Failure Is Not The Enemy

2 Replies

When most of us think of failure, we think of the signs you see here. Failure is going one direction and success is going the other.

However, I’d like to submit to you that failure and success both travel in the the same direction. Understanding that contradictory truth will remove a lot of stress and self condemnation from our lives, and help the journey become…uh…more…successful

Nobody with a birth certificate looks forward to “finding ways that don’t work.” It feels yukky! Not to mention embarrassing. But, that’s one of the points, failure is typically nothing more or less than discovering areas that don’t work the way we’d like them to.

Several years ago, I was encouraged by a friend to learn to water ski. To make a long story short, I quit trying after the first few attempts failed. If I’d continued to try, the overwhelming odds are that I would have succeeded. I likely would not have become an expert in the sport; But, also likely, I would have mastered the process enough to receive some enjoyment. Who knows? Yep, you’re right. We’ll never know…because I didn’t keep going. I quit on myself. There are those rare birds that “pop up” on their first try. However, that is really, really rare. Most that succeed “fail” several times first.

So, it bears repeating. Failure is not the enemy. Failure is a key ingredient in success. If you’re from this planet, you’ll never get to success without swallowing healthy doses of failure. They both are traveling, by necessity, the same direction in our lives.

Failure helps us discover some very good things:

Success at anything is, likely, not as easy as it looks. So stop with the “you’re so stupid” comments to yourself.
Failure can help strengthen our resolve to push forward.
Failure is not the end. Nope, its’ not…unless it helped you to realize something you didn’t really want to pursue, anyway. So, devote the time of “pressing on” to the things that matter to you.
Success is a winding path not a straight line.
Success is not the end, either. Once you succeed, what? You’re going to stop growing? Nope. It’s time to find more failures that are helping you on your upward path known as “Your Life.”
Failure helps success to taste sweeter.
You add your own wit and wisdom to the definition here.

Do you want to succeed? Then, you must let failure be a friend and use it to your advantage.

Please register your comments. Come on, please. You don’t want me to feel like a blogging failure do you … hahaha Hey, I’ve been hearing where many of you are from. Please add your state, or country in the comments. I truly appreciate it

Gary

The Eyes That Look In, See Out

1 Reply

What do you look for in others? Confidence? Wisdom? Promise? Potential? Here’s something that may surprise you…

The same eyes that look in, see out. The question, “What am I doing wrong?” is something we are tempted to ask when things are not going as hoped. It’s natural. It seems logical. And, if course corrections are needed, then those adjustments need to me made.

However, I rely upon the Holy Spirit to correct me as needed. His words are true. They don’t leave the smear of shame or guilt. His words don’t sap me of hope. They may not always “feel good” but there is wisdom that comes with His counsel or correction that anticipates a good end when followed.

The microscope of self examination also plays to the “sin consciousness card.” The devil (and the mind of the flesh) enjoy knocking us down with the awareness of weakness. Not only are we made aware we are “still sinners,” the imps of accusation love to “pile on” like a football team after a tackle. Being your own critic is a no win situation that’s void of any real wisdom.

Left unchecked we then find ourselves hip deep in another kind of misery. Seeing what is wrong in the people around us. Somehow we think we have super powers of devil discernment, when actually we are letting the devil lead us around by the nose. We easily see how others are missing it. We are never satisfied with any group, church, or organization.

So, maybe repentance from self-criticism is in order. Perhaps assuming the best about yourself would work wonders in your state of mind.

I can hear it now. You say, “I just want to be pure and right with God.” Sounds good. Sounds logical. Sounds spiritual. Problem is…that’s putting off into the future that which is already the case in the present. Because of Jesus’ Great Echo, “It Is Finished!” you are as right and pure with God as you will ever be.

Humble yourself and accept that fact! Come off your purity high horse and embrace the gift you would never be able to afford. Also accept the fact that we are lousy self critics.

Does this help? I’d love to hear from you. The “comment” space is made just for you.

Gary

The L Word

Leave a reply

“An unforgettable quote from Les Misérables is, “Life’s great happiness is to be convinced we are loved.” – Jim Palmer

Jim goes on to say, “The word “love” comes up incessantly in life and I sometimes wonder what it is exactly that we want when we express the longing to be loved. It seems to me that being “convinced we are loved” would mean that we experience ourselves as being accepted, worthy, wanted, desirable, beautiful, powerful, and valuable. Even if love is the essence of our identity, which I believe it is, our experience of love happens primarily in connection and relationship with others. The significance of Jesus for others was that he made God’s love believable and experience-able. Jesus did not send people off to a mountaintop to meditate on God’s love, or send them to church to study God’s love, or distribute theological pamphlets, explaining God’s love. Jesus gave expression to love… Jesus was love… his life was being love.”

He also made this observation that echos my own opinion…

“I’d like to re-write Victor Hugo’s Les Mis quote this way, “Life’s great purpose is to convince others they are loved.”

I’ve heard others sincerely say that they believe we must first know God’s love before we can give it away. That sounds scriptural doesn’t it? After all, 1st John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us…”

That is, of course a fact. The only reason we can give away the God kind of love is because He made it possible by initiating the process. But maybe we could also think of it this way…

Because Jesus paid our rightful price we now possess His supernatural love that resides within us. Maybe we haven’t expressed it because we don’t know we already have the capacity, through Him within, to do so.

In our Western Culture we are highly educated in the “me first” way of thinking. So, those who probably should know better, teach it as God’s way. Actually, there’s some…sorta…truth to that…maybe…a little bit. But, at best, it’s waaaay incomplete in understanding how God makes it work.

One of the many “voices of God in nature” gives us this principle: The Law of The Seed. We also find an abundance of examples in the teachings of the scriptures.

Actually, one of the Bible references we often attach to financial giving is Luke 6:38, “Give and it shall be given unto you…” However…

…that verse (in context) is not about finances at all. It’s about the giving of love, and mercy.

So, if you want to “feel the love” that comes from God, it’s about the seed sewn. As I quoted Jim Palmer at the beginning of this article, “I’d like to re-write Victor Hugo’s Les Mis quote this way, “Life’s great purpose is to convince others they are loved.”

It’s your turn. Please let us hear from you in the comments.

Gary

When We Need More Grace

Leave a reply

When many people read the title of this article, they will assume it’s about the “sin places” in our lives. Of course, it does apply to that kind of focus, but my point today is aimed at all of us that hit dry, seemingly non productive patches. Especially if the “patch” seems more like the size of the whole shirt and not just a small repair.

It is oh so common, at these “patch” times, to become more works/earn/self effort oriented in our approach to “the solution.” What we actually need is embrace more personal grace. Here are questions that reveal the voice of self demand:

What am I doing wrong?
What should I be doing better?
What is God saying that I’m not hearing?
Am I pleasing God?

We begin to obsess on “pleasing God.” Wow!!! Did I just say that out loud? Is it really possible to have too strong of desires to please the Lord?

You betcha!

Any time we strive to please Him with the accompanying thoughts of “getting it right” so that our circumstances have a better change of changing…that’s bad mojo, baby. Plain and simple, that is the path of performing to earn something. That’s no longer grace.

We don’t please God to “pay Him back,” either. You nor I could ever perform enough good to outweigh the weight and cost of sin. Besides the fact…believe it or not…that’s an insult to His finishing the work of the cross “as us.”

When we do what we do to “earn” or “pay back” it’s no longer a free gift. Now, here’s where the “R” card is often played. R = my Responsibility. But here’s the thing. True grace doesn’t make us into lazy non-responsible people. It makes us able-to-respond. Ie: Response Able.

During the “patch times” we need all the faith we can get, as it were. Therefore, since we are “saved” (not the going to heaven after our last heartbeat kind) by grace through faith, we need liberal grace realities soaking our brains or the faith will be derailed.

Troublesome Time

In the United States (and Western influenced societies) we have phrases like “time is of the essence.” We are a fast fast, hurry hurry, people. That seeps into our mentality of how things are done…and…how we think God does things. Or, how we think He realizes we know how things must be done. Like, “You know this has to be done yesterday, Lord. So, my faith is counting on You to keep my time schedule.”

The more I’ve been reading the scriptures lately, the more I’ve noticed that things seem to “take forever” on God’s watch. You may be tempted to say that it’s because it was a much slower society technologically, etc. But…in many ways, that’s our curse. Not our blessing.

The important thing is…God was ALWAYS faithful to His Word! He still is!

So, do your dusty best! “…or he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” I didn’t say that. David did in Psalm 103:14. The Holy Spirit also penned these words through Paul to his disciple, Timothy: “When we are faithless, He remains faithful.” [2 Timothy 2:13].

My point isn’t to encourage a ‘Que Sera, Sera’ (What will be, will be) attitude. But, that’s not the weakness of most sincere people. We need to realize we can embrace extravagant grace as God solution to our “dry patches.”

I love your input. You can do so though “comments.”

Gary

What “the word” Means

5 Replies

Some people do not believe that God speaks words of prophecy today. Others do. I’m one of them. But, what do these “words” actually mean? Here is my perspective:

I know it’s possible to abuse “spiritual gifts” that the Apostle Paul talks about in I Corinthians. But, I also believe that many bible teachers and preachers are often like “the new pharisees.” It’s just a contemporary brand of those who will not only not enter the “promised land” themselves, they block the way for others from entering. Their mantra is “Watch Out!” Instead of helping people get to a better place, they spend the volume of their time warning people against this or that on the grounds that it’s not biblical/scriptural. By itself, the “not biblical” characterization is pretty high minded.

To me, it would be far more truthful to say, “In my opinion I think (this or that) is what the Bible means here. That’s not compromise. That’s humility.

However on to my personal story on discovering what certain “words” (prophecy/dreams/etc) may mean…

Several times I’ve been given a word of prophecy that spoke about influence “to the ends of the earth.” I was cautious because a flattering word that promotes how great thou art can be deceptive. I also know that God speaks things that are not yet…but what will be…to encourage us. There is more than an abundance of negative, degrading, depressing thoughts “out in the world” in general, that the Lord will give a fresh word of His confidence in you.

At any rate, I was beginning to get “longer in the tooth” and didn’t know how this could actually be…but…God makes all things possible. (btw…I’m not THAT old)

The story continues…

I’ve been blogging now for a few years. Mostly like a journal for myself. For the first few years, I was not getting many readers on a consistent basis. In fact…I was sorta discouraged. However, I plodded along…but I stopped looking at the stats. In fact, I hadn’t for over a year. And then…

I decided recently to check them out. SHOCK! Although this isn’t so big at all by popular blogger standards, I was now consistently getting 1200 to 1500 brand new views a month with many more that were returning and reading more than one entry at a time.

SECOND SHOCK! Half of the views are outside of the United States in many surprising multiple countries all over the world. [One that surprised me...I don't know why...was a high number in India.]

So, the word of world wide influence is true, but interpreted differently than I originally imagined. And that’s not to mention my YouTube channel that gets 12,000-15,000 views per week.

This isn’t about brag…although, I’m proud and happy at what is happening with my internet work. It’s about allowing “words” to have richer and varied meanings than we initially realize.

Will I travel “in body”? Maybe. But, this I do know. His word (that came from multiple unknown people over a space of time) was absolutely true. And, I’m encouraged!

If you’re reading this right now, where are you from? It would be fun to see that in the comments.

I Am Not Ashamed

Leave a reply

“I am not ashamed that when God strapped on sandals and walked among us, God fed the hungry, wept with the mourning, touched the untouchable, turned water into wine, cracked jokes about religion, obeyed his mom, defended the defenseless, bantered with children, forgave his enemies, and reminded us that the whole point of it all is to love God and love our neighbors well. That’s it.”

You just read a paragraph of great insight and confession by Rachel Held Evans. I include it here, today, because it echos my own heartbeat and, IMHO, is one of the best “sermons” I’ve heard lately. If you’d like to read it for yourself, [and I so encourage you to], then go here. BUT FIRST…THIS SPOILER ALERT:

The article is a bit lengthy for the standard internet reader although I – a skimmer myself – kept being drawn on and shouting, “It’s worth the read.” Also…It’s not for the faint of heart. It begins with a “non condemning spirit” of reality concerning things that Rachel (and I) am “ashamed of and sorry for.”

You see…sometimes (many times) we need to face up to things that aren’t right to launch us forward into what is right.

Ready, set, go here.

Gary

The Miracle Second

Leave a reply

Let me introduce you (and me) to the sixty second miracle. That minute has miraculous power…for you…and others around you. In fact the miracle multiplies exponentially if you string a few of them together.

Let me help describe it by grabbing a quote from an article by Mark Morford, entitled, “Shut Up for One Tiny Second.”

“Not long ago, or maybe it was just last week, my friend had an epiphany.

She said, in a surprised and exasperated voice, in that tone you normally reserve for discovering you have obscenely bad breath or a third nipple or maybe a clump of shiny black hairs sticking out of your nose for the past week and no one bothered to tell you, she said, “Oh my God! Do you know what I just realized? I talk way too much.”

This was no small discovery. This was no inconsequential awakening. My friend — who was, by the way, wholly correct — was not one normally prone to sudden bouts of self-awareness, much less a startling, quasi-spiritual confession that something was seriously amiss in how she was interacting with the world, and she needs to do something about it.

She was stunned. I was stunned. She said she just recently grasped, to her horror, that she never really heard a single thing anyone else said, never really connected to a conversation, never really listened for anything except a pause in the conversation so she could jump back in and fill it with an opinion she’d been manically forming while others were talking.”

We all hold beliefs that we feel are absolute, true, and vital to life and eternity. I’m going to take for granted, for the moment, that what you hold to is, in fact, the real deal.

If your truth is better truth than someone else’s truth, isn’t it extra important to have the other person hear and consider what you are saying instead of enduring your voluminous “wisdom.”

It’s my experience that I get waaaay further down the road of by voice being heard…if my voice is not heard so much. If.I.Shut.Up.For.One.Tiny.Second. During that miraculous minute, I’ve discovered that I began to hear hearts that are holding desires not unlike mine.

Is it easy? Not for me it’s not. Especially if I believe that my truth is the truth and forever is at stake? Nuh-uh, it’s not easy. Waaaay not easy. But, I’m learning and I’m discovering the reality in something my dad used to say.

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

There’s another payoff. I learn stuff. Important stuff. I.don’t.know.it.all. Far from it. My life becomes richer (on so many levels) just for the listening.

But now it’s your turn to talk. Why do we have such a difficult time in this area? Maybe you don’t, but I do. So, help us all by sharing:

Gary

The Best Way To Believe

Leave a reply

There’s no question. Believing is the nature of living. We only experience what we believe…negative or positive. Then that begs the question, “What is the best way to believe.”

Notice I didn’t say, “What are the best things to believe;” But, what is the best way to believe?

There’s a way of holding a belief that says, “My belief perfectly contains God, and if you don’t believe it this way and use these words, you don’t have God.”

[Actually, you'll find this attitude touching more than religious belief systems. It is also encountered in political type discussions. When you combine the two....Whoa....powder keg with burning fuze.]

In my experience, the above way of believing also includes statements like, “This [or that] is [or isn't] “biblical” or “scriptural.” Now we have a battle of “God-sized” implications.

There’s another way of holding a belief that says, “I know that no words can contain God. But they can point in God’s direction. By looking in the direction these words seem to be pointing my vision and understanding of God seems fuller and helpful to what I understand of His purposes.

One might also say, “I’ve discovered life here. Beauty, hope, freedom, love, and purpose. I’m not saying I’m right and you’re wrong, but I am happy to share with you what I’ve found. I’m also happy to learn from you what you’ve found.”

[These aren't specific words you use like reading from a telemarketers phone script. It's simply descriptive of an attitude]

I found myself in a discussion with what many would call a “full blown new-ager.” The interesting thing was that he would respectfully listen to what I had to say, because I granted him the respect that I’m referring to. The reason I know that’s true is because he told me so.

We can say, “Jesus was combative toward error.”

Well….sometimes it might seem so. I don’t (nor do I pretend to) have all of the answers on this issue. I just know in my gizzard that attitude adjustments are very often called for in the way we so often present ourselves and the truths we hold. If you’re a “scrapper” by nature, (that’s code for “bullheaded”) then what’s shared in this article…well, maybe it’s worth some serious consideration.

Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath.”

If your truth and my truth is true, then Colossians 4:6 is in order:

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Gary

Rescued From Hell?

Leave a reply

What is salvation really all about? What’s God’s heart and purpose for mankind?

Spoiler Alert:

I’m not using this article to “preach” against the potential reality of an eternal separation from God. If you hear that, get irate, and don’t read on, then you will have missed it.

Back To Today’s Post:

I grew up in church (a good church of wonderful people) that emphasized – what I would now call – a “fear based Gospel.” The image presented was one of Jesus as our Savior that has as His primary mission to rescue sinners from the lake of fire. (And truthfully using sermon imagery that was originated by Dante’s Inferno).

Regardless of what the separation from God looks like, (I’ll leave that for others to bicker and name call over) I no longer believe that the “rescue from hell” scenario is anywhere near a complete and faithful — nor even primary rendition of God’s desires.

For me, this is a better statement of His purpose:

To give us the right to enter into a loving, living partnership with God that carries out His purposes in the earth and for time without end.

I recognize that there are several good and accurate ways that could be worded. But, for me, it pretty much hits the nail on the head.

[btw...the symbolic picture of the couple at the front of this article is purposely not white. The whole thing is not a white thing. It includes white, anglo saxon protestants, but it's waaaaay bigger and broader than that.]

For me, the reason for the shift in thinking is a big one. [I state again] I’m not denying the potential of eternal separation from God. However, I also believe that an emphasis on “staying out of hell” as the driving volition behind evangelism does a great disservice to what we refer to as the “cause of Christ.”

I believe it leaves us sin focused. (Even though we would say it’s redemption focused.) I do not believe it effectively motivates present “discipleship.” I believe it, too often, devalues the need for God driven social justice. I believe it fosters an “us and them” mentality that separates us from the very souls that “need saving.” And, I also believe it diminishes the ability to have a rich and meaningful present relationship with our Heavenly Father.

I certainly don’t want – nor will I have – an eternal separation from God. Nobody in their right mind would. But…

You and I have been offered a marriage relationship that embraces life, and love. With God, with each other, and with “the world.” [you know...."them."]

If we embrace God’s purposes and plans for us, we will be unique. We will stand out. But, it won’t be because of dogmas we demand, but because “they will know we are disciples because of the God brand of active, deep, cleansing, powerful, enabling, genuine love. Oh, and btw…the “God Brand” is the only legitimate, authentic brand….not just a better brand.

What’s love got to do…got to do with it? Everything.

Thoughts? Comments? Your turn

Gary

Planned Parenthood and McDonalds

2 Replies

A huge name preacher recently tweeted the following: “Planned Parenthood is the McDonald’s of abortion. It’s the #1 baby killing franchise.” Another very well known preacher “retweeted” this to his list of subscribers. (Tens of thousands of recipients.)

Hear me clearly on this:

I am not a proponent of abortion. No way, no how.
I am not using the mega-preachers names. Personalities is not my point.

Now let me ask the question:

How did that “cute punchy post” help the cause of Pro-Life Advocates? Some might say, “Well, I applaud them. We should not be silent on such a serious issue. (Perhaps that’s your response.)

I would agree! Silence is not the answer. Many things need to be spoken calmly “one on one.” Many other things need to be shouted from the house tops. But…

What things?

Second question (more of an observation, really)

Many might rightly say that this “tweet” wasn’t directed at individuals, but at an errant corporation!

That’s very true. However, the verbal fallout for those seeing it becomes “guilt by association.” Millions of our friends (more than you probably realize) and fellow church pew dwellers have made the choice to abort their own unborn. That’s left deep scars on a very high percentage of them…AND…their partners.

Healing is needed. Healthy bridge building dialogue is called for.

So, here’s the bottom line:

Instead of demonizing, use every opportunity to dialogue for the purpose of reconciliation…(that’s our ministry you know?) It’s so much easier to draw battle lines than it is to invest sweat equity into building bridges. The “corporation” is an inanimate business structure. However, flesh and blood real men and women with souls are still the corporation practitioners.
The more influence we have, the more we have to carefully weigh the weight of our words. What may be appropriate as a 140 character Twitter post, may be totally inappropriate to the purposes of Jesus Christ.
Just because a man or woman has a congregation or organization of multiplied thousands, doesn’t mean everything He/She does or says is gospel truth that carries the stamp of God’s approval.

As my mast head says, “What do you think?”

Gary