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. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. . 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. They made pledges and promises which they had every intention to keep at the beginning, but sadly they did not keep them in the end. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. But what do we see here? Will we be able to do these things well? Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. 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. Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. Its a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. 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. They were appalled when they saw the severe suffering Job was experiencing. Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. 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 was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. In chapter 6 Satan tried to distract the apostles from their main mission. There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. There are obstacles in our way. 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! 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. When the stresses of this world and the worst of suffering might seem to extinguish our hope, it doesnt. The Bible says that the church is like a human body. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. We asked a few members of our staff at Deep Spirituality for their favorite biblical characters who trusted God in the midst of difficulty and came up with 10 examples in the Bible of trusting God in difficult times to inspire you. The point is that God is behind this. God rewards faithfulness. God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. It isfaithfulness to the whole counsel of God. 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. 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.". Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. This helps to shift your perspective and gain the confidence needed to know you can handle it with Gods help. 1. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. First, the apostles identified their main priority. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. Cloaked in humility, taking the form of a servant, our . The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. 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.. As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. Jesus Tells Us to Love the Lord Yes, our pain and our disappointments are real and valid. 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. You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). Many who started out well have not finished well. He is not a Father running to meet you, but one waiting to punish you. If God Is Loving, Why Is there So Much Pain in this Life? One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. To draw near. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that some are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what theywantinstead of what theyneed. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. 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. You can be comforted by Gods commitment (Psalm 46:1; Luke 15:11-32). The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. The Emotional Barrier: Is It Safe to Trust God? 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. 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 challenges that Nehemiah faced in building the wall are illustrations from God's Word of obstacles and opposition that Christians may face. The confused are those who have health, know Self-Realization is the purpose of life, have food, clothing and shelter, but find excuses to run after other things endlessly. Genesis 50:20 - But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 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.) 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. Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). 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. Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. Download the free myCBN app. 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. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. "Serve the Lord" Men's hearts are naturally atheistical, they will not endure the thought of God. But he also said that the gates of Hades will not overcome his church. 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? 2. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. Life is full of ups and downs. Money Money. Yes they certainly did. Trials and suffering tend to truly reveal who your true friends are. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. Confess Unbelief Be honest. (NLT). 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. 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. ". We dont know for sure. (Hebrews 10:1922). He suffered the wrath of God on our behalf. Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. 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.. Following Jesus as our Lord and Savior not only means that we . A very sermon in the current challenge of CIVID-19, which should not deter the preaching of the Word of God. They had a great system going on, a great fellowship and God reminded them that though that ministry is important, it was not the mission of the church to run a food program, but to preach the gospel to those who are lost. 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. I signed up . 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. These commands, then, can seem foreign to us. The apostle Paul is a good example of one who was very faithful to fulfill his role in life. There's three main categories: People, Places and Things. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. 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. As followers of Jesus, we will struggle with trials and tribulations. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. Were to make a choice to make up our mind whether to trust and serve God or not, and then act accordingly. This was approved by the church, and they selected seven men to take care of the ministry of food distribution. Warning. And because man is so strategic to the advancement of the kingdom of God, Satan uses all kinds of. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. - Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/obstaclesEvery Muslim is on a journey to Allah. The whole body suffers! As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christs mission in this world. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. 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. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. He knows about every detail of you, and has your best interest at heart. Yes they certainly did. If your love for Him has grown cold, you are unwell and you need to rekindle that love before things get worse. 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. Focus on how strong Gods power is. Did the Ephesian elders fulfill their role well? The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation" ( Isaiah 12:2 ). Answer Jesus talked to those who would follow Him about taking up a cross, counting the cost, and giving up everything ( Luke 14:2533 ). You can tell God how you feel and in what areas of your life you are struggling to trust Him. 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. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We're God's creation, and that means we were created to serve Him. Draw near to him. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despiteknowingthat He would be betrayed, condemned to death, humiliated and crucified there (Matthew 20:18,19). Many people will spend a lot of time trying to think and maneuver their way around obstacles . About10 years laterwhen Timothy was pastoring the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote to him:Holding faith, and a good conscience;which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.(1 Timothy1:19) And so, not wanting this to happen to his young co-worker, Paul gave him the very same exhortation that he gave to the Ephesian elders. Satan began to attack the church through severe persecution. Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". 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? God wants you to open up about your fears, doubts and anxieties so He can help you overcome them. Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. And that's hard to do. one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. Copyright 2023 Staten Island Christian Church. How do we trust and submit to God? They were responsible for the spiritual health of this new community. Christian author A.W. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. 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. Please take time to read your Bible each day, and let God speak to you through His Word. 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 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). 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. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. He bore our sins in his body on the tree. We imagine that if God is putting us through something, he expects us to accomplish his will. 3. 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. This is biblical! No matter what problem is in your way, God is right beside you walking you through each step. Obstacles that we face in life are riddled with anxiety, fear, worry, anger, stress, and every negative emotion that you can think of. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. 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