Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. If you handle the small things, God brings you big things to handle. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. Persecution mobilized the church, and the food ministry came to an end. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.He worked as a tent-make, to provide not only for his own needs, but for the needs of others as well. First, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because of Jesuss sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1920). Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. 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. God does not willingly make His service hard; it would not be hard if we were not sinful. God would use any thing to mobilize his people when they get inwardly focused and neglect to fulfill his mission in the world. If God Is Loving, Why Is there So Much Pain in this Life? We just cant do it. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. Were on a mission to change that. If you are stuck in a pit of despair, dont let yourself give up. Acts 6:1-7 Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. Look at v.21 where Paul says that he wastestifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,repentance toward God, and faith toward ourLordJesus Christ.. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. Galatians 5:16 (NASB) calls us to walk in the Spirit. The Greek word for walk, peripateo, means to walk around, to conduct oneself. Walking is a step-by-step process, a sequencing process of behaving habitually. The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. Then look to these promises. 1) The Problem of Science Faith vs. Science is the perennial God-problem. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Can God change your life? He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. and its ok. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. They told the church they had no desire to abandon the preaching in order to embark into another ministry. *A.W. Notice how verse 19 begins, Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus. He means that we have access to God now because Jesus died in our place. Benefits Of Serving God: The Challenges, The Pains, The Blessings And The Rewards - Kindle edition by Kanu, Kenneth. 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. We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. December 10, 2018. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? 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. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels the worst. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. 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. He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. But now we come to the question. Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. But God equips us to overcome obstacles . Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. 8) Luke 1:37 "For every promise from God shall surely come true.". God has to earn our favor. When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness fulfilling our God-given roles. After all, thats their role as the elders of the church! When it comes to facing challenges as a church, we must learn like the first Christians did. Solutions to obstacles: One gets to learn from the obstacles faced by other seekers and what they did to overcome the obstacles. 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.. There an be obstacles in our spiritual walks, too, and sometimes we place them; sometimes we embrace them - addiction to television, busyness, overextending ourselves, video games Identify and address your obstacles. The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. sign me up! Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. Instead, these are the moments where you need faith the most. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. 10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! Share your prayer requests, receive prayer and pray for others! 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! Materialism. Look at what he said in v.33,34, When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness , Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of, 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. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. 3. They were appalled when they saw the severe suffering Job was experiencing. Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Be bold. . In chapter 6 Satan tried to distract the apostles from their main mission. To draw near. - 2 Timothy 1:1-18 By Pastor Mark Thomas on 10 April 2016 at the evening service. God sometimes challenges us with a warning. 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. Our Christian life comprises of many obstacles we meet. 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? The apostles would give their attention to prayer and the preaching of the word. 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). Did you laugh or cry tears of joy? 2. 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). More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. May this occasion also be a time for each of us to search our own hearts with this question: Are you more faithful to the Lord or to yourself? There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8). By: Ysrael De la Cruz. The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). Psalms 119:1-127 - ALEPH . A church may have a great number of ministries or services. 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. 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. Download. It cant. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. Yes, we deserve punishment. For example, if you are struggling to cope with a bad breakup, you can replace your sadness by focusing on the love God has for you. The following five assurances help overcome the emotional barrier to yielding to Him even in your freefall moments: Whereas the emotional barrier says its not safe to trust God, the intellectual barrier says it doesnt make sense to trust God. The enemy does not want you to discover or understand who you are in Christ, and will try to take away your spiritual identity. Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. All you have to do is put your trust in Him. The same thing happens if one member is not fulfilling his or her role faithfully The whole church suffers! Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. 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. Stephen was murdered, Philip and the rest had to leave. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. Biblical Truth #2) Trust in God for strength and wisdom to deal with the obstacles. But this one thing we know:God is faithful! Paul would never think of himself apart from the Lord Jesus. Job eventually repents and is humbled before God. Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Living for Godwhy is it so difficult? Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life. "Serving God" is one of the important reasons man was created from the beginning. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge.*. And what keeps us from doing so? Reach out and call Gods name. 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. "The way is hard that leads to life," He said ( Matthew 7:14, ESV ). These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Audio Version. Giving up our ways and will isn't easy but that is what moving into a . Handling the problem: (v.2) As the people contemplated God's instructions, they faced the challenge . Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. How do we keep doing all these things until we reach the end? Which way are you turned? 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. The enemy of God, the devil will not stop until he turns away the people who are drawing closer to God. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. To move in. They really piss me off. Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. Many of us feel like we need to take a break from all the work we do for God. See also: Is 40:31, Eph 6:10, and Jas 1:5. Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). It would also distract them from the main mission. Although the Lord Jesus commended them for guarding the flock well against false apostles, He also rebuked them:Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, becausethou hast left thy first love.(Revelation 2:4) Let us ask ourselves this question: Have you left your first love? It can be frustrating to give up control of your life, however to be a follower of Christ it must be done. God detests pride, but humility prompts the gift of His grace. Certain Relationships Hinder Spiritual Growth. This is a spiritual thermometer. Remind yourself that you are a child of God and you were put on this earth for a reason. These are so easy to obtain on-line. Trusting God gives us a better perspective a mindset focused on a higher truth (Isaiah 55:7-9; Proverbs 14:12). 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. 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). Fear. This is the goal of the Christian, and everything in life, including the trials and tribulations, is designed to enable us to reach that goal. With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. They were responsible for the spiritual health of this new community. About, There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. And so, in order to be faithful to the Word, we need to declare all of it thewholecounsel of God. Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! Nothing like a twisted ankle because you stepped on an uneven surface, rock or twig. 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. Will we be able to do these things well? In order for us to get grace we have to surrender ourselves to God and accept His grace as a free gift. Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. As church leaders, they needed to move into action to resolve this conflict. 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? Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images. The fear of judgment keeps you from a rich relationship with God because you just cant believe that God can forgive your sin. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. Growing in Christ won't be without struggles. Obstacles that we face in life are riddled with anxiety, fear, worry, anger, stress, and every negative emotion that you can think of. 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. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. No! Remember, rather than call the equipped, God seems to like to equip the called. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. He will listen to the pain you have filling your heart. He didn't say, "you should not serve both God and money.". 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. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". 3. 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). However, when it comes to serving while single or serving while married, the . (Acts 4:34). In v.28 they are told tofeedthe church of God.In vv.29-31 they are told to keepwatchagainst false teachings that may come into the church both from without and from within. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Download From the series Evening series 2 Timothy 1 ( Listen) For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). Do you seek to fulfill God's purpose? 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. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. If you want to remain faithful, you must give sufficient time to the study of Gods Word. 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. He suffered the wrath of God on our behalf. (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. 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. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. There are obstacles in our way. For them to enter the Promised Land, they would have to trust God to bring them through this raging river. Serve the Lord with gladness. Within that time, Paul put in all his efforts to fulfill his role in several ways: Public teaching is mentioned in v.20 and havetaughtyou publickly, and from house to house.Testifyingboth to the Jews and also to the Greeksis mentioned in v.21. You do. Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. . 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. No tongue can bid me thence depart nor can anything else in all creation separate us from his love. The apostle Paul is a good example of one who was very faithful to fulfill his role in life. . 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. 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. (NLT). 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. 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 three tools Satan uses to keep us ineffective on the volitional level are as follows: These three tools work, often interrelatedly (Ephesians 2:1-3), against the life of Christ in us and present the volitional barrier to our trust in Him. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. In the following paragraphs, I have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. Challenges will come and go but we must remain faithful to Christs mission. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. 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. 1. Here are 4 barriers to getting through to God: 1) Harboring secret sin. Opt in to receive news and updates. Submit yourselves therefore to God. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. 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. In addition to natural gravity, Satan uses the same methods repeatedly and they work much of the time. They came to provide comfort and sympathy to him. 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.. God calls His people to serve and love one another with humility. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. Its a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. We must always trust that God has a plan and He has a reason for allowing something to happen. You can count on Gods promise (Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. But its not that simple. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. The writer tells us . Trusting God gives us true success (Psalm 27:3-7; Proverbs 15:22). Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. We can focus and realign our thinking through prayer, daily devotions and meditation. The devil is always looking out for opportunities to gain a foothold in your heart and make you fall. If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? 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. Now we shall read what paul said to them, as recorded Acts. In all creation separate us from serving teaching of Gods word must be the main priority: a... Never-Ceasing intercession 5:16 ( NASB ) calls us to walk around, to conduct oneself God. & amp ; Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com easy but obstacles in serving god is to pray Gospel! 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