MEMORISE:
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. Mark 9:42
READ: 1 Corinthians 8:9-12
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
MESSAGE
The Holy Spirit often depicts the Christian life as a race. Stumbling blocks are obstacles place along the course of this race in order to trip people and bring them down as they try to reach the finishing line. Stumbling blocks are not meant for believers; rather, they are deliberately designed as obstacles on the way of young or immature Christians that are not yet properly established in the Christian faith. In several portions of the Bible- fourteen to be precise- God speaks about stumbling blocks in very strong terms, as seen in today’s memory verse. The unfortunate thing about stumbling blocks is that even fellow believers can be used as stumbling blocks by the enemy. The question is, are you a stumbling block?
A common scene on the street of many Nigerian cities these days is law enforcement agents and traffic control officers rushing in on unsuspecting drivers to arrest them for breaking traffic laws. In some cases, you can easily tell from the vehicle number plates that such drivers are strangers who may not be conversant with certain traffic rules peculiar to that city. Often, the traffic signs showing these rules are well hidden in places that are not easily visible to naïve drivers. These officials are usually well positioned to warn and educate these strangers about the rules before they break them, but they do not, preferring instead to prey on their ignorance. In the language of the Bible, such officers have made themselves stumbling blocks to these road users. The Bible speaks against being a stumbling block to your neighbor or putting on the way anything that may cause him or her to fall (Romans 14:13). Also, Romans 13:10 states that love does not commit evil against his neighbor. If indeed we are truly born again, we will find it extremely difficult to place obstacles on the way of anyone, especially children of God, being our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
God takes the issue of stumbling blocks very seriously. Children of God should stop messing with fellow Christian. God is jealous for His people; remember that we were all bought with the precious Blood of Jesus. We are therefore precious in His sight. Anyone who tries to corrupt, mislead, deceive, outsmart, or trap a child of God is in danger of God’s judgment (Mark 9:42). No one should be identified as the reason for another’s fall. I decree in the Name that is above all other names that anyone setting you up for failure, downfall or problems shall be buried in the sea of life today in Jesus’ Name.
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please open my eyes to recognize any way I am being a stumbling block to others in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 8-9
Isaiah 46
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.
1.While passing thro' this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.
Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.
2. Your life's a book before their eyes,
They're reading it thro' and thro'
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?
Refrain
3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.
Refrain
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