Try Again

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2007

PROVERBS 24:16

Albert Einstein once said, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." He may have understated his intelligence, but he does so to make a point: For more than any other reason, he was successful because he was persistent.

I'm no Albert Einstein, but I can also say that the success I have experienced can be attributed to this same principle.

Solomon said, "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." (Proverbs 24:16) When I'm missing the mark in my life -- spiritually, financially, or in my relationships -- I have to remind myself several times a day that the difference between my being a wise man and a fool ... the difference between my being righteous and unrighteous ... is determined by my willingness to get up and keep going.

Have you fallen down? Has it happened more than once? If you're like me, you might be ready during these times to throw in the towel and call it quits. But remember this: if a goal is worth one good try, it's worth 10, 20 or even 100 more. Take another look at the dream God has placed in your heart. Then get up, and try again.

— Steve May

About the Monday Memo
The Monday Memo is a weekly devotional for leaders sent out each Monday by Steve May. This is a free service. For more information or to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit http://www.aboutsunday.com/omm.htm

Keep a Fixed Eye Upon a Bleeding Christ

[Sisters, this was so good I had to post it.]

Has Jesus Christ suffered such great and grievous things for you? Oh then, in all your fears, doubts, and conflicts with enemies--within or without--fly to the sufferings ofChrist as your city of refuge!

In every temptation let us look up to a crucified Christ, who is fitted and qualified to support tempted souls. Oh my soul, whenever you are assaulted, let the wounds of Christ be your city of refuge where you may fly and live! Let us learn, in every trouble which presses us--whether it be sin, temptation, or any other evil--to translate it from ourselves to Christ! And all the good in Christ--let us learn to translate it from Christ to ourselves!

Do your sins terrify you? Oh then, look up to a crucified Savior, who bore your sins in His own body on the tree!When sin stares you in the face, oh then turn your face to a dying Jesus, and behold Him . . .

with a spear in His side,

with thorns in His head,

with nails in His feet,

and a pardon in His hands!

Oh, remember that there is nothing in heaven or earth more efficacious to cure the wounds of conscience, than a frequent and serious meditation on the wounds of Christ!

Ah, Christians, under all your temptations, afflictions, fears, doubts, conflicts, and trials--be persuaded to keep a fixed eye upon a crucified Jesus! And remember that all He did--He did for you; and that all He suffered--He suffered for you! This will be a strong cordial to keep you from fainting under all your distresses. Oh, that Christians would labor, under all their soul-troubles, to keep a fixed eye upon a bleeding Christ; for there is nothing which will ease them, quiet them, settle them, and satisfy them, like this!

Many, may I not say most, Christians are more apt to eye their sins, their sorrows, their prayers, their tears, their resolves, their complaints--than they are to eye a suffering Christ. And from hence springs their great woes, wounds, miseries, and dejection of spirit. Oh, that a crucified Christ might be forever in your eye--and always upon your hearts!

Brooks, The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures

Here I go...my first post. It took me awhile to sign up because I thought I already had!! Good job Beth!!! Hang in there with us. Thank you for this!

How So?

All mankind would have been eternally lost, had God not, of His own free grace and mercy, made a covenant of grace with poor sinners.

"They will be My people, and I will be their God."

Jeremiah 32:38

This is a comprehensive promise, for God to be our God--it includes all.

The covenant of grace is an agreement, which God has made with sinful man, out of His mere mercy and grace, wherein He undertakes for fallen man, to make himeverlastingly happy. God engages that He will be our God; that is, as if He said, "You shall have an interest in all My attributes for your good:

My grace shall be yours to pardon you,
My power shall be yours to protect you,
My wisdom shall be yours to direct you,
My goodness shall be yours to relieve you,
My mercy shall be yours to supply you,
My glory shall be yours to crown you."

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them; that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put My fear into their hearts-- that they shall not depart from Me."

Jeremiah. 32:40

The covenant of grace is everlasting on God's part, and also on our part. On God's part, "I will never turn away from them to do them good." And on our part, "they shall never depart from Me." How so? "I will put My fear into their hearts--that they shall not depart from Me." That they shall persevere, and hold out to the end--I will so deeply rivet a reverent dread of Myself in their souls--as shall cause them to believe, love, repent, obey, cling and cleave, and keep close to Me forever.

O sirs! this is the glory of the covenant of grace--that whatever God requires on man's part, that He undertakes to perform for man!

"I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances."

Ezek. 36:25-27

Thomas Brooks, Parasdise Opened, 1675

from Max Lucado

You'll be home soon. You may not have noticed it, but you are closer to home than ever before.

Each moment is a step taken.
Each breath is a page turned.
Each day is a mile marked, a mountain climbed.

You are closer to home than you've ever been.

Before you know it, your appointed time will come; you'll descend the ramp and enter the city. You'll see faces that are waiting for you. You'll hear your name spoken by those who love you.

And . . . in the back, behind the crowds -- the One who would rather die than live without you will remove His pierced hands from His heavenly robe and APPLAUD.

Be encouraged -- you're really going to see Him!

First Place In Your Thoughts

Friends, these things must have first place in your thoughts:

1. Your sins--to humble you and abase you before God.
2. God's free and rich and sovereign grace--to soften and melt you down into submission to His holy will.
3. The Lord Jesus Christ--to assist, help, strengthen, and influence you in all your duties and services.
4. The blessed Scriptures--to guide you and lead you, "and to be a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your paths."
5. The afflictions of the godly--to draw out your charity, mercy, pity, sympathy and compassion to men in misery.
6. The glory and happiness of the eternal world--to arm you and steel you against all your sins, snares and temptations.

Thomas Brooks, The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures

The Best Way To Be Holy

"Turn to the Lord with weeping and with mourning."

Joel 2:12

The best way to be holy is to accuse, indict, arraign, and condemn yourself for your unholiness. Greatly lament and mourn over your own unholiness, over your own wickedness. Go to your closet, and fall down before the most high and holy God, and mourn bitterly over . . .

the unholiness of your nature,
the unholiness of your heart,
the unholiness of your affections,
the unholiness of your intentions,
the unholiness of your thoughts,
the unholiness of your words,
the unholiness of your life.

Oh, who can look upon sin . . .
as an offence against a holy God,
as the breach of a holy law,
as the wounding and crucifying of a holy Savior,
as the grieving and saddening of a holy Sanctifier,

and not mourn over it?

Oh, who can cast a serious eye . . .
upon the heinous nature of sin,
upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
upon the aggravations of sin--

and not have . . .

his heart humbled,

his soul grieved,

his spirit melted,

his mouth full of penitential confessions,

his eyes full of penitential tears, and

his heart full of penitential sorrow?

The Christian mourns that he has sinned against . . .

a God so great,

a God so gracious,

a God so bountiful,

a God so merciful.

Oh, how should a sinner fall a-weeping when he looks upon the greatness of his wickedness, and his lack of holiness! As ever you would be holy, mourn over your own unholiness. Those who weep not for sin here--shall weep out their eyes in hell hereafter! It is better to weep bitterly for your sins on earth, than to weep eternally for your folly in hell.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Matthew 5:4

(Thomas Brooks, The Crown and Glory of Christianity, or, Holiness, the Only Way to Happiness, 1662)