WHEN YOU FAIL AND FALL
"For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness for all who call upon You."
Psalm 86:5
Do you remember the old commercial by a medical alert company called LifeCall that had the tag line, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up”? LifeCall was promoting a small communication device that older people, or disabled people, could wear as a necklace. This device would provide instant assistance for them in case of a fall. The product gave the wearers confidence, even if they lived alone. As long as they could hit the button, they could get help so they could get back on their feet.
HAVE YOU FALLEN?
Lots of Christians I know have fallen into sin, and they are having trouble getting back up. You see, when you and I fall, the devil is quick to move in and say, “Look at you! And you have the audacity to call yourself a Christian? What a hypocrite you are! What a liar you are! You’ll never get back up. My advice to you is to stay down and just accept the truth—you are a failure and a fraud, a scum bag and an utter abomination to God.”
Have you ever heard that familiar voice of the accuser saying similar things to you when you fail and fall? Interestingly, when the devil speaks to us, he makes his voice sound like our own. He tries to make us think his condemning, hellish advice is coming from our own “correct” understanding of the circumstances. Remember, the devil is a liar and the father of lies. He will do anything to keep you down.
So when you hear the devil shout, “Give up!,” hear the voice of God as He says, “Get up!” “For a righteous man falls seven times, and RISES AGAIN” (Proverbs 24:16). No righteous man or woman is immune to falls. But when you do fall, you must not stay down.
God gives every person a LifeCall necklace, and He wants us to use it! When you and I fall into sin—whether that fall is an unplanned slip (I slipped into this sin that knocked me off my feet), a careless trip (I let my guard down and the devil pounced on me with temptation), or a blatant dive (I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway)—there is a way back up. You must quickly hit the LifeCall button, and cry out to God in repentance, confession, and faith.
HE IS READY
One of the features of LifeCall was 24-hour coverage, 7 days a week. So it is with God. He is ready right now to forgive you and lavish upon you His mercy, grace, and love. Jesus didn’t come to condemn us. He came to save us!
Are you holding on to sin in your life? Are you clinging to sexual sin or substance abuse or bitterness or pride or selfishness? Sin is like cancer. Unless you and I get it out of our lives through repentance and confession (remember how the prodigal son LEFT the pigsty and went to his father and confessed his sin BEFORE he was restored), we will stay down and diseased. But, the moment we let go of our rotten sin and cry out to Him, He comes and gently, lovingly cleanses our heart and raises us up.
As you read this today, honestly search your heart. Have you fallen? Do you feel as if you can’t ever get up again? Have you believed the devil’s lies that it is over for you? Hit your LifeCall button. Cry out to Jesus. He loves you and is so ready to forgive and restore you. The big question is this: are you ready to leave your pigsty and come to Him in repentance and brokenness? The prodigal son did, and it made all the difference in the world!
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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