Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today is the only post for the week and was inspired by a conversation with my wife. The Holy Spirit showed me that I should move forward rather than trying to catch up. Indeed that should not cease writing today because I failed to write previous days. So rather than give up writing altogether, by God’s unfailing love, unending mercy and unlimited grace I resume sharing God’s heart.

Today let’s see how God feels about us letting our failures lead to faith fatalities.

In today’s scripture, Luke 22:31-34 (ERV) Jesus said…
[31] “Satan has asked to test you men like a farmer tests his wheat. O Simon, Simon, [32] I have prayed that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me.” [33] But Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go to jail with you. I will even die with you!” [34] But Jesus said, “Peter, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will say you don’t know me. You will say this three times.”

Consider…
My wife and I had a discussion about faltering or failing during a season of fasting. Our Pastor encouraged folks to not make the fast about the food, but rather about focusing our attention on God. With Divine wisdom from God, Dana said that means the purpose of the fast should be the way of life rather than seasonal. Indeed that we should always be intentional about removing obstructions from our focus on God.

Our conversation and Pastor’s encouragement got me thinking about the downward spiral affect our failures can have on our faith in God. Unfortunately for some of us, when we’ve failed tests to prioritize God it’s led to faith fatalities.

One example that came to mind was the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-23 (NLT). Scripture shares…
[18] Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” [19] “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. [20] But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’” [21] The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” [22] When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [23] But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

Notice this was a devout religious leader who followed all of the written rules. However, when confronted with the test of a true heart for God, the passage says the man became sad realizing his faith was in his provision rather than his Provider. I submit, that moment is when the man’s faith in God flatlined.

An even stronger example of failure faith fatality was Judas Iscariot. Matthew 27:3-5 (NLT) shares…
[3] When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. [4] “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” [5] Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Unfortunately Judas Iscariot, who walked with Jesus alongside fellow betrayer Peter, failed to recognize the three main defining qualities of Jesus and God overall…

• Unfailing love
• Infinite mercy
• Abounding grace

Judas didn’t recall the Psalmist’s testimony in Psalms 94:18-19 (NLT)…
[18] I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. [19] When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Or even more tragic, Judas didn’t remember witnessing Jesus saving Peter when his faltering faith caused him to sink. Matthew 14:29-33 (NLT) shares…
[29] “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. [30] But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. [31] Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” [32] When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. [33] Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

It appears Judas was so fixated on his failing God that He failed to focus on God’s faithfulness the way Paul described it in 2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT)…
[13] If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

I think it’s noteworthy that today’s scripture comes after Judas’ failure assault that led to his faith fatality. Judas who witnessed Jesus forgive sins regularly, didn’t believe he was forgivable. That’s one of the main tactics of the enemy is to make us think our failures make us unworthy. The problem is that kind of thinking disregards who God is and how He thinks.

Ephesians 2:3-5 (NLT) explains God’s nature and thinking this way…
[3] All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. [4] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

You see we can focus so much on our poor showing that we forget God’s rich mercy and unfailing love is overflowing. The Holy Spirit is telling us to stop dissing (speaking disrespectfully to or criticizing) God’s grace by focusing on our disgrace. He’s saying take our cue from Paul who wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)…
[9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

I like how Paul says “each time he said”.

That’s good to remember that each time we mess up and confess up that God’s grace shows up.

The Holy Spirit is leading me to close with Lamentations 3:17-24 (HCSB) which says…
[17] My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is. [18] Then I thought: My future is lost, as well as my hope from the Lord. [19] Remember my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and the poison. [20] I continually remember them and have become depressed. [21] Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: [22] Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. [23] They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! [24] I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.

You see I believe that Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith to not fail in today’s scripture because He knew that failure can lead to another faith fatality. Also, as I am writing this I realize faith dies when it’s placed in the wrong source. Imagine plugging an electronic device into an outlet that doesn’t have sufficient power to handle it. What happens, it blows up the outlet and ruins the device. That’s what it’s like putting our faith in anything or anyone other than God.

So today, don’t let failure’s assault on your faith in yourself result in the fatality of your faith in God. Remember God’s favorite conjunction is ‘BUT’. So confess and testify…
I fail again and again
BUT God’s unfailing love has no end
I let God down daily in what I think, say and do
BUT each morning God let’s me see His never ceasing mercies anew
Sin abounds in my life more than it should
BUT God’s grace does what I never could

God wants us to trust in His…

• Unfailing love
• Unending mercy
• Unlimited grace

So don’t let guilt and shame of failure ever cause you to stop calling on Jesus’ name.

Today’s song is…
Can’t Give Up Now