C. BOSTIAN        Facing The Facts About Failure        1/8/06

MAKING A FRESH START:

 

Romans 3:23-23 (paraphrase)

All of us have failed, falling way short of fulfilling the beauty of God‘s plan, that which God intended us to be.

 

Matthew 25:42-46 (MsgB)

And why? Because—I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  [43] I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.' [44] "Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you [S] hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?' [45] "He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.'

[46] "Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward."

 

AS WE PREPARE FOR COMMUNION THIS MORNING I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME COMMENTS ABOUT FACING THE FACTS ABOUT FAILURE.  IN OUR POLITICALLY CORRECT, SEEKER FRIENDLY SOCIETY WE HAVE TONED DOWN THE HARSHNESS OF BIBLICAL TERMONOLOGY AND REPLACE THE WORD SIN AND REPLACED IT WITH THE WORDS “PERSONAL FAILURE.”  I THINK THAT IS OK BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON’T LIKE TO ADMITT EITHER.  SO WHEN EVER YOU SEE THE WORD “SIN” IN SCRIPTURE THIS MORNING WE COULD REPLACE IT WITH THE WORD FAILURE.  NOW LET ME DEFINE FAILURE FOR YOU SO THAT WE HAVE A CONCRETE UNDERSTANDING.

 

FAILURE IS AN omission of occurrence or performance; specifically: a failing to perform a duty or expected action.  IT CAN BE a state of inability to perform a normal function.  IT CAN ALSO BE a fracturing or giving way under stress. FAILURE IS ALSO CONSIDERED A lack of success As one who is failing in A business that results in BANKRUPTCY.  [s] FAILURE IS ALSO a falling short or a DEFICIENCY OR not PRODUCING the intended effect.  To become deficient; to be insufficient; to cease to be abundant or to be entirely wanting. OTHER TERMS DESCRIBING FAILURE WOULD INCLUDE: becoming weaker; decaying; declining; omitting; not executing or performing; miscarrying; neglecting; wanting; becoming bankrupt or insolvent.  WOW! that just doesn’t sound good and yet that fact remains: we all fail AT SOME TIME IN OUR LIFE AND PROBABLY MORE OFTEN THAN WE WANT TO ADMIT.

 

[s] 1 Tim. 1:15

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (failures); of whom I am chief.  (The Apostle Paul)      

 

[s] LISTEN, IF THERE WASN’T PERSONAL FAILURE THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR A SAVIOR AND YET Americans have very little patience for losers. A team starts having a losing season AND ticket sales plummet. WHENEVER A certain sports star hitS a drought, or difficult time the fans AND THE SPORTS ANOUNCERS turn into fault-finders. [s] There’s a famous American expression: “When you’re hot you’re hot, and when you’re not, you’re not.”   In America, we hate losers and we love winners. Failure is considered the unpardonable sin. We canonize champions, we adore achievers. We worship winners, and we sanctify the successful. Everybody wants to succeed. The fact is, I’ve never met anybody in life who’s said, “My goal IN life is to fail.” Everybody strives for success AND TO BE A WINNER because failure comes all to easy.

 

[s] Failure seldom stops you. What stops you is the fear of failure. --Jack Lemmon

 

LISTEN, the emphasis on success puts enormous stress on our society. WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT failure IS ACTUALLY A NORMAL part of life AND IS PART OF THE PROCESS TOWARDS SUCCESS. Yet nobody wants to be called or considered a failure. I suppose that’s a part of life as well. But many people will do anything - lie, cheat, steal, lower their standards, or morals - in order to succeed. It IS rEALLY JUST that important to SOME people.   IF THERE IS ONE THING YOU DON’T WANTED TO BE LABLED AS THAT IS A "Failure.” And as a result, we fear failure. We’re afraid of what it might do to us. If I fail what will happen to me? What will other people think? Will I be rejected? Will anybody love me? Will I be considered worthless?

 

2 Cor. 4:7-12 (MsgB)

If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us.  [8] As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not [s] demoralized; we're not sure what to do,  [9] but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken.  [10] What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives!  [11] Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us.  [12] While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best!

 

The fear of failure is a universal fear. And it causes many people and enormous amount of stress in their lives. [s]  the fear of failure can be the cause two extremes.  [s] The fear of failure can cause you to be indecisive, you’re worried about what choice to make. What if I make the wrong choice? So you can’t decide AND YOU DON’T DO ANYTHING. THE FEAR OF FAILURE CAN MAKE YOU A PROCRASTINATOR.  ON THE OTHERHAND, [s] The fear of failure can cause you to be a workaholic - you work and overwork, trying to keep up, trying to get ahead AND trying to stay ahead.   The fear of failure can cause you to be a perfectionist where you’re always worried that it’s never good enough to meet the critiquing of people. And you’re never quite satisfied because you’re afraid people won’t like what you did, or how you did it CAUSE you’ll be looked on as a failure.

 

[s] I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. ~Bill Cosby

 

Don't tell other people your troubles. Half of them aren't interested, and the other half think you deservE it.

Unknown

[s] A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.  George Benard Shaw

 

Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.              Oscar Wilde

 

[s] The fact is, failure is a part of life. The first fact about failure is that failure is a fact. And though we can seek to minimize our mistakes and failures, the issue is not how to keep from failing, but how to survive and recover from failure.   Today we’re going to look at what God says about failure in His Word, and we’re going to try to reduce the stress level in our lives by looking at four things we can do WHEN we fail. Not if, but when. Let me ask you: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FAIL?

 

[s] Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. ~Henry Ford

Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, "I have failed three times," and what happens when he says, "I am a failure." ~S.I. Hayakawa

 

Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

[s] Romans 3:23 (KJV) 

    For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

Romans 3:19 (KJV) 

    Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

 

[s] James 2:10 (KJV) 

    For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

 

James 3:2 (MsgB) 

    And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.

 

[s] James 3:2 (NIV)

2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

 

1. REMEMBER EVERYBODY FAILS - Have you made mistakes? Welcome to the human race. It just means you’re alive. In James 3:2 (NIV) it says, “We all stumble in many ways.” We’re all living proof of this verse. Failure is a part of life. You are going to fail. The Bible tells us, “We all stumble in many ways.”   Let’s review some of the facts of life:                 

1. You have already failed many, many times in your life.

2. Right now you are probably failing in some areas of your life.

3. You’re going to fail many more times in the future. It’s inevitable - it’s a part of life.   

 

[s] Eccl 7:20 (NIV)

20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.

 

Eccl 7:20 (Revised)

20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

 

Eccl 7:20 (Living)

20 And there is not a single man in all the earth who is always good and never sins.  (WE ALL FAIL)

 

SOME ONE ONCE SAID: “Failure is not an option.”

LISTEN, Nobody’s perfect. The closest you’re ever going to get to perfection is when you are filling out a self-description on a job application. WHY? Because you don’t discuss the failures, do you? You describe YOU successes. And when you’re describing yourself, or handing them your resume about yourself, that’s the best you’re ever going to be. But everyone fails. Even those who are the best at what they do, do not do it right all the time.   Even the superstars fail. Pro basketball players miss on the average of 50% of their shots. In professional baseball, a player is considered outstanding if he can get on base 3 out of every 10 times he gets up to bat. And they also say, that, the players who hit the most home runs usually strike out the most, too. *They strike out more than they get on base. And those are the superstars. Those are the ones who get paid the multi-million dollar contracts.  

 

[s] John 8:28-29 (KJV)

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. [29] And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

 

[s] Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 

Everybody fails. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s mark of perfection.” *I heard of a pastor who was teaching on this verse one time. He said, “We’ve all fallen short. Thank God that He forgives our falling shorts.” Morally we all have falling shorts, those times and acts that leave us embarrassed. We all miss the mark. We all fall short.  You would save yourself a lot of stress over failure if you would remember that everyone fails. You may act perfect, look perfect, and walk around projecting perfection. But we already know - you’re not perfect. there has only been, and will ever be but One Perfect Person, and that was the Lord Jesus Christ: FOR HE DID ALWAYS THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASED THE FATHER.  [s] LISTEN, when you let go of the image of being perfect, the fear of failure will lose its grip on your life. The Bible tells us that everybody fails. You should remember that when you fail.

 

[s] Romans 8:1 (KJV)

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

[s] John 3:16-18 (KJV) 

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

    [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned:

 

2. [s] THE SECOND THING WE MUST LEARN ABOUT FAILURE IS THAT IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE FATAL.

 

[s] There is no failure except in no longer trying.
--Elbert Hubbard

 

If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.
--Thomas Watson, Sr Founder of IBM

You always pass failure on the way to success.
--Mickey Rooney

[s] One slip does not make a person forever a failure, any more than one good turn makes a person forever a saint.
--Unknown

Don't think of it as failure. Think of it as time-released success.
--Robert Orben

 

SO, #2 IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR PERSONAL FAILURE IS NOT FATAL - When we do fail, we often over exaggerate the effects of that failure. We blow it out of proportion. It’s not the end of the world. God wants you to feel conviction, not condemnation.

 

[s] Disappointment often focuses on the failure of our own agenda rather than on God's long-term purposes for us, which may use stress and struggle as tools for strengthening our spiritual muscles.
--Luci Shaw

 

[s] 2 Cor. 7:9-10 (MsgB)

Now I'm glad—not that you were upset, but that you were jarred into turning things around. You let the distress bring you to God, not drive you from him. The result was all gain, no loss. [10] Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the [s] way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.

 

2 Cor. 7:10 (KJV) 

    For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

 

[s] WHEN WE EXPERIENCE PERSONAL FAILURE OR SIN WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT GOD HAS MADE PROVISION FOR THAT IN THE NEW COVENANT.  THAT’S WHY AT COMMUNION WE REMEMBER WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US SO THAT OUR PERSONAL FAILURE AND SIN DOES NOT HAVE ANY FATAL CONSEQUENCES IN OUR LIFE.  GOD DOES NOT CONDEMN YOU WHEN YOU FAIL BUT USES CONVICTION OR GODLY SORROW TO PRODUCE REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION SO THAT YOU CAN OBTAIN HIS FORGIVENESS AND MAKE A FRESH START ONCE AGAIN.  SO REMEMBER THAT PERSONAL FAILURE IS NEVER FATAL WHEN YOU TURN BACK TO GOD AND ASK FOR HIS HELP AND FORGIVENESS.

 

[s] Proverbs 24:16 (KJV)

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

 

Proverbs 24:16 (MsgB)

No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.

 

I like this verse because it says even the best of people make mistakes, even the righteous stumble. Those who are earnestly trying to live right and godly in life, even they fall, they mess up, and make mistakes AND FAIL FROM TIME TO TIME.   [s] You say, “But that verse said, ‘Seven times.’ I’ve fallen more than seven times.” Seven, in the Bible is the number of completion, or perfection. And what I see here is God saying, “You may be, or feel like you are a complete failure. But you can still get up!” Your failure is not fatal!  Everybody falls.  We have done a moral or Spiritual belly flop. The only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is not that successful people never fail. They do fail. They fail as much if not more than the unsuccessful. What is the difference between a failure and a success in life? Successful people simply get up and keep on going.   Successful people simply don’t quit when they blow it. Successful people are persistent, determined and diligent. They have endurance. The people who succeed are those who keep on going after they’ve fallen. *They learn from those failures. A righteous man falls, but he rises up again.  

 

[s] Successful men usually snatch success from seeming failure. If they know there is such a word as defeat, they will not admit it. They may be whipped, but they are not aware of it. That is why they succeed.
--A. P. Gouthey businessman

 

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Confucius

 

You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there. -- Edwin Louis Cole

 

[s] I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed; and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep on trying. -- Tom Hopkins

 

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end.-- Denis Waitley

 

When you see someone who seems to HAVE an aura of success, don’t become jealous, and don’t idolize them. Even they have failures, and their success didn’t come automatically. Things we obtain easily in life are usually lost more easily. BUT THE STATUS AND SUCCESS WE HAVE REACHED IN LIFE THROUGH PERSITENCE AND DETERMINATION USUALLY HAVE A LASTING EFFECT AND CAN’T BE EASILY TAKEN AWAY. [s] *An oak tree is simply a little nut that refused to give its ground. Through storms, washing outs, and even droughts, the acorn simply refused to give up its ground. How do you get to be a success in life? Refuse to be plucked out of life based on a PERSOANL FAILURE, or even a series of FALURES.  DO YOU KNOW THAT THE MAN WHO STARTED MACY’S DEPARTMENT STORES FILED BANKRUPTCY SEVEN TIMES BEFORE HIS CHAIN OF STORES BECAME A SUCCESS.  George Washington lost two-thirds of his battles, but he is known as one of the greatest men ever in our nation, our first President, and a founding father of our country.

[s] Failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success. -- Denis Waitley

 

When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal. -- Napoleon Hill

 

[s] Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.-- Marilyn vos Savant

 

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

The wisest person is not the one who has the fewest failures but the one who turns failures to best account.-- Richard R. Grant

 

[s] History has demonstrated that the most notable winners encountered heart breaking obstacles before they triumphed. They finally won by their defeats. -- B. C. Forbes

Defeat doesn't finish a man--quit does. A man is not finished when he's defeated. He's finished when he quits.--Richard M. Nixon

 

Sometimes, it’s the repeating of the same failure that keeps people down. But "even the righteous man falls many times..." "We all make mistakes, and stumble over sins."   Paul understood this. In 2 Corinthians 4:9 it says, “We are cast (struck) down but we’re not destroyed.” The Phillips paraphrase says, “We might be knocked down but we are never knocked out.” You have to get up from falling. You have to get up and try again. Everybody falls. But it’s really not failure if you’ll get back up!   Successful people simply get up again and keep going. Successful people are simply ordinary people with an extra ordinary amount of determination. They keep going. You’re never a failure until you quit. You’re never a failure until you give up. As long as you keep trying you’re not a failure. Reach back up, and slip your hand back in the hand of the One WHO IS able to keep you! 

 

[s] Jonah 3:1-3 (KJV)

And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, [2] Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. [3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

 

MOST OF US KNOW THE STORY ABOUT JONAH.  BUT WHAT’S INTERESTING IS THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JONAH A SECOND TIME AFTER HE REPENTED AND CONFESSED HIS SIN TO GOD IN THE BELLY OF THAT GREAT FISH.  [s] GOD GAVE JONAH A SECOND CHANCE AFTER HE FAILED THE FIRST TIME.  GOD IS A GOD OF THE SECOND CHANCE.  AND NOT ONLY THAT HE’S A GOD THE SECOND HUNDRETH CHANCE OR THE SECOND THOUSAND CHANCE.  THERE IS NOTHING THAT GOD CANNOT AND WILL NOT FORGIVE IF YOU REPENT AND CONFESS YOUR SIN AND PERSONAL FAILURE TO GOD.  [s] IF YOU WANT HIS FORGIVENESS AND ASK FOR IT HE WILL FORGIVE YOU AND GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE TO MAKE A FRESH START.  YOU ARE NEVER A FAILURE UNTIL YOU GIVE UP AND QUIT.  GOD IS FOR YOU AND NOT AGAINST YOU.  HE WILL HELP YOU MAKE A FRESH START AND HELP YOU REACH YOUR GOALS AND FULFILL YOUR DESTINY IN CHRIST.

 

Hosea 14:1-2 (MsgB)

O Israel, come back! Return to your God! You're down but you're not out. [2] Prepare your confession and come back to God. Pray to him, "Take away our sin, accept our confession. Receive as restitution our repentant prayers.

 

Rom 5:20-21 (Living)

20 The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God's laws. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God's abounding grace forgiving us.

21 Before, sin ruled over all men and brought them to death, but now God's kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.