BLOCKAGES
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Psalm 84:11 For the
LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing
will
he withhold
from them that walk uprightly. (Luke 11:5-14)
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is
not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering
toward us,
not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
We don’t have to
live very long before we run into blockages. My first occasion was the bars on
my crib restricting my freedom to flow where I desired. This quickly developed
into a serial affair including rain gutter downspouts, toilets, drains, and
oddly the blocking all outgoing e-mail.
Most blockages
are simply nuisance remedied by getting hands dirty, a helpful friend, or
paying someone to clear. Some obstacles, like blood clots, are quite serious,
even life-threatening. There is however blockage that significantly exceeds all
others as it pertains to the highest of matters in life here and eternal; our
fellowship with God, spouse, family, friends, work associates, and community at
large.
Though God wants
to bless and is absolutely capable, we can obstruct by:
·
Harboring known unconfessed sin. Psalm 66:18 “If
I regard iniquity in my heart, Jehovah will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1-2 “Behold,
Jehovah's hand is not shortened so that it cannot save, nor is His ear heavy so
that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have come between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you, from hearing.” (Also note 1Jn.1:9)
·
Unforgiving attitude and action. Matthew
18:23-35
·
Lacking in trust. Hebrews 11:6 “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.”
·
Lack of patience, double-minded thinking,
instability. James 1:2-8 “My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into
different kinds of temptations [testing in adversity], knowing that the trying
of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfect work, so that
you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom,
let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it
shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. For do not
let that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord; he is a
double-minded man, not dependable in all his ways.”
·
Dependence on our own solutions. James 4:1-2 “From
where do wars and fightings among you come? Is it not from this, from your
lusts which war in your members? You desire, and do not have. You murder, and
are jealous, and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you have not because you
ask not.”
·
Selfishly asking. James 4:3-4 “When you pray for
things, you don't get them because you want them for the wrong reason-for your
own pleasure. You unfaithful people! Don't you know that love for this evil
world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an
enemy of God.” (Also note Phil.2:3-4; 1Jn.2:15-16)
·
Marital discord. 1Peter 3:7 “Likewise, husbands,
live together according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife as to the weaker
vessel, the female, as truly being co-heirs together of the grace of life, not
cutting off your prayers.” (Also note Eph.5:22-24)
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