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.