Son, I love you so much that I never want you to fail.

But the reality is you will. At some point in life, you will fail.

Fall.

Face first into the mud.

SPLAT!

It will hurt.

It will be embarrassing.

It won’t be fun.

And, you know what? You’ll do it again. And again.

And again.

Sometimes life is like Charlie Brown playing football with Lucy. You’re running for that ball, giving it all you when -WHOOSH! – she jerks that ball right up off the ground while you’re in mid-kick.

SPLAT!

That’s the sound of your bottom – and your ego – hitting the grass.

Failure is not a bad thing. It’s how we learn. There’s a reason God created birds to kick their chicks out of the nest at a certain point in their maturity. If they spend their lives lying around waiting for mama bird to spit chewed up worms in their mouths, they will never thrive.

Don’t view failure as an end. It isn’t. It’s a step forward. It’s a chance to learn and grow. When you fail, seek God. Ask for His wisdom. Ask Him to pick you up, dust you off and right your path.

Failure is only failure when you fail to grow from it. So seek God first. Be humble in how you deal with your failure. And smile. You’re a step closer!

Please join SOULCARE, Monday nights from 6:30-8:00pm at the Riverway Church Operations Center, 321 6th Ave SE, Osseo, MN 55369 We’ll begin our study FINDING GOD IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS. Bring your Bible, a notebook and pen, and an expectant heart, open and ready to hear from the LORD. We look forward to seeing you!

Good night dear friends. Today is done. Over. History. Done. Closed. Filed away. In the books. Fini.

It’s time for blessed rest and sleep. Rest secure in the love, mercy, grace and protection in God through Jesus Christ.

Put aside the heavy weight of the day. Think about God, meditate on His word.

Praise God! Recognize His sovereignty over everything. Praise God for His glory!

Pray. Talk to the Lord. Go to Him with a heart full of gratitude, recognizing all your Father has done – is doing – for you.

Think about the blessings in your life and thank God for them. Thank Him for sending His Son Jesus to die that you might have eternal life.

Trust in the Lord. Rest in Him. Remember our Heavenly Father loves you beyond comprehension. Remember that He is always with you wherever you “feel’ His presence or not.

Remember God turns what the enemy means for evil and makes it for good for His children, for those who love Him.

Rest in the Lord. Sleep well knowing the Lord never changes – He is a steady rock in a shaky world.

Sleep well dear friends. The Lord our Father is with you – now and always.

I know it’s Monday.

I know Mondays can be painful.

But remember- and these are plain and simple truths, not merely a pep talk – God is still sovereign on Mondays.

God is still in control on Mondays.

God still answers prayers on Mondays.

God is still with you on Mondays.

God still loves you.

Even on Mondays.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” – John 15:1-11 (ESV)

It’s simple. If you don’t plug in your phone to recharge, it will die.

If you are away from sources of nourishment long enough, your body will die.

If you don’t stay connected to God through Jesus Christ, your soul will die.

Feeling spiritual anemic? Connect with God. Pray. Study His Word. Give Him thanks and praise! Seek Him first above and before all things. You will, once recharged, find strength and joy above anything life doles out to you!

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. – 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

 ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39 (ESV)

Selah.

I’ll let you do the math.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

“The whole world is watching! The whole world is watching!” This was the chant heard ‘round the world via televised coverage of the 1968 Democratic Party Convention. People watched on their TVs as Chicago police waded into a crowd of Viet Nam protesters with clubs swinging and tear gas spraying.

“Never let them see you sweat.” Another phrased learned via television: this one the creation of an advertising agency selling deodorant, the point being you can be confident in the condition of your armpits no matter how nervous you may be.

I’m not making any sociopolitical statements here – about protesters, politics, police or pit sweat. I’m just putting two cultural sayings together, in juxtaposition to Paul’s admonition from Philippians, to make a point about our witness as followers of Jesus Christ.

1. The whole world is watching. People know Who we stand for. We need to stay aware always of what we say and how we conduct ourselves. This isn’t about faking it until we make it (another cultural phrase). It is important that we grow in Christ and exhibit that walk to give others hope. Let the world see us rejoice in the Lord despite the hardships and challenges we face.
2. Never let them see us sweat. The reality of our situation is that God is sovereign over everything. Everything. And in Jesus we have confidence. In His very Being we find the boldness we need to face the world and all it brings.
3. Remember… the whole world is watching. Never let them see you sweat! Be truly confident in the Lord. He is our Sovereign Holy Father. Stay connected to Him always!!

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

These are the keys to connectedness to God. Always rejoice in the Lord. Always be in an attitude of prayer. Always be thankful to Him in all circumstances.

It is God’s will that we stay our focus on Him.

Not our circumstances – “good” or “bad”.

Not our station in life.

Not our pay grade or position.

Not our health.

Not our standing with other people.

Recognize God’s sovereignty over all creation. Realize you are part of His creation, thus under His sovereignty. Understand this is GREAT news because God is Love, and He loves and cares for you.

It is God’s will that we stay connected with Him ALWAYS, at ALL TIMES. He is sovereign over every pain, every doubt, every fear, every anxiety…

He takes what the enemy intended for evil and turns it to our good.

Remember that always. The Truth of your life, your situation, is found in Jesus.