If He leads us to it, He'll lead us through it. Within that time, Paul put in all his efforts to fulfill his role in several ways: Public teaching is mentioned in v.20 , But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had a, Did the Ephesian elders fulfill their role well? But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. *A.W. Repent and believe right now! Try. 3. An important part of the gospel is that in Jesus Christ we can begin to serve God again with the promise of being able to serve him perfectly and forever in the age to come. Three obstacles keep us from coming to Christ, and these are the same barriers that keep us from yielding to, trusting in, and submitting to Him on an ongoing basis. Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. "Listen to advice and accept discipline . In my two previous blogs, we takes about finding God's purpose in our lives. Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. Faithfulness to the Lord demands this attitude in our service: "He must increase, and we must decrease." It is sad that many who serve today are not interested in decreasing. We have to fully believe that God is in control and that He has a great plan for our life. It is difficult while we have evil habits and affections lingering about us, and it is impossible so long as we cling to these voluntarily. Satan could not stop the growth of the church through outside influence. Will we be able to do these things well? One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? -- Jack Hyles #People #Needs #Serving God Church was never intended to be a place where we serve God to the exclusion of meeting with Him. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving church, But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67, build a united church family that is committed to making disciples through Salvation, Sanctification and Service to the glory of God. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what they, There is always a temptation for those who serve the Lord to get so busy and involved with serving that they neglect their own walk with God. You are a Christian and no one can take that away from you unless you let them. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. December 10, 2018. In chapter 6 Satan tried to distract the apostles from their main mission. Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. . Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. God did it. God rewards faithfulness. And so as Proverbs4:23says, you mustKeep [your] heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life., Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. The apostles prayed for these ministry leaders and their ministry. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. They were appalled when they saw the severe suffering Job was experiencing. Three years was actually the longest time that Paul served in one city throughout all his missionary journeys This was because of its strategic location in reaching out to the whole province of Asia. (Job 10:1-4) The moral of Job's story is: It's okay to question God or the reasons for why something is happening, but there's no need for us to stay there. It cant. They dream of living in the lap of luxury, and this makes them covet more silver and gold for themselves. Many times, we wonder about God's purpose in our lives. Serving God means obeying and enjoying our relationship with God as our Heavenly Father. As you dig into the Word of God, start with a great study Bible, ( this list has some of the most popular Study Bibles for women.) Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. He is our perfect, spotless righteousness and our lives are hid with him on high. This will not dampen my faith or take me away from knowing Him. This helps you build confidence in faith. Yes, we deserve punishment. With this obstacle, we ask, Is it possible to trust God? This is mentioned in vv.26,27 where Paul said,Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. Oswald Chambers writes, "If a man cannot get through to God, it is because there is a secret thing he does not intend to give up." This involves a stubborn refusal to turn away from a hidden sin. Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. This warning comes in the form of a close call, or near miss event. When we come within inches of making an enormous mistake that could lead to injury or some other kind of catastrophic failure, we have to praise God for allowing us to dodge a bullet. 1) The Problem of Science Faith vs. Science is the perennial God-problem. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. Abraham Taking Isaac to be Sacrificed. . Right beside the foundation of Jesuss death in our place is this glorious picture of Jesus praying for us. Living the Christian life is a journey. And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'. We must look to Him for all the help we need to remain faithful. Yes they certainly did. As you travel to Allah, you will inadvertently face obstacles. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. When Paul wrote his epistle to the Philippians some time later, he said,I count all things but lossfor the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.(Philippians 3:8). Let us therefore be faithful toChristin all our service. Copyright 2023 Staten Island Christian Church. Romans 14:13 - Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. Have you ever wondered why we get caught in the same sins over and over? There is always a temptation for those who serve the Lord to get so busy and involved with serving that they neglect their own walk with God. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes - the hope of the world hangs on it (Rom 1:16). As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. This gravity is like a built-in magnet that draws us toward controlling, creating, and manipulating. To be faithful to the Word is to give our attention to thewholecounsel of God. But no matter what happens they would always have Gods Word with them to build them up, as long as they continued to study it. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. 3. This was a great thing happening. First, the apostles identified their main priority. Here Paul begins his discourse to the church elders in about the same way that he begins every epistle by drawing attention to the Lord whom he served: the Lord Jesus Christ. But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". Obstacles to serving God. Verse Concepts. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. The word of God continued to spread (to be taught and preached); more people were becoming disciples, even some Jewish priests received the gospel of Jesus. Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. Jeremiah 32:27 states I am the Lord, the God of all mainkind. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.The counsel of God here refers to the complete Word of God which we now have in the 66 books of the Bible. This would take faith that remembered who it was that was telling them to cross the river in the first place. Is anything too hard for me? When faced with an enormous obstacle, dont focus on how big the problem is. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". Will we be able to do these things well? One obstacle that prevents us from serving the Lord as we should is our being ashamed of Him. It is God's will that we come to Him and serve. Do you know that prayer was the secret of success in Pauls ministry? We must always trust that God has a plan and He has a reason for allowing something to happen. Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. Discover God's peace now. Fear and faith cannot co-exist, and they battle for space within us. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.". 8) Luke 1:37 "For every promise from God shall surely come true.". Your browser does not support the audio element. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. The fear of judgment imagines God frowning, crossing his arms, annoyed, angry, fed up with your mess-ups. No tongue can bid me thence depart nor can anything else in all creation separate us from his love. Opt in to receive news and updates. Life is full of ups and downs. Click to Tweet And what keeps us from doing so? The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. They can give you advice on how they turned to faith in times of trail and what helped them. Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. All you have to do is put your trust in Him. Paul did not say, , If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel . It may just a sprained ankle or a runny nose or a toothache, but it hinders our performance The question we should ask ourselves today is: Are you fulfilling your God-given role in His kingdom? "Serve the Lord" Men's hearts are naturally atheistical, they will not endure the thought of God. Handling the problem: (v.2) Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. No matter how big your problem may feel, or how impossible it may seem for it to get better, know that nothing is too difficult for God to handle. Hebrews 4:12 states: His word is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, able to pierce to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow and even able to judge the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. Gods Word is incredibly powerful and holds the key to many of our problems. they did not let this issue distract them from their mission. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. The apostles recognized the severity of the issue. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. There is no more condemnation. The Bible has scripture for every one of your needs. They made pledges and promises which they had every intention to keep at the beginning, but sadly they did not keep them in the end. He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. So, our attitude to serving God should be one that is reflective of Psalm 100:2 (NKJV): "Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.". Others struggle to serve the Lord because of illness, a serious disease, or a litany or other reasons. Look at what he said in v.33,34I havecoveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Obstacles to God's Will Do you want God's will for your life? Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. As followers of Jesus, we will struggle with trials and tribulations. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. Were to make a choice to make up our mind whether to trust and serve God or not, and then act accordingly. The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. We Never Heard Back. The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. We just cant do it. You cannot serve both God and money". Anne Frank Sitting here with pen in hand, able to put words and thoughts on paper, is a miracle all by itself, as Parkinsons Disease has made me unable to write, How do you know if God is talking to you or Satan? 2. About, There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Choose seven men from among you: men of good reputation (Good testimony) (known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply serving the Lord. Please see the Disclosures for how it will all go down. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. But if we withhold our worship, we are saying: We know better than God. There are many things, in fact, that might deter you from a rich relationship with God, but two in particular are worth mentioning: 1) the fear of judgment and 2) the fear of disappointment. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. No! Yes they certainly did. Instead, these are the moments where you need faith the most. Serve the Lord with gladness. What happens when one organ in a persons body is not functioning well? Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. These commands, then, can seem foreign to us. You inevitably will be faced with moments in life that seriously challenge you. (Hebrews 10:1922). First, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because of Jesuss sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1920). And if praying is the only role that you can fulfill in Gods kingdom, then please make sure that you are a faithful prayer warrior pleading before Gods throne everyday. The ministry of food distribution lasted until the severe persecution broke out and people had to be mobilized. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. This exhortation is found in v.32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God,and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up,and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.(v.32) Paul said this because he had to leave the Ephesians, and would no longer be present to teach them as he had done before. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. By: Ysrael De la Cruz. To move in. Obstacles that we face in life are riddled with anxiety, fear, worry, anger, stress, and every negative emotion that you can think of. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. The same thing happens if one member is not fulfilling his or her role faithfully The whole church suffers! This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. Thats why his discourse ends by saying, If Christ has purchased His Church at such great cost to Himself, do you think He will leave its fate to be determined by the changing hearts of men? Get FREE "He Cares for You" teaching sheet, Build up your faith as you meditate on inspiring Scripture verses of how much God loves you, "It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.". They had a great system going on, a great fellowship and God reminded them that though that ministry is important, it was not the mission of the church to run a food program, but to preach the gospel to those who are lost. Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. Stephen was murdered, Philip and the rest had to leave. It would also distract them from the main mission. (v.6) I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! After our conversion, our inner person matures and grows, but our flesh is neither removed nor improved. Prayer helps you to build a solid relationship with Christ, which increases your ability to trust in Him and feel confident about His plan for you. Materialism is the third barrier that keeps us from being available to serve. The confused are those who have health, know Self-Realization is the purpose of life, have food, clothing and shelter, but find excuses to run after other things endlessly. Ive tried it before. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. See also: Is 40:31, Eph 6:10, and Jas 1:5. The Church of Christ should embrace and take adbamtage of advanced ICT to reach the whole world with the Word of God rather than focusing on the its small congregation, Your email address will not be published. Everything a church does should fall under the umbrella of reaching the world with the gospel and making people into disciples. . Challenges in serving God. Many of us, however, get to a point of exhaustion and fatigue as we strive to do His will. When the stresses of this world and the worst of suffering might seem to extinguish our hope, it doesnt. By: Ysrael De la Cruz At the beginning of the pandemic, I was able to witness many so called prophets come out to predict what the Lord was telling American through the worldwide epidemic of Covid 19. Trials and suffering tend to truly reveal who your true friends are. He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE SERVICE OF GOD ARISE FROM THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR CHARACTER AND HIS. If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. This is because the fear of God is a foundation. We serve not just because we want to serve but love man has to carry out; that we have a loving Creator, a true genuine Father in every sense of the word. Many who started out well have not finished well. At a camp in North Carolina, the high ropes course has a trapdoor at the end. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. But what if they aren't enemies? Just before those verses, the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) define a path to spiritual happiness and significance totally contrary to what were normally taught (blessed are the meek, not the proud). The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. They would rather increase in fame and fortune. During his third missionary journey, Paul spent most of his time in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of present-day Turkey. God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. 3. (More people to deal with, more personality issues, cultural issues and so on). All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Notice the language: Were to draw near with our hearts sprinkled clean from a evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. This echoes the God-centeredness of the New Covenant, when God promised that hed write his law on our hearts, that hed give us his Spirit, that hed make us clean (Jeremiah 31:33). However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. Your soul needs the nourishment contained in every part of it, and not just from your favorite books or passages of the Bible. So, this distribution of goods took place before and there wasnt a problem. We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. Verse Concepts. We can manipulate Him into giving us what we want. 3 Obstacles to Living God's Will for Your Life | Forward Progress MichaelKelley.co About Blog Contact Resources Bible Study Church Family Work MichaelKelley.co About Blog Contact Resources Mitragyna Speciosa Kratom guides: learn more Kratom resource: kratom.org Kratom vendors: read kratom reviews Best kratom: top strains for pain relief They were responsible for the spiritual health of this new community. The sinless Savior died and he ever lives and pleads for me. Those who stayed in Jerusalem were arrested (Acts 8). Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. According to 2 Timothy 3:16All scriptureis given by inspiration of God, and isprofitablefor doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.All scripture is profitable not just some of it or most of it, but All of it. To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. In Romans 12 Paul reminded the church not to be conformed or fashioned by the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of the mind. When I started cultivating a relationship with God, there were obstacles I had to overcome; barriers that suppressed my motivation to seek God as He calls us to. He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. The second part of verse 21 gives us another reason to draw near to God: Jesus prays for us. If we want to befaithfulto the Word we cannot pick and choose only what we love to hear from it, or what we love to think about all the time. There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. Many people will spend a lot of time trying to think and maneuver their way around obstacles . Through his faithful teaching, and testifying to Jews and Greeks, and preaching the kingdom of God, and warning the Christians against false teaching, the Ephesian church was firmly established on a strong foundation. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. Its always telling us, Youd better take charge. So how do we stay yielded to God? Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. In our choices, we dont so much turn to evil as we turn from God. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. How can tell if your agenda or actions are from God or Satan? What does God say about overcoming obstacles? Draw near to him. "The way is hard that leads to life," He said ( Matthew 7:14, ESV ). This is a spiritual thermometer. Rejection and betrayal are part of life and help us grow closer to God when we realize our weaknesses are actually strengths. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. Sometimes, the key to overcoming your problems is through replacing these negative emotions with Gods love. (Food pantry ministry). God looks at you as a loving Father with his arms wide open and he says to you, Draw near by the blood of my Son.. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. God wants you to open up about your fears, doubts and anxieties so He can help you overcome them. The enemy of God, the devil will not stop until he turns away the people who are drawing closer to God. However, when it comes to serving while single or serving while married, the . For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). Therefore, Jesus said to Peter Get behind me Satan. Fast-forward now to a time about 40 years later, and we find this commendation that Christ gave to this church in Revelation 2:2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: andthou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.The elders had faithfully kept watch over their flock and had exposed the false teachers who tried to subvert the flock. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. Two of the biggest barriers to adults being engaged in serving the body of Christ are these feelings: "I don't have anything in common with those I want to serve" and "I don't have anything to offer.". The apostles remained faithful to the task of preaching and teaching Gods word. Did you feel released and free? He knows about every detail of you, and has your best interest at heart. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. He wrote this 3 chapters later,Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.(1 Timothy 4:16). The apostles were the shepherds of the church. There is no right way to pray, all you have to do is begin speaking with God. 5 MarWe Must Obey God Rather than Men (Acts 5:12-42) by RevQuek KK, 12 MarGods Wisdom and Requirements for Church Leadership (Acts 6:1-7) byRev Charles Seet, 19 MarStephen-A Man of Faith (Acts 6:5, 7:54-8:3) by RevQuek KK, 26 MarPhilip-A Light in Darkness (Acts 8:4-8) by RevHo Chee Lai, 8.00 am English Worship I9.40 am Catechism Class Sunday School 11.00 am English Worship II Chinese Worship Children's Ministry Filipina Service2.30 pm Thai Service4.00 pm Indonesian Service. Their widows were being overlooked or neglected in the daily distribution of food. Satan began to attack the church through severe persecution. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. The answer is simple, but not necessarily easy. To leave passages of the ports that the evidence of true Christianity is found humble... 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