Remove Barriers

Remove Barriers

1 Corinthians 8: ⁹ Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin. ¹⁰ Suppose a person whose conscience is weak in this matter sees you, who have so-called “knowledge,” eating in the temple of an idol; will not this encourage him to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so this weak person, your brother for whom Christ died, will perish because of your “knowledge”! ¹² And in this way you will be sinning against Christ by sinning against other Christians and wounding their weak conscience. ¹³ So then, if food makes a believer sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make a believer fall into sin.

 

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“Put on your best” were the words of someone, I think. We were all dressed in suits and dresses, giving our “best” every Sunday at church. The SPIRIT of the LORD moved me to go out into the neighborhood and invite people. “No thanks, I don’t have anything to wear” was the barrier presented to me.

 

• There have been many things I did that were a barrier to someone.
• There have been many things I did that may have caused someone to stumble.
• There have been many things I did that seemed harmless to me, but were harmful to others.

 

“Be careful” was Paul’s warning. He was addressing a question about food offered to idols. He replied with a statement that idols have no power. But he warns everyone who believes to be careful not to make a believer fall into sin. If there is a person who is “weaker in faith”, be careful with liberties.

 

• GOD wants me to use discernment around people who are just starting to know CHRIST.
• GOD wants me to drop my assumptions that everyone is at the same maturity level.
• GOD wants me to keep my liberties to myself if they will cause a person to fall into sin.

 

“It’s all good” is not all good to everyone. I mean, when I am speaking to someone, my relaxed attitude towards something may cause a person to doubt a truth I may have spoken about JESUS. This truth may cause that person to sin. Now I have caused a sin against CHRIST.

 

GOD wants me to be willing to make adjustments to the way I do things so I will be inviting rather than offensive. This only goes so far. The message of JESUS is quite offensive and HE does not want me to stop speaking about HIM. But I can stop wearing suits, eating certain things and going to buildings on certain days “temporarily” while I am with a person who I may offend. I am glad GOD’s grace is sufficient.

 

• Are you being offensive and are unaware?
• Do you follow customs versus being led by the SPIRIT?
• Will you examine your habits and see if the good ones have become a barrier to GOD and ask HIM to remove it immediately today?

Blessings

 

Blessings

Romans 11: ¹¹ I ask, then: When the Jews stumbled, did they fall to their ruin? By no means! Because they sinned, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make the Jews jealous of them. ¹² The sin of the Jews brought rich blessings to the world, and their spiritual poverty brought rich blessings to the Gentiles. Then, how much greater the blessings will be when the complete number of Jews is included!

 

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“Want these?” was the question as I was handed two newish TV’s and some barely used tools. The office was closing and they had no need for the lobby televisions and the tools used for minor repairs. “Sure” I replied. I couldn’t believe they were going to throw these items away!

 

• Many times I have received valuable things people did not want.
• Many times I have been the benefactor of something valuable by those who did not see the value.
• Many times I have obtained what was unwanted and felt very blessed.

 

Paul explains that the Jews stumbled when they did not believe in JESUS was the Messiah they had been searching for. This sin saved the Gentiles which brought rich blessings on a group that was not looking to be blessed. This rich blessing of salvation is used to make those who overlooked the blessing, jealous. One day, the full count of all believers, Jews and Gentiles, will be counted.

 

• GOD has poured out HIS blessings on me.
• GOD has given me so much, that I cannot thank HIM enough.
• GOD has provided for me to overflowing, spiritually.

 

When is comes to blessings, GOD cannot be beat. HE has so much to give and cannot seem to hold it back. When one group rejects HIS blessings, another benefits. HE looks at me the same way. If I choose to refuse HIS blessings, HE will pour them out on someone else who was not even looking for them.

 

BUT GOD is also gracious. HE knows I may stumble and overlook HIS blessings when I look for the blessings to come in a way I expect. HE does not mind when I come back to HIM and ask “Can I be included in YOUR blessings?” when I have overlooked what I was supposed to thank HIM for in the first place. I am glad GOD’s grace is sufficient.

 

• Are you looking for GOD to bless you and HE already has?
• What rich blessings are you overlooking?
• Will you ask GOD to open your eyes to the extreme blessings HE has provided you so your heart may grow to overflowing today?

Blocked

Blocked

Acts 19: ²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

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When I answered the door, my friends were outside asking if I could go to the party. “What party?” I asked nervously. It didn’t matter what their answer was, I knew I wouldn’t get permission to go. I thought of ways to escape the house, but there was no way out. I resorted to a tactic that never worked before. “Everyone else is going.”

• There have been times when I have been blocked from doing something.
• There have been times when I wanted to join the crowd but could not.
• There have been times when I simply wanted to be part of the group without knowing what was going on.

The crowd in Ephesus was not having a party. They wanted to worship the goddess Artemis so they could make money on idols. They became furious over Paul’s words of love stating JESUS was and is the only GOD. A mob formed and protests took to the street. Many people didn’t know who they were angry at, but some did and seized Paul’s companions. Paul was blocked.

• GOD wants me to have the heart to serve.
• GOD wants me to be confident in HIS protection.
• GOD wants me to use wisdom rather than emotion.

Rushing in when the situation is heated leads to hurt people and no resolution. Unfortunately, this fight had to happen. I mean, when everything was calm, the greedy people lulled others into following a false god. But the true GOD was being overlooked. GOD wants me to be ready to speak about JESUS, not just say the word “GOD.” I am glad HE enables me to freely speak about HIM.

• Are you being blocked when it comes to speaking about JESUS?
• Is the situation too volatile to say the name of JESUS?
• Will you have patience because GOD hears you and will make a way for you to continue to speak on HIS behalf?

Stumbling

Matthew 18: ⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷ Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

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Sexual purity was the last thing on my mind when I was hanging out at the clubs. Admiration turned into action as I sought after short term fulfillment. The problem was the next day. Riddled with guilt and shame I did not feel like I had followed CHRIST and I’m sure I could not talk to my lustful companion about HIM.

• There were times I have been controlled by lust.
• There have been times when I said, “I deserve a little sin.”
• There were times I caused people to stumble.

Dragging someone into my mess is a real problem to GOD. Not only am I harming me, I am harming someone else. GOD wanted my behavior to change.

• GOD said to me “I want your mind, body and soul.”
• GOD said to me “I want you to keep the temple I have given you pure and clean.”
• GOD said to me “Watch carefully what you put in your heart.”

The passage doesn’t just talk about sexual purity. It speaks about character. If I am stealing, lying, cheating, complaining or threatening, I may have caused myself and others to stumble in their faith. GOD wants me to speak and act with HIS motives so others can be drawn to HIM.

• Are you building people up or tearing them down?
• Are you fulfilling your lusts and causing yourself and others to stumble?
• Can you stop focusing on yourself for a moment and focus on others long enough to tell them about JESUS?

Not Going to Stumble

Matthew 11: ² When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

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Wind propelled pellets of ice and snow in my face. I zipped my coat up to my nose and pulled my hat down to my glasses. The mile walk was long and my foot sunk deep into the mucky drifts. I felt like giving up and turning back. “Keep going” were the words that popped in my head. When I arrived at the bus stop, four busses arrived at once!

• Many times I felt like giving up.
• Many times I thought GOD was a waste of time.
• Many times I questioned HIS plan as if HE were the problem versus the Savior.

Giving up on GOD means I refuse to take the next step with HIM on life’s journey. I gave up on HIM and stopped praying to HIM at one point. I mean “What good is it to pray if HE says ‘No’ all the time?” was my immature thought. GOD was gracious enough to me to have patience.

• GOD opened my eyes to my selfishness and showed me just how blessed I am.
• GOD opened my ears to tell me HIS message and to bring other people to HIM.
• GOD repaired my broken spirit and gave me legs to walk to the poor and proclaim HIS good news!

Difficult times bring on a choice. Either I will choose to cling to JESUS or I will blame HIM for my problems. It is that simple. Stumbling happens. My faith gets shaken when the snowy winds of life hits me in the face. BUT GOD blesses me “when” I do not stumble and show a mustard seed of faith.

• Are you ready to give up?
• Do you think the road is too far and life is hitting you in the face?
• Can you keep going in your faith so you can make it to GOD’s destination for you?
• Will you choose not to stumble today?

My strength may be my weakness

1 Corinthians 8: ⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?10 

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Some songs I listen to have catchy beats but their words are not always edifying to GOD. Some shows I watch have content that is not pleasing to GOD. We could argue about the pros and cons of isolating myself from these things but my concern is am I causing someone else to stumble by what I listen to or watch?

• When I do something that people may abstain from out of knowledge that I am forgiven I may be causing someone to stumble.
• When eat during a period of other folks fasting I may be causing someone to stumble.
• When I wave meat in front of a vegetarian I may be causing someone to stumble.

I never realized my actions may affect someone else. I mean aren’t they responsible for their own actions? GOD wants me to be aware that while I am forgiven and have freedom from my sins I should be careful to exercise my freedom around those who do not understand how free I am indeed.

• GOD wants me to appreciate the way someone is worshipping rather than being critical of their ways.
• GOD wants me to enjoy the various ways people see what HE is doing in their lives rather than pushing how I want them to see HIM.
• GOD wants me to be an example because actions speak louder than words.

Remaining calm in the storm, remaining faithful in darkness, remaining strong in the face of weakness is what GOD has called me to do but if my strength gets in the way of someone seeing GOD then I must prayerfully try to reduce myself and increase the person who is stumbling. In other words I have to do everything in my power to help them see GOD and not see me.

• Are you in the way of someone seeing GOD?
• Are your rules getting in the way of those who can’t seem to follow rules?
• Can you allow “that” person to grow in GOD their way and not your way?