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Failure as a Teacher

2/18/2014

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Failure is part of life here on planet earth. Failure came in the garden when Adam & Eve disobeyed an easy rule. The next morning, Adam may have said, “Hey Eve, there’s weeds in the garden, we have crop failure.” In spite of failure being the result sin, failure is one of the best teachers.

Many of the main characters in the Bible had huge failings.

Moses – God told Moses he would be the rescuer of Israel. Moses kills and an Egyptian and spends the next 40 years in the desert watching sheep. Moses became a great leader after those forty years.

Samson – He was strong and foolish. Most of his failures were with his relationship with women. His last feat of strength brought a great victory over Israel’s enemy.

David – He committed adultery and murder. When David was confronted of his sins, he cried out to God for forgiveness and was called ‘a man after God’s won heart’.

Peter – He sank trying to walk on water, sliced a guys ear with a sword, and his worse failure: Peter denied that he knew Jesus three times. Peter knew forgiveness from failure and lived bold for Jesus doing miracles, telling others of Jesus. Tradition holds that Peter was martyred, killed for his faithful actions.

Paul – He killed Christians until he became a Christian! Paul thought he was doing something worthy for God and discovered that he trying to destroy what God was building. After Paul encountered Jesus, he became Christianity’s main spokesman at that time.

Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


If you let your failures be your best teacher, you will see what God will do in you.


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Best Valentine's Day Gifts You Can Give

2/14/2014

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It is Valentine’s Day, love is in the air and businesses are cashing in on the love. Alexandra Churchill, a staff writer for The New Hampshire, an independent student newspaper at the University of New Hampshire, shares the following Valentine's Day statistics:
*180 million cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card giving holiday of the year.
*On average, men shell out $130 each on candy, cards, jewelry, flowers and dates. That's more than double what women commit to spending.
*$403 million is the combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2008 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
*15 percent of women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
*64 percent of men do not make plans with their sweethearts, but beware; 53 percent of women in America would dump their boyfriend if they did not get them anything for Valentine's Day.
*70 percent of celebrators give a card followed by a phone call (49 percent), special dinner (37 percent), candy (33 percent), restaurant meal (30 percent), and flowers (19 percent).

I will give my sweetheart of 33 years a gift of sweets because Connie likes a good box of quality chocolates. There is something better that you and I can give to those we love. You cannot purchase these in a store, but they will be priceless to those who receive these gifts.
>Tell them what you like about them.
>Publicly honor them.
>Encourage them to pursue their personal interests.
>Celebrate their victories.
>Listen to their disappointments.
>Let them into the interior of your life.
>Apologize quickly when you are wrong.
>Forgive and do not bring wrongs they have asked forgiveness for.
>Pray with them on a regular basis.
>Be their biggest cheerleader throughout life.

When given repeatedly throughout the year, these gifts will deepen your love for each other.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails….


Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Failing Forward

2/13/2014

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I am doing an Olympic series at church during the month of February. The Bible has much to say about competition, achievement, success and rewards. While watching the Olympics, I noticed how athletes handled defeat, especially when they were expected to do well and interviewed immediately after not placing in their event. Some blamed the course or the conditions, while others took responsibility for their low performance and congratulated the medal winners.

True champions have learned from their failures and continue to move forward. Those who do not either quit, give up or become bitter. I was pleased with the title I am giving the message, “Failing Forward” until I discovered John Maxwell has written a book by the same title, Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes Into Stepping Stones for Success. I am learning from my message titling failure and am sharing Maxwell’s success strategies from failures:

Maxwell says “…..I know of only one factor that separates those who consistently shine from those who don’t: The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.” He outlines four areas and “success strategies” in his book that help us see failure in a positive light and move us towards success.

1. Redefining Failure and Success
Most high achievers don’t see mistakes as the enemy, but an opportunity to learn. It begins with perspective; acknowledging and viewing our failures as stepping stones to our goals or purpose, “the price we pay to achieve success” as opposed to avoiding it at all costs.

2. Do You Mind Changing Your Mind
Maxwell contends that failure is an inside job. To win the mind game against adversity requires a positive attitude. The secret to creating optimism is learning “contentment”.
“Contentment comes from having a positive attitude. It means expecting the best in everything-not the worst; remaining upbeat-even when you get beat up; seeing solutions in every problem-not problems in every solution; believing in yourself-even when others believe you’ve failed; holding on to hope-even when others say it’s hopeless…a positive attitude comes from within. Your circumstances and your contentment are unrelated.”

3. Embracing Failure as a Friend
There is a certain amount of adversity we just have to overcome to succeed. But Maxwell takes it one step further, “To achieve your dreams, you must embrace adversity and make failure a regular part of your life.  If you’re not failing you’re probably not really moving forward.”

4. Increasing Your Odds for Success
Maxwell spells out the top reasons why people fail, and here are some of the actions that we can take to achieve success and fail forward:
• Develop people skills; build solid relationships and Emotional Intelligence or EQ.
• Attitude is everything; with one shift in perspective, our circumstances can change dramatically. Recognize when circumstances need changing; where there is a disconnect with a job, career path, or relationship.
• Examine the level of commitment and focus. A lack in either area can turn simple mishaps into failures.
• Be flexible and open to change. If you resist it you deny success.
• Develop self discipline, take personal accountability; take action in spite of outer circumstances. Create an action plan, goals for next steps and a sense of purpose.
• Talent alone won’t bring success. Don’t settle; let’s improve our gifts, and the weak areas that can hold us back.

You may order the book through JohnMaxwell.com, Amazon or any other book seller.
Keep moving forward!


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Pursuing the Prize

2/11/2014

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The Winter Olympics have begun in Sochi, Russia and athletes around the world are competing for a medal. The strict training of each team and individual is being tested against the clock on the slope or ice. The apostle Paul was on a quest to get a prize. He was living very intentionally and purposefully.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.


One of the greatest challenges to a competing athlete is putting mistakes and failures behind them. A painful wipe-out on a practice run or seeing the athlete ahead of you getting medical aid following a career ending fall must be difficult to overcome. If they have a previous fall or loss stuck in their head, it will prevent them from moving forward to victory. Paul admits that he has not arrived, but is moving forward rather than being stuck.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


The voices of past failings are always ready to have a place in my head and heart. A conflict that was not able to be resolved, my best sharing about Jesus not resulting in a person deciding to love Jesus, a family leaving our church because it did not fulfill their expectations or prayers in faith that did not result in healing are stories that become hurdles to me for pursuing the prize. I have to be like Paul and forget what is behind and continue pressing towards the prize.

Are you pursuing the prize that lasts forever?
What things of the past that needs to be forgotten?


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Bronze Snakes and Bad Ideas

2/10/2014

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I am reading through the history of Israel delivered by God from Egypt. Moses is leading the people into a new land and new opportunities. God calls Moses up to the mountain to talk with him. While Moses is gone, the people have Aaron, Moses’ brother, make a golden calf for them to worship. This act of choosing to worship something, anything other than God was met with severe judgment from God.

Fast forward one year. The people continue to complain and not trust in God’s ability to protect and provide for them resulting in 40 years of desert wanderings until a new generation has replaced the disobedient generation. The nation has finally begun to fulfill the destiny God intended. Following a victory, once again, the people complain.
Numbers 21:4-8
They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.


I am always wrong when I disagree with the LORD, but a bronze snake on a pole seems like a bad idea given the people’s propensity to worship idols. The Bible records about Hezekiah, a good king who lived generations after the bronze snake, is cleaning the spiritual house of Israel.
2 Kings 18:3-4
He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)


When I think the children of Israel were spiritual idiots for witnessing God’s activity in the world and then doubting His ability, the Holy Spirit reminds me of my failings. Any time I worry or anxious, I am forgetting that God loves me and is more than able to rescue me from whatever trouble I am encountering.  

Does worry or anxiety ever take over your faith and trust in God?


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Pierre de Coubertin

2/5/2014

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Pierre de Coubertin was the founder of the International Olympic Committee and is considered the father of the modern Olympic Games. Born in Paris, France on January 1, 1863, Coubertin was a French educator and historian. He died in Geneva, Switzerland on September 2, 1937.

Coubertin’s vision and political skills revived the Olympic Games in 1896, after 1503 years without any Olympic competition. In 1912, he designed the symbol of five interlocking rings bearing the colors red, blue, black, green and yellow on a white background. One or more of the six colors appear on each flag of the countries competing at that time. The rings represent the five regions of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania, and the Americas.  The phrase, “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Faster, Higher, Stronger) was written by a friend of Coubertin, proposed by Coubertin and became the Olympic motto in 1924.

Coubertin believed the Olympic Games would promote peace, encourage physical and intellectual development, and feature amateur competition instead of professional athletes competing. He believed the competition itself was more important than winning.  
"L'important dans la vie ce n'est point le triomphe, mais le combat, l'essentiel ce n'est pas d'avoir vaincu mais de s'être bien battu."
The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.

Coubertin’s ideal that participation is more important than winning was not what the Greeks promoted in the ancient Olympic Games. The apostle Paul writes of competing, winning and getting the prize in reference to either the Isthminian or Olympic Games.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.


The prize Paul tells us to pursue is one that has value beyond this life; following and obeying the Lord Jesus in all of life.


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Strict Training for the Sochi Olympics

2/3/2014

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The opening ceremony of the Sochi Olympics will begin the 2014 Winter Olympics this Friday. The events over the next 17 days will determine who is best in their sport. USA will have 230 athletes competing – largest number ever for any country at the Winter Games. Todd Lodwich will be first American to compete in his sixth Winter Olympics in Nordic combined (cross country skiing & ski-jumping) – teammates Billy Demong and skier Bode Miller will be in their fifth.  Although, an injury from a  fall on January 10th may keep him from competing. The oldest US member is 45 yrs old curler Ann Swisshelm. Free-style skier, Maggie Voisin,  is the youngest US member at age 15. There are 27 athletes with ties to Minnesota are competing. All athletes have been strictly training for these games.

The Olympics will captivate us this month. The Olympics were a big deal during the time of the New Testament and they caught the attention of the Apostle Paul. He refers to athletes and competition in a few of his letters and, in one notable passage, mentions two of the sports that were part of the Olympic competition in his day - Running and Boxing.  Paul often compared our living the Christian life to the athletes who participated in the ancient Olympic Games.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.


The ancient Olympic Games were the biggest events in the ancient world. Olympian Games began in 776BC and were held every four years. The games started in Olympia, Greece and only men that were free Greeks could compete. All athletes underwent ten months of strict training. They kept a strict diet and discipline of their body. The athletes would deny themselves certain things to gain a certain thing. No aimless running, no aimless boxing.

There is no room for aimlessness in Christian warfare. The enemy of our soul plays dirty and cheats. It is only those who are spiritually in strict training to master faith and put that faith into practice, which will finish the race and be given the reward of eternal life in God’s mercy at the end.

What are you contending for spiritually?
What strict training is needed?


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    Mark Radeke

    Husband of one, father of five, pastor and friend of many.

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