Jesus NEVER Fails Ever!
by Susie Shellenberger adopted by: antoneveli@yahoo.com
Misty’s dad didn’t keep it a secret that he never wanted her. He told her often how he’d tried to persuade his wife to abort her. When Misty’s mom became aware of the physical and verbal abuse her daughter was experiencing, she divorced her husband and moved her family to Canada.
As Misty continued to grow into a pretty teenager, an uncle sexually abused her. She developed an intense hatred toward men and felt as though she were a time bomb set to explode!
* * *
Waves of panic began to drown Rachel as she searched for an escape. Social situations were always the worst. She couldn’t get through them without being overwhelmed by her own thoughts. You’re worthless. Nothing you say or do is ever right. Why do you even bother coming? No one cares that you’re here. You’re ugly, fat and lazy. You’ll never amount to anything!
Rachel finally slipped away, mumbling an excuse to the hostess. A few minutes later, she pulled into the dirt driveway behind her house, relieved no one was home. She rushed upstairs to her room, grabbing the knife she kept at her desk. Leaving the bathroom door ajar, she sat on the lid of the toilet and began to cut through her skin.
* * *
Mawee’s mother died when Mawee was just 6 years old. Mawee lived in a Burmese village with her opium-addicted stepfather. When she was 9, a woman from Bangkok, Thailand, wandered into her village, recruiting girls for prostitution. Mawee’s stepfather — desperate to support his addiction — sold her for $100 to the Thai woman. To entice Mawee into leaving the village, they lied to her and said she was going to the big city of Bangkok to work in a restaurant and earn lots of money.
When she arrived in the big city, she was kept in a locked room inside a Bangkok brothel.
* * *
Mary was confused and hurt. Her brother Larry was sick, and she contacted their best friend and physician as soon as he began showing signs of illness. But she was ignored. Her best friend. Where was he? Why didn’t he come? Larry’s illness quickly escalated. Only a few days later, Mary buried her brother.
If only he’d come when we sent for him, she thought, Larry would still be alive.
She and her sister began to slip into a tunnel of depression. They battled a plethora of emotions — shock, anger, grief, rage, bitterness. To continue living seemed hopeless.
* * *
Jesus Never Fails!
Does it seem out of place to insert this phrase at this point in the story? It’s really much more than a phrase. It’s truth. Absolute truth!
Jesus never fails.
Jesus never fails.
Jesus never fails.
Because of sin, people will be hurt — and some even abused — but Jesus is with us through the pain. He never fails.
Never. Never. Never. Ever!
The Real Story
by Susie Shellenberger adopted by: antoneveli@yahoo.com
Misty’s dad didn’t keep it a secret that he never wanted her. He told her often how he’d tried to persuade his wife to abort her. When Misty’s mom became aware of the physical and verbal abuse her daughter was experiencing, she divorced her husband and moved her family to Canada.
As Misty continued to grow into a pretty teenager, an uncle sexually abused her. She developed an intense hatred toward men and felt as though she were a time bomb set to explode!
* * *
Waves of panic began to drown Rachel as she searched for an escape. Social situations were always the worst. She couldn’t get through them without being overwhelmed by her own thoughts. You’re worthless. Nothing you say or do is ever right. Why do you even bother coming? No one cares that you’re here. You’re ugly, fat and lazy. You’ll never amount to anything!
Rachel finally slipped away, mumbling an excuse to the hostess. A few minutes later, she pulled into the dirt driveway behind her house, relieved no one was home. She rushed upstairs to her room, grabbing the knife she kept at her desk. Leaving the bathroom door ajar, she sat on the lid of the toilet and began to cut through her skin.
* * *
Mawee’s mother died when Mawee was just 6 years old. Mawee lived in a Burmese village with her opium-addicted stepfather. When she was 9, a woman from Bangkok, Thailand, wandered into her village, recruiting girls for prostitution. Mawee’s stepfather — desperate to support his addiction — sold her for $100 to the Thai woman. To entice Mawee into leaving the village, they lied to her and said she was going to the big city of Bangkok to work in a restaurant and earn lots of money.
When she arrived in the big city, she was kept in a locked room inside a Bangkok brothel.
* * *
Mary was confused and hurt. Her brother Larry was sick, and she contacted their best friend and physician as soon as he began showing signs of illness. But she was ignored. Her best friend. Where was he? Why didn’t he come? Larry’s illness quickly escalated. Only a few days later, Mary buried her brother.
If only he’d come when we sent for him, she thought, Larry would still be alive.
She and her sister began to slip into a tunnel of depression. They battled a plethora of emotions — shock, anger, grief, rage, bitterness. To continue living seemed hopeless.
* * *
Jesus Never Fails!
Does it seem out of place to insert this phrase at this point in the story? It’s really much more than a phrase. It’s truth. Absolute truth!
Jesus never fails.
Jesus never fails.
Jesus never fails.
Because of sin, people will be hurt — and some even abused — but Jesus is with us through the pain. He never fails.
Never. Never. Never. Ever!
The Real Story
Larry’s real name was Lazarus. You may be familiar with his story recorded in John 11:1-44. He and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were extremely close friends with Jesus. Mary and Martha knew Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Great Physician. They were certain if they sent word to their Friend and Savior, He would respond quickly and heal their brother.
Yet when Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. two more days! You can understand why Mary and Martha were confused, angry and depressed.
Does it surprise you to know that even though Christ loved this family, He chose to wait a total of four days before going to them? Let’s take a peek at what we can learn from this.
Lesson #1: Lack of immediate action is not due to lack of devotion! Remember the violent storm on the Sea of Galilee? (Check out the entire story in Mark 6:45-52.) Jesus left the disciples in the boat all night! He didn’t appear until the fourth watch — sometime between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. His arrival wasn’t apologetic or rushed. He didn’t frantically sail to the disciples while yelling over the crashing waves, “Sorry! I meant to get here sooner! Whoa! This is a mess! What a storm. OK, here’s what we need to do. . . .”
He went to them calmly. Walking on top of the water.
The wind and waves stopped, and the disciples learned that Jesus truly is the I AM.
Some things require the silence of God before we can see God’s best.
(Think about that for a second. Then read it again.)
Some things require the silence of God before we can see God’s best.
Lesson #2: God is never early, yet He’s never late. He may have seemed late to the disciples, but He actually came at the perfect time. Mary and Martha thought He was late, but we know His timing was perfect. When you need a gentle reminder of this truth, memorize this: “But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” (Habakkuk 2:3, The Living Bible)
Lesson #3: God is in the miracle business, but He may give us the opportunity to play an active part. Most of the time when He does a miracle, He expects us to take a measure of involvement. Throughout the Bible, the Father performed miracles in the Old Testament, and Jesus performed miracles in the New Testament. But let’s take a closer look. With Noah, it was as if God was saying, “I’ll do the miracle, Noah. I’ll save you and your family from a worldwide flood. But you have a responsibility, too. You’re going to have to build an ark.”
With the children of Israel: “I’ll give you a miracle. I’ll free you from slavery and oppression from Pharaoh’s rule. I’ll lead you to the Promised Land. I’ll even personally send you food from heaven every day you’re in the wilderness. But you have a responsibility, too. You’ll have to collect the manna each morning. You won’t be able to save it; you’ll actually need to gather it every single morning.”
The blind man heard Jesus say, “I’ll do the miracle. I’ll give you sight! But your responsibility is to go to the river and wash your eyes with mud.”
Jesus freed Lazarus from his bondage. Jesus did the miracle of raising a dead man to life. But Lazarus also had a responsibility. He had to actually get up, walk out of the tomb and take off his grave clothes — the strips of cloth in which he was bound.
Jesus Still Frees Today!
Misty knew she couldn’t continue living with the intense anger and hatred she had toward men. She desperately wanted to grow closer to Jesus and experience His healing touch in her life. So she decided to participate in a Brio missions trip. While in Quito, Ecuador, she allowed God to do a miracle in her life. She forgave her dad and uncle. She’s now growing closer to Christ and blossoming into a beautiful woman of God. “I realized how incredibly much Jesus loves me,” she says. “He has freed me from my anger. I just want to serve Him forever!”
Jesus never fails.
* * *
Rachel remained blinded by the deception that she was worthless until she began to believe the truth that God loves her passionately and wants to use her for His glory. “Through the help of friends and loved ones,” she says, “I began to experience Christ’s love and forgiveness. He healed my heart and mind as I prayed for wholeness. I was a cutter for 10 years. I still have rough days, but I’m living in victory because of Christ.”
Rachel clings to this verse: “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me” (Psalm 54:4). “I know I can rely on Jesus to carry me through whatever difficulties I face,” she says.
Jesus never fails.
* * *
Mawee was abused, frightened and in shock when police rescued her from the brothel. She made a 12-hour journey to a Christian ministry in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where women introduced her to Christ and taught her skills such as sewing, cooking and weaving. “I want to become an evangelist,” she says. “God has freed me and rescued me, and I want others to know of His love!”
Jesus never fails.
* * *
Come Forth!
Jesus didn’t drag himself wearily into the home of Mary and Martha saying, “I’m sorry I’m late. It’s just been so hectic. Blind people needed to see. Deaf people wanted to hear. I had to multiply bread so people could have lunch. It’s been a whirlwind gospel tour! But hey, I’m here now. Where’s Larry?”
Jesus confidently approached Mary and her sister and admitted His purpose was greater than theirs. He had the big picture in mind, when all they were able to see was the immediate. Then He approached the tomb and called to Lazarus in a loud voice, “Come forth!”
Wouldn’t you love to have seen it happen? Let’s imagine it in present tense: The earth trembles. Dirt flies. The huge rock filling the hole to the tomb’s entrance shakes uncontrollably. The ground rumbles. The rock explodes!
And Lazarus walks out of the grave looking like a mummy. Removes his bandages. Approaches Jesus. And Mary. And Martha. And rejoices that Jesus never fails!
Bondage
So what about you? What kind of bondage are you in? Perhaps like Mary, you’ve lost a loved one. Someone close to you died, and you don’t understand why. Or like Mawee and Misty, you’ve been abused, and you’re angry. Maybe like Rachel, you hate yourself so much you’re involved in self-destructive behavior such as cutting . . . or drinking, or an eating disorder, or . . .
Maybe you’re struggling with bitterness, a bad attitude, gossip, pornography, the wrong chat rooms, lying, sexual intimacy outside of marriage. Whatever you’re in bondage to, God has a message for you: “Come forth!”
His message is immediate. He’s calling you right now. He’s willing to do a miracle, but you have a responsibility, too. He’s calling you to remove your grave clothes. Walk away from that habit, that relationship, that attitude. Give it up. Lay it down. Seek His help and forgiveness.
NEVER!
And as you do . . . remember that Jesus never fails! There will be times when you think, I’ve prayed and prayed. Why hasn’t He answered? Where is He? Sometimes wholeness is a process. Let the Holy Spirit remind you that Jesus never fails!
Jesus never fails!
Jesus never fails!
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