A Stumbling Block

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A Stumbling Block

Sometimes we can get to feeling quite puzzled  and confused  over some of the preaching  that we hear.      We recognize  that some of it is true,  but cannot pinpoint  what it is that disturbs us.      Something seems  “different”  from what we’ve heard before;  it seems like  “new”  information,  and we’re not sure  how to feel about it.

That feeling means  we need to go back  to the solid foundation  of our faith  in Jesus Christ.      We need to study God’s word  to us,  and get grounded  on what God actually has to say  about the subject.      When the disciples  were afraid to go with Jesus  to Bethany  to see Lazarus,  who was reportedly very sick,  they reminded Jesus  of how the Jews there  were trying to kill Him.      But, Jesus replied  in John 11:9-10,

If anyone walks in the day,  he does not stumble,  because  he sees the light  of this world.      But   if anyone walks in the night,  he stumbles,  because the light is not in him.

Jesus is talking about the spiritual light we receive  from God our Creator  and Redeemer.      When we have the light  of God’s word  in our hearts,  we can be confident  of God’s leading  and care.      But,  if we are walking through life  according to the thinking  of this world,  we will stumble,  because we are not keeping  the truths  of God’s actual word  in us.      We can get badly hurt  or killed  when stumbling in the darkness  of worldly thinking.

Our chances of stumbling  in this world  are very great  —  if we don’t keep on going back  to God’s actual word  and asking for our Lord’s protection.      God is the only one  who can keep us safe  in His truths.      That is why Jude 1:24-25 says,

Now to Him who is able  to keep you from stumbling  and to make you stand  in the presence  of His glory  blameless with great joy,  to the only God our Savior,  through Jesus Christ our Lord,  be glory,  majesty,  dominion  and authority,  before all time  and now  and forever.      Amen.

We need  to not only keep going back  to God’s actual word,  but we need  to believe it.      Our faith  needs to be grounded  in what God teaches us  —  not in the ways people  try to twist God’s word.      The greatest example of this  is in the Bible  and is prophesied about  in Isaiah.      In Romans,  Paul was teaching about  how we are saved  only by faith in Jesus,  our Savior  —  and not by works  of any sort.      But,  the Jews had a big-time problem  with this,  because for many years,  they had been taught  that they had to follow  all sorts of traditions  and laws  in order to be saved.      Those traditions  and laws  were man’s teachings  —  not God’s.

Instead of going  to the actual word of God  for the truth,  the people believed the words  of the religious leaders,  which prevented them  from accepting Jesus  as their Savior.      They strongly felt  they had to follow many laws,  instead of living by faith  in the Savior  as God said they should  throughout the whole Old Testament.      Because they listened to men  instead of God,  Jesus became a stumbling block for them,  just as Isaiah 28:16 prophesied  and is quoted in Romans 9:33,

Behold,  I lay in Zion  a stone of stumbling  and a rock of offense,
And He who believes in Him  will not be disappointed.

Then again,  Paul writes  in 1 Corinthians 1:22-24,

For indeed  Jews ask for signs,  and Greeks  search for wisdom;  but we preach Christ crucified,  to Jews a stumbling block,  and to Gentiles  foolishness,  but to those who are the called,  both Jews and Greeks,  Christ the power of God  and the wisdom of God.

We will not be disappointed  when putting our whole faith  in Jesus alone.      We don’t need to be looking for signs  of any sort  or any wisdom  apart from what God teaches us  in His word, the Bible.      We need to be well grounded  in God’s word,  so that  when anyone twists the word of God,  we will recognize the error  and avoid it.      It doesn’t matter  what sort of background  we come from,  we need  “Christ the power of God  and the wisdom of God”  as our teacher  and guide.     That’s in a trustworthy translation of God’s word, not a paraphrase of someone’s opinion.

Then,  in the freedom Christ gives us,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord,  blessed be Your name  because You have promised  to be our guide  and teacher  when we abide in Your actual word.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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