We’d better get serious about what it means to follow Jesus. Only those who walk intimately with Him can have the light to see the deception in today’s darkness. And secondly, events in our world are shouting that our time is short.
Many Christians stumble over Jesus’ words that pop up on the path of life like a stone that sticks out of the ground and trips you as you focus on the sights around you instead of watching the path.
DOING WELL UNTIL . .
So there you are, doing well and looking good. You go to church, put something in the offering and have your devotions – and you don’t cuss, chew, smoke or chase women. Churches across America are filled with folks who can check our boxes that define being a “Christian.”
But then one day you come across some of Jesus’ strong words that seem so unrealistic. “Surely He didn’t actually mean what He said – I mean, what does He expect of us anyway!” You have come to a stone on your path and you won’t advance in Christ until you obey Him.
PABLUM
Jesus said that following Him is hard, and costly, but the organized church in America has fed us easy-to-digest spiritual pablum. The pulpit and the pew have colluded against God, each enabling the hypocrisy and superficiality of the other. And the pew has accepted the pulpit’s pacifier that gives the sense that it is “preaching the Word” when it is often no more nourishing than a hollow rubber binky.
In upcoming posts we’ll consider some of the “stones” that trip us up. It is likely to be strong meat to some but the present pablum diet hasn’t equipped the typical Christian for today, let alone for the deceptions that lie ahead. Even Elon Musk, a front-runner in AI development, is terrified by its potential but many Christians have their hands over their eyes and ears. More to come.
Ken Stoltzfus|
Kidron, OH
Sept. 12, 2025
PS. See: www.gotquestions.org/stumbling-stone.html
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