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus.
• 1:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now I put in the margin of my Bible there,
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, the Lord's great commission is to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Here, there being commission commanded to not do that, to not share the gospel, not share this message of Christ.
• 2:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Earlier on, verse 12, we said to you, there is their salvation, any other Peter speaking to them.
• 2:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: For there's not another name, under heaven, given among whereby we must be saved.
• 2:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: And their town, don't you preach that name?
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's satanic opposition.
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: So winning, sharing our faith, track distribution, personal so winning, whatever form it takes, is spiritual warfare at the front lines.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: We are, when we are taking the message of Christ into a law swirl, we're taking on say people, we are confronting the gates of hell, straight up.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: and Satan pushes back, Satan fights that, and so there's a spiritual aspect to this fear these obstacles, the soul, and Satan stands in a way, and he'll fight it every way.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Soul winning, track distribution, is spiritual offensive.
• 3:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: on this whole world with the message of Christ, Satan opposes it.
• 3:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: If I'm not sharing my faith, if I'm not sharing the gospel, if I'm not winning souls, I'm doing exactly what Satan wants me to do.
• 3:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's something I've got to face up to.
• 3:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, there's no excuse for disobedience to God.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: and Satan wants me to disobey God.
• 3:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now we're gracious, we're kind, we're not obnoxious, but we've got to do it.
• 3:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so there's this Lucifer's opposition, is what I put it.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let me give you a fourth one here, and I put it this way, living in my comfort zone.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes we just get comfortable living, doing our schedule, and doing our thing, and, you know, to step out and talk to someone of Christ, step out and share the gospel, that's not really what I'm comfortable with, and so we settle in.
• 3:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's interesting, again, in Acts chapter 8, you have the New Testament Church.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Church is exploding.
• 4:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: People are getting saved but they kind of settle in by the time you get the chapter eight the church in Jerusalem The believers in Jerusalem.
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've kind of settled in and I think they're getting comfortable just doing their routine their Christian routine and in verse number one of chapter eight
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible tells us that, and so was consenting unto his death, this is Stephen.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: And at that time there was a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judean, Samaria.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Accept the apostles and then verse four.
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Therefore they that were scattered abroad when everywhere preaching the word I think what happened was they got settled in they got comfortable and so the Lord sent some persecution in there Star things up a little bit get him out of their comfort zone and then they're back out at it Sharing the gospel preaching the gospel of Christ back in Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 11 God is addressing Israel
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he references an eagle stirring up her nest.
• 5:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, eagles are majestic birds.
• 5:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Their nest are massive.
• 5:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're huge.
• 5:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: You could put a car in some of them.
• 5:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what happens is the eagles have those little baby eglids.
• 5:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's all they ever known.
• 5:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: So from one moment they hatch, all they ever known is this very comfortable nest that mom and dad have made.
• 5:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's lined with feathers.
• 5:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's just the foods brought to them.
• 5:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, they drop it down their throat for them.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, everything's comfortable and easy and fine.
• 5:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: But eventually, there comes a point where those little eagles grow up and they got to get out of the nest.
• 5:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're not designed to live there forever.
• 5:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the Lord references eagles stirring up her nest.
• 5:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what he's talking about is, at some point, that eagle will, with her talons begin to disrupt the lining of that nest.
• 5:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: and those sticks and branches that they've used for the foundation, the structure of that nest, begin to protrude through the feathers, the softness there, and begins to poke those little, those little eglitz.
• 6:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the idea is this, listen, you got to get out of here, you got to get up and get out.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And sometimes God does that for us.
• 6:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, he'll start things up.
• 6:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes we need him to, uh, to poke things around a little bit and get us up out of our comfort zone and get out, start winning souls.
• 6:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: It may be some tragedy and we've suddenly were faced with the reality of heaven and hell, death, life and death.
• 6:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that starts us and we need that to get us and be willing to do something.
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's all a cartoon years ago, a fellow was standing up for a crowd and he says, how many people want change?
• 6:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Everybody raise their hand, oh yeah, we want change.
• 6:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Then he asked this question, how many people are willing to be changed?
• 6:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: of course, nobody raises their hand.
• 6:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: So sometimes we want sea soul saved.
• 6:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: We want people to come to Christ, but we're hesitant to change our schedule to get out and see them saved.
• 7:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: If there's a night soul winning, well, that's my favorite TV shows on or something.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if we want to overcome that obstacle, we got to step out, get out of our comfort zone, and see what God will do.
• 7:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's just like God use us in a great way.
• 7:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: So we have to continually challenge ourselves.
• 7:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: We just have to challenge ourselves.
• 7:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Step out of that comfort zone, act by, act on faith, and just start talking to people about Christ.
• 7:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Start giving out those gospel tracks.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe go through a neighborhood and knock on doors.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: it's amazing to think there's so many illustrations you can use and you gave some marvelous ones I think of here in the Midwest we have a large Christian football camp that I get to be a part of the leadership of Midwest Christian boys football camp and I think of the boys that I got at churches and they say I'm coming to football camp and what can I do to get ready?
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well there's so many different answers to that you can talk about the physical preparation, the spiritual preparation, all those types of things but
• 8:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: If we talk, if we use the physical illustration for the lack of comfort, discomfort, you're talking about the stirring up that's necessary, if you have a goal of getting stronger, getting more fit all those types of things, it'll just take one small exercise like push-ups.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_02]: If I said hey, you know, dropping give me a hundred push-ups.
• 8:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Well, the vast majority of the population, including myself, is going to struggle mildly with that.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: But you got to start somewhere.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: You got to start.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe all you can do gasping and wheezing, much like me, maybe we can push out five push-ups.
• 8:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: And maybe we need to do them on our knees or something like that.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_02]: But the way I'm going with this is it's the same for gospel tracks.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's the same for witnessing.
• 8:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not assuming you're going to go stand up on, you know, Mars Hill like Paul was
• 8:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: and you just bring the word, you know, with thunder, lightning, like a like a like a like a Elijah and fire and all that, but you have to start somewhere.
• 8:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: And to a Christian brother Leatherman, we got about three minutes left, and we touched on this a little bit the other day, but talk to us for just a minute, for a Christian that's never passed out of gospel track before, I guarantee there are some listening right now they've never done it before.
• 9:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: What would you and besides getting gospel tracks in the first place, which they could get for free, BibleTracts Inc.org, how would you counsel, maybe it's something come to your church, they want to get involved in the great commission, how would you counsel them from the very beginning?
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, like you said, number one have tracks available.
• 9:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes stick them in your pocket, or ladies put them in their purse, we forget about them.
• 9:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: One thing I try to do and encourage folks when you go in the store, take it out of your pocket, hold it in your hand.
• 9:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: That way it's right there and I'm talking to somebody I'm holding in my hand and it's it's easier to give out.
• 9:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Other ways is I paid some bills this morning.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: I always drop a gospel track in with the bill, my check, and I know a lot of people do online now, but I'm old school.
• 10:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: The other thing is what I would do if you're serious about it and you say, well, I don't know where to begin.
• 10:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'd find someone in the church that's already doing it.
• 10:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: and I just ask them can I can you can I go with you can you show me you know let's go make some visits or go to a downtown on the street or something whatever but find somebody that's already doing it and and and tag along with them so that would be some places to start
• 10:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: Absolutely, it's, well, like the Bible says, iron sharpened at the iron and backing up just a little bit from that one of the great joys we have here at Bible Traxxing Corporate is to help Christians that are looking for a good Bible believing church.
• 10:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Now, people that are listening right now, you may be shocked or not shocked by this.
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'd have to look at the exact numbers, but I would hazard a guess, and this comes off of actual asking the question probably more than 5% of people that order from our ministry but the lettermen don't have a church that they would call their home.
• 11:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: Now, that encourages me because those five percent, I mean, that's one in twenty.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Those five percent are so consumed with a great commission, so evangelistically minded that even in the absence of that fire of a home church, they still want to tell people about the Lord.
• 11:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm excited about that.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: But one of the opportunities we have is to connect people with a good local church.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: But Leatherman, you have passed through about 30 years now, you know a good home church is so important.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: oh yeah absolutely and that kind of goes back to something we said on I think our first broadcast Monday that folks maybe they're not in a church that emphasizes that has a real soul-winning consciousness about it but something down inside their heart and soul I want to be a witness I want to share Christ I want to see others say it and that's a good thing that's a good thing and acting on that then God can lead and direct and um
• 12:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you know, pray, you know, pray and ask God for boldness, pray and pray for revival in your church, you know, that God would stir the church that, you know, it may be getting on board with this.
• 12:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Amen.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: Brother Levin, thank you so much.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_02]: I believe if my math is correct, do we have three more obstacles?
• 12:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: I believe so, right?
• 12:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, at least three at least three and we only have two more days and so you The listener you got to jump in you got to tune your ears.
• 12:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: You got to put on your your mental sprint ability You got to be able to keep up with us, okay?
• 12:35
  [SPEAKER_02]: Make sure you join us tomorrow on Bible track echoes.
• 12:38
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much for listening my prayer as always Is it you have a great day for his glory for the leatherman will be with us tomorrow God bless
• 13:12
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for tuning in to Bible Tract Echoes, the radio ministry of Bible Tracts Incorporated.
• 13:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Want to see our gospel tracks and other resources?
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Visit us online at BibleTracksInk.org that's BibleTracksInk.org or follow us on social media to learn how you can partner with this ministry.
• 13:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks again for listening.
• 13:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: May the Lord richly bless you as you live for Him.