What happens when one organ in a persons body is not functioning well? Its a rich relationship, not a mechanical one. Submit yourselves therefore to God. The word of God continued to spread (to be taught and preached); more people were becoming disciples, even some Jewish priests received the gospel of Jesus. 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. The fear of judgment imagines God frowning, crossing his arms, annoyed, angry, fed up with your mess-ups. Romans 14:13 - Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what theywantinstead of what theyneed. And therefore weve bunkered down into a Christian life solely about survival. If you are united to Jesus by faith, the anger is gone. 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. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that some are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. You know your sin and guilt, and although you like the idea of a closer relationship with God, you wouldnt dare pursue it. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? 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? Fear and faith cannot co-exist, and they battle for space within us. 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. Try. 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. 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. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. Acts 6:1-7 By: Ysrael De la Cruz The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back A preacher was once heard yelling, Oh, [expletive]! on the way down. And everyones role is important for the church to grow and to be used of God. He is there right beside you. This warning comes in the form of a close call, or near miss event. Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). As in all things, God's ultimate purpose for us is to grow more and more into the image of His Son ( Romans 8:29 ). God created us in his own image and likeness Gen. 1:27-28. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. Look at what he said in v.33,34I havecoveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Growing in Christ wont be without struggles. 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. Jeremiah 32:27 states I am the Lord, the God of all mainkind. Ive tried it before. 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. 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. This was a great thing happening. We see in God's dealings with people, that in almost all cases, God uses the obstacles/difficulties and overcoming them, as a means to inculcate great character in people and to prepare them and use them for great purposes. DAVID David is a Bible character who is no stranger to hard times. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. If you are stuck in a pit of despair, dont let yourself give up. 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. Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. This email address is being protected from spambots. Without the proclamation and teaching of Gods words disciples are not developed. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. This would take faith that remembered who it was that was telling them to cross the river in the first place. Draw near to him. Understand Gods love will help us demolish the intrusive thoughts we have. (Food pantry ministry). He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. After our conversion, our inner person matures and grows, but our flesh is neither removed nor improved. Living the Christian life is a journey. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. 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. Their widows were being overlooked or neglected in the daily distribution of food. If Jesus had to endure them, so do we. Have you ever wondered why we get caught in the same sins over and over? 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 whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. and its ok. Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. 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. And because man is so strategic to the advancement of the kingdom of God, Satan uses all kinds of. The devil is always looking out for opportunities to gain a foothold in your heart and make you fall. 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. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. In our choices, we dont so much turn to evil as we turn from God. 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. Let us therefore be faithful toChristin all our service. As followers of Jesus, we will struggle with trials and tribulations. 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. If we allow fear to take over, then faith gets pushed aside. The answer to this is that our confidence must ultimately be placed in God. Do you seek to fulfill God's purpose? Stephen: (a man full of the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch a convert to Judaism. Remind yourself that this isthe word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. For them to enter the Promised Land, they would have to trust God to bring them through this raging river. 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. According to 2 Timothy 3:16All scriptureis given by inspiration of God, and isprofitablefor doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.All scripture is profitable not just some of it or most of it, but All of it. Notice the language: Were to draw near with our hearts sprinkled clean from a evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. This echoes the God-centeredness of the New Covenant, when God promised that hed write his law on our hearts, that hed give us his Spirit, that hed make us clean (Jeremiah 31:33). Reduces Ego: When seekers realise that serving God happens very nicely after praying and not taking doership of the act, it helps in reducing ego. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. What does God say about overcoming obstacles? To move in. He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. 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. Your soul needs the nourishment contained in every part of it, and not just from your favorite books or passages of the Bible. 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. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. That sounds crazy because rejection is not easy. 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. But what if they aren't enemies? I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. Let's stay in touch! Did you laugh or cry tears of joy? 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. Required fields are marked *. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? There is no more condemnation. He died in our place. . Then look to these promises. It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. 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. Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. 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.'. The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back again. Quote This: 2 Corinthians 2:14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. Acts 6:1-7 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . The first and biggest obstacle to you and me enjoying all the benefits of God's Grace is you (and me). There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. Although the Lord Jesus commended them for guarding the flock well against false apostles, He also rebuked them:Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, becausethou hast left thy first love.(Revelation 2:4) Let us ask ourselves this question: Have you left your first love? This is biblical! 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). Look at v.21 where Paul says that he wastestifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,repentance toward God, and faith toward ourLordJesus Christ.. . The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. As you travel to Allah, you will inadvertently face obstacles. 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. 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. Solutions to obstacles: One gets to learn from the obstacles faced by other seekers and what they did to overcome the obstacles. It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Those who stayed in Jerusalem were arrested (Acts 8). Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. He is our perfect, spotless righteousness and our lives are hid with him on high. You can be assured of Gods intentions that He has your best interests at heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13; Hebrews 12:10). We dont know for sure. Look at yourlovefor the Lord. All you have to do is put your trust in Him. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . Romans 1:25. And we must be very thankful to Him. It would also distract them from the main mission. But in serving God, there will always be obstructions and hindrances. Materialism is the third barrier that keeps us from being available to serve. He knows about every detail of you, and has your best interest at heart. Obstacles to Seeking God. Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. (Hebrews 10:1922). 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. Benefits Of Serving God: The Challenges, The Pains, The Blessings And The Rewards - Kindle edition by Kanu, Kenneth. Obstacles to serving God. How do we deal with these ongoing barriers in our lives? Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. Paul then left Ephesus to visit all the churches he had planted in Macedonia and Achaia during his previous missionary journey. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. 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.". Verse Concepts. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. Job eventually repents and is humbled before God. Sign up for a CBNDaily Bible Reading Plan. Picture this scenario: people complaining that others were being shown special favor in the distribution. The punishment has been paid. (NLT). But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. God made it possible for you to know. So, this distribution of goods took place before and there wasnt a problem. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. 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. In addition to natural gravity, Satan uses the same methods repeatedly and they work much of the time. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. Fear of the unknown can prevent us from following God's promptings to serve and fully accept all that He has for us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes - the hope of the world hangs on it (Rom 1:16). In our study of the Book of Acts we have been following his three great missionary journeys which took place over a period of 10 years, between the years 47 and 57 AD. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. We dont know for sure. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. The writer to the Hebrews commands us to draw near to God. Has your love for the Lord grown cold? We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). But it was a problem now. . Will we be able to do these things well? (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. 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. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Please see the Disclosures for how it will all go down. God will help you knock down that wall in front of 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. Luke 1:37 ESV / 248 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful 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. 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? He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. He didn't say, "you should not serve both God and money.". Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to 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. Life is full of ups and downs. The apostles remained faithful to the task of preaching and teaching Gods word. Serving God means obeying and enjoying our relationship with God as our Heavenly Father. During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. -- 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. Stephen was murdered, Philip and the rest had to leave. They would rather increase in fame and fortune. We must always trust that God has a plan and He has a reason for allowing something to happen. The river was flooded and nearly impossible to cross. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. 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. We all want to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better and He certainly wants us to know Him better. This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. There are obstacles in our way. 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? 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. When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness fulfilling our God-given roles. We dont have to be afraid of Gods judgment anymore. Right when the church experienced such growth (a problem arose). Here are some key strategies you can use to help overcome your obstacles with Gods help. Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. Contributing financially to God's work is a great way to serve God. Growing in Christ won't be without struggles. Paul was faithful in his role as a, In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that s. ome are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. Second, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because Jesus prays for us (Hebrews 10:21). You can count on Gods promise (Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). Paul would never think of himself apart from the Lord Jesus. Overcoming Obstacles to Serving. Did the Ephesian elders fulfill their role well? Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. And so, as a point of application, please ask yourself: Are you faithful in learning and obeying the whole counsel of 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! Trials and suffering tend to truly reveal who your true friends are. They dream of living in the lap of luxury, and this makes them covet more silver and gold for themselves. 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. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.". Warning. Discover God's peace now. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. For some people, time crowds out their ability to serve the Lord. The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. These men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them. Jesus isnt appealing to the irrational, but to a higher truth. 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. 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. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. 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. The second part of verse 21 gives us another reason to draw near to God: Jesus prays for us. . 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