Learning to be Fast & Slow
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We have looked at two important skills
Ignoring the doubters
How to know What’s best
Today we want to look at the skill of timing.
Every great accomplishment involved the element of timing.
Drew Breese to Michael Thomas - timing
Investments - timing
musician - timing
What makes a joke or story funny? Timing.
Running for office - timing
Timing is important!
Being sensitive to how God is working in our world is a matter of timing...
6 There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little!
There is a right time and a right way to do things. Both of these are skills that we can learn.
ILL - Surfers catch the waves God creates. Surfing takes a lot of patience. You spend a lot of time waiting and then you paddle hard until you catch the wave.
Life is the same way. There are ebbs and flows. There is a rhythm to life.
Experiencing God - look at what God is doing and join him in it. Sometimes that lasts and sometimes there are multiple opportunities. Wise people learn how to do this. It’s called Walking in the Spirit.
Timing is important. You learn when to go slow and when to go fast.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
We don’t say God bless what we are doing but God show us what you are doing so we can join in.
Jesus life and ministry had a sense of urgency. 15 times Jesus immediately …
Paul had that same sense of urgency.
12 Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.
12 It’s not that I’ve already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me.
But the Bible also has a lot to say about waiting and going slow.
When does God want me to Move Fast?
When does God want me to Move Fast?
1. We are to move fast when God tells me to do something
1. We are to move fast when God tells me to do something
The Bible is filled with instructions for life & God expects us to obey him when He speaks to us.
ILL - Parents - when you tell your kids to do something you expect them to do it… pretty quickly.
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Here are some examples of moving fast...
17 Jesus said to them, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 18 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.
These guys quit their job and followed Jesus. That’s immediate obedience.
60 Without delay I hurry to obey your commands.
He hurried to obey God. We think sometimes of hurry as a negative, but when it comes to obeying God, hurry is a good thing.
Q - Has God told you to do anything that you still haven’t done?
2. We are to move fast when I need to ask or offer forgiveness.
2. We are to move fast when I need to ask or offer forgiveness.
For your own benefit and health, you need to do this quickly.
We spend too much of our lives burdened down with guilt, shame and bitterness. Let me tell you a great healthcare plan. Give and ask for forgiveness. You could clear out over 50% of the people in hospitals if we could learn to forgive and receive forgiveness.
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Jesus saw forgiveness important enough to delay worshipping to go and deal with it.
Is there someone you need to forgive? Is there someone you need to go and ask forgiveness from?
3. We are to move fast when I feel tempted.
3. We are to move fast when I feel tempted.
To defeat temptation, we need both preventative and emergency plans.
Maybe you travel… temptations come up. Maybe you are tempted to cheat your work… etc. What do you do… you take emergency action.
When you are in the moment of temptation, never get into a mental argument with it. You will lose.
When you are faced with temptations… run.
11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
You get away from the temptation. If you stay there you will fall to it.
14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.
You may think that you don’t worship idols… work… wealth… status… children… spouse… anything that becomes first place in your life besides God.
We are to run away from idols…
18 So run away from sexual sin. Every other sin people do is outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies.
Get away from it… You will give in if you stay and try to beat it… run if you don’t want to get stung by it.
When you are tempted, get out of the situation. Don’t fight it - flee from it… Replace it. Turn your mind to something else.
4. We are to move fast when I’ve made a promise to God.
4. We are to move fast when I’ve made a promise to God.
We have all made promises to God and then forgotten them or just got lazy. You better keep your promises to God.
4 So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do.
What promise did you make that you need to keep? witness, church attendance, tithing,
When you make a promise to God and keep it, he goes crazy with the blessings that are going to come your way.
5. We are to move fast when I have the opportunity to do good.
5. We are to move fast when I have the opportunity to do good.
Everyday God gives us little tests to see how we practice kindness.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.
Don’t wait until you get around to it. Here you are… a Round Tuit
We have all kinds of excuses to not doo good for people. It’s a bad time … I don’t have the money…
4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
There will never be a perfect time and if you are waiting for them perfect timing, you will never do anything.
The reason that we need to move fast in doing good, is that we don’t have unlimited time. You are not guaranteed tomorrow.
4 All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.
What have you been intending to do that you haven’t done? Do it now… here’s your round tuit.
6. We are to move fast when God offers me salvation.
6. We are to move fast when God offers me salvation.
Some of you have not crossed the line to Jesus. You have been putting off the decision.
Not to decide is to decide
Not to decide is to decide
2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
When does God want me to move slow
When does God want me to move slow
29 It’s smart to be patient, but it’s stupid to lose your temper.
1. We should move slowly when we don’t have all the facts.
1. We should move slowly when we don’t have all the facts.
Time after time on our social media, cause oriented culture do people make bad decisions because they do not have all of the facts. We see it every day in the news… people make statements without facts.
People go with their gut or follow their heart, but when you don’t have all the facts, or you ignore the facts, you make mistakes.
Remember, your heart lies to you all the time.
9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.
You have to take your time and get the facts. People pronounce guilt before the facts come out… before a trial is held… then the facts come out and they have to eat some words.
80% of small businesses… people’s dreams fail in the first 5 years because people are enthusiastic but don’t have any knowledge. If you want to start something, take the time and get the facts. Talk to someone who has already done it.
ILL - Many years ago, I thought about buying the Bible Bookstore that was close to Lakeside mall. I knew nothing about that business, but thought it would be a good ministry. Fortunately, a business man in the church I attended talked some sense into me;
Get the Facts
13 What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts!
2. We should move slowly when we are hurt or angry.
2. We should move slowly when we are hurt or angry.
Anybody besides me made a bad decision when you were upset? Emotions kick in and we don’t think logically and we make bad decisions.
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
See the rhythm? Quick… slow … slow.
We usually get this backward.
Look at these verses.
29 People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.
28 The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.
Put your mind into gear before opening your mouth.
18 Losing your temper causes a lot of trouble, but staying calm settles arguments.
Move very slowly when you are hurt or angry.
3. We should move slowly when making a major decision.
3. We should move slowly when making a major decision.
This one could save a lot of heartache and money.
Extra - marriage advice… GO SLOW
29 Wicked people bluff their way, but God’s people think before they take a step.
What decision are you facing right now?
26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
IOW, carefully consider the direction of your life. Slow down and ponder. Means think seriously.
You cannot ponder fast… it takes time. Slow down and think.
Ask, what do I need to do today in order to get to where I want tomorrow?
Most people never ask that question nor do they get to where they want to be. A lot of people dream about what they want tomorrow to be, but never ask what it takes to get there.
3 Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
People get in trouble with impulse buying.
5 Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.
Impulse buying will always keep you from having enough.
4. We should move slowly when waiting for a seed I’ve planted to grow.
4. We should move slowly when waiting for a seed I’ve planted to grow.
There is always a delay… a period of time between when you plant and when you harvest. It’s the law of the harvest. Maybe you get a seed of an idea… relationship… business … hobby … work of art… It’s a good idea but it doesn’t go anywhere unless it’s planted.
You will then have to wait. You reap in a different season that the one in which you planted. What am I talking about?
Plant seeds of kindness, love, financial seeds, faith...
1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
What do you do in this in-between time?
6 Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.
ILL - you take your Resume to one place - one seed. 100 places - 100 seeds planted.
You may have been waiting a long time for your harvest to come in. You are waiting We are all waiting on something.
3 At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting— it will happen!
God is saying, at the right time, it will come true. It may take a while, but it will come true.
A Prayer
A Prayer
58 May he keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down for our ancestors.
Someone here needs to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior today.
2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
There is no better time than today to give your life to Jesus.
Sinner Prayer
16 What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
If you have prayed to receive Jesus and have not been baptized, check that off on your connection card.
Prayer -