Day 6

Scripture to Read: Romans 14:19–21

We know our lives are to be pleasing to our Lord since He’s given us His Holy Spirit to be able to walk in this manner. Today, God also tells us what else we must pursue in Romans 14:19–21: “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.” God’s handiwork in us produces His peace and builds others up, so God wants us to pursue the things that lead to our spiritual growth in Him. Then God comes back and warns us to be sure we don’t do anything for the sake of food, drink, or anything else we consider “our right” to tear down His Work. Though God says that all things are clean, if a weaker brother or sister in Christ considers it unclean then we are in the wrong if we go ahead and do something that causes them to stumble. God repeats Himself here, not because His Word the first time is not enough but because He knows we need reminders of what it takes to honor Him at all times. God even had Paul write something similar in 1 Corinthians 8:9, so we know we must always be on guard not to cause anyone else to stumble.

Challenge & Application

· How are you pursuing the characteristics of God in you so that you are seeing spiritual growth in your life? · God does not want us tearing down His work in anyone’s life, so how are you living so you’re building others up in Christ?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

As we continue to be led by our Lord through His Truth, we are told in Romans 14:13, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.” Remember that when we see the word “therefore” we need to ask ourselves, “What is the ‘therefore’ there for?” In Romans...

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Day 2

God has been showing us that we cannot hold on to the traditions of men and give them the same value as God’s Holy Word. That is why God had Paul write in Romans 14:14–15, “I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of food ...

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Day 3

We were challenged by God last week, and now God continues to challenge us this week, that we do not allow our freedoms in Christ, our traditions, or our religious rituals to become a hindrance or stumbling block to our weaker brothers and sisters in Christ. So, God had Paul continue to write in Romans 14:16, “Therefore do not let what is for...

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Day 4

God’s Word is incredibly transforming and as God led Paul to write His Word, God has been showing us areas of our lives that we must examine so that we do not cause anyone else to stumble in their walk with Him. For example, today, we read in Romans 14:17, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy...

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Day 5

We examined in yesterday’s devotion, Romans 14:17, but we need to return to this verse because of the richness of seeing what the kingdom of God is all about. God tells us His kingdom is not about anything this world offers us but about “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” God wants us to be in such deep fellowship with Him a...

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Day 6

We know our lives are to be pleasing to our Lord since He’s given us His Holy Spirit to be able to walk in this manner. Today, God also tells us what else we must pursue in Romans 14:19–21: “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All thing...

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Day 7

God leaves no doubt that we must not destroy His handiwork in the lives of weak believers over what we eat or don’t eat. We already talked about the consequences of causing someone to stumble on Day 1 of our devotions, but God has repeated it because He does not want us to take this lightly. The faith God has given us gives us the freedom to ...

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