John the Baptist was the person who introduced Jesus Christ to the house of Israel, he was the one who baptised him by the river Jordan and repeated the same message he saw in his revelation, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the whole world”.

But at the end of his life, when he was arrested and Herod was about to behead him, he began to doubt the authenticity of his message about Christ. He sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Who is he really? Is he the one he testified about, or should they be looking for another person?’

No wonder our lord says, he wouldn’t believe in the testimony of men about him, but the testimony of God and of this spirit, for men may disappoint but God can’t.

Even when apostle Peter confirms him as the Christ, he says, the revelation was revealed by the power of holy spirit.

Jesus didn’t mince words, he showed them the miracles he did and warned against falling away by denying who he is, for those who do that are already offended in him.

Offending in Christ will not only affect you but those who believe in Jesus Christ through you, John was a leader in his own, he had his own disciples who believed in his message about who Jesus Christ is.

If he dares to fall, there will be many who will fall with him.

Challenges sometimes might make you change your orientation towards God and his word, that is why the Bible says, whoever endures to the end is the one who will be saved.

Some who are in leadership position has made many of their follower to discard the authenticity of Jesus messages, they only believe when things are moving fine, but when the situation begins to take another turn, they discard his word to lead their congregation astray.

Those who preached the messages of holiness before might want to change their message before the congregation, what of those who have been convinced by it, will they deviate from the word of their leaders or hold their ground to obey the truth despite what the leaders confessed?

Apostle Paul said, neither life nor death nor famine nor sword, nor peace will separate him from the love of God, that also should be the testimony of every child of God.

The situations of Lazarus and John the Baptist are not the same, but they all worked for the glory of the Most High and according to how it was written.

Lazarus was sick and died, but Jesus manifested at the last hour when all hope was lost, but John was imprisoned and beheaded, for he was ordained to decrease while Jesus is to increase, all this worked out for the glory of his majesty.

This is a warning to every believer, whatever situation we find ourselves in, let the glory of God manifest in whichever way and in any form.

To die is gain and to live in Christ is also beneficial to humanity and God.

How many Christians have offended in Christ and lost the crown of their salvation, they were wrath with God in one way or the other, and asked others to follow suit, many are bitter with God and mislead their family members not to follow him again.

Like many will give God an ultimatum of weeks or months to prove himself as God, they are the ones controlling God not him in charge of their lives, this is the kind of people who deviate when things get tougher.

Mind you, your living or death won’t change God’s position, neither will it change who God is, John beheaded didn’t change who Christ is, its only show the supremacy of him over every creation.

Don’t be offended in christ even if your pastor or church member didn’t live by the word, don’t be offended with him if his answer to your prayers is delayed, we know that his thoughts toward us are good not evil to give us an expected end.

Apostle Paul said, he learn to abound and abased that in whichever situation he found himself he would not be offended in Christ

Which kind of condition wants to change your testimony about God?

John was sent to reveal Christ to the world, and was confirmed by the divine revelation of the Holy Spirit descending and rremainingon him.

What else does he need to confirm the authenticity of his messages and the revelation of Christ That is why Jesus shows his disciples the works he is doing as another confirmation that’ll seal his revelation of him.

Job said, even though he killed him he will still trust in him, the periods of doubt may happen sometimes in our relationship with God, but we should not allow it to affect our relationship with him.

There are destinies attached to our testimony, there are people learning secretly from us, if we dare to fail there will be many souls that will be dragged down with us unaware, and we will give account to all the souls that we misled on the day of judgment.

Prayer: Father lord don’t let me be offended in you, in Jesus name, amen.