Torah School : Shalom Assembly of Yahweh
Identifying Stumblingblocks That
Hamper Spiritual Growth
mikshowl
(mik-shole'); or mikshol (mik-shole'); masculine from OT:3782; a
stumbling-block, literally or figuratively (obstacle, enticement [specifically
an idol], scruple): KJV - caused to fall, offence, X [no-] thing offered, ruin,
stumbling-block.
OT:3782
(used 62 xs in OT)
kashal
(kaw-shal'); a primitive root; to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs,
especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall: KJV -
bereave [from the margin], cast down, be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make
to) fall (down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin (-ed, of), (be) overthrown, (cause
to) stumble, X utterly, be weak.
MIKSHOL:
Stumblingblock (Ruin)
People
oriented stumblingblocks:
Lev
19:14 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock4383
before the blind, but shalt fear thy
Elohim: I am Yahweh.
Yahweh
centered stumblingblocks:
Ezek
3:20 20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit
iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock4383 before
him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his
sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his
blood will I require at thine hand.
Stumblingblocks
equals ruin:
Ezek
18:30 30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to
his ways, saith Yahweh ELOHIM. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your
transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin4383
KASHAWL:
To Falter (Stumble)
Yahweh
causes the proud to stumble and fall
Jer
50:32 32 And the most proud shall stumble3782 and fall, and
none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall
devour all round about him.
Wickedness
brings about destruction:
Prov
24:16-17 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the
wicked shall fall3782 into mischief.
OUR
LIVES ARE LIKE A GARDEN: What kind of fruit do we offer the people around us and
most importantly what do we offer our Father? (do we sow and reap thorns and
thistles (stumblingblocks) or proper
nourishment (righteousness).
Tilling
the soil of our hearts is vastly important to ensure that we are producing
Elohim’s love and character by allowing him to plant his word deep within our
souls. When There Is No Ploughing – the
ground is hard and crusty and the roots have no depth. HARD
CRUSTY GROUND will not receive the water of Elohim’s word or the rain of the
spirit.
Hosea
10:12 - “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek Yahweh, until He comes
and showers righteousness on you.”
Jeremiah
4:3 - “Break up your fallow ground, and do not not sow among thorns.
Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh and take away the foreskins of your hearts.”
IT’S
EASY TO BECOME HARDENED IN LIFE.
In
the parable of the sower discussed in Matthew 13 Yahshua describes the fact that
the hard packed soil trampled by men will not and cannot provide nourishment for
the seed.
Let
us identify and discuss some of the things that causes our soil to become
hardened: These things can be stumblingblocks for ourselves and others.
--Disappointments
in our lives .
--Tragedy whereby we blame Elohim
-- Marriage hiccups, Divorce, etc.
--Relationships
--Selfish desires over obedience to Yahweh’s words.
--Depression
--Fears
--Worldy Behavior and the things we involve ourselves
in
--Character flaws: Resentment, Bitterness, Criticism,
Negative attitudes, Jealousies, etc., easily influenced by others,
--Personality traits; Can do no wrong, will not accept
positive advise, wo’ is me attitude, narcissism
--Fleshly
desires
--To busy to pray, to read the scriptures etc.
--lacks communication skills
--unwilling to learn and or discuss certain topics
(believes he/she could never be wrong)
--“My
ways is the only way and everybody else is wrong”
--“I am perfect!”
_ addictive
personalities (habits), illicit drugs, criminal behaviour, etc.
--argumentative nature
--family
_ other stumblingblocks
We are to be rooted and grounded on love and we are to
remove all this things that hamper our spiritual walk; We need the spirit to
guide us, convict us, to bring to light those things that are causing us to
stumble. We must trust in the sacrifice (which is an act of humility) that our
Savior provided for us. We must be willing to trust and have faith that as we
are obedient our Father, he is in control; we are to seek the ways of Yahweh and
long for entry into his Kingdom. We do so by being obedient to his word and
becoming new creatures in Him.