Stumbling Blocks

 S - Luke 17: 1-4  (NASB)

 Now He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that [a]stumbling blocks come, but woe to one through whom they come! 2 It is better for him if a millstone is hung around his neck and he [b]is thrown into the sea, than that he may cause one of these little ones to [c]sin. 3 [d]Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

O - Repentance is the key to maintaining a healthy relationship with God and those who are in your life.   As Jesus has said - it is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but don't be a stumbling block for others,  it would be better that you were dead.   But if someone you know stumbles, don't tolerate it but rather rebuke it and if they repent ,  forgive them.  Even if they sin against you seven times a day, and turns and repents seven times, you are to forgive them.

A -  Wow, what an amazing grace God gives us,  even as we sin against our close friends, there is forgiveness through repentance.  A repentant heart, while vulnerable to sin,  is able to restore relationship with God by repenting and turning from sin.  I must follow Jesus example to his disciples and have repentant heart, and turn away from my sins.  Even when I repentant many times in a day,  I must not be discouraged but rather repent after each sin. repent and turn away from sin, and towards God.   Now I have struggled with sin lately and have had to repent many times to God and my wife.   I need to remember that if I give my whole heart to God, he is faithful and just and will make a way for me, one in which the path to righteousness is narrow, yet he stands at the gate ready to let me in.

P - Dear heavenly  Father thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  Lord I know I lack openness and have not completely given my heart to you but I do not know how to do that, and I ask you show me your ways in your word and through your holy spirit, so that I may sin no more.  I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen.