GET BACK UP!

When I moved up to Michigan last November from Florida, I got super excited. There would actually be snow in winter! Sledding, snowmen, sledding, snowball fights, sledding, snow on Christmas Day, sledding... What I failed to realize is all the misery that came with snow: shoveling the driveway, shoveling the sidewalk, scraping ice off the car windows, the freezing cold, THE ICE!

ICE + MATTHEW BOYD (that's me) = TODAY'S BLOG

I was at work shoveling snow when I stepped on a patch of ice! I must have looked like a cartoon the way my feet slipped right out from under me. Next thing I know, I'm sitting on the cold, hard ground. After I stopped crying (just kidding, I never cry), I got back up and started back to work. I slipped another couple of times, but those weren't as bad.

Proverbs 24:15 says "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief."

Living in today's world is a lot like walking on ice: When you're not paying attention, you WILL slip and fall! But it's when you GET BACK UP that makes the difference. A righteous or good man isn't perfect. He just GETS BACK UP.

What does it take to GET BACK UP?

1. It takes a DECISION!
One of my favorite verses is Daniel 1:8a "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat..." This decision affected Daniel's whole life. God was then able to take Daniel and use him to do great things.

2. It takes DETERMINATION!
Notice that the verse says 'seven times'. It takes determination to get back up over and over and over and over again! But he keeps getting back up!

Next time you fall into sin, get back up. I John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Go to God and ask Him to forgive you for that sin. He wants to forgive you and when you ask for forgiveness, He picks you back up, forgives you, and doesn't bring it back up.

GET BACK UP!!!