Tag: Failure

Why not Wednesday? Failed ideas…

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Irony: 747 became the best cargo option for the 787 projectIdeas can fail for a few reasons:
Bad idea
Bad timing
Bad placing

Take a look at failed ideas and think through if they will work again? People’s initial reaction to anything new is often NO! Very few people just grab on to any change. Take a look in your closet of failed ideas. Today may be the day where it will be a:
Good idea
Good timing
Good placing

Erie Canal vs Steam locomotive
Grace concern arose in NY over the horseless carriage as it may destroy the economy surrounding the Erie Canal. NY survived the paradigm shift to trains, and the canal became a thing of history (and awesome school field trips).

Cargo Plane vs Jumbo Jet
Boeing failed the large cargo plane competition. However, the ideas developed for the project turned into the most successful jumbo jet- the 747. One failed idea turned into an iconic aircraft.

100’s of failures vs 1 mistake
The lightbulb was discovered by a mistake after hundreds of failures.

The bottom line:
A failed idea may not be a bad idea. Sometimes ideas we had that did not work then may work now. And then again, they may not work now. But, you’re likely wiser and more experienced than you were on the first attempt.

Not Perfect is a Holy Thing: John Mark

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Person: John Mark
Epic Fail: Desertion
God’s View: A useful man

Ever been unfaithful, quit or walked out and think God can no longer use you? STOP! God uses quitters. Being unfaithful creates significant consequences and fallout. The issue is not the sin, but in repentance. John Mark quit, but that’s not the last word.

God’s man of action
Mark wrote my favorite Gospel. As a boy I remember always being in and studying the Gospel of Mark. It described Jesus as a man of action. It’s the adventure Gospel. (As a college & seminary student Mark had a lot of action as well.) The Gospel was written to encourage and spur Christians to serving and pursuing Christ. Its abrupt ending (depending on one’s view of the last chapter) begs the question of what’s next.

John Mark served the apostolic community as well, and he contributed to the New Testament. His ministry still impacts people today. The Bible describes him as a fellow worker. He went on missionary journeys. Mark was a man of action.

Mark’s Failure
Mark was a deserter… On a missionary journey Mark deserted Paul at Pamphylia. Paul, also a passionate man of action, did not want to take John Mark on his second missions trip. This created tremendous tension between Paul and Barnabas. This caused the two great leaders to part company.

Barnabas gave Mark a second chance and took him. Paul took Silas. And, as history would have it, Mark demonstrated repentance and stood as a man of action. Quitting produces significant consequences, but it does not have to be the end.

God’s final view
Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. ~2 Timothy 4:11

Paul, who wanted nothing to do with Mark, at the end of his ministry… when he was  at the end of his life… when all were abandoning him… requested the presence of John Mark because he was useful. That is change.

This week as we looked at Not Perfect is a Holy thing, remember this key point: imperfection and sin does not have to be the last word on your life! When we see Christ face to face we will be made perfect and lacking nothing in the realm of holiness because of Christ’s work on the cross. But today… right now… as you’re reading this… you are not perfect, but in Christ you are holy!

The bottom line of Not Perfect is a Holy Thing:
Do not pursue perfection, pursue repentance. Do not make sinless your goal, but actively serving Jesus Christ. You and I will fail, we may even fail in epic ways, but that does not mean God is done with us. The moment we stop pursuing God, the moment when we stop striving for repentance that’s when we cease being holy on Earth.

The Holy man is the one who pursues a life of repentance not perfection, a life of service, not a life of ‘I’m right you’re wrong.’ The holy man lives by grace, and grace covers a multitude of sins. Our Savior is that big!

Not Perfect is a Holy Thing: Moses

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Person: Moses
Epic Fail: Anger and frustration
God’s View: One of the greatest prophets

Ever avoid getting involved because you’re angry or frustrated? STOP! Moses had numerous occasions whereby he got frustrated and angry. He even failed in this area. God still used him! Moses was an imperfectly HUGE hero in the Bible. While anger and frustration may be a weak area, perhaps you should pursue God and overcome these struggles.

God’s Man
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt ; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king ; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land ; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
~Hebrews 11:24-29 NASB

Moses’ Failure
The story of Moses did not go as smoothly as mentioned in Hebrews 11. He took matters into his own hands by killing an Egyptian, causing him to have to flee. While this may not be the best way of handling his situation, look at how God viewed it. Even in failures or when we do things wrong there can be glimmers of faith.

Moses did not view himself as a good communicator. So, God gave him Aaron to be Moses’ mouthpiece. This lead to some problems down the road. Still, Moses lead the people out of Israel. There were multiple occasions that lead to anger and frustration for Moses. In one instance, he struck a rock out of frustration rather than following the instructions God gave him. This failure kept Moses from entering the promised land.

God’s final view
God describes Moses as a man of faith. Moses wrote the 5 most critical books of the Bible, the Torah, by which all other books point and connect to. He conquered nations, stood for God when all Israel, save a few, looked elsewhere. He saw God. Moses was not a great man because he lacked faults, was perfect, or in him was no sin. Moses became a great man because he pursued God.

Yes, Moses had to face consequences for his sin, but its not the sin that God brings up, its the acts of his faith. Here is the key to God’s grace and forgiveness- it wipes away all sin! While there may be consequences to sin here on Earth, the failure of sin is not the final word on our lives! Out of the trials and failures that Moses, and ourselves, face on Earth will be written the strengths of our faith and the grace God granted to us.

Not Perfect is a Holy Thing: Abraham

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Person: Abraham
Epic Fail: Took maters into his own hands
God’s View: A man of faith

If you’re the type that needs things figured out before pursuing something: STOP! God calls people to do things even when the person has no clue what to do. Abraham is such a person. God told him to rise up and go to a land that He’d show him. Pack up, move, I’ll tell you later. Abraham as a holy man.

God’s Choice Man
Abraham and his descendants succeed for one reason: God chose Abraham. The story starts in Genesis 12 and following. God promises Abraham land, descendants as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and blessing. Abraham and his wife had one son, Isaac. The path of his descendants would not be easy, rising up out of a land that was no their own.

Anyone who blesses Abraham’s family would be blessed, anyone who cursed it would be cursed. Abraham is the father of two great nation groups: Israel- sons of Isaac, and Arabs- sons of Ishmael. Wondering in the wilderness, God protected and prospered his family. Being the patriarchal head of Israel, Abraham is a hero.

Abraham’s Failure
Desperate for God’s promise, Abraham took maters into his own hands. Abraham was promised an heir, but at 100 years old He did not see it happening. Earlier Sarah talked Abraham into sleeping with her concubine Hagar to produce an heir, called Ishmael. The descendants of Isaac and Ishmael do not get along, as evident in the Middle East today.

God’s final view
God does not call Abraham a failure. Hebrews 11 describes Abraham and his descendants men of faith. They were not perfect men, but they were faithful men. To this day we deal with the consequences of Abraham taking maters into his own hands. God does not call Abraham a failure. Romans 4:18ff describes God’s view of Abraham:

In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Abraham was holy not because he never sinned, but because he pursued God.