STONEY GROUND Watch out for stoney ground!

We are going to learn the meaning of the Greek word "proskopto" in this lecture. This word is actually derived from two other words "Pros" means moving forward and "kopto" means to chop or beat the breast in grief. "Proskopto" means to stub or trip up. Isn't that the way life sometimes goes? Just as we seem to be moving forward and we are happy something happens that causes us to stub our big toe. Stoney ground is often the cause of our tripping and the resulting fall. Spiritually, "proskopto" may be a form of and result in a falling away from God. Satan dearly loves to catch God's children happily moving along in life with their guard down. He is more than happy to provide the stoney ground on which we may trip and fall. Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. The Greek word for "count" in this scripture means to enumerate with stones. Those with understanding could take this verse to mean we should beware of the stoney ground and not be deceived. Let's turn to Christ's teaching on this subject. John 11:1 Now a certain man wwas sick, named Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It is important for you to understand that the Hebrew name for Lazarus is "Eleazar". Eleazar was Aaron's third son. Aaron's first two sons tripped on stoney ground and used strange fire to light their censers. God devoured them with fire. The Livitical priesthood was dead. Eleazar brought the priesthood back to life, as Christ would bring Lazarus back to life. John 11:2-4 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lararus was sick) (3) Therefore his sisters sent unto Him saying "Lord behold, he whome Thou lovest is sick." (4) When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." How could a sickness glorify God? Every thime someone with a handicap witnesses for Christ, I'll assure you it means a lot more than coming from someone without a handicap. John 11:5-6 (Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus) (6) When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where Hw wwas. A better translation is that Christ deliberately delayed. Check out the word "abode" in your Strong's Concordance. John 11:7-8 Then after that saith He to His disciples, "Let us go into Judaea again."(8) His disciples say unto Him, "Master, the Jews of late sought to stone Thee; and goest Thou thither again?" Judaea, the state where Jerusalem is located, was and is a "hot spot". The disciples were questioning the wisdom of traveling there. John 11:9-10 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. (10) But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. The English word "stumbleth" in these verses is translated from "proskopto". How do you keep from tripping on stoney ground? It has nothing to do with walking in the day or night. He that hath the Son is walking in the light. He that hath not the Son walks in darkness and stumbles. Beware of the stoney ground and make certain your walk is in the light of Christ. John 11:11-13 These things said He: and after that He saith unto them, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep, he shall do well." (13) (Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they

thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.) The disciples thought the sleep would be good for Lazarus; however, Christ was telling them Lazarus was dead. Remember the death of Lazarus was symbolic of the death of the priesthood which Christ would bring back to life. Let's go to verse 23. John 11:23-24 Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again." (24) Martha saith unto Him., "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Martha didn't realize Christ meant Lazarus would rise that very day. John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Do you believe this? We have a God of the living. Don't look for God among the dead or the dead religious traditions of man. You will not find Him there. In verse 43 of this Chapter, Christ cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." And Lazarus came forth from the dead. Let's turn to the Old Testament. Isaiah 8:14 And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. A gin is a trap. The "He" in this verse is the Lord. Christ became the chief corner stone. He will be a stumbling block to many at the second advent. Many will already be worshipping a messiah when He returns. Isaiah 8:15-16 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. (16) Bind up the testamony, seal the law among My disciples." Discipline yourself in the Word of God, or you may stumble and be deceived. Isaiah 8:17 And I will wait upon the LORD, That hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him. The Lord is hiding His face from most of the world at this time. He has also withdrawn His blessings from most. If you will look for Him, you will find God and His blessings. You don't have a lot of competition. Isaiah 8:18-19 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Isreal from the LORD of hosts. Which dwelleth in mount Zion. (19) "And when they shall say unto you, 'Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter' should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? This is a warning against all spiritists and wizards. The living should seek unto their God, not to the dead. Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Always remember, when there is no light, people stumble and fall on the stoney ground. Beware of those that speak not according to His Word. Isaiah 8:21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bested and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. How quickly people blame God when things aren't going well. Isaiah 8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Friends, we live in a world filled with darkness and evil. The degradation of our society as a whole is documented daily on the evening news. There is no doubt in my mind that Satan and his spirits are responsible. When you become discouraged by the evil of this world and need help, there is a Psalm of David which will help you. Psalms 141:1-2 LORD I cry unto thee: make hast unto me; Give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee. (2) Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense, And the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. In Revelation, we are told the Lord has the prayers of the saints bottled up as incense. Father considers your prayers as a sacrifice. When it seems no one in the world cares about you, turn to your Father in prayer. He cares! Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. This is a form of humbleness. If you are not biblically literate, it is easy to offend the Lord and not even know what you have done. Ask Father to not allow anything to pass your lips that would offend Him. Psalms 141:4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing. And let me not eat of their dainties. "Eat of their dainties" would better be translated "partake of, or have fellowsip with their pleasant things." Don't be caught up in the religious traditions of men that might seem very pleasant and right, but are actually spinoffs of pagan and heathenistic rituals. Psalms 141:5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: And let them reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, Which shall not break my head: For yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. The Lord chastises only those He loves. Welcome that chastisement. You will be a better person as a result. Psalms 141:6 When their judges are overthrown in stoney places, They shall hear my words, for they are sweet. Our dainties, or pleasant things, come from the Word of God. They are sweet. Psalms 141 7-8 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth. As when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.(8) But mine eyes are unto Thee, O GOD the LORD: In Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Isreal is scattered and the people don't even know who they are. When your eyes are on the Lord and your trust is in Him, you will not stumble on stoney ground. Turn to the Father when you are discouraged and need help. Psalms 141:9-10 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me. And the gins of the workers of iniquity. (10) Let the wicked fall into their own nets, Whilst that I withal escape. This word "escape" is passover in Hebrew. Christ is our Passover (I Cor. 5:7). He allows us to passover the nets and traps of the wicked. Jesus allows us to passover stoney ground without stumbling. I encourage you to be a realist. If you put on a pair of new boots and walk across stoney ground, your boots are going to get skinned up. And, sometimes we as Christians may get skinned up a little bit as we walk across stoney ground. That's all right. God wants tough "can do" type people that are able to take a little rough going and still have the stamina to kick Satan in the teeth. Watch out for stoney ground! Never walk across it without Jesus. In His Service, Arnold Murray