Causes of disobedience to GOD

Lack of love for the LORD

 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. 

And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, 

and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

John 14:21

Jesus answered and said to him, 

"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; 

and My Father will love him, 

and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 

  He who does not love Me does not keep My words; 

and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

John 14:23-24

When we receive GOD's love in our hearts and love Him and live in an intimate relationship with Him, we will not strive to keep His commandments. We will not seek to do the minimum, just for the sake of escaping the punishment for disobedience, but we will desire to please Him in all things! We will obey Him with all our heart.

Because Abraham loved, honoured and trusted GOD, he obeyed GOD to the extent of laying his precious son Isaac, on the altar of sacrifice. He was rewarded by receiving Isaac back. This act of obedience would have strengthened the faith not only of Abraham, but also that of Isaac! GOD has to take the first place in our lives! 

 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 

  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, 

just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 

  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, 

and that your joy may be full. 

  This is My commandment, 

that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:9-12

The gist of GOD's law is, to receive GOD's love and to love Him with all of ourselves and to love others with that same love!

Traditions

 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, 

as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' 

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-

-the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." 

He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, 

that you may keep your tradition. 

For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 

'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 

But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, 

"Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"--' 

(that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything 

for his father or his mother, 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition 

which you have handed down. And many such things you do."

Mark 7:6-13

It is necessary for us, once in a while, to ask ourselves and others, why we do certain things or keep certain traditions and rituals that we have picked up along the way. We must diligently seek GOD as to whether such habits are in line with Scripture and whether those actions hinder us from simply obeying GOD's law of love which is more important!

Vain traditions waste our time and energy and also could make us prideful, looking down on those who do not keep them!

Something done with purpose previously, could be blindly carried down generations as purposeless and meaningless tradition. The lamb leg needed to be cut in half to fit the small ovens in olden times. Tradition would say that the lamb leg has to be always cut in half, although the ovens are now big enough to fit a whole leg!

Legalism

 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 

And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. 

And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

--that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, 

"What man is there among you who has one sheep, 

and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? 

Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 

Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." 

And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. 

Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, 

how they might destroy Him.

Matthew 12:9-14 

In keeping the Sabbath legalistically, the Pharisees completely missed the meaning of the Sabbath! Isn't Sabbath ceasing from our work, entering into 'His rest', connecting with Him and doing the good work He has given us to do?

 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, 

let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 

For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works 

as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, 

lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Hebrews 4:1, 9-11

 The LORD JESUS Himself is our Rest!

 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, 

for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30

 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 

And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, 

and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 

But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, 

"Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." 

And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, 

and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, 

because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, 

"There are six days on which men ought to work; 

therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day." 

The Lord then answered him and said, 

"Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey 

from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, 

being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound--think of it-

-for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" 

And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; 

and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
Luke 13:10-17

A legalistic mindset cannot understand the heart of GOD and does not feel compassion.

GOD's law is the law of love.

Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. 

And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 

Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, 

and passed by on the other side.
 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, 

came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; 

and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, 

gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 

'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." 

Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Luke 10:30-37

Love does not theorize, but acts!

The priest and the Levite, probably did not want to be defiled by the injured man, who they may have thought was a corpse, and so they crossed the road to pass by on the other side! Touching a corpse would make them ceremoniously unclean! They thought about themselves and not about the man in need. A person in need is a neighbour indeed!

'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself', is the commandment.

When you juxta-position yourself and become a neighbour to anyone in need, he becomes your neighbour! 

Hardness of Heart

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, 

"Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" 

And He answered and said to them, 

"Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 

'made them male and female,' and said, '

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother 

and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? 

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. 

Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." 

They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command 

to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" 

He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, 

permitted you to divorce your wives, 

but from the beginning it was not so. 

And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, 

except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; 

and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."

Matthew 19:3-9

GOD has given man a free will to make his own decision to obey or disobey. Therefore GOD's law permits a path of disobedience, while commanding obedience. If we harden our hearts and choose that path of disobedience, we will be progressing towards GOD's wrath and judgement. 

Unbelief

 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, 

let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; 

but the word which they heard did not profit them, 

not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 

For we who have believed do enter that rest, 

as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,' " 

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Hebrews 4:1-3

If we don't believe in what GOD is saying to us in His word and through His Holy Spirit,  we will not be interested in obeying Him! If we don't believe in GOD's character, that He is good and that what He commands us to do is for our good, why would we obey Him?

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, 

for he who comes to God must believe that He is, 

and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

  By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, 

moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, 

by which he condemned the world 

and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Hebrews 11:6-7

Lack of Trust in GOD

 Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man 

And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. 

For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, 

And shall not see when good comes, 

But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, 

In a salt land which is not inhabited. 

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, 

And whose hope is the Lord. 

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, 

Which spreads out its roots by the river, 

And will not fear when heat comes; 

But its leaf will be green, 

And will not be anxious in the year of drought, 

Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

Jeremiah 17:5-8

It is easier to trust in someone we know than in someone we don't know. If we have a close relationship with the LORD, we will be able to trust Him in all situations.

The systems of this world constantly woo us to place our trust in them, may they be the medical system, or the financial system. Let us be determined not to make decisions on their recommendations, until we have sought the LORD and known His guidance and leading.

The decisions we make should not be based on fear, but on faith and trust in the LORD.

https://youtu.be/4dh02OnJpIE?si=TAaDhFCWvtqvehGh

Fear of man

 The fear of man brings a snare, 

But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.

Proverbs 29:25

If we fear what men think of us and what harm they may do to us, we cannot obey the LORD.

We must walk in the fear of the LORD and obey Him because He has all authority and power over all things! 

 "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, 

You people in whose heart is My law: 

Do not fear the reproach of men, 

Nor be afraid of their insults. 

For the moth will eat them up like a garment, 

And the worm will eat them like wool; 

But My righteousness will be forever, 

And My salvation from generation to generation."

Isaiah 51:7-8

Like David the Psalmist, we can live victoriously without the fear of man, when we have the LORD as our light and salvation and walk in obedience to Him!

The Lord is my light and my salvation; 

Whom shall I fear? 

The Lord is the strength of my life; 

Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

 Selfishness and Carnal Motives

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, 

let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24

JESUS commanded us to deny our selfish ways so that we may follow His path of selflessness.

 Do not love the world or the things in the world. 

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 

and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 

And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; 

but he who does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15-17

Balaam was a heathen who could hear GOD clearly, but his motive was carnal and selfish. Therefore he couldn't obey GOD's instruction with all his heart! 

Numbers chapters 22-25 

Jonah was a Jewish prophet who was sent to speak to the heathen nation of Nineveh. As Jonah's motive and attitude did not align with GOD's heart, he was disobedient to GOD!

The Book of Jonah

If the motive of our mind is not in line with GOD's purposes, it will be very difficult for us to obey the LORD. Are we seeking possessions, position and fame for ourselves and for our families? If that is our goal in life, GOD's guidance may not be clear to us, even if we are seeking it. In that case, we will be progressing in the wrong direction! We might then, like Balaam, encounter a Donkey that speaks, or like Jonah, a storm and a big fish!

When our motive is to please and glorify the LORD, we are facing the right direction, and GOD's guidance through the Gentle Promptings of the Spirit - GPS, will be very clear to us, to progress in the path that He has set out for us! Thus, knowing His will, we must walk in obedience to Him.

This is important in making decisions relating to our personal lives and the ministry GOD has called us to.

 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' 

or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 

For after all these things the Gentiles seek. 

For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 

and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:31-33

Pride 

 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; 

But the just shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk 2:4

The proud man says in his heart, " I know better than others. I know better than GOD."

Even if what GOD says doesn't make sense to us, it would be wise for us to still trust Him and obey Him. GOD's ways may appear foolishness and wrong to man, but in fact they are wiser and better than the ways of the wisest man! 

 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, 

and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:25

 

Seek the Lord while He may be found, 

Call upon Him while He is near. 

Let the wicked forsake his way, 

And the unrighteous man his thoughts; 

Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; 

And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 

Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 

So are My ways higher than your ways, 

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:6-9

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

And lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

And He shall direct your paths. 

Do not be wise in your own eyes; 

Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 

It will be health to your flesh, 

And strength to your bones.

Proverbs 3:5-8

 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. 

Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, 

for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
1 Peter 5:5

If we are proud, we will not obey the LORD and follow Him in the path of humility.

Ignorance

And that servant who knew his master's will, 

and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, 

shall be beaten with many stripes. 

But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, 

shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, 

from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, 

of him they will ask the more.
Luke 12:47-48

We can only obey a command if we hear it or know it.

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, 

because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 

although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; 

but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 
1 Timothy 1:12-13

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, 

but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
Acts 17:30

We cannot give ignorance as an excuse for disobedience. We must desire to know the LORD and His commandments so that we may walk in obedience to Him. 

 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, 

there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 

but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, 

and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 10:26-27

 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, 

and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you 

at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, 

not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 

but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1 Peter 1:13-15

 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:32

 The LORD JESUS is the Truth. When we live in an intimate relationship with Him and know Him more and more, He will set us free from every sin and every bondage and release us to walk in obedience to Him.

STUMBLING

STUMBLING

It is easy to understand our spiritual walk and the things that cause us to stumble, when we compare it to a physical walk.

One stumbles while walking on the wrong path that is not meant for him. A child or a weak person cannot walk on a rough or uneven path.

GOD’S word is the safe pathway of righteousness set for us to walk on.

You can stumble because of weakness in your body. Healthy physical body, especially hips and legs enable us to walk steadily in that path.

The sinful nature or the iniquity in us causes us to stumble on the pure word of GOD.

GOD’S love in our heart gives us the enabling to walk that path -like the engine of the car.

Stumbling can be caused by an object or a stumbling stone in your path.

The wickedness of others in this fallen world can become stumbling stones on our path.

You may have experienced unsteadiness in your walk while getting used to a pair of corrective lenses. Your eyes seem to give wrong signals to the brain!

Wrong attitudes of the heart give us wrong interpretation of the word of GOD.

It is the brain that sends signals to the muscles of the legs to take appropriate steps on a specific path.

When our mind is renewed according to GOD’S word, the Holy Spirit in our heart prompts and directs our steps. He becomes our GPS - the Gentle Promptings of the Spirit!

You stumble while walking on a path that is not well-lit.

GOD’S word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

A blind person stumbles even on a well-lit path!

We walk in darkness as those that are blind when there’s no love in us.

If we live according to the word in obedience, we will not stumble.

If we take steps contrary to the word we will stumble.

For example, if there is an elevation on the road, we have to lift the foot higher. We have to conform to the contours of the road. If we don’t, we will stumble!

Stumbling can lead to a fall, causing injuries.

Stumbling delays and hinders our walk.

• Disobedience to GOD’S word. Rebellion.

Jeremiah 6:16-20

Therefore thus says the LORD:

"Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people,

And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them.

The neighbor and his friend shall perish."

Jeremiah 6:21

Hindrances to our progress in paths that are not meant for us are caused by stumbling blocks laid by the LORD. Pursuing certain paths of medical research, money-making endeavours could be like building towers of Babel in GOD’S eyes. Stumbling blocks could come in the form of rift with co-workers, inability to progress for some reason and so on. Man’s research comes to a deadlock when GOD conceals knowledge!

The LORD interrupts the plans that are not in His will. It is then necessary for us to listen to GOD and obey Him.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,

thoughts of peace and not of evil,

to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

And you will seek Me and find Me,

when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Great peace have those who love Your law,

And nothing causes them to stumble.

Psalm 119:165

• Iniquity leading to Ignorance causing Spiritual Blindness

Is 59:1-10

We grope for the wall like the blind,

And we grope as if we had no eyes;

We stumble at noonday as at twilight;

We are as dead men in desolate places.

Isaiah 59:10

The solution is with an intercessor, following the footsteps of our LORD.

He saw that there was no man,

And wondered that there was no intercessor;

Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;

And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

Isaiah 59:16

Is 53

Open my eyes,

that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.

Psalm 119:18

It is the Holy Spirit Who has to give us revelation of the word of GOD.

• Pride

Hear and give ear:

Do not be proud, For the Lord has spoken.

Give glory to the Lord your God Before He causes darkness,

And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains,

And while you are looking for light,

He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness.

Jeremiah 13:15-16

• Intellect.

but we preach Christ crucified,

to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

1 Corinthians 1:23

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;

By understanding He established the heavens;

By His knowledge the depths were broken up,

And clouds drop down the dew.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes--

Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.

Then you will walk safely in your way,

And your foot will not stumble.

Proverbs 3:19-23

We need to know that wisdom comes from the GOD of creation and acknowledge Him in everything.

• The Iniquity of Self.

O Israel, return to the LORD your God,

For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;

Hosea 14:1

 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night,

for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

"But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."

Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You,

I will never be made to stumble."

Matthew 26:31-33

It was not JESUS Who stumbled, although He stumbled physically with His cross. He knew the path Father GOD had set for Him. Everyone around Him stumbled because of Him!

When JESUS was arrested and taken to trial, the disciples were afraid and confused as to how to react. Peter thought he had to protect JESUS and defend Him. JESUS already made it clear to Peter that he shouldn’t hinder this path He was to take. Satan was trying to use Peter to cause offense to JESUS on His difficult path. Peter’s  thinking had to change to align with the path to the cross. Peter was an offence to JESUS and vice versa! The little rock had to be moulded by and according to the Rock of Ages! The root problem in Peter was, and is in all of us - fear for self that would make us do anything to defend and protect self. Peter overcame this at Pentecost by the power of the Holy Spirit and lived victoriously then on.

"yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.

For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word,

immediately he stumbles.

Matthew 13:21

Then Jesus said to His disciples,

"If anyone desires to come after Me,

let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 16:24-25

• Iniquity of  putting our trust in material possessions.

'They will throw their silver into the streets,

And their gold will be like refuse;

Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them

In the day of the wrath of the LORD;

They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs,

Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.

Ezekiel 7:19

Putting our trust in material things is contrary to GOD’S word. If our trust is in these, we will stumble at GOD’S word or vice versa.

• Trying to keep GOD’S law without faith.

Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law.

For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,

And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Romans 9:32-33

The religious leaders were carefully studying and keeping the laws of Moses to justify themselves before GOD. They seemed righteous in the eyes of people. They did not realise that their hearts were turned away from GOD.The laws revealed the degree of sin in the heart of man.

JESUS, Who is the word made flesh, revealed GOD’S heart, the heart of love.

GOD’S law is a law of love, a law of the heart.

It was impossible for a person to wholly keep all of the laws of Moses which were guidelines to GOD’S law.

For whoever shall keep the whole law,

and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

James 2:10

JESUS and His teachings were different to those of the religious leaders. He was a revelation of GOD’S heart. Their sinful hearts were exposed by JESUS. He was a stumbling stone to them.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,

and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.

These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Matthew 23:23

The Author and the Finisher of our Faith becomes a stumbling stone to us if we are trying to keep the law without faith.

Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men,

but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Matthew 23:28

He will be as a sanctuary,

But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel,

As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And many among them shall stumble;

They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken."

Isaiah 8:14-15

and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense."

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

1 Peter 2:8

• Darkness - no love

The way of the wicked is like darkness;

They do not know what makes them stumble.

Proverbs 4:19

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?

If anyone walks in the day,

he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

John 11:9

He who loves his brother abides in the light,

and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

1 John 2:10

• Stumble because of the words, actions or attitudes of others.

Stumbling stones.

Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;

Preserve me from violent men,

Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

Psalm 140:4

Right Path

Isaiah 35

No one stumbles on the Highway of Holiness.

There are no stumbling stones and nothing that causes stumbling.

Stumbling Others

You shall not curse the deaf,

nor put a stumbling block before the blind,

but shall fear your God:

I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:14

It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine

nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

Romans 14:21

Even desiring to see another stumble or rejoicing when one stumbles displeases the LORD.

Causing another to stumble stirs up the wrath of GOD.

When we stumble others, we are stumbling ‘Big Time’!

For I heard many mocking: "Fear on every side!" "Report," they say, "and we will report it!" All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling,

saying, "Perhaps he can be induced;

Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him."

Jeremiah 20:10

But you have departed from the way;

You have caused many to stumble at the law.

You have corrupted the covenant of Levi," Says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 2:8

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble,

it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck,

and he were thrown into the sea.

Mark 9:42

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore

but rather resolve this,

not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.

Romans 14:13

We can stumble others with our words. Words that can cause them to become confused or disobey the word of GOD.

For we all stumble in many things.

If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man,

able also to bridle the whole body.

James 3:2

We shouldn’t do anything that stumbles another, even if it is legally right.

GOD’S law is about loving the other person, not about justifying myself legally!

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours

become a stumbling block

to those who are weak.

1 Corinthians 8:9

When we notice someone stumbling, we should intercede for them and reach out to help them. That is what the LORD does for us.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,

And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

To God our Savior, Who alone is wise,

Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.

Amen.

Jude 1:24-25