Stumbling Block

Have you ever made a decision that affected another person? Have you ever done something that someone else followed your lead? In your own life you justify and rationalize your actions but when you see the effect it has on others - do you feel responsible?

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:3, "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so
that our ministry will not be discounted."

This scripture helped Erik and I to make the decision not to drink anymore. Although I have not found scripture directly stating alcohol is a sin, only drunkenness. (Gal 5:21) I know that when I drink- I say and do things I shouldn't. Would you discount my commitment to spreading the Gospel if you saw me in the state of drunkenness?? How about when I gossip?? How about when I lie?? How about my life before Christ??
Oh- my heart was heavy with all these questions this morning.

But then, I opened the Word- thanks be to God- the answer to all of our life situations. He wrote it just for us- inspired and literal- God's Word never changes because He never changes. He wants the same things from us that He wanted from the disciples, the apostles, all the people before us and all the people to come.

Back to the Word- I went back to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21- and read about being a new creation in Christ- God reconciled us to Himself by sending Christ- not counting men's sins against them- Do you hear that?? Not counting men's sins against them- and who would know that better than Paul who was persecuting Christians until God called him out on his way to Damascus(Acts 9). Paul, the one who spread the gospel to all Gentiles (non-Jews) in the New Testament- talk about sin and yet God used him to show us that no matter how big the sin, Jesus died for us all.

"Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in
Him we might become the righteousness of God".

How much does your Heavenly Father love you?? You can't even begin to imagine...