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. 2. Did you feel released and free? We dont know for sure. December 10, 2018. "Serving God" is one of the important reasons man was created from the beginning. Watch on Hey! Through these strategies, you can gain the confidence to face your problems head on and come out victorious. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. Look at yourlovefor the Lord. 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. Matthew 22:37. I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! Do you seek to fulfill God's purpose? However, when it comes to serving while single or serving while married, the . God Will Allow You to Go Through Impossible Situations to Produce a Supernatural Dependence in You. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. After our conversion, our inner person matures and grows, but our flesh is neither removed nor improved. Fear. (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. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). How do we trust and submit to God? Many of us, however, get to a point of exhaustion and fatigue as we strive to do His will. He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. Have you seen how crazy my life is? This is a fear that doesnt tempt us to stop believing; it tempts us to forfeit a life of intimacy with Jesus because we just dont think that kind of life is possible for us. He will listen to the pain you have filling your heart. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. How do we deal with these ongoing barriers in our lives? Jeremiah 32:27 states I am the Lord, the God of all mainkind. Staten Island, NY 10314, http://sichristianchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sept.19.mp3. Its a rich relationship, not a mechanical one. Psalm 32:11, "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!". But if we withhold our worship, we are saying: We know better than God. Faith is from God and fear is from the enemy. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. 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. These verses will strengthen your faith in God. God made it possible for you to know. First, the apostles identified their main priority. 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. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. If He leads us to it, He'll lead us through it. - Obstacles to Following God's Call The Hoot & Howl What's Stopping You? The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. If your love for Him has grown cold, you are unwell and you need to rekindle that love before things get worse. Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. First, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because of Jesuss sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1920). You can be comforted by Gods commitment (Psalm 46:1; Luke 15:11-32). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. You can place your steadfast trust in Him. Fear and faith cannot co-exist, and they battle for space within us. The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. Then he decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the coastline of Asia Minor. 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. Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful. No! 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. As God reveals His plan to you, you will be able to better understand how to overcome the obstacles in your way, or Gods reasons for putting them there. Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. 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. Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. 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. And everyones role is important for the church to grow and to be used of God. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. 3. Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. 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. When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness fulfilling our God-given roles. If we struggle with either of these obstacles, Hebrews 10 speaks up with the good news that Jesus abolishes both fears at the cross. Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life. 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. And we must be very thankful to Him. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. About10 years laterwhen Timothy was pastoring the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote to him:Holding faith, and a good conscience;which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.(1 Timothy1:19) And so, not wanting this to happen to his young co-worker, Paul gave him the very same exhortation that he gave to the Ephesian elders. No tongue can bid me thence depart nor can anything else in all creation separate us from his love. Challenges will come and go but we must remain faithful to Christs mission. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despiteknowingthat He would be betrayed, condemned to death, humiliated and crucified there (Matthew 20:18,19). 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. 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. To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. 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. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. But God has something to say. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. 4. 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. Let these closing words of Paul to the Church of Thessalonica be our constant source of encouragement:And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Answer Jesus talked to those who would follow Him about taking up a cross, counting the cost, and giving up everything ( Luke 14:2533 ). This is what Paul declared at Ephesus. They really piss me off. Obstacles Serving God's Purposes? Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. Perhaps you want to serve the Lord but you face certain challenges that come with age. Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had adifferentrole to fulfill. Sometimes, the key to overcoming your problems is through replacing these negative emotions with Gods love. The emotional barrier deals with bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 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. As in all things, God's ultimate purpose for us is to grow more and more into the image of His Son ( Romans 8:29 ). They wept, Gods pattern for his people! They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Sometimes people who begin a ministry die or moved and there is not one else to carry it; they come to an end. 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. Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. He is our perfect, spotless righteousness and our lives are hid with him on high. One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply serving the Lord. But it was a problem now. We can focus and realign our thinking through prayer, daily devotions and meditation. The apostles prayed for these ministry leaders and their ministry. These men were to handle or to manage this task (We will turn this responsibility over to them (v.3)). In the following paragraphs, I have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God. There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. If God Is Loving, Why Is there So Much Pain in this Life? The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. 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 arenotinterested in decreasing. This email address is being protected from spambots. The answer to this is that our confidence must ultimately be placed in God. 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.'. 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? 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. Your browser does not support the audio element. 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. Reach out and call Gods name. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. These seven men will oversee the ministry of distribution of food. 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? 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? God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. Paul would never think of himself apart from the Lord Jesus. Without the proclamation and teaching of Gods words disciples are not developed. Verse Concepts. There's no doubt, that the Bible is full of Bible verses about struggle and perseverance. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. Please see the Disclosures for how it will all go down. Jesus was able to recognize Satan in Peters words. Will we be able to do these things well? Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. Download From the series Evening series 2 Timothy 1 ( Listen) Our Christian life comprises of many obstacles we meet. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. He was committed to obedience. A preacher was once heard yelling, Oh, [expletive]! on the way down. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. sign me up! 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. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. We just cant do it. You can be assured of Gods intentions that He has your best interests at heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13; Hebrews 12:10). 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. 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. Were on a mission to change that. This is because the fear of God is a foundation. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. He bore our sins in his body on the tree. Click to Tweet We are here to help and encourage you! one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. Download the free myCBN app. (More people to deal with, more personality issues, cultural issues and so on). 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 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. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. Instead, these are the moments where you need faith the most. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. 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. God wants you to be successful and triumphant, and has a great plan for your life. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. 10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. Do you find it hard? Challenges in serving God. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. God rewarded their faithfulness and decision: Abraham Taking Isaac to be Sacrificed. All Rights Reserved. Stephen: (a man full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch a convert to Judaism. There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. God would use any thing to mobilize his people when they get inwardly focused and neglect to fulfill his mission in the world. "The way is hard that leads to life," He said ( Matthew 7:14, ESV ). Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. 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). Michael Chriswell. 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. The church has faced external and internal challenges since the day it began through the preaching of the apostles. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that some are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. The spiritual obstacle. This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. Theres really nowhere else to go, as the apostle Peter said, for true life eternal life is with Him alone. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. Copyright 2023 Staten Island Christian Church. (It is not right that we give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. (ESV) We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. . Right beside the foundation of Jesuss death in our place is this glorious picture of Jesus praying for us. This command to draw near might be summarized as a summons to live in a rich God-accomplished relationship with God. There is no more condemnation. It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. (Hebrews 10:1922). Just as ancient cities needed strong walls for defense and protection, the Lord wants His people today to have a strong and well-founded faith that can withstand the attacks of the enemy. There are obstacles in our way. Psalms 119:1-127 - ALEPH . It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. The Bible says eternal life is to "know God and His one and only Son." As I made the transition from knowing about God for 19 years, to actually . Please take time to read your Bible each day, and let God speak to you through His Word. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. Replacing these negative emotions with Gods love of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving.! God speak to you through his word men were to draw near with our hearts sprinkled clean a. 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Walk around, to conduct oneself how greatly concerned he was to deny self in serving the Lord blessed.
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