Orange Peels

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 (NIV)
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Back in 1911, a stuntman named Bobby Leach went over Niagara Falls in a specially designed steel drum-and lived to tell about it. Although he suffered minor injuries, he survived because he recognized the tremendous dangers involved in the feat, and he had done everything he could to protect himself from harm. Several years later, while walking down a street in New Zealand, Bobby Leach slipped on an orange peel, fell, and badly fractured his leg. He was taken to a hospital where he died of complications from that fall. He received a greater injury walking down the street than he sustained in going over Niagara Falls. He was not prepared for danger in what he assumed to be a safe situation.

Some of the great temptations that roar around us like the rushing waters of Niagara will leave us unharmed, while a small, seemingly insignificant incident may cause our downfall. Why? We simply become careless and do not recognize the potential danger. We mistakenly think we are secure. We must always be on guard against temptation. A victorious Christian is an alert Christian who watches out even for those little "orange peels."

I pray you will always experience victory in your walk with Jesus Christ.

Blessings,
Bill

When You Are Under Pressure

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ. I don't know about you, but I have a lot of stress in my life. (I imagine many of your heads are nodding in agreement) I ran across this wonderful message from Bob Russell, Senior Preaching Minister at Southeast Christian Church. It helped me put things in perspective."Esther’s life resembled a fairy tale. An orphan girl won a national beauty contest and was crowned queen of a foreign country. A Jewish peasant, she prospered in a foreign country and was now living in the luxury of the palace. For four years Esther enjoyed the privilege of being the wife of the King of Persia.

One almost expects the book to end, “And they lived happily ever after.” But one day Esther discovered that special privilege often brings added responsibility, Shakespeare wrote, “Heavy hangs the head that wears the crown.” The Bible cautions, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48).

One day Esther’s cousin/guardian, Mordecai, nervously informed her of an evil plot to exterminate all Jews living in the Kingdom. He pleaded with her to use her influence with the king to save her people from certain extinction. He pressured her with the now-familiar phrase. “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
Esther’s privileged position had now become a heavy burden. She was very uncertain about trying to intervene on behalf of her people. She could be humiliated. She could lose her crown. She could even lose her life.

Isn’t it your experience that special privilege usually brings added pressure? You worked hard to win the favor of the most wonderful person and won – you got married! But you soon discovered that marriage is not a fairy tale. You are expected to be an unselfish, considerate, compassionate mate even when you don’t feel like it and even when it’s not deserved. That’s pressure.

You looked forward to having children and when the baby was born you were ecstatic. But you discovered that the privilege of parenting brings the pressure of time-demands, discipline problems, and repeated disappointments.

You finally got the job promotion you craved. The congratulatory notes and the increase in salary were ego-boosts. But the praise was short-lived and now you live everyday with demanding deadlines, irate customers, imperfect employees and self-imposed pressures.

When you first became a Christian there was a joyous feeling of release from guilt and hope for eternity. But that joy was soon followed by the responsibilities of witnessing, tithing, discipling, battling temptation, and church leadership.

John Blanchard in his book, Truth For Life, wrote, “Anyone who suggests that once a person becomes a Christian his troubles are over is speaking from an empty head and a closed Bible.” Think of the Bible characters who were honored because they did the right thing under pressure: Noah building the ark, Joseph overcoming temptation, Moses confronting Pharaoh, Nehemiah rebuilding the wall, David hiding from King Saul, Mary delivering a baby away from home, the Apostle Paul preaching in hostile cities.

Esther responded well under pressure too. She mustered the courage to request an audience with the king (Esther 5:1-2). Once the king showed her favor, she patiently waited and wisely planned for the right setting to express her concerns. Days later when the opportune moment came, she succinctly, factually stated her case and then boldly identified the primary source of the wicked plot against her people. God used Esther’s beauty, charm and courage to soften the king’s heart and spare the Hebrew nation.

When you are pressured, it doesn’t mean that you are living outside the will of God. Stress is often the reward for advantage and can present a special opportunity to serve or a dramatic occasion to witness to others. Be courageous. Be tactful. Be creative. Most importantly, be faithful to God. Do the right thing even though you don’t know in advance how it will turn out. Perhaps God has called you into your position for a time just like this."

Blessings,

Bill

Slowing Down To Go Fast

My husband, Bob, is an avid fan of auto racing. Not only does he love to watch the races, he also used to do autocross racing and won several national championships. While giving a friend of mine a crash course on the topic, Bob made the statement, “Sometimes you have to slow down to go fast.” He explained that when you drive through a curve, sometimes you need to slow down in order to maintain control of the vehicle and have a tight turn. Then, when you’re coming out of the curve, you can pick your speed back up. He said that many drivers take curves too fast, which causes them to have less control of the vehicle and make wide turns. Incidentally, they actually lose time in the curve because they refuse to slow down. If they would only slow down momentarily, they would have a faster course-completion time. These drivers, however, can’t seem to reconcile logically how slowing down will help them go faster.

Jesus understood the principle of slowing down to go fast. We see this in His instructions that we must lose our life to find it; we must die in order to live; and we must humble ourselves to be exalted. Perhaps this is why He told many of the people He healed not to tell anybody. And consider His actions when Lazarus (the brother of Martha and Mary) became ill and died. When Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, He purposely lingered in another town for two extra days until Lazarus was dead. What appeared to be apathy on the part of Jesus was actually strategy. His delay in healing a sick man led to the greater glory of raising a dead man. Also, Jesus’ own crucifixion is a stunning example of slowing down (the good news) in order to go faster – the classic short-term pain for long-term gain.

The truth of slowing down to go fast has countless life applications—it can apply to business, finance, personal projects, sports, relationships, working out, eating. In all of our lives we have goals, priorities, responsibilities, aspirations. There are things we want to do but don’t have time to do. There are things we need to do that should have been done yesterday. There are relationships that need our attention, home-improvement projects that we keep putting off, care of our bodies that we neglect. And in the many arenas of our lives, we pound the pavement, trying to beat the clock and have enough time left over to enjoy the fruit of our labor. As we navigate the many curves along our life courses, sometimes we just have to slow down in order to go fast. Whatever this concept may mean for you or look like in your particular situation, let Jesus reconcile the logic. In the end, He will effectuate the greater glory for you and for Himself.

Mark 6:30-32
Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Mark 7:34-37
Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Heavenly Father, help us to know when to slow down and what that looks like in our particular circumstances. Help us to surrender our logic to Yours and trust You through the temporary pain, knowing that we have eternal gain in You. In the precious name of Jesus, amen.

Barb