Friday, August 19, 2011

THINK ON THESE THINGS - FRIDAY

FROM STUMBLING BLOCK TO A STEPPING STONE, PART 2

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Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother...Romans 14:13 AMP

You know, the greatest evangelist of the 19th century, D.L. Moody once said "you are the only Bible 99% of the people will ever read". This is true more and more in these times of a dimming Biblical Worldview.

If the Bible the people around you, who see you at home and work 24/7/365 does not line up with what God says, well we have a problem and we could very well lead a weak- or non- believer away, as well as someone who is seeking Truth.

Always remember to guard your heart against lusts and evil.
Always remember to watch your speech. Let nothing unwholesome escape.
Always remember to reach out in love because you could be the stepping stone to another new.

We do NOT want to be stumbling blocks to cause another to fall, because Christ will judge harshly for that! Especially to those who lead kids astray, Jesus has a special millstone necklace for them!

We DO WANT to be stepping stones, who is a way out for someone hurting or lost....a way out from the following:
The Bondage of Affliction (pray for their healing)
The Bondage of Addiction (pray for their breaking free from it)
The Bondage of Attraction (pray for them to be free from the wrong types and illicit flirtings with all kinds of danger - sexual and otherwise)

Anything which ties a fellow brother or sister away from what God has planned for them could be a permanent detour. You and I, being the maturing believer, can help them see a better way both by the way we live and by showing Christ's love to them.

A stepping stone bridge is a natural path, built across shallow water, which enables a person to walk across that body of water to the other side. This is what we need to be. Between each stone flows the water we are trying to prevent the walker from stepping in, so their feet do not get wet. How they walk across the stepping stone bridge depends on how YOU lay it out.

This bridge is the Cross, which is the only bridge to the other side of this Life - Heaven. If we do not tell people, show people and behave ourselves accordingly around people, we may well contribute to them going to the opposite of heaven - hell! This is precisely the importance of our conduct as Christian.

So as we wrap up this two day look at Romans 14:13, which is it....knowing this, let us all pledge to do the things which will cause us to be a Stepping Stone Bridge and not a Stumbling Block to others!

2 comments:

Jessica M said...

Great post with some important reminders. It reminds me how our pastor began his sermon last Sunday. He began it by asking why is it that studies and statistics show that there is relatively no difference between the way people both in and out of Christianity live their lives? We need to be active witnesses for God, not just with our words but with our actions.

The Bernie Lutchman Blog said...

Bless you for that comment, Jessica!! That's the whole point and you have said it well, as well as your pastor!! :-))

I pray you and yours have a worshipful Sunday in Hartford! Where do you go to church there? We used to go to Immanuel Congregational on Farmington, only because we got to teach kids the Bible for three years we were there!