“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9)

This charge was spoken by God to Joshua as he prepared to enter into the promised land. These were uncharted territory. No one alive with Joshua had ever set foot in the promised land. They had no idea what awaited them. They had no idea what peoples, nations, and enemies they would be facing. All they had was the promise of God. And that was more than enough!

We are living in uncharted times. Very few alive today have ever lived through a global pandemic. Things are changing so rapidly, no one alive today knows for sure what tomorrow holds. No one alive today has any idea what problems and challenges await in the days to come. All we have is the promise of God. And that is more than enough!

What is certain is – as the promised land was the land God had promised to the Israelites – that God wants his church to be a blessing to the nations and God intends to use the church and her saints to establish God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

Little Church and Lakewoodgrace, it is not by accident nor chance that you and I are the ones alive at this particular time in God’s history. God has given us the privilege to be the ones who get to declare the glories of the One who has placed us in such a time as this. You are not living through the Covid pandemic by chance or accident. God placed us here, and it is God who intends to use us to be a blessing and light.

Claim this day for the LORD. This is the day that the LORD has made: rejoice and be glad in it. “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD our God is with us wherever we go.” Little Church and Lakewoodgrace, let us take our place in God’s plan to bless our world.

“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, while the log is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3-4)

C. S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters” was published in 1942. The book is written from the perspective of a demon named Wormwood who receives “training” and “encouragement” from his uncle Screwtape. Screwtape is an older and more experienced demon. Screwtape and Wormwood refer to their “Christian” person they are trying to influence as a “patient.”

It is not only a creative take on the Christian faith and discipleship, but very poignant.

While written almost eighty years ago, the message is still relevant today.

“At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept” (Mark 14:72).

You are not a failure for failing. You are a failure only if you quit.

The verse comes at the end of Peter vehemently – swearing and cussing – denying that he even knew Christ, after pledging to even die with Christ before denying him.

So it is with us. We have made so many promises to do right, live right, think right, and be right. And, thus far, we’re all batting a 1000%! We’ve failed every time.

Failing doesn’t make one a failure.

After realizing how he had let Jesus down, Peter broke down and wept. Repented. And got back up and went back to the other disciples.

Don’t quit because you failed. God’s not surprised by our failures. God is not disappointed with you or me because of our failures. The only time we let God down is when we quit.

Failing doesn’t make you a failure. Quitting does.

You see, God’s never done working in you and me. God is constantly working to make us more like him. God will never quit on you, so never quit on God.

After failing Jesus, Peter repents and Jesus restores him to ministry and service. And the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace are currently studying 1 Peter together in our Sunday services because Peter never quit. Peter certainly failed, but he never quit.

Keep at it. Keep going. Never, ever quit. God is at work in us.