We have seen that God is able to keep us from stumbling, and we have seen areas of our lives that need to be in order to keep us from stumbling, but what are some of the obstacles, or stumbling blocks we must be aware of and overcome? 

Please turn to Hebrews 12:1-2 (pg 1008 in the pew Bible)

One big hindrance to our walk with Jesus can be the trials and tribulations we face as our present problems cloud the view of future promises.

• Take heart, I have overcome the world! John 16:33
  

There is another more persistent and prevalent stumbling block that has always plagued God’s children.

Hebrews 10:36- you have need of endurance... We have a need/requirement to persevere.  This is something we must do with God's help.

Hebrews 11- great examples of enduring faith (list of faith examples)  Life changing faith is available to all of us and should transform our lives.  Stories of today's faithful are becoming fewer.

Hebrews 12:1- let us also lay aside… (like the examples in Hebrews 11)

• Every weight – anything that prevents you from trusting, obeying, and honoring Jesus
• Sin that clings so closely- Idolatry

These things cause us to wander.  The Christian Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Can we sing the chorus: "In all I do, I honor you", is it true of you?  If not, can you honestly pray: "I want to want it to be true of me"?

Idolatry- letting mini gods and non-gods rule in our hearts

• Persistent and present threat throughout the church age- Revelation 3:16-22
  
• Revelation 3:20 pertains to revival 
  

Idolatry is more than some graven image.  When we pick and choose obedience, we put ourselves before God and that is idolatry.  Anything that rules in our heart other than God is idolatry. 

There is a growing apathy in our churches today. The need is for revival and that starts with God's people individually and corporately seeing the need and earnestly seeking God for it.    

Please consider posting a comment with your thoughts in the light of God's exhortation and encouragement in the scriptures:
I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. (Romans 15:14 NIV)  As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) 

This week we continued to look at Christ’s farewell address to His disciples.  So far in our study we have seen that Jesus tells us there are three relationships that must be in order to keep us from stumbling; we must have a vital relationship with Jesus, one another and the world.  Remember in our study passage Jesus’ purpose is to prepare His disciples for life after He departs.  In John 16:1 Jesus tells His disciples; “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.” In light of this Pastor Ron asked us a question every believer needs to ask themselves: “Why do we wonder and stumble? Ron directed our thinking to something that can be a stumbling block for all of us at times. 

Sometimes we stumble as we lose sight of the future because of the present pain…

This Sunday we continued to think about what Jesus says about our relationship to this world specifically focusing on the role of the Holy Spirit described for us by Jesus and recorded in John 16:5-15.  

• We are to be witnesses and living sacrifices in this world - Romans 12:1

• Jesus sends us, from the Father, The Helper (Holy Spirit, Comforter, Advocate) and He comes to help us in our witness - John 15:26-27

• The Spirit has come primarily to do 2 things – John 16:14

1. He glorifies Jesus
   
2. He reveals things pertaining to the person and work of Jesus
   

The human response to the Spirit’s work is conviction.  Jesus speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit said:
  “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (John 16:8-11)

This work of the Holy spirit is not one of condemning but rather convicting, meaning to convict of guilt/present or expose facts to convince of truth, with the goal of men and women repenting of their sin, changing the direction of their lives and trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord.  

This convicting work of the Holy Spirit is not just for the lost.  His conviction in our lives as believers is essential to our growth, maturity and witness.  It is His convicting work in us that enables us to live Godly lives and empowers us to be effective witnesses.  

Be thankful and praise God for the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and pray for His conviction in your own life and the lives of others!

This Sunday we continued to look at what Jesus said about our relationship to the world as recorded in John 16.  Remember by “world” the scriptures mean that system of organized society that is hostile to God and Jesus’ followers.  

In past weeks we have seen that in our relationship to the world...

• We are to be witnesses
• We are to be forewarned and therefore properly prepared
• We are to remember our time here is temporary