OPEN HEAVEN [24 FEBRUARY 2019] ARE YOU A STUMBLING BLOCK?

Open Heaven 24 February 2019: [Sunday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – Are You A Stumbling Block?

ARE YOU A STUMBLING BLOCK? – Sunday February 24^th 2019

Memorise: And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. Mark 9:42

Read: 1^st Corinthians 8:9-12 (KJV)

⁹ But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

¹⁰ For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

¹¹ And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

¹² But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Bible in one year: Acts 8-9, Isaiah 46, Hymnal: Sing hymn 5

Message:-

The Holy Spirit often depicts the Christian life as a race. Stumbling blocks are obstacles placed along the course of this race in order to trip people and bring them down as they try to reach the finishing line.

OPEN HEAVEN 24 FEBRUARY 2019 ARE YOU A STUMBLING BLOCK?

 Stumbling blocks are not meant for unbelievers; rather, they are deliberately designed as obstacles on the way of young or immature Christians that are not yet properly established in the Christian faith. In Several portions of the Bible – fourteen to be precise – God speaks about stumbling blocks in very strong terms, as seen in today’s memory verse. The unfortunate thing about stumbling blocks is that even fellow believers can be used as stumbling blocks by the enemy. The question is, are you a stumbling block?

A common scene on the street s of many Nigerian cities these days is law enforcement agents and traffic control officers rushing in on unsuspecting drivers to arrest them for breaking traffic laws. In some cases, you can easily tell from the vehicle number plates that such drivers are strangers who may not be conversant with certain traffic rules peculiar to that city. 

Open Heaven 24 February 2019: [Sunday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – Are You A Stumbling Block?

Often, the traffic signs showing these rules are well hidden in places that are not easily visible to the native drivers. These officials are usually well positioned to warn and educate these strangers about the rules before they break them, but they do not, preferring instead to prey on their ignorance. In the language of the Bible, such officers have made themselves stumbling blocks to these road users. The Bible speaks against being a stumbling block to your neighbour or putting on the way anything that may cause him or her to fall (Romans 14:13). Also, Romans 13:10 states that love does not commit evil against his neighbour. If indeed we are truly born again, we will find it extremely difficult to place obstacles on the way of anyone, especially children of God, being our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Prayer Points

God takes the issues of stumbling blocks very seriously. Children of God should stop messing around with fellow Christians. God is jealous for His people; remember that we were all brought with the precious Blood of Jesus. We are therefore precious in His sight. Anyone who tries to corrupt, mislead, deceive, outsmart or trap a child of God is in danger of God’s judgment (Mark 9:42). No one should be identified as the reason for another’s fall. I decree in the Name that is above all other names that anyone setting you up for failure, downfall or problems shall be buried in the sea of life today in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point

Father, please open my eyes to recognise any way I am being a stumbling block to others in Jesus’ Name.

Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.