I won’t fail you says the Lord

Jos 1:5  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

For some time now, I have been thinking about the word “fail” and also the sentence “I will not fail thee” that I had to check up in the dictionary.

The Oxford Dictionary gave the following meaning about the word “fail”

verb

[no object]

1 be unsuccessful in achieving one’s goal:he failed in his attempt to secure election [with infinitive]:they failed to be ranked in the top ten

• [with object] be unsuccessful in (an examination or interview):she failed her finals
• [with object] (of a person or a commodity) be unable to meet the standards set by (a test of quality or eligibility):a player has failed a drugs test
• [with object] judge (a candidate in an examination or test) not to have passed: the criteria used to pass or fail the candidate

2 neglect to do something: [with infinitive]:the firm failed to give adequate risk warnings

• [with infinitive] behave in a way contrary to expectations by not doing something:commuter chaos has again failed to materialize
• [with object] desert or let down (someone):at the last moment her nerve failed her

3 cease to work properly; break down:a lorry whose brakes had failed

• become weaker or of poorer quality:the light began to fail (as adjective failing)his failing health
• (of rain or a crop or supply) be insufficient when needed or expected: the drought means crops have failed
• (of a business or a person) cease trading because of lack of funds: he lost his savings when the store failed

noun

• 1a mark which is not high enough to pass an examination or test: [as modifier]:a fail grade

• 2 informal a mistake, failure, or instance of poor performance:their customer service is a massive fail [mass noun]:his first product demo was full of fail

So I came up with up what the Lord meant when He say “I will not fail you”

It means

1.                  I will not fail you means : I will not allow you to be unsuccessful in your task or projects

2.                  I will not fail you means: I will help you to meet the standard.

3.                  I will not fail you means: I will not judge you as failed, I will pass you

4.                  I will not fail you means, I will not make sure I give you adequate warning.

5.                  I will not fail you means, I will not desert you nor forsake you

6.                  I will not fail you means I will not behave in a way contrary to expectations by not doing something

7.                  I will not fail you means, I will make you have sufficient or enough

8.                  I will not fail you means, I will make sure you have all the necessary resources

9.                  I will not fail you means, I will not allow you to cease or stop due to lack

 I believe these meanings will help us to appreciate what the Lord meant when He said “I will not fail you”

Dealing With offences Part 1

This discussion will be in parts, one will be toward God and the other toward our fellowman. In this article, we will be considering offences toward God and possibly how to handle them.

            Friends , You must realize that God can offend you, and it good that we come to term with God and get along with Him.

            And blessed is he,  whosoever shall not be offended in Me (Matt11:6)

The background to this verse is that John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus sent some of disciples to Jesus after been arrested by Herod [matt 14:3 - 4] to enquire whether Jesus is truly the Messiah . Jesus sent back a message through John’s disciples back to John 

Mat 11:4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Mat 11:6  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

The last verse “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” probably was revealing what was in John the Baptist’s heart. John was probably expecting Jesus to come to his rescue. Probably John was probably thinking if Jesus is the Messiah, He should save him from the hand of Herod who had imprisoned him.

But Jesus response was quite different, Jesus did not deliver him but instead made this astonishing statement “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” we are now considering.

This statement of Jesus reveals that there is possibility for people to get offended at God. The reason for their been offended could range from one challenges to another, in which they are expecting God to intervene and come through for them, but alas God restrained himself for reasons best known to Him

For John, He was expecting help from Jesus, but Jesus restrained Himself for reasons best known to Him and exhorted and admonished John and the people that are present at the meeting

            And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me

The admonition is also for us today that “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me”

Reason why people can offended

1.         When deliverance does not come forth from God. Like the story we just read, John was expecting deliverance, but none came forth for him, but Jesus was perceiving what was going on in the heart of John, that John was already getting offended at Him for not coming to his rescue. Jesus was telling John the blessedness of not getting offend at Him for Blessed is He, who will not be offended. John get rid of offence in your heart, it will bar you from the kingdom of God. Are also offended at God for one reason or the other, let us heed the admonish of Jesus “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me”

2.         When the wicked are prospering, people get offended Malachi 3: 13-15

Mal 3:13  Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

Mal 3:14  Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

Mal 3:15  And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

This people in Malachi 3: 13 -15 are offended at God because the wicked are succeeding,

But the verse did not end that way, the Lord replied these people in Malachi 3:16- 18, In verse 18, the Lord said

Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Ultimately, God is saying there is a time an appointed, for Him to vindicate those who don’t get offended at Him. Also in Isaiah 50: 10 -11

Isa 50:10  Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

Isa 50:11  Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

 Verse 10 tells admonishes us not to get offended even though darkness surround us but to wait on God for there is an appointed time, but the latter verse tells us of the impending danger of those who get offended at God, to device their own method of deliverance.

Ultimately the word of Jesus will come to pass that blessed is He who is not offended in Him.

There is a time to escape

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heave. Ecclesiastes 3:1

One of the greatest dilenma of man is that man cannot discern the appropriate time for certain action. I think we need the to covet the gift of the Holy Spirit like it was in the children of Issachar who had the spirit understand the time, and were able to tell  Israel what they ought to do I chronicle

Though our God is big and mighty, but in his wisdom and sovereignty, He want His people to learn to escape using natural means instead of waiting for his miraculous work.

The Story of Joseph and Mary comes to mind. In Matthew 2:13 – 20, the account was written for us that an angel of God appeared to Joseph to take Jesus and his mother out of Israel to Egypt because the Herod was after the life  of Jesus to kill him.

God is powerful enough to kill Herod but in His sovereignty and wisdom allow the natural process of life to take his course.

Joseph took the baby Jesus and his mother to Egypt to stay and Herod killed the children that were in his province at that time. Simple obedience to the voice of God saved Joseph and his household.

There are other instance of people who fled from their dear life.

Moses from the hand of Pharaoh,

David from the hand of Saul

Jacob from the hand of Esau.

Fleeing from danger or problem at times doesn’t portray weakness but it is show we are wise.

Don’t blame Dinah, Put the blame on Jacob......

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. (Micah 2:10)

In this article, We take a critical look at Dinah and who should be blamed, because many believe that the lady was careless. I don’t subscribe to their ideas. There is nothing wrong with Dinah trying to see the ladies of the land of Shechem. Instead this set of people should rather blame the man who couldn’t control his sexual urge. Anyway my discussion is not about the prince who raped Dinah but dwell more on Jacob the father of Dinah.

Jacob has twelve sons and one daughter, Dinah bored to him by Leah. Dinah was raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite (Gen 34:2)

I have heard many preachers put the whole blame on Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. But in my study of the word of God, Dinah wasn’t to be blamed. It was Jacob who supposed to accept responsibility for his daughter been raped by a foreigner.  I believe in this study, we see the reason .

Let us begin the study

Jacob fled from his father’s house because of Esau, his brother, who was plotting that he would kill him after the demise of Isaac their father. This plot was exposed to Jacob. Jacob had to flee to Padan-aram unto Laban, the Son of Betheul, the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, her mother.

While Jacob was fleeing, he got tired and had to sleep. In the course of dream, he had a dream. God revealed Himself to him.

Gen 28:10  And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

Gen 28:11  And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

Gen 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Gen 28:13  And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Gen 28:14  And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Gen 28:15  And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Gen 28:16  And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

Gen 28:17  And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Gen 28:18  And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

Gen 28:19  And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

Gen 28:20  And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Gen 28:21  So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

Gen 28:22  And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

God appeared to Jacob in his dream and told him what He (God) would do with and for him. Jacob on waking up from his dream made a vow to God  that if the Lord would keep him and bring back to his father’s house safely, that the Lord will be his God and then place where God appeared to him will be become the house of God. I want us to remember this portion very well. I mean the vow of Jacob unto the Lord

Gen 28:20  And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Gen 28:21  So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

Gen 28:22  And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

From the statement or vow of Jacob, we can infer that Jacob would come to Bethel and also to his father’s house.

In Genesis 31:13, Jacob speaking to his wives about the instruction from the Lord, that he should leave Laban’s house and return to his own land.

Gen 31:13  I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.  

We  can also draw inferences that the Lord wants Jacob to return to Bethel and to his father’s house.

Truly Jacob left Laban’s house and pleaded with God to deliver him from Esau’s hand, which the Lord did for him, but alas where did Jacob return to Bethel after God’s miraculous deliverance from the hand of Esau. Did Jacob return to Bethel as he promised to God in his vow. Did Jacob returned to the land of his fathers as instructed by God. NO

Gen 33:17  And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Gen 33:18  And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

Gen 33:19  And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

Gen 33:20  And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.

Jacob did not keep to his promise, which he made to the Lord, instead Jacob turned aside and dwelt in Shechem.

In Genesis 34 : 1 – 2 , A record of disaster had befallen Jacob. His only daughter was raped. Had Jacob fully his own side of the bargain with God and return to Bethel, Chapter 34 of Genesis would not have been recorded for us. The whole of Chapter 34 of Genesis is full of disaster. Dinah was raped, the men of Shechem were deceived into circumcision, which the children of Jacob used as a means to wiped out the men of Shechen because they are weakened by the circumcision.

The Lord appeared to Jacob again, and desired him to returned to Bethel

Gen 35:1  And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

In my mind, I think God was telling Jacob

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. (Micah 2:10)

I think God was telling Jacob, you would not cause all this trouble for yourself, if you kept your part of the bargain. Jacob, I the Lord, I am giving you another chance, return to Bethel or another crisis awaiting you if you stay Shechem.

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there.

God was telling Jacob, You and I never had an agreement that you will dwell in Sheechem

God was telling Jacob, all the preservation I gave you is so that you can return to Bethel and worship Me

God was telling Jacob, all the blessing and riches I gave you, is so that you will return to Bethel and worship Me with them

God was telling Jacob, I can’t defend you here in Shechem, check out to the place where called Bethel (The House of God).  Jacob, you are dwelling outside of  my house. You are dwelling in enemy’s territory.

Lessons

When we vow or make pledges to God, let us keep to the terms of our vows

Prayer

Lord, help me to keep to the terms of the agreement.

Deception the sign of the End time

I hope you are expecting the time the Lord Jesus come back to the earth again? I hope you are searching the scriptures like the holy prophets did longing for the time the promised Saviour would come to the world

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

It is important that we have a longing in our heart, to know when the Lord is coming, though we cannot accurately predict the date of the his coming, but definitely there are certain signs that we look out for to know the time and season when the Lord Jesus will come.

One major the Lord gave his disciple is Deception

Jesus answering his disciple question in Matthew 24

Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

As a Christian, don’t get so bother by the wars and rumor of wars, famine, pestilence, earthquakes that Jesus talked about, your  main  business should be how to discern deception and how to overcome it.

For Jesus  said

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

No weapon fashioned understand the context

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Many of us quote this verse, “no weapon fashioned or formed against me will prosper”

I believe this is true, but we have to fulfill certain prerequisite if we want this promise to be fulfilled in our lives. Let me ask certain questions

1. Are you born again?

2. Are you serving the Lord?

These two factors must be met before you can claim this promise of God.

Without Jesus in your life, the word of God describe you as a hopeless fellow, one without God, stranger from the covenant of promise (Ephesians 2: 12)

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

It implies that without accepting Jesus into life, you are not qualified to claim the Isaiah54:17.

Friend if are yet to do that I beseech you by the mercy of God to accept Jesus as you Lord and Saviour  by calling upon God

You can pray this prayer

            O Lord, I believe that Jesus died for my sin and rose again from the dead for my   justification. Lord God, forgive me my sins that are many, wash them  in the             Blood of Jesus(Romans 10:9).

            Lord Jesus, I believe that You died, and that God raise You up from dead. I          confess you as Lord and Saviour. I believe that I am saved by grace through faith      in You.(Ephesians 2:8)

And if you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, don’t stay within that level, the verse Isaiah 54::17, says this heritage is for the servant of GOD

…………………….. This is the heritage (privileges) of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

You must serve God.

There are different ways you can serve the Lord

1. Preaching the Gospel
2. Serving in your local assembly
3. Helping the needy
4. Interceding and praying for other etc.

Friends, service to God is a prerequisite if we don’t the weapon of enemy to prosper in our lives. Our service to God must be genuine, with love and not with eye service.

AND THEY LOVE NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO DEATH

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Many of us quote the above verse when combating the enemy in spiritual warfare, but I believe that God wants to us learn one or two lesson from the verse.

I believe in Blood of Jesus and also the in the word of God which is the word of our testimony. The angels of understood the power in these elements. That is why when combating the devil and his cohorts, they used the blood and the word of God. They don’t depend on their supernatural strength. The Bible makes us understand that Angel have supernatural strengths

Psa 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word

Also Angels understood that it is by God’s word that you can overcome the devil and his cohorts.

Jud 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

The Angels of God understood that God’s word and the blood of Jesus that was shed on the tree that can defeat the devil.

As Believers in the Lord Jesus, must also understand this, that our strength cannot defeat the enemy. The arm of flesh will fail. We must embrace the admonition of the Lord by Zechariah the Prophet to Zerubbabel the King of Judah

Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

It means we must depend on the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross and on the Spirit if we really desire to win in spiritual warfare.

Having understood that the blood of Jesus and the word are our weapons of warfare. We must understand the third factor or element the Angels added in order to conquer the Satan and his cohorts. The Bible says “THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH”

Most of us ignore this section of the verse; not loving our lives unto death”. Some of us are ignorant of this section or we are deliberately ignoring it. The 3 factors must be in place in our lives if we really desire to win in life battles.

Our Lord Jesus practiced this principle, He did not loves his life unto death, that He is why died.

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

It was through his death, that He vanquish the Satan and his hosts

Also the disciples of the Lord, practiced this principle, they were martyred, faced with it option to deny the Lord. But rather they choose not TO LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH.

Jesus also talked about qualifications to be one of his disciple, one of which is “ You must hate your own life…………

Paul the Apostle also lived by this principle that He said in Act 20:24

Act 20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

I am not preaching martyrdom in order for us to be victorious in our warfare, what I am saying is that you must learn to give it all that it takes to be victorious. You must make up your mind until you have victory you won’t let go. You must be like Jacob  at Jabbok saying to the Angel ; “I won’t let you until you bless me” . We must learn to burn the bridge behind us and destroy oxen yoke like Elisha if we desire victory

The Angels of God are saying We made up our mind that in this warfare against Satan and hosts, we must conquer, They are saying we cannot afford to report back to God that we lost the battle, we don’t have excuse to tender before Almighty God, who gave us all that we needed to win the battle, He gave us the blood of Jesus and His unfailing word as instrument of warfare.

As we engage in spiritual warfare, our weapon of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God. The Blood of Jesus is mighty and word of God is powerful (Heb4:12) to conquer the enemy, but we must be resolute and determined like the Angels, that we cannot be defeated.
 Jesus talking in Luke 18:1

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Jesus was saying, don’t give up until you win in your warfare.