Rick Warren - Learning to Be Both Fast and Slow - Part One

Hey everyone, thanks for joining us today on Pastor Rick's

Daily Hope.

This is the place.

Where Rick Warren brings you uplifting messages from God's Word

every day to help you grow deeper in faith and

live a life with purpose. Today we're continuing in a

powerful series called Toolbox for Life. In this series, Rick

teaches us four essential skills that you need to succeed

wherever God has placed you, whether it's at home, at work,

at school, or in your community. These are tools that

every follower of Jesus absolutely needs. And right now, here's

Pastor Rick Warren with part one of a message called

Learning to Be Both Fast and Slow.

This weekend, I want us to look at the skill

of timing.

The title of the message is called learning to be

Both Fast and Slow.

And let me explain it a little bit.

Every great acomplishment ever in history has an element of

timing to it. When you're watching a football game and

you see a football player catch a beautiful pass, it's

only because they had worked out the timing between the

quarterback and the wide receiver.

And if that.

Timing is off, there's no reception. It's all a matter

of timing. Now, this is true in every area of life.

It's true in business. Any business investor will tell you

that timing is a large part of knowing when to buy,

knowing when to sell, knowing when to make a deal,

knowing when to merge, and knowing when not to merge,

when to diversify. It's all a matter of timing. If

you are a singer, you have to know how to

sing the notes at the right time. If you're a musician,

you know how to have to keep time in the beat.

If you are a speaker, you have to know good

timing in the way you deliver the words. The secret

between a funny joke and a joke that bombs is

often a matter of timing. And if you have comedic timing,

you're just good at it, and if you don't, you

suck at it. The key to being a great speaker

and creating tension in UH in a speech is.

Timing. Timing. Now uh, this is true in every area

of life.

This week, I was told that saddle Back once again

was named the most influential American church, this time by

news UH Newsmax magazine. It's We've been named it several

times and to a large degree, Saddleback's influence around the

world is simply because we're good at timing.

We call it walking in the spirit.

We watch what God is doing in the world and

we say we're gonna get involved in that. I never

never pray God bless what I'm doing. Never I pray God,

help me to do what you're blessing. And I look

around the world and I see, Oh, God's doing that,

and God's doing that, and God's doing that.

I'd like to get in on that.

And then my prayer is, God, would you give me

the privilege of just being a part of what you

happen to be doing at this particular moment in history.

And so being sensitive to how God works in the

world is really a matter of timing. The Bible says

it like this, they're on the top of your outline

Ecclesiastes eight six. There is a right time, and there's

a right way to do everything. But we know so

little now that implies that timing. Doing the right time

that's timing, and doing it in the right way that's execution.

That both of those are skills, and we don't happen

to know those skills. So we're not very good at it,

but it means that you can learn these things. Years ago,

when I wrote the book Purpose Driven Church back in

the nineties, the first chapter was called Surfing Spiritual Waves,

and I compared leadership to surfing because here in Southern California,

of course, we got a lot of surfers. I used

to have a board and it's very poor at surfing,

but had a lot of fun doing that it falling

off the board. But surfers don't create waves. Surfers only

surf the waves that God makes. You've never seen a

surfer who said, oh, let's go create a wave, because

you can't create a wave. You just have to wait

for God to send one in. And surfing involves a

lot of patients and you paddle out and then you

wait for that perfect wave to come. And then it's

actually harder than it looks because you've got to learn

how to surf the wave. You got to learn how

to balance on the wave, you got to learn how

to get off the wave without wiping out. And it's

actually more skilled than a lot of people realize. But

no surfer has ever tried to create a wave. He

or she simply serfs the waves that God creates. And

that's what we've tried to do it so saddleback for

thirty five years. We don't try to create a waves

of God's working. We just say what is God doing?

And we move slow when God moves slow, and we

move fast when God moves fast.

I want to talk to you about that.

This weekend because it's a skill you must learn to

succeed in your life. There is a rhythm to life.

There is a rhythm to love, and there is a

rhythm to leadership. And so sometimes you have to move

fast and sometimes you.

Have to move slow.

Wise people know how to cooperate with those rhythms in life.

And as I said, that's often called walking in the spirit,

where you learn to sense when to go fast and

when to go slow. I was laughing that last week

when Pastor Tommy was teaching. Remember we talked about how

he hates to run. Remember that, and you know Tommy

don't run. And I laughed at all four services when

he said that. But the Bible actually does have a

lot to say about running. In fact, the Bible compares

your life to a race. And the Bible tells us

that Jesus had a sense of urgency about his life

in his ministry. In fact, about fifteen times in the

Bible the word Jesus and the word immediately are in

the same verse, and it says, and Jesus immediately did this.

Some people think Jesus was always slow, sometimes he was fast,

sometimes he was very fast. And immediately Jesus did this.

He me healed that person, and he went to this place,

and he confronted that person on and on and on,

and just as Jesus had a sense of urgency, so

did Paul. Let me show you some verses here on

the screen. The Bible says in one Timothy six', twelve

run hard and fast in the. Faith god wants you

to run. Hard god wants you to run fast in the.

Faith that's the message prayer. Phrase then The bible, says

Verse grinding nine twenty, four run in such a way

as to get the. Prize AND i notice he doesn't say,

Walk he says. Run sometimes you need to go. Fast

and then the next verse says this Verse corinthians nine twenty,

SIX i run straight to the goal with purpose in every.

Step paul was purpose. Driven and then one more Verse

philippians three, TWELVE i run to.

WIN i run to. Win so, clearly.

There's a many passages in scripture Where god, SAYS i

want you to go. Fast but there are also many

passages in scripture When god, SAYS i want you to go.

SLOW i want you to, WAIT i want you to,

DELAY i want you to not. MOVE i want you

to stand still and see the salvation of The. Lord

so learning the difference is a very important skill to

being effective at, life effective at, love and effective at.

Leadership knowing when to go fast and knowing when to go.

Slow and that's what we're going to look at this.

Weekend let's look first at what Does god want me

to do when he wants me to move? Fast when

does he want me to move with? Speed and now

this is not an exhaustive, list it's just a. REPRESENTATIVE

i could have given you a very very long list

many many, others but this is just representative of When

god wants you to move. Fast and because it's, That

i'm going to go through it very. Quickly so you

have to write fast number. ONE i should move fast

When god tells me to do. Something When god tells

me to do, SOMETHING i should move fast to do. It,

now The bible is filled with all kinds of life.

Instructions they're called the commands Of, god the decrees Of.

God they're called the precepts Of. God And god expects

us to obey his.

Commands how many of you are? Parents CAN i see your?

Hands what if your child came to you and you,

SAID i want you to do, this AND i want

you to obey.

Me the said i'll think about. It there would be.

Consequences but we do that To god all the. Time god,

SAYS i want you to Do i'll think about. It oh,

really SO i have the authority to Tell god i'll

think about. It that's as much rebellion as it is

a child saying go to a. Parent when the creator

comes up with an, idea he expects us to do.

It every parent knows that delayed obedience is. Disobedience if

a child, says, well i'll do it WHEN i get

around to, it that's not.

Obedience that's.

Disobedience The bible Says god wants us to move fast

when he tells us to do. SOMETHING a couple, Examples

mark one seventeen and. Eighteen jesus said to, them come follow.

Me So simon And andrew immediately left their.

Nets not the next, day not the next. Week immediate

left their nets and followed. Him what does it? Means

they left their.

Job they walked away from their job when a guy

said to, them follow.

Me that's immediate. Obedience immediate, obedience.

The bible says In psalm one, nineteen verse, sixty without,

DELAY i hurry to. Obey i'll hurry to obey your.

Commands circle the word. Hurry we often think hurry in.

A negative term.

Today it reminds us of, stress, problems, pressures and the

hurry and worry and. Bustle but hurry is always a

good word when it comes to. Obedience The bible, SAYS

i hurry to obey your.

Commands so my.

Question AS i start is to simply ask, you what

is it that you Know god's told you to do

and you haven't started doing it? Yet you know, it

and you're not doing. It god, SAYS i want you

to do it? Quickly what are you?

Waiting? On number?

TWO i should move fast not only When god tells

me to do. SOMETHING i should move fast WHEN i

need to ask or offer. Forgiveness now this is really

for your own, benefit because your body was not designed

to carry.

Guilt and. RESENTMENT i should.

Move quickly WHEN i need to ask forgiveness or offer.

Forgiveness we spend much of our lives abusing our bodies

because of guilt over something we've done to, others and

over bitterness over something other people have done to. Us

doctors say you could clear out about fifty percent of

the people in hospitals today if they knew how to

get rid of guilt and, bitterness guilt and.

Resentment and what we.

Do is we crucify ourselves between two, crosses guilt and

resentment for the past and worry about the, future and

we mess.

Up today as a. Result god, says.

You should never carry, guilt or you should never carry.

Resentment it's like poison in your. Body you need to

deal with it. IMMEDIATELY i move. Fast The bible says

In matthew, five verse twenty two and twenty three is

from The sermon on The, Mount jesus, says if you're

giving an offering at worship and you suddenly remember that

somebody is something against, you in other, words have got a.

Grudge or something against.

You leave your offering and go immediately circle that go

immediately to that person and be, reconciled then you can

come back to worship and offer your. Gift in other,

words don't ever use worship as an excuse to procrastinate

dealing with. Somebody now this is not rocket. Science WHEN

i say who is it you need to get right?

With you immediately know that person that you've had a

grudge against or they've had a grudge against, you and

there's been, strained there's been. Tension god, says why are

you carrying? THAT i never meant for your body to

carry that guilt OR i never meant for your body

to carry that. Resentment who do you need to reconcile?

With you need to do it quickly the. Law every

day that you don't do, it you harm yourself, mentally,

spiritually and even. Physically number, THREE i should move fast

WHEN i feel. Tempted The bible says that when, UNTEMPTED

i need to move quickly out of the tempting. Situation

Now i've talked to you about this.

Before in. Detail we've studied.

Temptation that you need to have preventative strategies to keep

you from being, tempted and you need emergency strategies which

are kind of like the panic. Button when all of

a sudden you're tempted in a situation you didn't realize

was going to come, up and all of a, sudden

you're there on a business, trip or there in front

of the, television or there in a hundred other, places

and you weren't expecting the. Temptation it came out of

the left, field and all of a, sudden you're just

overwhelmed with a desire to do something you know is

neither good for you nor good for, others and not

honoring To. God what do you do in those, Emergencies,

well The bible, says real, quickly, run it says, run

get away from the. Situation don't. Try when you are

in the moment of, temptation you're being, tempted and it

could be a financial temptation to, cheat it could be

a sexual, temptation it could be any kind of Tempt

there are thousands of temptations in that.

Moment never argue with the. Temptation you're gonna.

Lose you're gonna lose because emotions take, over and emotions aren't.

Logical you can be logical all you, want and when you're.

Emotional on, something it just takes. Over that's Why.

WHEN i was a youth pastor many years, ago AND

i used to tell, kids don't decide that you're going

to be sexually pure and save yourself from marriage in

the back seat of a. Car that's not when you,

decide because you've got to decide long before, that so

you don't end up. There because if you end up

in the backseat of a, car you're gonna move by your,

glands not your, plans and those hormones are gonna kick

in and you're just. Overwhelmed so The bible, says listen

when you are. Tempted it, says don't fight, it don't resist,

it replace.

It.

Run that's the simplest turn the. Channel get out of the.

Situation if you don't want to get, stung get away

from the.

Bees if you're trying trying to SAY i.

Don't want to drink alcohol, anymore then you don't go

to bars for the. Pretzels you just don't put yourself

in those. Situations now here's what The bible. Says One

timothy six.' eleven run away from all evil Things one.

Corinthians ten run away from the worship. Of idols, YOU

say i don't worship. Any, idols oh you do all.

The time you idolize all kinds. Of stuff what's? An

idol i'm not talking about A little god sitting on a.

Desk here an idol is anything you Put. Before god

your boat could be, an idol your job could be,

An idol your spouse could be, an idol your children

could be. An idol anything that you put first place

in your Life. Before god that's. Called idolatry they may,

be good but they don't deserve To have god's role in.

Your life anytime you take a person and you elevate

Them above god and their opinion matters to you More,

than god you've just made. An idol and so we

idolize things all. The Time the, bible says run from worship.

Of idols So the bible says In first, parenthieon six

run away from. Sexual sin so he's, saying here WHEN

do i move Fast when god tells me to, DO

something i do? It immediately WHEN do i move FAST

when i need to ask or? Offer forgiveness and WHEN

do i move Fast when i'm? FEELING tempted i need

to just get out of. The situation don't, fight it.

Flee it don't, resist it run, from it, replace it

turn your mind onto.

Something else.

Number Four the bible SAYS that i should move Fast

when i've made a Promise. To God when i've made

a Promise, To god god expects me to, keep it

and sooner rather. Than later now we've all made Promises

to god that we've forgotten or even gotten. Lazy About

the bible says This in, ecclesiastes five.

Verse four.

When you make a Promise, to god keep it as quickly.

As possible, notice that in, OTHER words i should, move

fast keep.

It as quickly. As possible god.

Is not happy with, foolish people and he says it's

foolish to make a promise and then not. Keep it

do what you promised. To do, so question what promise

do you need? To keep and you need to do it?

This week you need to do. It now maybe you made.

A promise some of you made a promise to read Through,

the bible maybe even read it in, the ear and

you got bogged down and you just. Gave up or

you made a promise to invite somebody at church and

then you just kind of got lazy and didn't. Do

it he made a promise to yourself Or to god

that you were going to start. Serving somewhere we've all

made Promises. To god, god says if you make, A,

promise god. Fulfill it immediately keep it as quickly. As

Possible and i'll tell you a little Secret because i've

learned this from. Personal experience when you make a Promise

to god and then you fulfill it before you said

you would, Fulfill it god goes crazy. With blessing god

opens the floodgates of blessing in. Your life god says

THAT guy i can, depend on that guy, Is responsible

that guy is a person.

Of integrity he she keeps, her word they keep.

Their promise and there's almost Nothing that god won't do

for the person who shows integrity. And responsibility AND so

i would, encourage you whatever promise should Make, to god

try to fulfill it before it's. Actually due now another

Way that god wants. Another Time when god wants you

to move fast, as this write. It DOWN when i

have the opportunity to, DO good i should.

Move fast Every.

Day god gives you little opportunities to show kindness to people,

around you and he's watching to see if you're going

to be self centered and oblivious to the people who are, around

you or you're actually going to notice the people who

need a word. OF encouragement i need a pat on,

the back maybe need an errand or, a loan or

a babysitter or some practical means. Of Help and, god

says this is.

A test and.

If you want to learn how to move in the Spirit,

of god you've got to learn how to move fast

when you have an opportunity to. Do good here's What

the Bible says proverbs three. Twenty seven do not withhold

good from those who deserve it while it is in

your power. To act you're not going to have that,

Opportunity forever so, just nike just. Do it you know

there are people in your life that you've. Thought, About

oh i'd like to do that for, my Neighbors or

i'd like to do something kind for that person, at

Work or i'd like to help that person down, the

Street or i'd like and you you have all of the,

best intentions but you don't do anything.

About.

It now we make all kinds, of excuses and one

of the most famous ones, is this when things.

Settled down you ever heard?

That one when things, settle Down then i'm gonna do.

THIS thing i hate to tell. You this it's not gonna.

Settle down.

Your life is never going to. Settle down it's. A

myth it's never gonna. Settle down if you're gonna do

any good with, your life you better do it now

while you got, the chance because you're not gonna get

a better chance than. Right now look at this verse

on The screen ecclesiastes eleven. To four if you wait for,

perfect conditions you will never get. Anything done anybody agree with?

THAT verse i wanna give. A, testimony yeah if you

wait for, perfect conditions you never get. Anything done everything

that's done in life that's good has to be done in.

Imperfect conditions making that meal for, a neighbor or doing

something kind for. Somebody else we make all these. Excuses

now the reason for doing, it now The reason god

says to do, it fast is because you're not. Guaranteed

tomorrow i'm not and. You're not jesus said it like

This in. John nine all of us must quickly carry

out the tasks circle the. Word quickly all of us

must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us By the

father who sent me he's Talking, About, god God. The

father we miss quickly carry out. The task god has

some assigned task for you to do with, your life

and your life is, ticking away and if you're not

going to get it, done now you may not.

Get the opportunity to.

Do it so whatever you're going to do with, your

life you better get on with. It now, he said

we must carry out quickly the tasks assigned us By

the father because there is little time left before the

night falls and all work comes to. An, end question

what kind act have you been intending? To do, You,

Thought oh i'd really like to do this for, that

person but you still haven't done.

It yet do? It?

Now then let me give you, One more and this

one's the most important. Of all IN when i should

Move fast, Number Six when god offers, ME salvation i

better move quickly on. That offer it's a limited. Time

Offer when god offers. Me salvation some of you have

been putting off and procrastinating stepping across. The line you're a,

good person and you like. Saddleback church you come with

your husband or, your wife or a friend or neighbor

or a relative or boyfriend, or girlfriend and you. Like

saddleback you like, the church you like, the music but

you've never actually stepped across the line, and, Said yes.

I'm in I'm trusting jesus christis.

My savior what are you?

Waiting on why in the WORLD would i delay having my,

past forgiven getting a purpose living and a home. In

heaven who else is gonna give that? To you where

are you're gonna? Get it there is no other place

where you're gonna get that Except through.

God himself so you've been.

Putting off and, he, SAID well i just haven't decided To.

Follow jesus yes you have up to. This point.

YOU have i used to have a poster in my

office and it, said this not to decide is. To

decide not to decide is. To decide, it's, Saying no

i'm gonna go another day of my life disconnected with

the creator who loves me and made me for, a

Purpose and i'm just not gonna be connected. To, him

really that doesn't make a whole lot. Of sense here's

What the, Bible Says. Second corinthians god is ready to

help you right, Now today today is the day. Of

Salvation if god offers you eternity, in heaven. You bought accept,

it now not, next week, not later not. Ponent procrastinate

but you need to move fast on.

That. Offer now i'm going to help.

You out i'll help you settle that when at the

end of, the day if you haven't done. That now

not everything, in, life though is to be done at.

High Speed the bible also has a lot of verses

that talk about. Slowing down this IS why i say timing.

Is everything there's a rhythm. To Life the, bible says

there's a time to plant and a time. To Harvest

the bible says there's a time to weep and a time.

To rejoice there's a time to, go fast there's a

time to. Go slow life is a series, of rhythms

and the successful people in life know when to do

which at the. Right time And the, bible says look

this on turn your. Outline over proverbs fourteen. Twenty nine

it's smart to be? What patient why don't you? CIRCLE

that i want you to. BE smart i want to.

Be Smart the, bible says it's smart to.

Be patient.

Such a great Message From pastor, Rick TODAY and i

hope you were just as ENCOURAGED as. I was, you

know the Truth is desire and determination alone aren't enough

to succeed. In life so many people already work, so

hard but real success isn't just about. Working harder it's about.

Working smarter it's About working. God's way did you know

That the bible is packed with practical instruction to help

you do. Just, that yeah That's Why Pastor rick warren

Created the Toolbox For Life. Bible study through this, powerful

study you'll discover and develop four essential real life success

building skills Straight from. God's word these are skills that

will equip you to make a difference as you lead

with confidence and clarity in, your home, at work, at

school and in. Your Community the Toolbox For Life bible

study has forbid sessions Taught by rick and includes a.

Companion workbook it's perfect for personal growth or small. Group

study so be sure to request your copy Of the

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