Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. The devil is always looking out for opportunities to gain a foothold in your heart and make you fall. Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. 2. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. Any complaint would arise, and they will go to any of the seven selected to handle this ministry. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. Remember, rather than call the equipped, God seems to like to equip the called. "Listen to advice and accept discipline . Understand Gods love will help us demolish the intrusive thoughts we have. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Just before those verses, the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) define a path to spiritual happiness and significance totally contrary to what were normally taught (blessed are the meek, not the proud). If your love for Him has grown cold, you are unwell and you need to rekindle that love before things get worse. Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). One great way to combat this is by spending more time at church with your fellow Christians. Please take time to read your Bible each day, and let God speak to you through His Word. The writer tells us . We are here to help and encourage you! Yes they certainly did. 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. Look at yourlovefor the Lord. In order for us to get grace we have to surrender ourselves to God and accept His grace as a free gift. Trusting God gives us true success (Psalm 27:3-7; Proverbs 15:22). Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. Were to make a choice to make up our mind whether to trust and serve God or not, and then act accordingly. This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. Yes they certainly did. 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). Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. The Emotional Barrier: Is It Safe to Trust God? Much of the ministry of Jesus was devoted to correcting bad teaching; see, for example, Matthew 5:21 on murder, 5:27 on adultery, and 5:33 on oaths. "The way is hard that leads to life," He said ( Matthew 7:14, ESV ). And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. Persecution mobilized the church, and the food ministry came to an end. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. But everywhere the disciples of Jesus went, they preached the gospel, and more communities were born in different towns. Paul would never think of himself apart from the Lord Jesus. Will we be able to do these things well? Sign up for a CBNDaily Bible Reading Plan. Were on a mission to change that. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. And so, as a point of application, please ask yourself: Are you faithful in learning and obeying the whole counsel of God? Your email address will not be published. God will help you knock down that wall in front of you. Focus on how strong Gods power is. (Food pantry ministry). Some ministries exist only for a time. (NLT). 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. If Jesus had to endure them, so do we. The answer to this is that our confidence must ultimately be placed in 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. 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? Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. Here Paul begins his discourse to the church elders in about the same way that he begins every epistle by drawing attention to the Lord whom he served: the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles would give their attention to prayer and the preaching of the word. For more on this, read How to Have a Happier Life by Practicing Gratitude. . Sometimes people who begin a ministry die or moved and there is not one else to carry it; they come to an end. Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:13; James 4:7 NASB). It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. 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.) The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back again. This doesnt happen automatically. Hard times expose our pride, because they highlight our need for God and for others. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving churchwithin three years. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge.*. The Bible says eternal life is to "know God and His one and only Son." As I made the transition from knowing about God for 19 years, to actually . (v.6) 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. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. All you have to do is put your trust in Him. Let's stay in touch! It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. He is there right beside you. Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. 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. Within that time, Paul put in all his efforts to fulfill his role in several ways: Public teaching is mentioned in v.20 and havetaughtyou publickly, and from house to house.Testifyingboth to the Jews and also to the Greeksis mentioned in v.21. After all, God had purchased them with His own blood, as Paul mentioned in v.28 (to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.) This of course refers to God the Son who suffered and died on the cross for our sins. Life is full of ups and downs. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images. But this one thing we know:God is faithful! Certain Relationships Hinder Spiritual Growth. Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. Please take time to read your Bible each day, and let God speak to you through His Word. The first and biggest obstacle to you and me enjoying all the benefits of God's Grace is you (and me). There is no way that you can escape from the fires of hell, unless you, 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. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving church, But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67, build a united church family that is committed to making disciples through Salvation, Sanctification and Service to the glory of God. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. Our Christian life comprises of many obstacles we meet. But the enemy doesnt like this, so he would use anything to stop you. It can be frustrating to give up control of your life, however to be a follower of Christ it must be done. 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. And so as Proverbs, Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Yes, we deserve punishment. Here are seven ways you can rely on God to help you break down and overcome the challenging obstacles that are standing in your way: Focus on God's power rather than on the size of your problem . Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. Many of us feel like we need to take a break from all the work we do for God. But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had adifferentrole to fulfill. . Confusion: Perhaps worse than the ignorant are the confused. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? . The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. The sinless Savior died and he ever lives and pleads for me. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. In my two previous blogs, we takes about finding God's purpose in our lives. 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? 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? Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. It is, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. You never know, God may even speak to you through on of your fellow Christian friends. Luke 1:37 ESV / 248 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. and its ok. 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. As followers of Jesus, we will struggle with trials and tribulations. This helps to shift your perspective and gain the confidence needed to know you can handle it with Gods help. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. Paul fulfilled his role well despite the many difficult challenges which he faced at Ephesus. They were responsible for that. But its not that simple. We just cant do it. 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. The whole body suffers! So, this distribution of goods took place before and there wasnt a problem. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. Acts 6:1-7 "Serving God" is one of the important reasons man was created from the beginning. (praise and worship, teaching ministries, financial ministry, homeless ministry, recovery ministry, jail ministry, outreach ministry, cleaning ministry, building maintenance , food pantry, missions ministry, and so forth). 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. Many times, we wonder about God's purpose in our lives. Which way are you turned? 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. Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. We must look to Him for all the help we need to remain faithful. 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. (Rom.12:2). At a camp in North Carolina, the high ropes course has a trapdoor at the end. This actually happened to the Ephesian church about 40 years later. Actively involving children in the planning . 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.". The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Cloaked in humility, taking the form of a servant, our . Repent and believe right now! The point is that God is behind this. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. (Acts 4:34). 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. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation" ( Isaiah 12:2 ). Cf. Matthew 22:37. If we allow fear to take over, then faith gets pushed aside. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". If you are stuck in a pit of despair, dont let yourself give up. We all want to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better and He certainly wants us to know Him better. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. 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. 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. What happens when one organ in a persons body is not functioning well? Others struggle to serve the Lord because of illness, a serious disease, or a litany or other reasons. 6. 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. 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. Challenges will come and go but we must remain faithful to Christs mission. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8). Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. 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. Join The Hoot & Howl community for access to all the insider info! The Third Sunday in Lent Sermon starts at 14:15 in recording Service Booklet All Readings Gospel: John 2:13-22 13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. God Will Allow You to Go Through Impossible Situations to Produce a Supernatural Dependence in You. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. The particular, electing love of God from before the foundation of the world is the reason why anyone becomes a Christian. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. Tough times and obstacles in life build Christian character and faith. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. - Obstacles to Following God's Call The Hoot & Howl What's Stopping You? You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. 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? Try. Quote This: 2 Corinthians 2:14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! Here are 4 barriers to getting through to God: 1) Harboring secret sin. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. I signed up . Fear of the unknown can prevent us from following God's promptings to serve and fully accept all that He has for us. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. The same thing happens if one member is not fulfilling his or her role faithfully The whole church suffers! The ministry of food distribution lasted until the severe persecution broke out and people had to be mobilized. God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. A very sermon in the current challenge of CIVID-19, which should not deter the preaching of the Word of God. The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. Weve tried it. Verse Concepts. The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. A preacher was once heard yelling, Oh, [expletive]! on the way down. They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. Let these closing words of Paul to the Church of Thessalonica be our constant source of encouragement:And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. What does God say about overcoming obstacles? God does not willingly make His service hard; it would not be hard if we were not sinful. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. Elijah, God's prophet, had just had an . But not all the ministries would last forever in a church. Many of us, however, get to a point of exhaustion and fatigue as we strive to do His will. These verses will strengthen your faith in God. These are so easy to obtain on-line. 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. Perhaps you want to serve the Lord but you face certain challenges that come with age. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. Choose seven men from among you: men of good reputation (Good testimony) (known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. 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? 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. Handling the problem: (v.2) Obstacles that we face in life are riddled with anxiety, fear, worry, anger, stress, and every negative emotion that you can think of. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. 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? The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. But God has something to say. 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! This is similar to how the higher law of aerodynamics supersedes the lower law of gravity for a hang glider. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. 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. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. They were responsible for the spiritual health of this new community. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. 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