QRC. Failure
The year was 1863 and the US Civil War was in its second year. Historians tell us that at that point if you were keeping score the Confederate Army was ahead.
The War had shifted its focus from the Southern States and General Robert E Lee was embarking on his second Invasion of the North marching into Pennsylvania. The hope being, that if the South could penetrate as far as Harrisburg or even Philadelphia that the North would call an end to the war that had divided a nation. The Battle began at Gettysburg Pennsylvania on July 1 and the Confederate forces quickly took the advantage. By the second day the Rebel forces are preparing for the push that would assure them the victory.
One of the vital positions being held was a hill called “Little Round Top” and it was held by the “20th Maine”, a volunteer unit in the Union army. The unit’s commander was Colonel Joshua Chamberlain a 34 year old professor of rhetoric from Bangor Maine.
Just a year before we are told there had been over a 1000 men under Chamberlain’s command when they left Bangor. However by 1863 the numbers had been reduced to a few hundred who had been commanded to hold the line at Little Round Top against the advancing 15th & 47th Alabama regiments.
After the third advance of the confederate forces the men of the 20th Maine were out of ammunition and the command was given to gather the ammunition from the dead and the wounded. The men were able to gather enough ammunition to hold off another attack from the Alabamians one more time. But only one more time. The Southerners gathered at the bottom of the hill, preparing to attack again, knowing that the small group of union soldiers couldn’t hold on forever. And they were right.
Chamberlain was left with fewer than 100 men facing a force many time their size. Without ammunition and no chance of reinforcements it was apparent that their brave efforts had failed and the line would be breached.
They had tried their best, no one could fault the men of the 20th Maine or their commander, but it was apparent to all with the sense that God gave them that they were finished I’m sure this wasn’t how Joshua Chamberlain pictured his military career ending when he took a leave of absence from Bowdoin College.
Have you ever been in that position? At your own “Little Round Top”? You’ve tried, you’ve really tried you’ve given it everything you have but it just hasn’t seemed to work. Perhaps it was in your work, maybe a passion in your life or a relationship or maybe as part of your commitment to follow Christ. But now your resources are spent, you are tired and you can’t imagine going on. In the eyes of the world, in the eyes of your friends and in the eyes of yourself you are a failure.
This is week three of our “QR Codes for your life series”. QRCs or Quick Retrieval Codes are those square bar codes you see everywhere you go these days. They are in magazine, newspapers, on billboards and signs in restaurants.
And with the proper app you can scan them with your iPhone; BlackBerry or Smart Phone and they will take you to a website with more information on the topic at hand.
If you scan the QRC on the back of our bulletin it will take you to Cornerstone’s Website where you will find out all there is to know about our church.
What if there were QRC’s for our Christian life, when we came to a difficult situation we could just scan the code and it would take us to where we need to go in God’s word to find an answer?
That of course it our premise for the month of November. Last week we looked at Temptation and our QRC took us to 1 Corinthians 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
This week we are looking at Failure. What does God’s word have to say when we feel that we can’t go on? But first back to our story.
July 2nd 1863, Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine have held back the men of the 15th Alabama Infantry regiment four times, but now they were out of ammunition and almost out of men. Chamberlain orders his men to again collect ammunition from the dead and dying only to be told there was no ammunition left.
Some of his junior officers recommended surrendering, but Chamberlain had been told how vital their position was to the Union defence and he knew that they would be unable to defend Little Round Top one more time. And so he commanded his men to fix their bayonets and he led the charge against the enemy position. And the remaining 80 members of the 20th Maine, armed only with bayonets captured over 400 heavily armed confederate soldiers.
One commentator wrote: “Had the 20th Maine retreated from the hill, the entire Union line would have been flanked, and would have most likely lost the battle of Gettysburg, although there is much debate on the subject. Union morale and support for the war was wavering, due to many defeats. If the Union had lost the battle of Gettysburg the Confederate army could possibly been able to march on to Washington D.C. and end the war. The 20th Maine’s action in holding the hill has been credited with helping to turn the tide of the war.”
Chamberlain’s actions were key in the Union army’s victory at Gettysburg and Gettysburg was the turning point in the War Between the States, all because Joshua Chamberlain refused to give in and quit.
Chamberlain may have been considered a failure after the fourth charge of the 15 Alabamians, but he wasn’t a quitter, and that made all the difference in how the story ends. By the way, Chamberlain went on to become a general in the Union forces, was the General who accepted the surrender of the Confederate forces in 1865, was elected as the Governor of Maine for four terms from 1866 until 1869 and then served as president of the Bowdin College in Bangor until 1883. Not sure if he would have achieved those goals if he had of quit on July 2, 1863 and become a prisoner of war.
But what does the bible tell us about failure? Our QR code today takes us to Galatians 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Think about it we will reap a harvest of blessing, if we don’t give up.
There are two thoughts here, the first is the reward, and the second is giving up. And you can either obtain the reward, or you can give up. However, you cannot, cannot, cannot give up and obtain the reward. There are lots of reasons to quit, and a lot of people quitting, but I’ve got good news for you; you don’t have to quit.
Regardless of how tough it gets, and regardless of what people say, and regardless of how discouraged you feel; you don’t have to quit.
Quitting is a choice that you will make and nobody can make for you. “Will I quit or will I keep going?” “Will I stop or will I press on?”, “Will I give up or will I succeed?” Those are questions that can be answered by you and you alone. And so this morning we are going to look at ten ways to quit the quitting habit.
1) Realise that failure isn’t final.
Here’s the encouraging word for the day if you live, if you walk if you talk, if you endeavour, if you try, if you attempt anything you will at one time or another be a failure. Noah got drunk he was a failure. Moses murdered an Egyptian and fled to the desert, he was a failure. David committed adultery he was a failure. Peter denied knowing Christ, he was a failure.
You don’t really think that the Wright brothers flew on their first attempt do you? Or that Edison got the light bulb right the first time? Or that Bell perfected the phone on his first try.
Personally I like the words of J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan who said “We are all failures—at least, all the best of us are.” The only people who never fail are the people who never try, as a matter of fact it would be well within the mark to say the world is divided into two categories: failures and unknowns.
This may not be the most encouraging statement in the world but listen up folks; you are going to make mistakes, because my friends that is a fact of life. And you can let those mistakes knock you down, and walk all over you and keep you flat on your back or you can say, “God, what can I learn from this mistake?” You didn’t learn to walk with your first step. You didn’t learn to swim with your first stroke. You didn’t learn to play an instrument on your first attempt.
The very same mistake can be a stumbling block or a stepping stone and only you will decide.
Failure is not final it is just life. I have said before that every hill has a top, every mountain has a summit, every tunnel has an end and every night has a dawn. The Bible may say that “trouble came to pass” but it never says that “trouble came to stay.” Failure isn’t final. Every day that Denn Guptill lives, Denn Guptill makes mistakes, and all God’s people said. . . Don’t let your failures be final. Listen to the words of Samuel Beckett “Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better”.
2) Believe in yourself
As a child of almighty God, creator of the universe, when you say “I can’t do that” you are really saying, “God can’t do that.” And when you say “I haven’t got what it takes” you are really saying, “My God isn’t big enough.” But you know you are probably right, you probably can’t do it, you probably haven’t got what it takes, you probably are a miserable, pathetic destitute failure, but that doesn’t matter because you are a child of the king.
Prince Charles has problems but he is still Crown Prince Heir Apparent to the British Empire and he can’t lose that. And you can’t lose the fact that you are a child of almighty God with all of the power and privileges that go with that.
And even though you will discover that there are times that you can’t lean on yourself, you can lean on the book and the book says, in Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Not some things, not a few things, not most things, not easy things. But I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.
Moses couldn’t part the Red Sea but he did. Joshua couldn’t bring down the walls of Jericho but he did. Samson couldn’t pull down the walls of the temple but he did. Daniel couldn’t survive in the lion’s den but he did. Peter couldn’t walk on water but he did, and Jesus Christ the carpenter from Nazareth couldn’t come back from the dead but he did.
Christians if you learn nothing else from this message, if you never commit another scripture to memory please memorise Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
3) Understand that other people have problems too
You aren’t alone; there are other people out there who have problems just like you. And no matter how bad things seem there is someone who is a little worse off. Your foot hurts? There is someone out there missing their leg. You missing a leg? There is someone out there who is confined to a wheelchair and can’t use their arms. You stuck in a wheel chair and can’t use your arms? Read the obits in the paper, there are all kinds of people who are dead. You ok? And you thought you had it bad.
4) Do something worthwhile
Realize that you aren’t the only person in the world. Quitters are usually selfish people, they quit because they aren’t being fulfilled, or they aren’t making progress, or they are depressed. But it’s always them. Get involved, get involved in the church, be a volunteer at the hospital, hospital are always looking for people to come in and read to their patients. Visit shut-ins, work at a youth drop in, and help out at school.
Do something for others make your life worthwhile, you have been saved to touch a lost and dying world so get to it, do something.
5) Set Realistic Goals
Some people quit because they get discouraged because their goals are too high. That is not to say that we shouldn’t have high goals, but realize that they may not happen tomorrow. The longest journey begins with a single step, and that first step is as much a goal as is the end of the trip. If you are learning to fly you goal shouldn’t be to be a qualified pilot after the first lesson. Need to lose weight concentrate on the first pound not the first hundred pounds. Want to finish a degree, take it one course at a time. One reason I never learned how to play guitar was because I wanted to play like Leona Boyd the first week.
Dream big, but have some realistic steps along the way.
6) Remember That With God You Are On The Winning Side.
We have to realize the same thing that David realised as he stood looking up at Goliath, and that is this when we are on God’s side it doesn’t matter how big the giants are, we are on the winning side. And that’s all she wrote. Always remember that if you are on God’s side then God is on your side, and that is the winning side. And there isn’t anything that needs to be done in this world that God can’t do through me or through you if we will let him.
7) Ask Others for Help
Don’t be so proud that you fail simply for lack of asking for help. I’m a terrible one for that, but sometimes we have to admit that we need the help of others. There’s a great illustration about this in the bible, in Exodus 17:8-12 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.
When Jesus went to the garden he asked Peter James and John to be with him. In Galatians 6:2 we are told to bear one another’s burdens. Don’t try to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders listen to what king Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
God can help and he might help by providing a somebody, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
8) Commit Yourself Publicly
For whatever reason it’s a lot easier to stick with, and accomplish a goal when others know about it. Let others in on your dreams, your visions, your aspirations, let others know what you want to accomplish in this life. Make yourself accountable to others. It is a lot easier to fulfil a pledge made to someone else then a pledge made to yourself. Share with your friends a little bit of what you seek to achieve in this life. It also gives you a degree of accountability when someone follows up on your goals and can offer suggestions, help and encouragement.
Let’s go back to David and 1 Samuel 17:41-47 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”
Now that’s putting it on the line.
9) Visualise Your Successes.
Now I know that this type of thing has had a lot of bad press but I think that it is one of the keys to succeeding is the fact that you really have to have a firm grip on where you are going. Cause if you don’t know where you’re going how will you know when you get there? It was Yogi Berra who said, “If you don’t know where you are going you might end up somewhere else.”
Stop seeing yourself as a loser, stop seeing yourself as a quitter, stop seeing yourself as a failure and start seeing yourself the way that God sees you. You might not be able to see Cornerstone the way it is going to be in two years, five years and ten years down the road, but I can. Visualise your dreams because if you can’t see them in your mind you will probably never see them in reality. Rememeber If you never build castles in the air you will never build anything on the ground.
10) Bring All Your Problems to God
This is the most important point in this entire message; if you don’t get anything else get this. Christ cares and he wants to help. Got a bad marriage, broken dreams, financial problems, spiritual difficulties, Jesus wants to know, and he doesn’t just want to know he wants to help.
One hymn writer wrote, “What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and grief’s to bear! What a privileged to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless grief we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!”
You don’t have to carry your load alone in Matthew 11:28-29 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
And here is our promise to end with today: Hebrews 13:5 . . . God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Because you may fail God, but God will never fail you.
