Are You Comfortable In Life? Romans 1:16-22

Bro. Jesse Byrd preaches “Are You Comfortable In Life?” from Romans 1:16–22, challenging listeners to examine whether they have become too comfortable in their walk with God and reminding them to boldly live out their faith without compromise.

Message preached on May 24, 2026.

Transcript

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Romans 1, verse 16. God is amen. Amen. It says, Well, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. To the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth and unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifested them, for God has shown it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imagination, and their foolish heart was dark. Professional themselves to be wise, they became fools. That's prayer. Father, we thank you again for the reading the Holy Word. We're thankful, God, this morning that we are able to gather in your house this morning to get our word in the grace. I pray, God, that's even the congregation. I pray this morning, God, that you place the Holy Spirit in the midst of all the service. And I pray, Lord, that you move all physical and spiritual distraction among us. That if anyone's in need of a savior, I pray that you step out of the name this morning for all funny before everlasting day. That's just in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. The title of my sermon this morning is Are You Comfortable in Life? Are you comfortable in life? You know, when a person gets comfortable at a point in life or something in life, it can be good or bad. I met people that's comfortable with the way they're living. It doesn't bother them with anybody else. All they worry about is they know that they're good and I'm satisfied and happy with what I got. And for some things, sometimes that can be bad or good. You know, or some people have become comfortable in the way they're living and they don't want to do anything. Or they don't want to do anything different. They want to be exactly what they're doing now. They want to that they're comfortable doing it, so they're going to continue doing it. And it's hard to change a person as they are comfortable with life, or it's hard to upset anyone. And in our life today, this world as a whole has become comfortable. Many are comfortable in their jobs, many are comfortable in their family, their lifestyles. Many have become comfortable with the wealth they have. And many can become, many have become very comfortable with sin. You see, and I think this morning that's the thing, that's the way our world, the shape of world in this morning, is uh we become comfortable with sin. Uh, you know, and it's a blessing this morning to get up and preach God's word. It's a blessing this morning to be able to get up and say that I'm a Christian. That's a blessing this morning to be able to get up and just be a witness and a servant for God. Uh that's a blessing. Uh but many people this morning have gotten so comfortable with sin that sin doesn't bother them anymore. I've heard people tell me, I've heard people say around me that when they die, that it's over. They throw in a dish, I don't care what's going to happen. That's that's false. Because there is an afterlife, and an afterlife is if you're going to heaven or you're going to hell. So it doesn't matter what you want to say and believe, how comfortable you are in sin, when you die, you've got to stand before God and give an account of what you've done. So it tells us morning that our question today is are you comfortable in the life you live today? You know, and I was studying and meditating this morning in office. You know, and there's things in life that I would change. If I could change, I would change right now. I'm striving to change those things. Uh, you know, we should never be comfortable uh with the life we're living in because there's always room for improvement. You've heard, I've heard, that all throughout our lives, especially as a Christian, that you can do more today than you did yesterday for God. That's a fact. That you can pray more, you can study more, you can do more, you can be a better person. You can live more for God today than you did yesterday. So as a Christian this morning, there's always room for improvement. We should never be comfortable with the way we're living. I'm comfortable with the way I'm going because I know I'm going to heaven. But far as me, I can do more for God today than I did yesterday. So we've got to understand this morning that Paul was addressing the Christians living in Rome. Rome's major thing as Christians was the righteousness of God. Paul was trying to instruct them how to live it out physically and mentally. As a pastor this morning, I'm trying to teach you and myself how to live more for God, physically and spiritually, this morning. Because I know for a fact that I failed God yesterday. I know for a fact that you failed God yesterday. I know for a fact this morning that we can do more today than we did yesterday by growing closer to God and living for God more than we did yesterday. But it says Paul was letting them know who was God and what God is capable of doing. So it tells that Paul was also letting them know that when you get comfortable in sin, God's wrath will fall upon you. You see, I don't think people understand this morning that the more we continue to live in sin, the worse God's wrath is. The more we continue to do without God, the more we live and learn that God is God. You see, we can't make God do anything. We can ask God, we can beg God, but it's on God's will and God's timing. All we can do this morning is try to get on the same page with God because God's not going to change. He says that he changed not. He's the same today, yesterday, and forever. So as a Christian this morning, we've got to understand that God is God. There ain't nothing we can do about it. So it tells us, today I want us to look at what Paul tells the church. Number one, he says, it asks, are you ashamed of the gospel? When a person believes or loves and sees the impossible become possible, then you realize just how great God is. Just as the soul tells you, how great is our God. Our God this morning can do anything but fail. Our God this morning can make a way where there ain't no way. You go back and read the Old Testament, our God can make a way through the wilderness without you even moving across it. He can clear that way for you. This morning, our God that we serve is an awesome God. We've got to understand this morning that though we fail as humans, our God never fails. That even though we can't see what's enough to happen the next second, God has already drowned out everything. So it tells this morning that if you have received the gospel and believe in the gospel and are ashamed of it, then you will share it. You see, a person hates to share bad news. You see, a person hates to call another person to tell them that your loved one's dying or hate to call another man or woman and say you've been fired, or you know, a husband or wife hate to call their spouse and say that I'm getting divorced. You hate to share bad news. But many people living this morning for Christ is treating the gospel as it is bad news. But as a Christian this morning, we should not be ashamed of telling anybody about Jesus Christ. We should not be ashamed of telling them what God can do for them. So we all the time we get hyper up and we get energized over certain things, these worldly things that we love to see and do. We don't mind talking about all games, we don't mind talking about work, we don't mind talking about all these other things. We get excited. But when you start talking about church and talking about the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, people become mute. They become ashamed of what God has done for them. But this morning, my friend, we've got to take a stand for God and be not ashamed of what He's done for us. Because the Bible clearly tells us that if we're ashamed before God of our brothers and sisters, he'll be ashamed of us who stand before God the Father. You see, this morning, we can't, we shouldn't be ashamed because Jesus wants you to share the good news. The good news this morning is that nobody has a die and go to hell. That everybody has an opportunity to get saved this morning. That's the good news. That you don't have to worry about how much money you give, doesn't worry about how good built you in. All that matters this morning is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and I so that we can have eternal life. That's all that matters this morning. And we should be telling everybody, throughout the hedges, throughout the dirt roads, the highways, everywhere we go, we should be telling everybody about the goodness of Jesus Christ. What he's done for you this morning. So it tells that we must tell it. You see, my wife and in it this morning with us, but everybody knows me love, they know me, I love to talk. Many times they tell me to hush at home. They're trying to watch me do something, but I don't shut up. But you see, I love the talk, but when it comes to the gospel, it should be on a whole nother level. Amen. We love these worldly things. We talk about these things that catch our attention. But when we start talking about the gospel, it should be on a whole nother level about what God has done for us. Because you're looking at somebody this morning that was broken. You're looking at somebody this morning that needed to be fixed. You're looking at somebody this morning that was on his way to hell. So whenever I think about what Jesus has done for me, I should be excited talking about it. When I see our brothers and sisters throughout the congregation throughout the world that God has saved in the Living of God, it's a testimony, it's a joy in my heart to see what God has done for you this morning. To see how much God has blessed you. You see, many times we think about it, many people say God goes silent. But this past Friday night, God shows you another example. God hadn't went silent. God had his hand on a family that could have been killed just like that. Just like these babies that go to the doctors, they could go into the doctor and never do not again, but God has his hand on them. So God hasn't become solid. God is still working. We still have to preach this morning the same thing they were preaching back in the old days, that God is still in the healing business, the saving business, and all these things that we can think of, God is still doing it today. But we've stopped talking about what God has done and start talking about the worldly things. You see, I don't care how powerful we become, we still got to acknowledge what God has done for us. We can look around this morning and see that we live in a world that is full of sin, but our lives may be doing good, but we still got to acknowledge what God has done for us. So it tells us Paul had been through pure torture and still was unashamed of the gospel. So it tells us, if you think about what Paul went through, the shipwrecks, the beatings, the put in jail, all these things that he went through, but he still was not ashamed of the gospel. And I feel this morning that as we as Christians, if we walked around and talked about the gospel like we did everything else on TV, there'll be a different world. If we walk around this morning and show people that I'm not ashamed to talk about Jesus, this world will be different. You see, we've gotten ashamed to talk about Jesus in school. We've gotten ashamed to talk about Jesus at the hospitals. We've gotten ashamed to even bring up many churches today have gotten ashamed to talk about Jesus and criticize sin. But you see, this morning, the reason we're in the shape winning this morning is because we're not preaching the gospel. The gospel this morning is Jesus Christ. So it tells us that when you deny or ashamed of the gospel, you are ashamed of the cross, is what Christ said. When you deny Jesus this morning, you deny Christ, but accepting Satan. So you think about it. I know for myself, and I'm sure you as well, if you start slacking in your prayer life, you start sinning more. That's not it. You start living for the devil more, you forget about what God has done. The moment you let your guard down, the devil comes in. Many people this morning didn't make it to church because they let their guard down yesterday and the devil warned. Many people this morning ain't reading the Bible, they pray to God because they let their guard down and not let Jesus win. They let the devil warn. But it tells us this morning that we've got to understand that when you deny Jesus, when you're ashamed of God, you let Satan come in. You see, how many times this past week have you witnessed about Jesus? How many times this past week have you told somebody the goodness of God? You see, when we talk about our jobs, we talk about worldly things, we talk about our lives every day. That's all we talk about. But in order to win people over to Christ's point, in order for us to move forward with our walk of God, we've got to start talking to Jesus. You see, the only way the devil will flee, the Bible says, is by speaking Jesus. See, that's what I tell people all the time. It doesn't matter what kind of addiction you have, it doesn't matter what kind of problem you have. If you try to beat this problem, every time you feel that urge to sin, speak Jesus. I know for myself. The only way I could quit my addictions when I got saved was every time I had that urge, I started praying. Then that prayer life becomes stronger and stronger. Then you realize that addiction's gone, that urge is gone because now I have more of addiction in prayer than I do anything else. But you've got to pray this morning and speak the name of Jesus above everything that you have this morning. The devil will flee from you. So it tells us that our human effort is a failure. The Bible tells us in our scripture that the just shall live by faith. So the second thing this morning is God is known all over. God hates sin. Everybody in the world this morning must realize that God hates sin. You see, God doesn't love sin, God loves people, but he hates our sins. So it tells us that he has hated sin from the beginning of time and will hate sin from till the end. God hated sin so much that he cursed man and woman in the beginning of time. Man, folks, providing food is our curse, working from daylight to dark by the sweat and a prayer. That's what we have to do. Our time is about work and providing. That's a curse from God because of Adam's sin. Women, people, women, folks, God hated sin so much that he cursed women. Women is by childbearing, the suffering, giving childbirth, going through labor, all those things. That's a suffering because of what Adam and Eve didn't regard. You see, mankind is going to pay for sin. We've got all these things disobeying God, and there's a punishment behind it. You live your life disobeying God. There's a problem behind it. You're going to be rewarded for what you've done. You see, I just told you about this past week. Reap what you sow. Amen. Whatever seeds you planted this morning, you're going to reap those benefits. Whether it's a good seed or a bad seed. It may be years down the road, but someday in time you're going to reap what you planted. So this morning we've got to ask ourselves, are we planting the right seed? Because the things that we plant in life is going to come up one day, and it tells the sinful people rather give sin the attention than give God's forgiveness an opportunity. I've been around so bad of sinners that if you mention God, they start cursing God. You mentioned God, they denied everything God ever done for them. The first thing they said, I didn't know God gave it to me. Because God gave everything. God is the creator. God gave you life, God gave you a Savior. So it tells us one that everything created in the universe, down from the universe down, God has his fingerprints on. Sinners were the brother trying to build up the devil and give God the glory. Now you think about it, Tom Everton gave a good illustration. He said that you think about what God has done for us, think about how God keeps coming back. The more we sin, God keeps popping back up. Like it is if you take a beach ball, I know everybody took a beach ball and tried to hold it up underwater. It's hard to do. Beach balls will find a way to pop back up. Tom Evans said that's the way we are with God, that's the way God is with us. We try to hold God down with every opportunity, God pops right back up. God to show us, God is showing us that his seed, that his mercy and grace is better than this sin that we're living in. The more we try to try to hold God down, the more he pops back up. The only way you can stop that beach ball from popping back up, you deflate air out of it. But God this morning, even though you are a sinner, even though you failed God, God is going to keep popping back up because God loves you this morning and God's willing to save you. So it tells us that because the evidence is so clear, we are left without excuse. You see, many people this morning is walking around saying they have an excuse. Well, I don't know this, I don't know that. Everybody in the world this morning knows about God. All you got to do is look around. The sun just didn't pop up by itself. Clouds just didn't make it up by themselves. Humans just didn't come from this Big Bang theory and talking about God created them. God has created everything in this world, and the string of princes all over it this morning. So it tells us that everybody that's living this morning knows about God. They have no excuse. You see, it's going to be bad when somebody stands before God and judging and saying that I didn't know no better. If you're living in your right mind, you know right and wrong, you know better this morning. So when you stand before God, you can't make this excuse that you didn't know better because everybody this morning, in their right mind, and their right wisdom and knowledge, they know that God created everything that we see. God is just like the wind. You can't see the wind, but you see what the wind does. The wind can blow down a building, blow down a tree, the wind can blow water, the wind can blow sand, the wind can do all those things. You see what wind does, but you can't put your hand on wind. God is the same way. We can't touch God, we can't see God, we can see what God does. God saved those. God takes you that's broken and saves you. God uses you that can't read, that can't write, that can't speak. God uses you to show you how powerful God is this morning. You see, this morning, I thank God that I have to become a doctor to be saved. I thank God this morning that I have to give everything I had in my bank account because I wouldn't have anything once to give. I thank God this morning that he judged me by what I am, and he sent his son to save me from hell. So we thank God this morning for the things he's done. Maybe you don't see God, but you see what God has done. This church has been standing for 70 years. We haven't seen God not one time in the physical flesh. But we see what God has done for this church. We see what God has done for you and your family. Even though you're struggling this morning, God still makes a way. Even though you're dealing with some kind of problems this morning, God can still make a way. Even though you have temptation this morning, God can take that temptation away from Satan and put all your tribulations and trials up to him, and he will lighten the road this morning. But you've got to believe in God. So it says everything we see is God's greatness. Thirdly, the danger of denying God. James 4.17 says, therefore to him who knows to do good and does not, to him it is sin. You see, this morning, when we know that things are bad and we chose to go the bad route, we are sinning this morning. I don't care if it's my children, don't care if it's your children. If they disobey God and don't follow God and disobey in bulk against God, they sin and sin is sin. It doesn't matter if it's a small sin or a big sin, sin is sin this morning. So if we disobey God, we're sinning against God. Remember in the very beginning, we said God hates sin. So if you're living in sin this morning, God doesn't hate you, but he hates what you're doing to you. He's hate that you're sinning this morning. So it tells us that God will not tolerate sin. It offends God. See, the good thing about me this morning, the good thing about you. If I offend you, you offend me. You may go to ears and I'll never speak again. But one day, you can win my forgiveness back, I can win your forgiveness back. But God this morning, he doesn't tolerate since he's offended by sin. You see, the only way we can get right with God this morning over sin is by accepting God. You see, a Christian, nobody, no denomination, no Christian this morning, that's so-called a Christian this morning, lives in sin continually. Nobody. I don't care what church we're part of, I don't care what denomination. If you call yourself a Christian this morning and you continue to live in sin, then you've got something wrong this morning. Because the Bible says that when you accept Christ, you become a new creature in Christ. That means the old things have passed away and you become new. That means everything that you've done in the past, you don't love those things no more. I used to, I loved when I grew up in life. I loved when I was a teenager, I loved when I done all these things. But once I got saved, those things was in the background and garbage. And now I never want to do those things again because we move forward with Christ. So as a Christian this morning, if I call myself a Christian, there's no way I can keep living in sin this morning. Because the Bible says sin sends you to hell. Sin and God is like old water, it's not going to mix. So you can't keep living in sin and say you love God. You can't keep saying I'm a Christian and don't do what God has called you to do. Those things don't mix. God says he hates sin. So we've got to understand this morning that in order to please God, we must live by his word this morning. When we deny Jesus, we go from morning to live in lightness to darkness. Jesus clearly tells us in the Bible, I am the light of the word. He that have me has no darkness. So this morning, you've got to understand that as long as we live with God, we have light this morning. You ever been in a room where the power will run out, you can't get up, everything you do, you can't see nothing. I'm talking about this complete darkness. Not ain't like I'm talking about complete darkness. You'll get hurt. This, I don't know, just reading the root full ass. I was walking in the dark about 4:30 that morning and hit my big toe. I realized then how much important light was. I started flicking on lights. I know if I cut off lights and wake a little hell up, I'll have to face her, but I'd rather face her than face me hitting my toe again. But you've got to understand this morning. When we walk in darkness, we can't see. But the moment you cut that light on, the moment light comes in, then you can see anything. You see, the Bible says this morning that once light comes in, darkness flees. So if you're living in darkness and sin this morning, the moment you accept Christ, the devil will flee from you this morning. But you've got to accept him. So it tells us that Jesus tells us that we must be thankful. A denying of the gospel will make you become a fool. The Bible says that you once was wise, now you become fools. We have a lot of foolish. I'm not, Brother Jesse, not calling anybody a fool. But I'm telling you what the Bible defines as a fool. The Bible tells us this morning that there's plenty of fools living in this world. I think now in this day and time there are more. More fools living in the world than they are wise people. Amen. I've just seen what's going on in this world, how far we've drifted away from God. Many people that I thought was wise, I look around now and I say, This is one of those fools God was talking about. Because they don't understand how wisdom is towards God. You see, they tell them this morning that when we become a fool, you will start thinking different. When you become a fool, you start walking different. When you become a fool, you start talking different. You start acting different. That's what you describe as a fool. A fool says in his heart there is no God. The Bible says it. That a fool says there is no God. How many people this morning have you talked with that don't even believe in God? They don't believe in God, don't believe God done anything, they don't believe nothing about the Bible. The Bible says that's fools. Because this morning when you look around and you talk and you can feel, you can speak, you can hug, you can show people the goodness of God, you can see that God is definitely real. God is real. So it tells you that your whole mindset, once you become a fool, your whole mindset will become twisted. I've talked to some folks, some people this morning, some beautiful people. That don't believe in God, they just think that everything they're doing is okay, everything's fine. But I've had people that I've thought were my brother growing up, like friends and brothers. When I got saved, we start talking about the Bible, I realize they've got twisted and wicked imaginations that I don't want to be around no more. So they deleted my number, and I believe I've deleted it, they're not even on the Bible on the phone no more. But that's fine because I'm not associating with somebody who says they know God. I'll tell them about God and pray for them. Now we're not living the same life, so we're not gonna hang out. We're not gonna do the same thing because they're going this way, I'm going that way. So you have to make a decision that either you're gonna be one of the wise people, or you're gonna be one of these fools that don't believe in God. So it tells this morning that people will be claiming to be wise but become fools. I only hope today is in Jesus Christ this morning. In closing this morning, the question we ask ourselves this morning are you wise or living as a fool? Jesus says this morning that I am the door. No man comes to the Father but through me. Jesus says this morning that I am the only way to heaven. Jesus says this morning that you must repent of your sins and accept him before it's everlasting too late. Don't get comfortable with sin this morning. Don't get comfortable living in sin. God's word, God's will will be over you this morning if you turn to him. You see, I know I know a guy. Well there's not, but I know a guy. I know a guy that's comfortable with the way he's working, his phones, everything about his life, and he's comfortable. You know what the Lord, I don't want to risk, I just want to do it just another. That's his comfortable life, we're gonna keep on going. You see, I know God, but this morning, as we look at our walk with God, are you comfortable this morning knowing that you're going to heaven, but you're not being a witness for God? Are you comfortable this morning knowing that you can do more today than you did yesterday? So we ask ourselves this morning that we must not get comfortable, but do you know better? This morning, you know better. You've seen Jesus, you know that you can be better. It's all through Jesus this morning. Maybe you become comfortable and not humble. But remember this this morning. If you don't remember anything out of the sermon this morning, remember this scripture. God resist the crowd and gives grace to the home. Amen. You understand this morning? A prideful person goes to hell. Or a humble person can accept Christ and hold yourself down. But why do you think Jesus gathered these children and said, Lord, you must be like these children. We must have childlike faith. Because these children, not prideful, stay humble. This morning, as Christians, as an individual, you've got to ask yourself, have I lived in pride or am I humble this morning? Because if you're living in pride, you're not seeking Jesus, you're seeking what you can gain. But if you have a humble heart this morning, you're all about what Jesus has in store for you. Are you using the wisdom God has given you, bless you with, or are you giving your attention to Satan or other places this morning? You take this to the bank this morning. God has blessed us. God has blessed us number one with a Savior. So that we don't have to got out and go to hell. What will you do with Jesus morning? Are you living at these wise people that God speaks about in the Bible, or are you living at these fools that God's speaking about? You see, this morning, God has blessed you with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. You found your way to church. You know how to pick a Bible up, read it, listen to somebody teach it. But what will you do this morning with what God has given you with? God is calling you this morning, God is willing to save you. All you have to do is call upon Jesus, even for Christians this morning. The gospel is not only about saving, the gospel is also about giving us victory in life as Christians. That we can walk around and say that we're on our way to heaven this morning. Are you ashamed of preaching Jesus this morning? Are you ashamed of telling somebody you're a Christian? Maybe you've shortchanged God the last couple weeks, months, and years. But today you can make it right. God has given you enough opportunity to get right with Him this morning. Let's pray. Father, we thank you again for the Holy Word, God. We thank you this morning. For the sermon, we thank you this morning for the Holy Spirit using us, God. I pray this morning that we realize that as a Christian, we shouldn't be ashamed of the gospel, telling people about what God has done for us. Then, God, we pray, I pray this morning that we realize as Christians that as we share the gospel. It's not only about us, but God, I pray this morning that we share the gospel that others can see what God has done for us, they can do it, and he can do for them. God, I pray this morning that everyone upon the south hall is the same. God, if anyone's lost this morning, I pray they call upon you for the since prayer. Ask you to come into their heart before it's ever less too late. We ask this in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.