Growth and Steadfastness · Defense of the Faith · Spiritual Discernment · Spiritual Warfare

Lord, look at what this person is saying to me! A stumbling block?

3 min read, approximately

“But Elymas the magician (for that is how his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on him and said: You who are full of all deceit and all wickedness, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness! Will you not stop twisting the Lord’s straight paths? Now behold, the Lord’s hand is against you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time. Immediately darkness and gloom fell upon him, and he went about looking for someone to lead him by the hand.” (Acts 13:8-11)

Today we see not only people rising up to prevent the work of evangelism, but also people, usually very close to us, suggesting ideas that are contrary to Christianity in the light of the Word… Stumbling blocks.

Let us look at some common attitudes and phrases:

\1. They do not read or meditate on the Word, but suddenly they want to advise us

Be careful! You and I already have a purpose in the Lord!

“From then on, Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer greatly at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise on the third day. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, have compassion on yourself; this must never happen to you. But he turned and said to Peter: Get away from me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s concerns but on human concerns.” (Matthew 18:21-23)

\2. “Oh, I don’t think God will punish you if you miss one Sunday… stop being a fanatic!”

The Word urges us to have faith:

“So faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

At church we hear the Word and are strengthened, so please:

“Do not stop gathering together, as some have the habit of doing, but encourage one another, all the more as you see that day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

\3. Those who do not go to church but will not let others go

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven before people; you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matthew 23:13)

\4. Those who live without sacrifice

“Once in a while is not bad; excess is what is bad“…

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn light into darkness and darkness into light, who call bitter sweet and sweet bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

We often lose our way watching whether others are moving faster or receiving different blessings. But the greatest act of faith is to let go of comparison and trust that God has an individual plan for each person. When you feel tempted to look around, listen to his whisper:

“When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus: Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him: If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” (John 21:21-22)

What is that to you? You follow me!

May God continue to bless you
and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!
I invite you to stop by the Songbook