Adrian Rogers enjoyed telling the story about a man that swallowed a fresh egg in its shell. The frightened man was afraid to move because he was afraid it would break. But he was afraid to sit still because he was afraid the egg would hatch! There are a lot of people like that today--so frenetic, so pressured they don't know which way to go. The problem is that this pressure and restlessness spills into our family life and personal relationships.        Adrian Rogers, Ten Secrets for a Successful Family, Crossway Books, p. 71.

Jesus and His apostles were very busy men. What do you do when the whole world wants your attention? You look for a solitary place to rest. You want peace and quiet. However, as we will see, that idea does not always work.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

        But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.  Mark 6: 30-34   

            After Jesus ministered to the crowd He threw a big party and fed everyone. Immediately after they had eaten and cleaned up the area Jesus had the disciples get in the boat and start crossing the lake while He sent the crowd away. The disciples were safe from the people as they crossed the lake. As the disciples left the shore Jesus dispersed the crowd then He went up on a mountainside to pray.  He found solitude with the Father.  They had a quiet trip across a placid lake.

            Peace and quiet seldom lasts long, so enjoy it while you can! As the sun set a storm came up and they had to battle against the waves. Interestingly enough, Jesus saw them straining at the oars. If He could see them it was still daylight. He let them struggle! A good physical workout will often get rid of the stresses of life. Go jog! Ride a bike! Lift some weights!

            Jesus finally came to their assistance…at 3 o’clock in the morning!  When He showed up He scared the socks off of them; Jesus walking on the water to get to them. They were fighting the waves when suddenly a flash of lightening revealed a Man walking toward them. They were terrified because they assumed He was a ghost.

As soon as Jesus climbed in the boat the water settled down.

When life does not make sense, just know that whatever you experience today God will use to strengthen you for tomorrow. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge God and he will direct your steps. – Proverbs 3:5, 6  

Let’s look at the benefits of slowing down.

I. Being in a hurry causes us to lose sight of our goal

An ethics professor at Princeton Seminary used drama to show how being rushed will get our values out of order.

He asked for volunteers for an extra assignment. Fifteen students met him at the library to receive their assignments. He divided the students into three groups of five each. The first group was instructed to proceed immediately across campus to Stewart Hall. He told them that they only had 15 minutes. If they were late it would affect their grade.

About two minutes later, the second group was told that they had 45 minutes to get to Stewart Hall.

The third group had three hours to get to Stewart Hall.

None of the students knew what to expect. The professor had arranged for three drama students to meet them along the way. The first drama student had his hands on his head and was moaning loudly, as if in great pain.

The next drama student was on the steps of the chapel; he was lying face down as if unconscious.

Finally, on the steps of Stewart Hall, the third drama student was acting out a seizure.

       How do you think they responded?

The first group of students with only 15 minutes had to hurry; they did not have time to stop and help…they all passed on by.  

The second group of students had 45 minutes to get to there; two students stopped to help.

In the third group of five students - the group with three hours for their assignment - all of the students stopped to help at least one person.

It was obvious… when you are in too big a hurry you won’t take time to minister to the people that really need you. www.eSermons.com Resources, Brent Porterfield, ChristianGlobe Network, 2003,

          But we do need to take care of ourselves. If someone is starving, help them. If you see someone having a seizure, help them. But if you are running around in circles and no disaster is near at hand, it’s okay to take care of yourself.

          Someone has observed that if we do not come apart and rest awhile we will eventually just come apart. I concur with that statement…and the older I get the more often I have to do just that!

II. Take time to enjoy your family, your friends and your church.

I spent many years working a full time job along with pastoring a small church. As a result I was always pressed for time. Eventually, however, I began to notice that it was easier to be busy than to just sit and enjoy the family… it was a frightening experience. Apparently it is a common problem. Many couples divorce after the children leave home because they had nothing in common except the kids!

If you have a family, take care of them. Roberta and I often sing this song to each other… and we try to live it out in our daily lives.

Let me call you Sweetheart
I'm in love with you
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too
Keep the love light glowing in your eyes so true
Let me call you Sweetheart
I'm in love with you! **

       Friendship takes time… Other members of the body of Christ deserve your time and energy as well…but it’s worth the effort! This church does a fabulous job of showing our love to each other – especially during the greeting time after the children’s sermon. It is a delight to behold!

 III. Haste makes waste.

It’s still good advice to “take time to smell the roses.”  John Maxwell encourages us to be careful. He says,

“Don’t do the most important things first.

Don’t do the most difficult things first.

Instead, do the first things first.”

Your relationship with God should be the “first thing” in your life because our relationship with Him is eternal. Everything on earth is temporary. You can’t take it to heaven.

Notice I did not say your relationship with the church.

Stephen Covey in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" tells how important it is to live from the inside out. Outside success never guarantees inner happiness. Covey shares a story about a Sunday morning on the subway in New York City. He was sitting in a seat reading his paper along with a few other people in a mostly empty subway car when a man with several children boarded. The man was silent and slumped over, elbows on knees looking at the floor while the children loudly ran up and down the car.

The adults on the car were at first unsettled but after a few stops the visible level of agitation grew. People were not able to "use" their time reading or even thinking quiet thoughts. Finally Covey decided he needed to do something. He approached the man and said, "Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn't control them a little more?"

The man lifted his head and said. "Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don't know what to think and I guess they don't know how to handle it either."

Suddenly a man intent on reading his paper as a prudent use of time was jerked from "saving" time on the train to "making" time to be with a stranger and his children.  www.eSermons.com Resources, Brent Porterfield, ChristianGlobe Network, 2003,

IV.   Let God be your source of strength. In fact He wants to take care of every area of your life.

Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

        Someone has well said, “God provides the boat but we have to do the rowing”  He is right. Christianity is plain old hard work at times!

WHAT ARE SOME OF OUR NEEDS?

A.   Strength!

        Isaiah 40:29-31:  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

    B.   Wisdom!

     James 1:5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

    C.   Finances!

     2 Corinthians 9:6-13, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

   Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

D.   Healing!

       John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

       1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.”

So… slow down… get things right!

Waiting for Our Souls

            A story is told about some African workers who were hired to carry heavy equipment on their backs to a remote outpost. It was a place that couldn't be reached any other way but on foot. After several days of difficult travel, the workers refused to pick up their packs and go any further. They sat by the side of the trail ignoring the shouts of the leader of the expedition. Finally the leader asked why they wouldn't go on. One of the workers replied, "Sir, we are waiting for our souls to catch up with our bodies."  -Carla Gorrell, Under Construction @ www.esermons.com

July 19, 2009