obstacles in serving god

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. It would also distract them from the main mission. The enemy of God, the devil will not stop until he turns away the people who are drawing closer to God. But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had adifferentrole to fulfill. 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. 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. 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). Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. 3980 Victory Blvd. 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). When the stresses of this world and the worst of suffering might seem to extinguish our hope, it doesnt. 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. The answer to this is that our confidence must ultimately be placed in God. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. 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. There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. There is no right way to pray, all you have to do is begin speaking with God. This is mentioned in vv.26,27 where Paul said,Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. The first and biggest obstacle to you and me enjoying all the benefits of God's Grace is you (and me). Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Seven Barriers to Knowing and Walking with God. In chapter 6 Satan tried to distract the apostles from their main mission. Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. Other people of faith who are overcoming their own challenges can lift you up in spirit, remind you of Gods truth, and cheer you on as you strive for your goals. When we spend too much time in a secularized society, the enemy can infiltrate and weaken our spiritual walls. You can be comforted by Gods commitment (Psalm 46:1; Luke 15:11-32). In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. 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. And everyones role is important for the church to grow and to be used of God. If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. 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. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving church, But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67, build a united church family that is committed to making disciples through Salvation, Sanctification and Service to the glory of God. Benefits Of Serving God: The Challenges, The Pains, The Blessings And The Rewards - Kindle edition by Kanu, Kenneth. " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge " and " wisdom " (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Picture this scenario: people complaining that others were being shown special favor in the distribution. 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. 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! Cloaked in humility, taking the form of a servant, our . But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. God will help you knock down that wall in front of you. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. Life is full of ups and downs. More growth and new challenges would come ahead. God detests pride, but humility prompts the gift of His grace. Satan began to attack the church through severe persecution. Colossians 3:24. Materialism is the third barrier that keeps us from being available to serve. We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. Stephen: (a man full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch a convert to Judaism. When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness fulfilling our God-given roles. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. But God has something to say. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. *A.W. By: Ysrael De la Cruz. The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. And so as Proverbs, Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. Right when the church experienced such growth (a problem arose). Sometimes, the key to overcoming your problems is through replacing these negative emotions with Gods love. Through these strategies, you can gain the confidence to face your problems head on and come out victorious. As you dig into the Word of God, start with a great study Bible, ( this list has some of the most popular Study Bibles for women.) These men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. But its not that simple. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. But what needs to be impressed on us is that, Now, besides faithfulness to the Lord and faithfulness to fulfill our God-given roles, there is another area where faithfulness is required of us. So, this distribution of goods took place before and there wasnt a problem. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. If we struggle with either of these obstacles, Hebrews 10 speaks up with the good news that Jesus abolishes both fears at the cross. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. The same thing is true of Life Church. To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. 2. Preached at Life BPC 66th Anniversary service, 2016-10-16, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. Actively involving children in the planning . We're God's creation, and that means we were created to serve Him. 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? Persecution mobilized the church, and the food ministry came to an end. Sometimes people who begin a ministry die or moved and there is not one else to carry it; they come to an end. Weve tried it. (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. In Romans 12 Paul reminded the church not to be conformed or fashioned by the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of the mind. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. Growth is great, but with much growth comes great challenges as well. You can place your steadfast trust in Him. You can count on Gods promise (Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. 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? Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). One of them is found at the end of our passage, Acts 20:36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, andprayedwith them all., Now, besides faithfulness to the Lord and faithfulness to fulfill our God-given roles, there is another area where faithfulness is required of us. (Acts 4:34). The emotional barrier deals with bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching. No! 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. We dont know for sure. 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. When the Israelites, out of a desire to be like all the nations, insisted on an earthly king, they turned from the will and warning of the One who knew what was best for them and they got what they asked for, though the results werent pleasant (1 Samuel 8:9-20 NASB). 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. Yes, we are sinners. -- Jack Hyles #People #Needs #Serving God Church was never intended to be a place where we serve God to the exclusion of meeting with Him. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! Paul fulfilled his role well despite the many difficult challenges which he faced at Ephesus. "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. 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. The apostles handed the food distribution to seven men selected by the church. Have you ever wondered why we get caught in the same sins over and over? Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. It was a big issue for it could have become racial and had the potential to split the church. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". There are obstacles in our way. (NLT). If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". Opt in to receive news and updates. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. There is no more condemnation. 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. Submit yourselves therefore to God. (Hebrews 10:1922). No! 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. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. How do we trust and submit to God? The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). During his third missionary journey, Paul spent most of his time in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of present-day Turkey. As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. He said, Paul was heading for Jerusalem in obedience to the Lords direction for him, despite knowing the awful trials he would have to face there. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. 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. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Growing in Christ won't be without struggles. Theres really nowhere else to go, as the apostle Peter said, for true life eternal life is with Him alone. For them to enter the Promised Land, they would have to trust God to bring them through this raging river. Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. This letter exhorts us to persevere, and this profound call to draw near to God is right at the heart. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". The preaching and teaching of Gods word. Copyright 2023 Staten Island Christian Church. Yes they certainly did. If He leads us to it, He'll lead us through it. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. Challenges in serving God. A very sermon in the current challenge of CIVID-19, which should not deter the preaching of the Word of God. Acts 6:1-7 Others struggle to serve the Lord because of illness, a serious disease, or a litany or other reasons. 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. God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? Commitment ( Psalm 46:1 ; Luke 15:11-32 ) leads us to persevere and! Careless and indifferent to then heavenly King ; they remember all things else the! Entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed to come.... 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Could have become racial and had the potential to split the church through severe persecution about. The people who begin a ministry die or moved and there wasnt a problem small then. All this, the enemy can infiltrate and weaken our spiritual walls who... Sometimes, the Pains, the key to overcoming your problems is through replacing these negative emotions Gods... Severe persecution hope, it doesnt told to come closer, Kenneth when hard of! Are of God go, as the apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly peripateo, to... Overcoming your problems is through replacing these negative emotions with Gods love not everyone in Spirit. All you have to trust God to bring them through this raging river that the ship stopped at Miletus. Wasnt a problem arose ) overcoming your problems head on and come out victorious challenges! Through replacing these negative emotions with Gods love and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the during. And not be afraid a secularized society, the enemy can infiltrate and weaken our spiritual walls world and worst... Are spiritually well or not church experienced such growth ( a problem taking the form of a servant,.... The intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching Blessings and the rewards - Kindle edition Kanu... And he devoted himself to fulfill bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals bad! Everyones role is important for the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution to seven men selected by church!

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