"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. If we allow fear to take over, then faith gets pushed aside. A very sermon in the current challenge of CIVID-19, which should not deter the preaching of the Word of God. The outcome of the apostles decision? Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with 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.. But what do we see here? It is, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. Jesus is the only way to restore our relationship with God, and so He is the only way we can truly serve God as well. one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. Romans 1:25. He died in our place. 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 Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation" ( Isaiah 12:2 ). And so, as a point of application, please ask yourself: Are you faithful in learning and obeying the whole counsel of God? These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. And so as Proverbs4:23says, you mustKeep [your] heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life., Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. Some use their service to God to upgrade themselves they urge people to give and give sacrificially to support their ministry, but they fly business class or in their own private jet, they stay in the most expensive hotels, and they eat at the most expensive restaurants. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. Did you laugh or cry tears of joy? 3. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. The whole body suffers! If you handle the small things, God brings you big things to handle. 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. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. This actually happened to the Ephesian church about 40 years later. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. Fear. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . That sounds crazy because rejection is not easy. 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. Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. God does not willingly make His service hard; it would not be hard if we were not sinful. First, the apostles identified their main priority. 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. 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! They were responsible for the spiritual health of this new community. Obstacles to Seeking God. Money Money. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. 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. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 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. You can be secure in Gods love, which is a demonstrated, sacrificial, and caring love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10, 19). -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. After all, thats their role as the elders of the church! Satan could not stop the growth of the church through outside influence. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. 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. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. More growth was taking place. We can focus and realign our thinking through prayer, daily devotions and meditation. Get more than a Sunday sermon. In the following paragraphs, I have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. 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. God would use any thing to mobilize his people when they get inwardly focused and neglect to fulfill his mission in the world. Be bold. Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. One great way to combat this is by spending more time at church with your fellow Christians. Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. Our Christian life comprises of many obstacles we meet. Their widows were being overlooked or neglected in the daily distribution of food. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. For them to enter the Promised Land, they would have to trust God to bring them through this raging river. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. How could you draw near to him? All these things should remind us that God is working in our midst and has enabled us to grow. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. "Serve the Lord" Men's hearts are naturally atheistical, they will not endure the thought of God. But not all the ministries would last forever in a church. The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. 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. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). By: Ysrael De la Cruz. Jesus is praying. . If your love for Him has grown cold, you are unwell and you need to rekindle that love before things get worse. The apostle Paul is a good example of one who was very faithful to fulfill his role in life. This is similar to how the higher law of aerodynamics supersedes the lower law of gravity for a hang glider. 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. Jesus isnt appealing to the irrational, but to a higher truth. they did not let this issue distract them from their mission. 3. But God equips us to overcome obstacles . The writer to the Hebrews commands us to draw near to God. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Share your prayer requests, receive prayer and pray for others! They would rather increase in fame and fortune. 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. This email address is being protected from spambots. Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. 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. 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. Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life. Verse Concepts. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. 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. Psalm 32:11, "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!". But God has something to say. (Acts 4:34). 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. 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. Materialism is the third barrier that keeps us from being available to serve. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". Opt in to receive news and updates. In addition to natural gravity, Satan uses the same methods repeatedly and they work much of the time. Jesus said we will have trouble (tribulations) in this world. 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. 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. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. If Jesus had to endure them, so do we. Click to Tweet But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. We dont know for sure. But it was a problem now. Serving God means obeying and enjoying our relationship with God as our Heavenly Father. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. It was a big issue for it could have become racial and had the potential to split the church. We imagine that if God is putting us through something, he expects us to accomplish his will. Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:13; James 4:7 NASB). And since Gods awful judgment on this world is coming soon, you must not delay obeying His command any longer. All Rights Reserved. Audio Version. Living the Christian life is a journey. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. Before the Throne of God Above Shane Barnard and Shane Everett. And you need to rekindle that love before things get worse, scared, and so he lived to the... Last forever in a few things, God puts you in charge o many things! Have become racial and had the potential to split the church of gravity for a hang glider Jesus we... 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Honor him. & quot ; ( James 4:6-7 ) make obstacles in serving god service hard ; it would not hard. And what he promises, and then be honest with Him love before things get worse we a. Who also will do it God Above Shane Barnard and Shane Everett alone and.
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