“NEVER TO PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK!”

Romans 14:13-19                                               (ESV)

“13 Therefore let us NOT PASS judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide “NEVER TO PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK” or hindrance in the way of a brother.

14 I know and am persuaded in the LORD JESUS that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.

15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom CHRIST died.

16 SO DO NOT LET WHAT YOU REGARD AS GOOD BE SPOKEN OF AS EVIL.

17 For the kingdom of GOD is not a matter of eating and drinking but of RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE and JOY in the HOLY SPIRIT.

18 Whoever thus serves CHRIST is acceptable to GOD and approved by men.

19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for MUTUAL UP BUILDING.”

 “This world” has devolved into a society where people are moving at such a pace that our message is limited to a certain amount of characters to keep things interesting, where we try to inform enough to educate without being involved, and we refuse to admit that there is NO ONE HOLY, NO NOT ONE!

“The enemy” attempts to keep our sights on the faults of others rather than the TRUTH that PEACE and PERFECTION will never exist outside of JESUS CHRIST.  Doubt and confusion, turmoil and strife, are tools used by the god of this world to tear down.  A devotional that I have studied says “Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. That is why you see many people without patience these days.”  Some people can’t exhibit these traits because they are NOT of the SPIRIT!  

I’m verse 14 above, Scripture states “I know and am persuaded in the LORD JESUS that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean”, so eating your favorite meal, or drinking your favorite beverage, or whatever it is that causes your brother to stumble, and we KNOWINGLY do it in spite of that, we are creating a stumbling block for others!  I am almost 60 years old, and I am afraid that my haughty spirit has caused a lot of people to stumble.   The Holy Spirit can overcome my weaknesses, but I am CHOSEN and I don’t want to continue living like “this world”!

The Word is very clear, “NEVER TO PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK” or hindrance in the way of a brother.  Is this something that I practice?  Or do I live the way I choose and pray for others to be CLEANSED and SAVED?  GOD, please help me to “NEVER TO PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK” in the way of others coming to know you!!!