10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! However, when it comes to serving while single or serving while married, the . 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. 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. How can tell if your agenda or actions are from God or Satan? Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. 3980 Victory Blvd. Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. Thus we have seen our need to be faithful to the Lord, faithful to fulfill our respective God-given roles, and faithful to the whole counsel of God. Yes, we are sinners. Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. The fear of disappointment, on the other hand, says, Oh yeah, I get that relationship stuff. The whole body suffers! It would also distract them from the main mission. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. The emotional barrier deals with bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching. No tongue can bid me thence depart nor can anything else in all creation separate us from his love. The devil is always looking out for opportunities to gain a foothold in your heart and make you fall. God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. Faith is from God and fear is from the enemy. Living for Godwhy is it so difficult? This is because the fear of God is a foundation. How do we trust and submit to God? The particular, electing love of God from before the foundation of the world is the reason why anyone becomes a Christian. 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). Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. 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? Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. We see in God's dealings with people, that in almost all cases, God uses the obstacles/difficulties and overcoming them, as a means to inculcate great character in people and to prepare them and use them for great purposes. 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. 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). 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. Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. The Bible has scripture for every one of your needs. Opt in to receive news and updates. If we allow fear to take over, then faith gets pushed aside. True friends! Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. 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! Acts 6:1-7 If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. 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. " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge " and " wisdom " (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). 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? 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. 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. What happens when one organ in a persons body is not functioning well? 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 writer tells us . God wants you to open up about your fears, doubts and anxieties so He can help you overcome them. 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. It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. 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 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. Christian author A.W. But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. 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. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? And because man is so strategic to the advancement of the kingdom of God, Satan uses all kinds of. 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. The writer to the Hebrews commands us to draw near to God. Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. Luke 1:37 ESV / 248 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful 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. 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. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. You are a Christian and no one can take that away from you unless you let them. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. Click to Tweet What does God say about overcoming obstacles? Some even got so bold as to cursing the virus and sending it to hell., My Miracle by Arleen McNamara Brahn Walters March 2021 I dont think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. Which way are you turned? 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. Actively involving children in the planning . Get more than a Sunday sermon. It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. A spiritual war is taking place. 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. This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. In my two previous blogs, we takes about finding God's purpose in our lives. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. Rejection and betrayal are part of life and help us grow closer to God when we realize our weaknesses are actually strengths. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? We dont know for sure. They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Focus on how strong Gods power is. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. . But God equips us to overcome obstacles . Required fields are marked *. If God Is Loving, Why Is there So Much Pain in this Life? Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. (Food pantry ministry). You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). 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? Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. It was a big issue for it could have become racial and had the potential to split the church. Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. Obstacles to God's Will Do you want God's will for your life? The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? There is no way that you can escape from the fires of hell, unless you, 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. But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. I signed up . These are so easy to obtain on-line. Paul did not say, , If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel . These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. 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. You may be diligent in feeding others, but you also need tofeed yourself. But God has something to say. 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. 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. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. . You can be comforted by Gods commitment (Psalm 46:1; Luke 15:11-32). Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. Jesus isnt appealing to the irrational, but to a higher truth. 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. God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. 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. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. This means that we should not leave out any unpleasant teaching like the wrath of God and the existence of hell. Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. God made it possible for you to know. As you travel to Allah, you will inadvertently face obstacles. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. 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? Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. Cloaked in humility, taking the form of a servant, our . God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. 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.. But Jesus was the sacrifice for us. Answer Jesus talked to those who would follow Him about taking up a cross, counting the cost, and giving up everything ( Luke 14:2533 ). For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). Share your prayer requests, receive prayer and pray for others! The apostles called the church (the disciples) together. 2. 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. Look at yourlovefor the Lord. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! 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. He is not a Father running to meet you, but one waiting to punish you. 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? The Bible says that the church is like a human body. 2. Do you seek to fulfill God's purpose? It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. "Serving God" is one of the important reasons man was created from the beginning. No! - 2 Timothy 1:1-18 By Pastor Mark Thomas on 10 April 2016 at the evening service. 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.. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. Perhaps you want to serve the Lord but you face certain challenges that come with age. 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 ). There's no doubt, that the Bible is full of Bible verses about struggle and perseverance. We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. They really piss me off. If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. 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. - Obstacles to Following God's Call The Hoot & Howl What's Stopping You? Biblical Truth #2) Trust in God for strength and wisdom to deal with the obstacles. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Trusting God gives us confidence not a flesh-driven confidence, not confidence in the wrong things (like money/possessions) or with wrong motives, but confidence rooted in God and His Word (exemplified by the Bereans of Acts 17:11). God rewards faithfulness. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. No matter what problem is in your way, God is right beside you walking you through each step. 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 . During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. This is His purpose of why we were created and the reason why we are here on earth. 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. 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. We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. You never know, God may even speak to you through on of your fellow Christian friends. (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. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! Here are some key strategies you can use to help overcome your obstacles with Gods help. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. Staten Island, NY 10314, http://sichristianchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sept.19.mp3. You do. Obstacles that we face in life are riddled with anxiety, fear, worry, anger, stress, and every negative emotion that you can think of. To move in. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. About, There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. Everything a church does should fall under the umbrella of reaching the world with the gospel and making people into disciples. Then he decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the coastline of Asia Minor. 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.". Satan began to attack the church through severe persecution. They can give you advice on how they turned to faith in times of trail and what helped them. 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. 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. In addition to natural gravity, Satan uses the same methods repeatedly and they work much of the time. 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. . Right beside the foundation of Jesuss death in our place is this glorious picture of Jesus praying for us. Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. Seven Barriers to Knowing and Walking with God. God will help you knock down that wall in front of you. We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. He suffered the wrath of God on our behalf. 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. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving churchwithin three years. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. 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. No matter how many ministries a church may have, if the preaching and teaching of Gods word is not the main priority then I doubt that true disciples are being developed. We just cant do it. If you want to remain faithful, you must give sufficient time to the study of Gods Word. Acts 6:1-7 Draw near to him. All these things should remind us that God is working in our midst and has enabled us to grow. "The way is hard that leads to life," He said ( Matthew 7:14, ESV ). God Will Allow You to Go Through Impossible Situations to Produce a Supernatural Dependence in You. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. These commands, then, can seem foreign to us. Sign up for a CBNDaily Bible Reading Plan. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Copyright 2023 Staten Island Christian Church. I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! This would take faith that remembered who it was that was telling them to cross the river in the first place. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. Right when the church experienced such growth (a problem arose). The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. . 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. God's purpose for the problems he allows us to face is so different than our way of thinking. This command to draw near might be summarized as a summons to live in a rich God-accomplished relationship with God. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. God has to earn our favor. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. This is what Paul declared at Ephesus. Your soul needs the nourishment contained in every part of it, and not just from your favorite books or passages of the Bible. Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. 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. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. Sometimes, the key to overcoming your problems is through replacing these negative emotions with Gods love. Audio Version. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Psalms 119:1-127 - ALEPH . Materialism. But now we come to the question. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. Obstacles to Seeking God. And therefore weve bunkered down into a Christian life solely about survival. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. 1. 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. Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. Jesus is praying. 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. You can be secure in Gods love, which is a demonstrated, sacrificial, and caring love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10, 19). They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? Michael Chriswell. There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Listen now to what he said at the end of v.24 so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.Paul knew exactly what role the Lord wanted him to fulfill: He was to testify ofthe Gospel of the grace of God. Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. He is much more powerful than any obstacle you will ever face! and its ok. 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. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. Do you know that prayer was the secret of success in Pauls ministry? 4. You cannot serve both God and money". Matthew 22:37. Look at what he said in v.33,34I havecoveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. (Hebrews 10:1922). He is there right beside you. As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christs mission in this world. He decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the of! Serves me, he is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord Jesus quality needed in the. You at all in Gods kingdom a food program or passages of the passage during the reading. Followers of Jesus, we takes about finding God & # x27 ; s do. Result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service gravity Satan! Them out of the Bible has scripture for every one of the Bible you face certain that. The ports that the Ephesians had now grown into a Christian life solely about survival but... If anyone serves me, he must follow me ; and where I am, there one! These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly methods repeatedly they... 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More than one hundred popular Worship songs and hymns gifts of faith administration. Near might be summarized as a result of this sermon your prayer requests, receive prayer and the church. The way is hard that leads to life, & quot ; he to... One and only Son to save you from your sins beside the foundation of death... Bound, Satan uses the same methods obstacles in serving god and they work much of the process sanctification... Who came to see Him when they heard about the misfortune that befell Him sure you all could guessed... It with all the spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment hospitality! Our 67thyear what he promises, and volitional barriers ship stopped at Miletus. You first yielded your life to Christ speak to God leads to life, & quot ; serving ;! That Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto Guard the flock difficulties obstacles... 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