Learn from Failure, Lean on Jesus

Losing stinks. I didn’t like to lose when I played sports and I didn’t like to lose when I coached Grayson and Riley. And I’ll admit it, I’m a sore loser. You work hard to do your best and sometimes it just isn’t good enough. Sometimes there is someone out there whose best is better than yours. And yes, that stinks, because we want to think we are the best.

It also stinks when you try to do your best, to be obedient to God and you stumble. You have a bad thought, say the wrong thing or do something you know you shouldn’t do. And then you realize, your best wasn’t good enough. You failed.

Failure is a good thing. I know, for someone who hates to lose that is a tough thing to say, but failure can help us to be better.

First, it keeps us humble. A good reminder that we aren’t perfect and that sometimes our best isn’t good enough. Thankfully we have Jesus, who was and is perfect. Through His perfection, when our best isn’t good enough, His is. John wrote in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Second, failure is a learning experience. Riley was my goalie in soccer. We won a lot of games because he kept the ball out of the net. But we lost some games too. Every time someone scored on him, we would talk about what went right and what went wrong. Sometimes there was nothing he could have done and sometimes he knew he made a mistake. When we are honest about our failures and examine what went wrong, we can learn how to prevent it from happening again.

Finally, failure is a realization that we are human, and all humans fail. It should help us to find compassion for others. I’ve said many times that Christians should be more open about their failures and share with others. Do you know how many people are just like you who fail and think they are all alone in their failure? Don’t be afraid to share your failures.

It’s ok not to like failure. We shouldn’t. Jesus said in His sermon on the mount, “Blessed are those who mourn” Matthew 5:4. When we mourn our failures we will correct them.  Losing stinks. Failure stinks. But, what we gain from it can be invaluable. 

See you Sunday!

Pastor Glen

Whose light is it anyway?

I saw something on social media recently that said, “Your self worth revolves around your own ability to see your own light. So let it shine.” 

Do you see a challenge with this statement? There are a lot of yours in one sentence. Your self worth, your own ability, your own light. What should be a striking difference between those who believe and those who don’t, is where we find value. 

First, we should find greatest value in our relationship with God. Not only did He create us, but He provided a way for us to be reconciled with Him through His only son, Jesus Christ.  Romans chapter five, verse eight says “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That alone should give us ample reason to see the incredible value of our relationship with God. 

But it doesn’t end there. He is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. He provides protection, guidance, joy, hope, peace and the list goes on. My life is worth nothing unless I have a relationship with God. That relationship only happens through Christ.

Second, I have no ability except that which is given to me by God. Throughout my life I can see how God has worked to bring me where I am today. Read what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” All that I am is because of Him.

Finally, it’s not my light that needs to shine, it’s His. One of my favorite verses is John 3:30 and I like the NIV translation. John the Baptist is approached by some of his followers who are not happy that this new guy, Jesus, is pulling followers away from John. Look how John responds, “He must become greater, I must become less.”

What John knew and what we must understand, is whatever we do in life, it should lift the name of Jesus above our own. Our desire should be to point people to Jesus so they can discover what we already feel, the incredible mercy, love and grace of God. 

Your self worth revolves around Jesus, who died on a cross so we may be reconciled to God who provides us our abilities. Allowing the light of Christ to shine in a dark world. Let His light shine in you.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Glen

Let Love Rule

February is the month of love. At least that’s what the greeting cards say. In 2024, the Valentine’s Day industry was expected to reach around 26 billion dollars. That is a lot of flowers and candy. It’s America’s 9^th favorite day of the year. But did you know Valentine’s Day has Christian roots?

The Feast of St. Valentine is a celebration that takes place on February 14^th. It was originally a Christian feast that honored Valentine, a 3^rd century clergyman, who ministered to persecuted Christians. Valentine was arrested and later martyred. His body was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14^th. 

Sometime in the 14^th and 15^th centuries, the feast turned into a celebration of love between two people. That is when the rise of courtly love took place. Courtly love emphasized nobility and chivalry. In other words, show me how much you love me. It’s where we get the idea of knights going on adventures to earn their ladies love. For us today, men don’t have to slay dragons, just fight the lines at the flower shops and gift stores. 

Love is the main theme throughout the Bible. The word appears in some form over 500 times. Loving your family, thou shall honor thy mother and father, to loving your neighbor, as thyself, it’s all about love. That is because God is love. It is who He is, His inner being, His essence.

We are also supposed to be about love. “Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14. Everything. Every action and word should be wrapped up in love. I know. It’s hard. But that is who we are supposed to be, reflecting the light and love of God. 

What we do is reflective on the church, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God. Either we are reflecting something that is loving, which attracts people to Jesus or we are reflecting something that pushes them away. 

Make loving others a part of your character, your inner being, your essence. Together, by showing the love of God, we might see some become saved.

- Pastor Glen