I will never fail you nor forsake you

I Will Never Fail You Nor Forsake You

(Heb 13:5-8 RSV) {5} Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you." {6} Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?" {7} Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith. {8} Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

(Deu 31:6 RSV) Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."

(Josh 1:5 RSV) No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

(Psa 118:4-8 NIV) Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever." {5} In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. {6} The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? {7} The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. {8} It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

Not an idle promise.

God never fails you.

God never forsakes you.

When times are good, God is there.

When times are bad, God is there.

Righteous Job put His trust in God (not in his friends) and God restored Job.

Abraham put his trust in God and God never failed or forsook Abraham.

Jacob put his trust in God and God made Jacob the father of Israel. Moses put His trust in God, but Israel failed Moses and God.

David put his trust in God and God restored murderous David and called him a man after His own heart.

It has not been at all uncommon for me to fail. I have failed at one time or another just about everything and everyone. Forsaking is not as common for me as it once was but it is still something I have done. Just what does forsake mean anyway?

1. To give up (something formerly held dear); renounce: forsook liquor.

2. To leave altogether; abandon: forsook Hollywood and returned to the legitimate stage.

So God will not give up on me! But, will I give up on God? This much is true; I have at times abandoned God. Thank God he has not failed me nor forsaken me.

Not only have I been on the giving end of failure and forsaking but I have also been on the receiving end: But never from God.

Broken promises and unfulfilled expectations are a common thread in human relations. But with God it is different.

Here is what I can be sure of when I deal with the Lord and trust in Him.

I may lie but God will be true.

I may fail but God will succeed.

I may do wrong but God will do right.

I may do bad things but God will do good things.

I may be afraid but God can chase fear away.

I may hate righteousness but God hates evil and loves me anyway.

When I am lost God knows the way.

When the world is against me God is for me!

(Mat 19:26 RSV) But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

(Rom 8:31 NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

I may fail and forsake you. I may fall short of your expectations. You may fail and forsake me. You may not meet my expectations. We most certainly need help if we are to receive the promises of God. We most certainly need help if we are to serve God and to serve His creation. We may think we cannot reach the goals we set for ourselves but we most certainly can reach the goals God has set for us.

I may not know a lot of things but this I do know: (Deu 31:6 RSV) Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."

God has given us life.

God has given us free will.

God has given us His Spirit.

God has given us His Son.

God has given us the Bible.

God has given us everything we need and much more.

He has not failed nor has He forsaken us.

We must not fail or forsake Him.

Read your Bible and you will see there really isn’t that much we need to do. And those things we need to do are simply things that are good for us and good for others. So just what is required?

(Mat 22:36-40 RSV) "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" {37} And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. {38} This is the great and first commandment. {39} And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. {40} On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."

(Acts 2:38 RSV) And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(James 1:27 RSV) Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

So let me finish as I started. And let us finish what God has started.

Amen