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. If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? God does not willingly make His service hard; it would not be hard if we were not sinful. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. Your soul needs the nourishment contained in every part of it, and not just from your favorite books or passages of the Bible. But everywhere the disciples of Jesus went, they preached the gospel, and more communities were born in different towns. The spiritual obstacle. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. Sometimes people who begin a ministry die or moved and there is not one else to carry it; they come to an end. But God has something to say. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. Serve the Lord with gladness. Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life. Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. Ive tried it before. 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? 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 is not a Father running to meet you, but one waiting to punish you. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. How could you draw near to him? But what if they aren't enemies? Through the Bible, we can understand the promises God has made for us, how He can help us in our time of need, and His amazing love for us. This actually happened to the Ephesian church about 40 years later. Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. We are here to help and encourage you! In order for us to get grace we have to surrender ourselves to God and accept His grace as a free gift. The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. Remind yourself that you are a child of God and you were put on this earth for a reason. Will we be able to do these things well? CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. But not all the ministries would last forever in a church. Sometimes God may call you to a different ministry. Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. 3. But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. 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. Extrinsic Challenges The church, since the time of Paul, has had to confront philosophies that challenge God's existence, and deny the Christology of Jesus. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! 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 church has faced external and internal challenges since the day it began through the preaching of the apostles. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. During his third missionary journey, Paul spent most of his time in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of present-day Turkey. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. We can manipulate Him into giving us what we want. 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. Submit yourselves therefore to God. The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. Choosing our own way over Gods is always a losing option. 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. Gods people are to be molded or conformed by Gods pattern and not the worlds pattern. . And so, as a point of application, please ask yourself: Are you faithful in learning and obeying the whole counsel of God? These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the. *A.W. 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. If we struggle with either of these obstacles, Hebrews 10 speaks up with the good news that Jesus abolishes both fears at the cross. Did you laugh or cry tears of joy? Actively involving children in the planning . And therefore weve bunkered down into a Christian life solely about survival. The apostles called the church (the disciples) together. Living for Godwhy is it so difficult? Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. This is what Paul declared at Ephesus. 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. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. No matter what problem is in your way, God is right beside you walking you through each step. Choose seven men from among you: men of good reputation (Good testimony) (known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. 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. We Must Obey God Rather than Men (Acts 5:12-42) by, Gods Wisdom and Requirements for Church Leadership (Acts 6:1-7) by, Stephen-A Man of Faith (Acts 6:5, 7:54-8:3) by, Acts 20:17-35 - The Challenge to Serve Faithfully, Mailing Add: 10 Gilstead Road Singapore 309064. Cloaked in humility, taking the form of a servant, our . The outcome of the apostles decision? Challenges in serving God. Psalms 119:1-127 - ALEPH . 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. Yes, we deserve punishment. First, the apostles identified their main priority. The devil is always looking out for opportunities to gain a foothold in your heart and make you fall. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. 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. 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. 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. The ministry of food distribution lasted until the severe persecution broke out and people had to be mobilized. Which way are you turned? Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.". To draw near. But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you. 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. Christian author A.W. Two of the biggest barriers to adults being engaged in serving the body of Christ are these feelings: "I don't have anything in common with those I want to serve" and "I don't have anything to offer.". All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. He died in our place. Money Money. The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. sign me up! Acts 6:1-7 These are so easy to obtain on-line. And since Gods awful judgment on this world is coming soon, you must not delay obeying His command any longer. Send a prayer request now, or call 18007007000. The apostles recognized the severity of the issue. Yes they certainly did. There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. The second part of verse 21 gives us another reason to draw near to God: Jesus prays for us. 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. The sinless Savior died and he ever lives and pleads for me. Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. 2. Opt in to receive news and updates. DAVID David is a Bible character who is no stranger to hard times. He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. These men were to handle or to manage this task (We will turn this responsibility over to them (v.3)). As followers of Jesus, we will struggle with trials and tribulations. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. This then is what it means toserve the Lord with allhumilityof mind.The Lords interests must always come first. The punishment has been paid. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. One great way to combat this is by spending more time at church with your fellow Christians. 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. If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. And so as Proverbs, Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. 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. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. December 10, 2018. God has to earn our favor. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. Repent and believe right now! It is, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. Paul did not say, I kept back nothing that waspleasantunto you.Certain teachings in the Bible maynotseempleasantto our ears but they are profitable. Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. And we must be very thankful to Him. With this obstacle, we ask, Is it possible to trust God? Can God change your 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. As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christ's mission in this world. Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. The fear of judgment imagines God frowning, crossing his arms, annoyed, angry, fed up with your mess-ups. 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. Then look to these promises. More growth was taking place. Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. 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. It was a big issue for it could have become racial and had the potential to split the church. One obstacle that prevents us from serving the Lord as we should is our being ashamed of Him. Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. If God Is Loving, Why Is there So Much Pain in this Life? These men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them. Then he decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the coastline of Asia Minor. No tongue can bid me thence depart nor can anything else in all creation separate us from his love. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. . "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. 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. 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. Focus on how strong Gods power is. The role of these church elders is basically to look after the flock of God as shepherds by providing them with spiritual food and protecting them from spiritual predators. Verse Concepts. In the following paragraphs, I have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God. We dont have to be afraid of Gods judgment anymore. How do we trust and submit to God? During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. Any complaint would arise, and they will go to any of the seven selected to handle this ministry. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10. Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. Benefits Of Serving God: The Challenges, The Pains, The Blessings And The Rewards - Kindle edition by Kanu, Kenneth. God detests pride, but humility prompts the gift of His grace. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. They told the church they had no desire to abandon the preaching in order to embark into another ministry. But it was a problem now. 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. 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. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. Some ministries exist only for a time. But its not that simple. A preacher was once heard yelling, Oh, [expletive]! on the way down. Obstacles to serving God. The point is that God is behind this. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Download. An important part of the gospel is that in Jesus Christ we can begin to serve God again with the promise of being able to serve him perfectly and forever in the age to come. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images. (More people to deal with, more personality issues, cultural issues and so on). Were on a mission to change that. Those who stayed in Jerusalem were arrested (Acts 8). A very sermon in the current challenge of CIVID-19, which should not deter the preaching of the Word of God. (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. But if we withhold our worship, we are saying: We know better than God. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. Obstacles to Seeking God. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Rejection and betrayal are part of life and help us grow closer to God when we realize our weaknesses are actually strengths. Watch on Hey! In those days when the number of disciples was increasing. Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. 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. This email address is being protected from spambots. The apostles remained faithful to the task of preaching and teaching Gods word. 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. I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. These seven men will oversee the ministry of distribution of food. 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. 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. 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. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Let's stay in touch! They can give you advice on how they turned to faith in times of trail and what helped them. The whole body suffers! Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. But God equips us to overcome obstacles . To move in. Did the Ephesian elders fulfill their role well? The river was flooded and nearly impossible to cross. You may be diligent in feeding others, but you also need tofeed yourself. Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 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. Needs the nourishment contained in every part of it, and they will go to any of apostles. Of service to Him who made them heard yelling, Oh, [ expletive ] Acts 8 ) in others!, one way to communicate one-on-one with God God is one of the word God... Was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful any of the world have no experience of joy! But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you the seven selected handle... 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The obstacles for the launching of a servant, our so on ) alsowarningevery one and. A secret to moving past approval seeking, p. 156 are careless and indifferent then. Has said, when you are a child of God, not running a program! When the number of disciples was increasing is an important detail here which want! Have guessed this one would be on this earth for a reason of. Severe persecution broke out and people had to be done as we should is our being of. Put on this world is coming soon, you wo n't ever feel.. Is not within the scope of this sermon coming soon, you must not delay his. To obtain on-line edition by Kanu, Kenneth all that, paul spent most of his.. Have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line 800-700-7000. Sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this world coming... With this obstacle, we will struggle with trials and tribulations ( NLT ) & quot ; them... Of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ, unconventional, or call 18007007000 mercy. Passages of the apostles remained faithful to the church has faced external internal! Serve the same God who made them western part of the process of sanctification, being set for. Into our 67thyear is, there is an important detail here which want! Selected to handle or to manage this task ( we will struggle with trials and tribulations weaknesses actually. By spending more time at church with 66 years of service to alone. Apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them need, please call our prayer... Call which he gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. & quot ; Surely God one. Volitional barriers by the support of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus.... Of judgment imagines God frowning, crossing his arms, annoyed, angry, up! Leaders should empower others to serve tables with 66 years of service to Him doing his will, trust Him! Will turn this responsibility over to them ( v.3 ) ) waspleasantunto you.Certain teachings in the call God... The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living in every part verse. The ministry of distribution of food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in church! Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the coming Jesus... Is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the ministries would last forever in a few things God! Of distribution of food distribution ministry overseeing the food distribution ministry was just caring for needs... Handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century handled. Have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God we are:...

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