"Get back up again!"

[Brother Ben]

For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Prov. 24:16

One of the discouraging parts of our Christian walk is when we feel we have missed the mark or just flat out blown it. We think about our relationships and times we have not acted, reponded, etc., just like we should of, perhaps not doing something we thought the Lord was leading us to do. The list goes on. For some reason or another, there we are, down for the count.

Brethren let me give you a word of encouragemtn, "Get back up again!" We have the promise from the scripture above, "For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief." When you see a "just" man, that means we, who have been justified by the finished work of the Lord Jesus on Calvary. Justification gives us the internal testimony that things are still o.k. with the Great Judge of Heaven! Praise the Lord!

It also says, "...falleth seven times," Seven in the Bible is the number of perfection. Now I am in no way condoning sin, but the Lord knows what it is going to take to mature us and perfect us and it may take some times of ...well, how do I put this... mud in the face, to cause to realize that He must increase and we must decrease. We are not to busy ourselves trying to get God in on our plans, but to humble ourselves and find out God's plans and get in on the action.

Rise up again! The Lord is faithful, and can help you! We have so many blessings and opportunities for service, we should, like David of old, "Encourage ourselves in the Lord."

[restored]

Bro. Ben,

My favorite saying is, "Our greatest glory consist not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall." I know this is a worldy saying and even has worldly side to it, but it has helped me alot in my life. I have fallen more times then I care to count. I always know that God is there to pick me up, brush me off, and love me even still. It's wonderful to know that the closer we draw to God, the less we will fall. I know that we still fall, but it is a great encouragement to keep drawing closer. It is also easier to get back up the closer to God we are when we fall.

In His Service,
Heather

[George]

This is a subject which is near and dear to me. Praise God He is the God of the third, fourth, fifth and even beyond chances.

One of my favorite lines in the entire Bible is right in line with this subject. It occurs 5 times fairly close together in the book of Isaiah. Isa. 5:25, Isa. 9.12, Isa. 9:17, Isa. 9:21 and Isa. 10:4. Let me give you just one of them for reference:

(Isaiah 5:25) Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Notice the line I put in bold type. For all of this...for all of the things we have done which pain Him, for all the sin we have committed, for the stubbornness of our flesh, for all of these things...His anger is not turned away. That means we will pay for what we have done. There is no way to escape that fact. We will pay and sometimes pay dearly. The price we pay is entirely up to Him.

But look at the incredible promise in the last phrase. But His hand is stretched out still. Praise His Name for that! What we see here is the promise no matter what we do, no matter the extent of sin, when we turn back toward Him, He is still standing there with His hand of mercy and grace extended toward us, in effect saying, "Sinner come home!"

I am reminded of the story of Peter when he stepped out of the boat. He saw the winds boisterous which means he was facing troubled times. Immediately he lost his faith and began to sink. Does that not remind me of my own life! How often is it that when I am faced with troubled times I lose my faith, lose my focus on The Lord and attempt to go it on my own only to begin sinking again? Could it be seventy time seven? Probably even more.

But then remember what happened next. Peter cried out, "Lord, Save me!" That is a plea. That is a plea we probably have to invoke all too many times. But then look at what happened. The Bible says IMMEDIATELY Jesus stretched out His hand and saved Peter.

For all of this, His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. Praise God!!!

Yours in Christ,
George Groce

[benshelpmeet]

Thank you Bro Ben, Heather, and Bro George....That was so good and a blessing to my soul. God is so good to His precious children. I am so glad I am saved and the Lord is so real to me and He walks with His dear children and strengthens them(us) and heals them, and forgives them, and grows them, etc...