When the stresses of this world and the worst of suffering might seem to extinguish our hope, it doesnt. And we must be very thankful to Him. Gods people are to be molded or conformed by Gods pattern and not the worlds pattern. 10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. Tough times and obstacles in life build Christian character and faith. They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. 3. 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). The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. In verses 9-21 we, Dont be deceived! It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. This command to draw near might be summarized as a summons to live in a rich God-accomplished relationship with God. Life is full of ups and downs. In the following paragraphs, I have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God. 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. 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. But if we withhold our worship, we are saying: We know better than God. If we struggle with either of these obstacles, Hebrews 10 speaks up with the good news that Jesus abolishes both fears at the cross. 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. He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. Only God the Holy Spirit can change a heart. Their widows were being overlooked or neglected in the daily distribution of food. God wants you to be successful and triumphant, and has a great plan for your life. 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 same thing happens if one member is not fulfilling his or her role faithfully The whole church suffers! They were responsible for the spiritual health of this new community. Did you feel released and free? And so, in order to be faithful to the Word, we need to declare all of it thewholecounsel of God. God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehownotdiligent enough to guard themselves well and to build themselves up with God Word? This letter exhorts us to persevere, and this profound call to draw near to God is right at the heart. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. 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. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. They wept, Gods pattern for his people! Repent and believe right now! These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the. These are so easy to obtain on-line. Were on a mission to change that. Challenges in serving God. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you. The emotional barrier deals with bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching. Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. Following Jesus as our Lord and Savior not only means that we . You can tell God how you feel and in what areas of your life you are struggling to trust Him. 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. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. We must look to Him for all the help we need to remain faithful. Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? These men were to handle or to manage this task (We will turn this responsibility over to them (v.3)). These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. 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. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. Fear of the unknown can prevent us from following God's promptings to serve and fully accept all that He has for us. Draw near to him. There is no right way to pray, all you have to do is begin speaking with God. DAVID David is a Bible character who is no stranger to hard times. 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. The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful You do. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. Remind yourself that you are a child of God and you were put on this earth for a reason. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. For more on this, read How to Have a Happier Life by Practicing Gratitude. The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. To be faithful to the Word is to give our attention to thewholecounsel of God. About, There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. God calls His people to serve and love one another with humility. After our conversion, our inner person matures and grows, but our flesh is neither removed nor improved. Hebrews 7:25 tells us, Jesus is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. He is always praying for us, always fueling the furnace of our faith. When we spend too much time in a secularized society, the enemy can infiltrate and weaken our spiritual walls. Confess Unbelief Be honest. Can God change your life? No matter how big your problem may feel, or how impossible it may seem for it to get better, know that nothing is too difficult for God to handle. Obstacles to Seeking God. We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. At a camp in North Carolina, the high ropes course has a trapdoor at the end. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. This relationship were called to is not our building a tower, or our climbing stairs, or our somehow trying to maneuver our way to get close to him. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. and its ok. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. He was committed to obedience. Discover short videos related to mike todd obstacles and serving god on TikTok. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. This morning we will see how the apostle Paul highlights the need for faithfulness in Gods service to the Ephesian elders by his example and his exhortations. There are obstacles in our way. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. 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. We imagine that if God is putting us through something, he expects us to accomplish his will. Rejection and betrayal are part of life and help us grow closer to God when we realize our weaknesses are actually strengths. Then look to these promises. He died in our place. Download the free myCBN app. Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). Trusting God gives us a better perspective a mindset focused on a higher truth (Isaiah 55:7-9; Proverbs 14:12). This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. You can be comforted by Gods commitment (Psalm 46:1; Luke 15:11-32). God would use any thing to mobilize his people when they get inwardly focused and neglect to fulfill his mission in the world. 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? Living the Christian life is a journey. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. Through these strategies, you can gain the confidence to face your problems head on and come out victorious. If youre not turned toward Him now, will you take a moment right now to yield to His Spirit once again or maybe even for the first time? Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Satan began to attack the church through severe persecution. To draw near. The whole body suffers! Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. No! Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. This was approved by the church, and they selected seven men to take care of the ministry of food distribution. You can be assured of Gods intentions that He has your best interests at heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13; Hebrews 12:10). Within that time, Paul put in all his efforts to fulfill his role in several ways: Public teaching is mentioned in v.20 , But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had a, Did the Ephesian elders fulfill their role well? Answer Jesus talked to those who would follow Him about taking up a cross, counting the cost, and giving up everything ( Luke 14:2533 ). Yes they certainly did. 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.'. These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. 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. But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. Then he decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the coastline of Asia Minor. Matthew 22:37. You might start to lose some of your faith in God. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. 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. This is His purpose of why we were created and the reason why we are here on earth. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. He had been doing this to the Ephesians for three years (54-57 AD), as he said to them in vv.18 and 31Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia,after what manner I have been with you at all seasonsTherefore watch, and remember, that by the space ofthree yearsI ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.. Your email address will not be published. Its a rich relationship, not a mechanical one. Challenges will come and go but we must remain faithful to Christs mission. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. We dont know for sure. It cant. Nothing like a twisted ankle because you stepped on an uneven surface, rock or twig. The apostle Paul is a good example of one who was very faithful to fulfill his role in life. If you are stuck in a pit of despair, dont let yourself give up. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation" ( Isaiah 12:2 ). 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. He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. (Food pantry ministry). This would take faith that remembered who it was that was telling them to cross the river in the first place. One obstacle that prevents us from serving the Lord as we should is our being ashamed of Him. The river was flooded and nearly impossible to cross. 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. These men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them. Its always telling us, Youd better take charge. So how do we stay yielded to God? God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. The fear of judgment keeps you from a rich relationship with God because you just cant believe that God can forgive your sin. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. Fear. Growing in Christ wont be without struggles. 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. Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. 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. 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. Handling the problem: (v.2) We all need it to live in this world, but we must not be owned by it if we are to be not of this world. John 12:26 says. 1. This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10Be thoufaithfulunto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.It is also seen in the commendation which the servants received from the Lord in Matthew 25:21Well done, thou good andfaithfulservant: thou hast beenfaithfulover a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.. 1. Download. Trusting God gives us true success (Psalm 27:3-7; Proverbs 15:22). Meditate on Scripture and you will know everything is going to be OK. God did it. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? But not all the ministries would last forever in a church. (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. For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. Do you find it hard? And so as Proverbs, Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. 3 Obstacles to Living God's Will for Your Life | Forward Progress MichaelKelley.co About Blog Contact Resources Bible Study Church Family Work MichaelKelley.co About Blog Contact Resources Mitragyna Speciosa Kratom guides: learn more Kratom resource: kratom.org Kratom vendors: read kratom reviews Best kratom: top strains for pain relief The fear of disappointment, on the other hand, says, Oh yeah, I get that relationship stuff. Yes, we deserve punishment. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.The counsel of God here refers to the complete Word of God which we now have in the 66 books of the Bible. But God has something to say. 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. . He said, "you cannot serve both God and money.". Persecution mobilized the church, and the food ministry came to an end. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. Others struggle to serve the Lord because of illness, a serious disease, or a litany or other reasons. There's three main categories: People, Places and Things. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. What happens when one organ in a persons body is not functioning well? Look at what he said in v.33,34I havecoveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. There is no way that you can escape from the fires of hell, unless yourepentof your sins andtrust onlyin Jesus Christ to save you, submitting fully to His Lordship in your life. Watch on Hey! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.". It is God's will that we come to Him and serve. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE SERVICE OF GOD ARISE FROM THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR CHARACTER AND HIS. This actually happened to the Ephesian church about 40 years later. Elijah, God's prophet, had just had an . Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. What happens when the trapdoor opens in your life? You know your sin and guilt, and although you like the idea of a closer relationship with God, you wouldnt dare pursue it. As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christ's mission in this world. For them to enter the Promised Land, they would have to trust God to bring them through this raging river. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. This warning comes in the form of a close call, or near miss event. - 2 Timothy 1:1-18 By Pastor Mark Thomas on 10 April 2016 at the evening service. 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). 3. We dont know for sure. "Serve the Lord" Men's hearts are naturally atheistical, they will not endure the thought of God. (v.6) Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. 1) The Problem of Science Faith vs. Science is the perennial God-problem. This then is what it means toserve the Lord with allhumilityof mind.The Lords interests must always come first. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. 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. Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. We dont have to be afraid of Gods judgment anymore. Stephen: (a man full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch a convert to Judaism. 1. 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. Those who stayed in Jerusalem were arrested (Acts 8). Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. Everything else comes after that. 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. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. 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. Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. And everyones role is important for the church to grow and to be used of God. If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. Below we've briefly outlined these the top ten problems people have with God to help you reach skeptical people in our post-truth world. This is a spiritual thermometer. 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