FEELING UNWORTHY
Zechariah 3: 1-7; Romans 7: 24
Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses us to ourselves in order to weaken our faith through condemnation. He accuses us to others to destroy relationships through strife. He accuses us to God as a prosecuting attorney pointing out our sins in order to turn God against us on legal grounds. He often succeeds in accusing us to ourselves and in accusing us to one another. The experience of Romans 7 (the infirmity of our flesh and our propensity to sin) makes us vulnerable to guilt and accusation. However, Romans 8 brings us out of condemnation, and the work of the cross disarms the enemy's accusatory assault against us before God (Colossians 2: 11-16). The work of the cross makes the enemy powerless. Zechariah 3 shows the futility of the enemy's efforts in this area. When he charges us with sin and failure, God simply says, "Jesus bore the sin, the penalty has been paid, and I have chosen them. They have been tried in the fire. My sovereign choice stands."
Zechariah 3 should be very encouraging to us because it reveals the enemy's helplessness before the blood of Christ and the sovereignty of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. God has chosen us and that settles it. He washes us, disciplines us, and gives us clean robes. How great is His abundant grace and steadfast love to His children!
A student who had confessed to sexual immorality was asked to stand before her Christian high school to express her repentance. Word of her situation had spread around school and everyone knew about the sin; therefore, it was necessary that they also be informed of her repentance. She stood before the assembled students and told of her failure and how she had turned back to the Lord. The Holy Spirit began to touch people, and teachers as well as students began to weep throughout the auditorium. Afterwards many came up in tears asking for prayer and confessing their own sins and need for help. The Lord had forgiven her and enabled her to be a blessing to many others. God is able to turn our shame and remove our reproach.
We are able to strengthen others when we turn to the Lord in our weaknesses and failures. Those who have never failed tend to be proud and critical and are often judgmental and condemning of others. Those who know their own frame (Psalm 103: 13-15) and who have seen their own “feet of clay” are more prone to compassion and mercy toward others.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Handling Mistakes and Failure
Peter's Examples
Matthew 16: 16-17, 22-23 "Get thee behind me, Satan"
We learn through our mistakes if we remain humble, teachable, and entreatable. At one moment Peter received a great revelation from the Father; the next moment he was influenced by the enemy. In one moment he was praised for his insight; the next moment he was rebuked for speaking without knowledge. Experiences such as these helped Peter to grow in discernment. If Peter and the other disciples had to learn through their mistakes, how much more should we expect to do the same? Instruction and discipline are the way of life. We should not be surprised and ashamed when we need them.
Luke 9: 33 "Lord, let us build three tabernacles..."
Peter stood in the glory of God and, even there, spoke foolishly. The Father had to silence him and move Peter's focus back to Jesus. It is a mistake to think a person is infallible just because he has been in the glory of God's presence. Experiencing the miraculous and the supernatural does not guarantee that a person's every thought, idea, and response is accurate. God uses imperfect vessels. Likewise, if God uses a person in one area, that does not make him perfect or an expert in other areas. Once again Peter learned from his mistakes.
Matthew 14: 24-31 "Lord, bid me come."
Peter was nervous about taking the risk. Therefore, he did not say "Let me come" walking on the water, but rather, "Command me to come." The clear commission removes the fear. At his command we can go forward in faith. And even if we, like Peter, begin to sink we can still rejoice that we were going to Jesus in faith as opposed to staying safely in the boat with those who never fail but who never accomplish anything either.
When Peter began to sink, he did not drown in failure but called out, "Lord, save me!" God is more pleased with those who stumble attempting to walk on water than with those who remain safely in the boat.
Luke 22: 31-34, 60-62 "I have prayed for you..."
Jesus did not rebuke Peter for the denial that was to come, but rather encouraged him and prayed that he would respond properly, repent, and come through it in faith rather than giving up and quitting. Jesus wanted him to come through the situation strong and able to strengthen others.
Your ability to strengthen and encourage others does not come from your never failing, nor does it come from your always being strong, but rather from your ability to break and "turn again," to repent and appropriate grace when you have failed or have sinned. Don't let faith fail when you fail.
"The Lord turned and looked at Peter." Considering the context, this is one of the most precious sentences in the Bible. The sovereignty and love of God are revealed in this glance. That look was not one of condemnation, but of mercy, acceptance, and encouragement. God had providentially orchestrated the events of Jesus' trial so that Jesus would be able to turn and look at Peter at just the right moment. That glance came at the perfect time to encourage Peter and remind him of Jesus' words— "I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren."
2 Corinthians 7: 8-11
What will you do with your shame? Just be embarrassed, or be broken and turn to the Lord?
Often people are humiliated but not humbled. We must find godly sorrow and not the "sorrow of the world." Worldly sorrow can be a form of self-centeredness and rebellion. It causes us to wallow in self-pity, to remain in the pit, and to stay stubborn before God. Godly sorrow causes us to arise, to depend upon God's mercy, and to appropriate His transforming and enabling grace.
Matthew 16: 16-17, 22-23 "Get thee behind me, Satan"
We learn through our mistakes if we remain humble, teachable, and entreatable. At one moment Peter received a great revelation from the Father; the next moment he was influenced by the enemy. In one moment he was praised for his insight; the next moment he was rebuked for speaking without knowledge. Experiences such as these helped Peter to grow in discernment. If Peter and the other disciples had to learn through their mistakes, how much more should we expect to do the same? Instruction and discipline are the way of life. We should not be surprised and ashamed when we need them.
Luke 9: 33 "Lord, let us build three tabernacles..."
Peter stood in the glory of God and, even there, spoke foolishly. The Father had to silence him and move Peter's focus back to Jesus. It is a mistake to think a person is infallible just because he has been in the glory of God's presence. Experiencing the miraculous and the supernatural does not guarantee that a person's every thought, idea, and response is accurate. God uses imperfect vessels. Likewise, if God uses a person in one area, that does not make him perfect or an expert in other areas. Once again Peter learned from his mistakes.
Matthew 14: 24-31 "Lord, bid me come."
Peter was nervous about taking the risk. Therefore, he did not say "Let me come" walking on the water, but rather, "Command me to come." The clear commission removes the fear. At his command we can go forward in faith. And even if we, like Peter, begin to sink we can still rejoice that we were going to Jesus in faith as opposed to staying safely in the boat with those who never fail but who never accomplish anything either.
When Peter began to sink, he did not drown in failure but called out, "Lord, save me!" God is more pleased with those who stumble attempting to walk on water than with those who remain safely in the boat.
Luke 22: 31-34, 60-62 "I have prayed for you..."
Jesus did not rebuke Peter for the denial that was to come, but rather encouraged him and prayed that he would respond properly, repent, and come through it in faith rather than giving up and quitting. Jesus wanted him to come through the situation strong and able to strengthen others.
Your ability to strengthen and encourage others does not come from your never failing, nor does it come from your always being strong, but rather from your ability to break and "turn again," to repent and appropriate grace when you have failed or have sinned. Don't let faith fail when you fail.
"The Lord turned and looked at Peter." Considering the context, this is one of the most precious sentences in the Bible. The sovereignty and love of God are revealed in this glance. That look was not one of condemnation, but of mercy, acceptance, and encouragement. God had providentially orchestrated the events of Jesus' trial so that Jesus would be able to turn and look at Peter at just the right moment. That glance came at the perfect time to encourage Peter and remind him of Jesus' words— "I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren."
2 Corinthians 7: 8-11
What will you do with your shame? Just be embarrassed, or be broken and turn to the Lord?
Often people are humiliated but not humbled. We must find godly sorrow and not the "sorrow of the world." Worldly sorrow can be a form of self-centeredness and rebellion. It causes us to wallow in self-pity, to remain in the pit, and to stay stubborn before God. Godly sorrow causes us to arise, to depend upon God's mercy, and to appropriate His transforming and enabling grace.
Psalm 25: 1-3, 20; Isaiah 61: 7; 54: 4-8
David completed his course and served the purpose of God in his generation (Acts 13: 36) even though his life was not perfect. There were many incidences in his life in which he could have been called a failure, yet he still went on to fulfill God's purpose and was called a man after God's heart. David's example shows us that God, while not condoning sin and irresponsibility, does factor in our mistakes, failures, and short-comings. He probably makes more allowances for us than we do. "He knows our frame; He remembers that we are but dust" (Psalm 103: 8-14). Therefore, He extends great mercy and abundant grace to those who sincerely desire and seek to do His will.
There are examples in the Bible of people who seriously failed in God's service, but generally these failures are indicative of heart problems rather than competency issues. King Saul is an example. He was disqualified and removed from the throne, not because he lacked skill at being a king, but because he did not have a heart to obey the Lord (Acts 13: 22; 1 Cor. 9: 27). He failed in his obedience and faith, and he refused to surrender to the will of God. The issue comes back to the heart. A person who is rebellious at heart will fail and then use his failure as an excuse to further disobey. A person with a heart after God may stumble but will get back up and persevere in his attempt to please God and do His will.
God is the ultimate judge of success and failure. In one phase of ministry I felt I was riding a graceful and beautiful thoroughbred. In another phase I felt I was riding a bucking bronco, tossed and thrown. A third situation felt like sitting on an old sway-back, gray mule who could barely stand up. The first seemed a success, the second a partial success and a partial failure, while the third started off slow and then gradually tapered off—basically it failed. But things are not always as they seem. Man and God do not always esteem things the same, and the mysteries of His will are not always known to us. Therefore, in all circumstances, we should endure and hold to Jesus in faith. We should do our best and let God be the judge. Sometimes we succeed in God's plan while failing in our own, while at other times we fail in our own while succeeding in His. What we think is failure may not be failure at all, and, even when the failure is real, God is able to work redemptively and turn our shame into double honor.
Why failure is an important topic:
1. Because of the fall of man and the consequent infirmity of the flesh, all mankind is prone to fall short and fail. Christians need to understand the grace and mercy of God.
2. Man's weakness causes him to be vulnerable to the enemy's accusations and to
self-condemnation.
3. The complexities of life and the mysteries of God's sovereign wisdom are such
that man cannot always properly interpret his lot and situation.
4. Apparent failure should be no reason to quit or be disillusioned in the pursuit of God's purpose.
5. We must learn to handle both success and failure in a godly manner, for we can
be deceived by both. Things are not always what they seem.
Ecclesiastes 10: 1 "...So a little folly outweighs wisdom"
Our failures often make a bigger “splash” than our successes. People will often forget all the good a man has done and judge him based on the one mistake or failure in his life. Many contemporary men of God who have done great works and accomplished very significant things for God will be remembered primarily for the sin that was discovered in their lives. A man's folly is more entertaining to the public than his wisdom. His sins will be trumpeted much louder than his accomplishments, especially if they follow his accomplishments. The enemy takes advantage of our sins and failures in order to produce shame and despair, and ultimately to make us quit.
FEELING UNWORTHY
Zechariah 3: 1-7; Romans 7: 24
Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses us to ourselves in order to weaken our faith through condemnation. He accuses us to others to destroy relationships through strife. He accuses us to God as a prosecuting attorney pointing out our sins in order to turn God against us on legal grounds. He often succeeds in accusing us to ourselves and in accusing us to one another.
The experience of Romans 7 (the infirmity of our flesh and our propensity to sin) makes us vulnerable to guilt and accusation. However, Romans 8 brings us out of condemnation, and the work of the cross disarms the enemy's accusatory assault against us before God (Colossians 2: 11-16). The work of the cross makes the enemy powerless. Zechariah 3 shows the futility of the enemy's efforts in this area. When he charges us with sin and failure, God simply says, "Jesus bore the sin, the penalty has been paid, and I have chosen them. They have been tried in the fire. My sovereign choice stands."
Zechariah 3 should be very encouraging to us because it reveals the enemy's helplessness before the blood of Christ and the sovereignty of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. God has chosen us and that settles it. He washes us, disciplines us, and gives us clean robes. How great is His abundant grace and steadfast love to His children!
A student who had confessed to sexual immorality was asked to stand before her Christian high school to express her repentance. Word of her situation had spread around school and everyone knew about the sin; therefore, it was necessary that they also be informed of her repentance. She stood before the assembled students and told of her failure and how she had turned back to the Lord. The Holy Spirit began to touch people, and teachers as well as students began to weep throughout the auditorium. Afterwards many came up in tears asking for prayer and confessing their own sins and need for help. The Lord had forgiven her and enabled her to be a blessing to many others. God is able to turn our shame and remove our reproach.
We are able to strengthen others when we turn to the Lord in our weaknesses and failures. Those who have never failed tend to be proud and critical and are often judgmental and condemning of others. Those who know their own frame (Psalm 103: 13-15) and who have seen their own “feet of clay” are more prone to compassion and mercy toward others.
Luke 7: 36-48
Like the woman "who was a sinner" we should turn our sin into true repentance, deep love, sincere gratitude, faithful service, and a faithful
testimony.
David completed his course and served the purpose of God in his generation (Acts 13: 36) even though his life was not perfect. There were many incidences in his life in which he could have been called a failure, yet he still went on to fulfill God's purpose and was called a man after God's heart. David's example shows us that God, while not condoning sin and irresponsibility, does factor in our mistakes, failures, and short-comings. He probably makes more allowances for us than we do. "He knows our frame; He remembers that we are but dust" (Psalm 103: 8-14). Therefore, He extends great mercy and abundant grace to those who sincerely desire and seek to do His will.
There are examples in the Bible of people who seriously failed in God's service, but generally these failures are indicative of heart problems rather than competency issues. King Saul is an example. He was disqualified and removed from the throne, not because he lacked skill at being a king, but because he did not have a heart to obey the Lord (Acts 13: 22; 1 Cor. 9: 27). He failed in his obedience and faith, and he refused to surrender to the will of God. The issue comes back to the heart. A person who is rebellious at heart will fail and then use his failure as an excuse to further disobey. A person with a heart after God may stumble but will get back up and persevere in his attempt to please God and do His will.
God is the ultimate judge of success and failure. In one phase of ministry I felt I was riding a graceful and beautiful thoroughbred. In another phase I felt I was riding a bucking bronco, tossed and thrown. A third situation felt like sitting on an old sway-back, gray mule who could barely stand up. The first seemed a success, the second a partial success and a partial failure, while the third started off slow and then gradually tapered off—basically it failed. But things are not always as they seem. Man and God do not always esteem things the same, and the mysteries of His will are not always known to us. Therefore, in all circumstances, we should endure and hold to Jesus in faith. We should do our best and let God be the judge. Sometimes we succeed in God's plan while failing in our own, while at other times we fail in our own while succeeding in His. What we think is failure may not be failure at all, and, even when the failure is real, God is able to work redemptively and turn our shame into double honor.
Why failure is an important topic:
1. Because of the fall of man and the consequent infirmity of the flesh, all mankind is prone to fall short and fail. Christians need to understand the grace and mercy of God.
2. Man's weakness causes him to be vulnerable to the enemy's accusations and to
self-condemnation.
3. The complexities of life and the mysteries of God's sovereign wisdom are such
that man cannot always properly interpret his lot and situation.
4. Apparent failure should be no reason to quit or be disillusioned in the pursuit of God's purpose.
5. We must learn to handle both success and failure in a godly manner, for we can
be deceived by both. Things are not always what they seem.
Ecclesiastes 10: 1 "...So a little folly outweighs wisdom"
Our failures often make a bigger “splash” than our successes. People will often forget all the good a man has done and judge him based on the one mistake or failure in his life. Many contemporary men of God who have done great works and accomplished very significant things for God will be remembered primarily for the sin that was discovered in their lives. A man's folly is more entertaining to the public than his wisdom. His sins will be trumpeted much louder than his accomplishments, especially if they follow his accomplishments. The enemy takes advantage of our sins and failures in order to produce shame and despair, and ultimately to make us quit.
FEELING UNWORTHY
Zechariah 3: 1-7; Romans 7: 24
Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses us to ourselves in order to weaken our faith through condemnation. He accuses us to others to destroy relationships through strife. He accuses us to God as a prosecuting attorney pointing out our sins in order to turn God against us on legal grounds. He often succeeds in accusing us to ourselves and in accusing us to one another.
The experience of Romans 7 (the infirmity of our flesh and our propensity to sin) makes us vulnerable to guilt and accusation. However, Romans 8 brings us out of condemnation, and the work of the cross disarms the enemy's accusatory assault against us before God (Colossians 2: 11-16). The work of the cross makes the enemy powerless. Zechariah 3 shows the futility of the enemy's efforts in this area. When he charges us with sin and failure, God simply says, "Jesus bore the sin, the penalty has been paid, and I have chosen them. They have been tried in the fire. My sovereign choice stands."
Zechariah 3 should be very encouraging to us because it reveals the enemy's helplessness before the blood of Christ and the sovereignty of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. God has chosen us and that settles it. He washes us, disciplines us, and gives us clean robes. How great is His abundant grace and steadfast love to His children!
A student who had confessed to sexual immorality was asked to stand before her Christian high school to express her repentance. Word of her situation had spread around school and everyone knew about the sin; therefore, it was necessary that they also be informed of her repentance. She stood before the assembled students and told of her failure and how she had turned back to the Lord. The Holy Spirit began to touch people, and teachers as well as students began to weep throughout the auditorium. Afterwards many came up in tears asking for prayer and confessing their own sins and need for help. The Lord had forgiven her and enabled her to be a blessing to many others. God is able to turn our shame and remove our reproach.
We are able to strengthen others when we turn to the Lord in our weaknesses and failures. Those who have never failed tend to be proud and critical and are often judgmental and condemning of others. Those who know their own frame (Psalm 103: 13-15) and who have seen their own “feet of clay” are more prone to compassion and mercy toward others.
Luke 7: 36-48
Like the woman "who was a sinner" we should turn our sin into true repentance, deep love, sincere gratitude, faithful service, and a faithful
testimony.
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