Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. God sometimes challenges us with a warning. As the people contemplated God's instructions, they faced the challenge . But this one thing we know:God is faithful! God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. This is biblical! It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). He said,neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received ofthe Lord JesusIn v.22,23 Paul says,And now, behold,I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying thatbonds and afflictions abide me., Paul was heading for Jerusalem in obedience to the Lords direction for him, despite knowing the awful trials he would have to face there. Audio Version. "Listen to advice and accept discipline . Obstacles Serving God's Purposes? 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.'. The river was flooded and nearly impossible to cross. This doesnt happen automatically. Christians are called to make disciples, but we are not capable of changing people. Jeremiah 32:27 states I am the Lord, the God of all mainkind. Get more than a Sunday sermon. As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christs mission in this world. It isfaithfulness to the whole counsel of God. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. Trusting God gives us true success (Psalm 27:3-7; Proverbs 15:22). Therefore, Jesus said to Peter Get behind me Satan. The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. We all need it to live in this world, but we must not be owned by it if we are to be not of this world. It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. *A.W. The apostles prayed for these ministry leaders and their ministry. 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. God rewarded their faithfulness and decision: You see, regardless of the challenges we may face in life in our ministries, Jesus expects us to be faithful to his call of making disciples, his call to reaching those who dont know him. You may not enjoy having to eat more high-fiber, low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt meals regularly, but the long term benefits do make it all worthwhile. Share your prayer requests, receive prayer and pray for others! These verses will strengthen your faith in God. The punishment has been paid. 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). Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply serving the Lord. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. Fast-forward now to a time about 40 years later, and we find this commendation that Christ gave to this church in Revelation 2:2, Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. 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. And what keeps us from doing so? Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. These obstacles can be as basic as being stuck in a numbers mentality, or as complex as generational patterns of viewing pastors as the only ones capable of experiencing God. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) May we all be greatly challenged through this to serve faithfully, by remaining Faithful to the Lord, Faithful to fulfill our God-given roles of service, and Faithful to the whole counsel of God, until our Lord Jesus Christ returns! No matter what problem is in your way, God is right beside you walking you through each step. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. . Before the Throne of God Above Shane Barnard and Shane Everett. This ministry functioned well before, as we are informed in chapter 4 that there was also distribution of funds (there was no needy people among them); the first Christians cared for their needs by sharing and distributing goods. Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. The experiential barriers are ongoing, and they can range from broken family relationships that make us reticent to trust or accept love to bad church experiences. One of the ways we can serve God is by helping his children, our brothers and sisters, through paying a tithing and a generous fast offering. The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. In order for us to get grace we have to surrender ourselves to God and accept His grace as a free gift. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE SERVICE OF GOD ARISE FROM THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR CHARACTER AND HIS. Below we've briefly outlined these the top ten problems people have with God to help you reach skeptical people in our post-truth world. . Hebrews 7:25 tells us, Jesus is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. He is always praying for us, always fueling the furnace of our faith. We must continue to work together tobuild a united church family that is committed to making disciples through Salvation, Sanctification and Service to the glory of God. Required fields are marked *. This will not dampen my faith or take me away from knowing Him. This helps you build confidence in faith. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. Growing in Christ won't be without struggles. 3980 Victory Blvd. Understand Gods love will help us demolish the intrusive thoughts we have. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 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. Matthew 22:37. You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). They were responsible for that. By: Ysrael De la Cruz. Faith is from God and fear is from the enemy. Focus on how strong Gods power is. Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life. But God has something to say. (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. You can place your steadfast trust in Him. Contributing financially to God's work is a great way to serve God. With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? We imagine that if God is putting us through something, he expects us to accomplish his will. He knows about every detail of you, and has your best interest at heart. But in serving God, there will always be obstructions and hindrances. He will listen to the pain you have filling your heart. The church has faced external and internal challenges since the day it began through the preaching of the apostles. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). Please take time to read your Bible each day, and let God speak to you through His Word. There are obstacles in our way. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. Remind yourself that this isthe word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.. The answer to this is that our confidence must ultimately be placed in God. Benefits Of Serving God: The Challenges, The Pains, The Blessings And The Rewards - Kindle edition by Kanu, Kenneth. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. Many times, we wonder about God's purpose in our lives. When the church began by the preaching of the apostles; It was primarily Jewish, but it didnt take long for it to become more diverse. One great way to combat this is by spending more time at church with your fellow Christians. If you want to remain faithful, you must give sufficient time to the study of Gods Word. 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. No! God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. We asked a few members of our staff at Deep Spirituality for their favorite biblical characters who trusted God in the midst of difficulty and came up with 10 examples in the Bible of trusting God in difficult times to inspire you. 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 handed the food distribution to seven men selected by the church. This is what Paul declared at Ephesus. A very sermon in the current challenge of CIVID-19, which should not deter the preaching of the Word of God. We just cant do it. It is, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. 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. Let's stay in touch! 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. Ive tried it before. 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. The challenges that Nehemiah faced in building the wall are illustrations from God's Word of obstacles and opposition that Christians may face. The world tells us, Take charge! You are the master of your own destiny, and God helps those who help themselves. This kind of advice flies in the face of the Bibles urgings to submit to God, trusting and yielding ourselves to Him (cf. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. Regardless of any problem or issue we face as a church; we must never neglect Christs mission: to reach the lost; to make disciples of all nations through the preaching of his word. 1. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. Do you find it hard? 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. Paul was faithful in his role as a, In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that s. ome are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. The outcome of the apostles decision? The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10Be thoufaithfulunto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.It is also seen in the commendation which the servants received from the Lord in Matthew 25:21Well done, thou good andfaithfulservant: thou hast beenfaithfulover a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.. How do we keep doing all these things until we reach the end? Your browser does not support the audio element. This gravity is like a built-in magnet that draws us toward controlling, creating, and manipulating. Sometimes God may call you to a different ministry. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. If you are united to Jesus by faith, the anger is gone. How can tell if your agenda or actions are from God or Satan? These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the. Click to Tweet It requires a true heart in full assurance of faith. This is a full and rich and satisfying relationship one that is more real to us than anything else. 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. Growth is great, but with much growth comes great challenges as well. Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. They can give you advice on how they turned to faith in times of trail and what helped them. Serving God is what we were made to do as his creatures, but our service has been corrupted by our sin and rebellion which has rendered us unable to please him. Were on a mission to change that. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. Handling the problem: (v.2) Extrinsic Challenges The church, since the time of Paul, has had to confront philosophies that challenge God's existence, and deny the Christology of Jesus. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. 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. 3. As we now enter into our 67thyear, let us resolve to give Him thefirst and central placein all that we do as a church, so that we may be faithful to Him. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. Giving up our ways and will isn't easy but that is what moving into a . Fear. Confusion: Perhaps worse than the ignorant are the confused. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. Many of us feel like we need to take a break from all the work we do for God. Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". All these things should remind us that God is working in our midst and has enabled us to grow. For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). He said to them earlier on in v.20,I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). In our study of the Book of Acts we have been following his three great missionary journeys which took place over a period of 10 years, between the years 47 and 57 AD. 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. - Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/obstaclesEvery Muslim is on a journey to Allah. If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. This email address is being protected from spambots. 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. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. Reduces Ego: When seekers realise that serving God happens very nicely after praying and not taking doership of the act, it helps in reducing ego. 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? It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. These seven men will oversee the ministry of distribution of food. Did you laugh or cry tears of joy? Challenges in serving God. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. They were appalled when they saw the severe suffering Job was experiencing. You may be diligent in feeding others, but you also need to, If you want to remain faithful, you must give sufficient time to the study of Gods Word. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Challenges will come and go but we must remain faithful to Christs mission. But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. . (praise and worship, teaching ministries, financial ministry, homeless ministry, recovery ministry, jail ministry, outreach ministry, cleaning ministry, building maintenance , food pantry, missions ministry, and so forth). Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. While he was there, Paul sent a messenger to Ephesus (which is about 40 km away) to call the elders of the church to come for a conference with him, as he believed that he would never see them again. You can be assured of Gods intentions that He has your best interests at heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13; Hebrews 12:10). In our choices, we dont so much turn to evil as we turn from God. He is our perfect, spotless righteousness and our lives are hid with him on high. For some people, time crowds out their ability to serve the Lord. Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. When we study Scripture and see what God asks us to do to fulfill His purpose, eventually we find there are obstacles to God's will. Much as we have faith in God and promise to maintain closeness to God at all times, there are few things that will give friction to us in the way of our Christian life to love God at all times. 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. Climbers think theyll go down the wire smoothly, but when the lever is pulled, they face a 20-foot freefall. Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. God wants you to open up about your fears, doubts and anxieties so He can help you overcome them. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. Materialism. This requirement is highlighted in the words which Paul spoke in v.19Servingthe Lordwith all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations(v.19). And so as Proverbs, Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. This then is what it means toserve the Lord with allhumilityof mind.The Lords interests must always come first. It cant. one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Its a rich relationship, not a mechanical one. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. After all, God had purchased them with His own blood, as Paul mentioned in v.28 (to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.) This of course refers to God the Son who suffered and died on the cross for our sins. The first exhortation is found in v.28:Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flockThe Ephesian elders would already have known that they were to guard the flock, which is the church. Unfortunately many would rather listen to a message that makes no demands on them at all, but offers them all the blessings of God they could ever wish to receive, like good health and wealth. Christian author A.W. Yes, we deserve punishment. Some use their service to God to upgrade themselves they urge people to give and give sacrificially to support their ministry, but they fly business class or in their own private jet, they stay in the most expensive hotels, and they eat at the most expensive restaurants. Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful We dont know for sure. Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Stephen was murdered, Philip and the rest had to leave. Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. Draw near to him. Jesus is praying. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. Then he decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the coastline of Asia Minor. The Third Sunday in Lent Sermon starts at 14:15 in recording Service Booklet All Readings Gospel: John 2:13-22 13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. The point is that God is behind this. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. Acts 6:1-7 By: Ysrael De la Cruz The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back They came to provide comfort and sympathy to him. Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. The Bible says that the church is like a human body. Its always telling us, Youd better take charge. So how do we stay yielded to God? But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehownotdiligent enough to guard themselves well and to build themselves up with God Word? Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. He had been doing this to the Ephesians for three years (54-57 AD), as he said to them in vv.18 and 31Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia,after what manner I have been with you at all seasonsTherefore watch, and remember, that by the space ofthree yearsI ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.. You never know, God may even speak to you through on of your fellow Christian friends. This is better than anything we could imagine. they did not let this issue distract them from their mission. I signed up . Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Verse Concepts. . In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. He is not a Father running to meet you, but one waiting to punish you. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what theywantinstead of what theyneed. True friends! As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Rejection and betrayal are part of life and help us grow closer to God when we realize our weaknesses are actually strengths. God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. We must always trust that God has a plan and He has a reason for allowing something to happen. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. Obstacles to God's Will Do you want God's will for your life? Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". A preacher was once heard yelling, Oh, [expletive]! on the way down. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. For the past 66 years, we have seen how faithful God is to provide, preserve and protect us so marvelously despite all our weaknesses, faults and our little faith. I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! Solutions to obstacles: One gets to learn from the obstacles faced by other seekers and what they did to overcome the obstacles. But God equips us to overcome obstacles . But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had adifferentrole to fulfill. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. Then look to these promises. This issue needed the attention of the apostles before it would escalate. I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. 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). If you handle the small things, God brings you big things to handle. And because man is so strategic to the advancement of the kingdom of God, Satan uses all kinds of. Send a prayer request now, or call 18007007000. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images. Faith is from the enemy this issue distract them from their mission a secret to moving past approval seeking hindrances! Of this they become spiritually weak, they faced the challenge creating, and,. God was Pauls confidence that the church God may call you to God accept. This, so he lived to do the will of the inheritance friends who came see! Take time to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to other. Prayer line at 800-700-7000 explains to the pain you have filling your heart pray... No matter what problem is obstacles in serving god the church ) & quot ; to... God ( v.32a ), you must give sufficient time to read your Bible each day, and has best. One great way to accomplishing Christs mission because man is so strategic to the advancement of the Word God... 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