The WOFOYO Podcast
The WOFOYO Podcast
WOFOYO SHORT: Navigating the Deception of Comfortable Christianity
A personal story about kayaking and hiking becomes a powerful spiritual lesson on avoiding the comfort trap that threatens our Christian walk. Through physical challenges and moments of humility, we discover how the enemy uses deception to keep us from God's calling.
• The danger of pursuing comfort and falling into a sedentary lifestyle
• How entertainment and comfort culture has pervaded Western churches
• The contrast between Christ's call to "deny yourself, take up your cross" and our desire for ease
• Genesis 3:1 and the cunning deception of the enemy
• A humbling 12-mile hike that revealed overreliance on technology and unhealthy ego
• The sufficiency of God's grace in our weaknesses
• The importance of staying humble while rejecting comfortable Christianity
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Hey everybody, welcome to another Wofo, yo Short. We're airing this one on July 5th because you should have been out celebrating our nation's independence if you were out there on the 4th. And I want to just give a little personal story. Went out, I'd given my kayak to my brother because I planned on getting a different kayak. Went out, got my new kayak and over where I live it's on a lake and there's some peace, especially if you work in an environment like I, like I do. There's some peace about getting alone and not having to look behind your back and you're just there and you get to talk to the lord and listen. So I'm trying out my new kayak and I'm traveling in all these coves and stuff like that in the lake and then did another lap around after that. But while I'm doing that, I see a guy Him and his wife are good people and he's hosing something off on his back deck and all that. And I go hey, mike, how you doing Kind of start them a little bit. And he goes man, you must be motivated. We're not that far away in age, you know less than 10 years.
Speaker 1:But I got to thinking as I paddle along. You know, wish each other, good rest of day, happy 4th July weekend and all that. But I got to thinking what is it that makes us pursue comfort? Because if you listen to me and Bones at all, you know part of my personality is I will push myself. I will push myself because I know how easy it is to get trapped into the lie of a sedentary lifestyle. I've seen firsthand what that has done to loved ones, especially some that are no longer with us. I've seen people waste away. You know I just told the Lord I don't want that to be me. That means I have a personal disdain for laziness because I can be lazy. I have a personal disdain for sedentary lifestyle because it's all too easy. I got caught in that trap and trying to undo some things you know physically to make sure that you know I'm better able to serve my God and do what he's called me to do. I'm better there to be able for my children and my grandchildren. But I got to thinking about this. You know we do the same thing in the body of Christ and we have talked about with Bones and I. We've talked about the entertainment culture, the comfort culture that has pervaded the Western church, especially a lot of these bigger churches, but the smaller churches are not immune either. You know they seem to be imitating, because this is how you grow a church you make it more comfortable, more appealing.
Speaker 1:And I keep thinking about our Lord going deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. Lord going, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. I think about the Apostle Paul talking about crucifying the flesh. Well, not literally, it's figurative. But you got to discipline yourself. I buffed my body and keep it under subjection, but somehow I might've run in vain. I think about these things. Matter of fact, oh, bones went out there, got him some 5k action, uh, today, so that. So it ain't just uh, it ain't just me out there trying to be better. You know it was bones too, and bones is wife.
Speaker 1:I just want to encourage you all Don't fall for the lie, don't fall for the lie, don't fall for the trap. But this verse kept popping up in my head Genesis 3.1,. You know you have the Garden of Eden and things are all good and they're getting ready not to be. Now, the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman has God indeed said you shall not eat of every tree in the garden. So you have the lie. And we've covered that lie before on a podcast or two. But this idea of the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.
Speaker 1:My favorite pastor, pastor Jones, used to say the problem with the devil is that he don't come up to you and say Hi, I'm the devil, I'm about to ruin your life. He will use deception in your walk. What areas is God calling you to be fruitful in? What areas is god calling you to be active in? And how's the enemy trying to deceive you with comfort? Christ is our comfort. Keep that in mind. So you know, and I also got to tell myself I got a. I got a little bit too proud because I have some goals I'm going to press toward. And lest you think you're better than someone else, because I almost started to get that mindset, the ego trying to pop up. Well, that's deceptive too.
Speaker 1:I went out on this hike 10.1 miles, I'm going to get you some, you know. And I went out and did that. Temperature was high, man, all of a sudden, a little bit of heat exhaustion started creeping in and I didn't make the best decision. I go oh my gosh, this is almost over. This is almost over. And the water started getting low, thank God. Bones recommended that I get a water filter, got me a little life straw thing and I figured out real quick I have some room for improvement. And then you know that nice little navigation device that's on your phone that'll show you where all the trails are. It's called all trails. Love it.
Speaker 1:However, it got me confused, probably because of heat exhaustion, and I end up having to go by the old signs. Well, the old signs added an extra mile and a half walking over boulders two and a half to three and a half feet high, some of them about one and a half, but they were. This was not a nice path, but it said it was a way back to the parking lot and added an extra mile and a half. So I ended up doing like 12 miles. And let me tell you, by the time I got to that truck number one, I was thankful to the Lord, but it was to the point where I was having to go about a quarter of a mile and take a break for five minutes and that was super humbling. But also, when I got to that parking lot I was first and foremost thankful to my God and thankful for his grace because he was able to see me through it. Also, that last stretch I go. If I'd have known I was this close, I'd have probably pressed on and made it out an extra 20 minutes earlier.
Speaker 1:But it made me also very well aware sometimes of my reliance on technology. It made me aware there's a lot more of me that has to go. There's a lot more of me that has to become subservient to Jesus Christ and what he's called me to do. And there's always room for improvement. And don't let that ego override your ability. So I just want to encourage you stay humble, but also don't fall for the lie of comfort. It's good to have your comfortable days. Don't let it get you into a comfortable lifestyle and by all means don't let it get you into a comfortable mindset when it comes to God and his calling, because his grace is sufficient. His grace was sufficient to get me off that trail. It was supposed to be like 10.1 miles, ended up being 12.1. And his grace was sufficient to get me off that trail. It was supposed to be like 10.1 miles, ended up being 12.1. And his grace was sufficient, but also the old ego had to go. So make sure that you let him subdue your ego, make sure you let him lead you and don't fall for the trap and the deception of the enemy, of prolonged comfort and pie in the sky. Keep walking the faith, walk, crucify your flesh, take up your cross and follow Jesus.
Speaker 1:Wofo Yo, hey everybody. Thanks for listening. We hope this challenges you and causes you to grow. You can always check us out at Wofo Yo, hey everybody. Thanks for listening. We hope this challenges you and causes you to grow. You can always check us out at wofoyoorg. Find out how to contact us there, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, spotify or Audible, or check us out on YouTube. For Bones and myself, this is CW reminding you if you're going to grow, you've got to wofo yo. Get in the Word for yourself.