Open Heavens November 1, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 &3 John, Jude

RISING AFTER A FALL

MEMORIZE: "The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down" (Psalms 145:14)

READ: Job 14:7-12

“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease” (Job 14:7). The greatest men that ever lived have experienced a fall. The most accomplished achievers have not only fallen but have experienced it several times. What is important is not that someone fell, but the step after a fall. A baby who falls and refuses to try again while attempting to walk, will never walk. Many believers have not handled a fall the way they should. Let us look at some lessons from this passage. It is possible for a child of destiny to fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says if you do not take care, you can fall. The strongest, most anointed man of God can fall if not careful. If you are careless or non challant enough to surround yourself with objects of temptation, you will fall.

One antidote to a fall stated by our Lord Jesus Christ - the only One who never fell, is separation from objects of temptation (Matthew 5:27-30). To avoid falling into drunkenness, avoid beer parlors and beer drinking pals. If your maid has become an item of lust, confess to your wife and send her packing. It is better you have no house maid than have a maid that is taking you to hell. If your job is always making you compromise in bribes, change the job or request for a transfer to a department that is not as tempting. When some men join the police force, they do all they can to be sent to road blocks so that they can extort money from the public. Such money is cursed and brings a curse into their blessing. No Heaven-bound saint will struggle to go to such places, except of course he wants to show that you can be at a road block and perform your job without taking bribes.

Some believers may have to separate from their television sets because they lack self-control. The naked pictures they do not publicly entertain, entertains them in the privacy of their homes. Without any control, they allow their flesh to feed on lust. If Christ meets them in that state, they will be left behind. Some pastors are the ones tempting themselves by keeping church money with them. Pastors have no business handling church money. No wonder some pastors are worse thieves than their mentor - Judas Iscariot. Restitute immediately. Have you fallen into sin? Repent and rise up. Separate from anything and anyone capable of keeping you in that fallen state.

ACTIONPOINT: Examine yourself. List those people, hobbies or items that easily draw you into sin. Prayerfully separate from them. However, this excludes your impossible spouse.