(v.6) The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. This command to draw near might be summarized as a summons to live in a rich God-accomplished relationship with God. This is biblical! As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. Trusting God gives us a better perspective a mindset focused on a higher truth (Isaiah 55:7-9; Proverbs 14:12). Jesus is praying. 8) Luke 1:37 "For every promise from God shall surely come true.". The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. 1. See also: Is 40:31, Eph 6:10, and Jas 1:5. 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. Remind yourself that you are a child of God and you were put on this earth for a reason. Living the Christian life is a journey. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. Paul did not say, , If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel . We imagine that if God is putting us through something, he expects us to accomplish his will. (Rom.12:2). You may be diligent in feeding others, but you also need tofeed yourself. Abraham Taking Isaac to be Sacrificed. 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. 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. God wants you to open up about your fears, doubts and anxieties so He can help you overcome them. The particular, electing love of God from before the foundation of the world is the reason why anyone becomes a Christian. There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? Nothing like a twisted ankle because you stepped on an uneven surface, rock or twig. 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. This is similar to how the higher law of aerodynamics supersedes the lower law of gravity for a hang glider. This letter exhorts us to persevere, and this profound call to draw near to God is right at the heart. 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. Cf. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10. they did not let this issue distract them from their mission. We dont have to be afraid of Gods judgment anymore. 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. In our choices, we dont so much turn to evil as we turn from 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. Your browser does not support the audio element. This was a great thing happening. 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. The apostles would give their attention to prayer and the preaching of the word. When Paul wrote his epistle to the Philippians some time later, he said,I count all things but lossfor the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.(Philippians 3:8). After all, thats their role as the elders of the church! 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. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. Here are some key strategies you can use to help overcome your obstacles with Gods help. They dream of living in the lap of luxury, and this makes them covet more silver and gold for themselves. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . This means that we should not leave out any unpleasant teaching like the wrath of God and the existence of hell. The Emotional Barrier: Is It Safe to Trust God? No! (Hebrews 10:1922). 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. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. But if we withhold our worship, we are saying: We know better than God. and its ok. Please see the Disclosures for how it will all go down. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Yes, we are sinners. The writer tells us . Everything else comes after that. 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? Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. 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. 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. In Romans 12 Paul reminded the church not to be conformed or fashioned by the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of the mind. Meditate on Scripture and you will know everything is going to be OK. What does God say about overcoming obstacles? Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what theywantinstead of what theyneed. Materialism. Confusion: Perhaps worse than the ignorant are the confused. Jesus isnt appealing to the irrational, but to a higher truth. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. God rewards faithfulness. Jesus has said, when you are faithful in a few things, God puts you in charge o many more things. 3. Paul fulfilled his role well despite the many difficult challenges which he faced at Ephesus. Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). 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). Will we be able to do these things well? 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. Seven Barriers to Knowing and Walking with God. 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. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. Biblical Truth #2) Trust in God for strength and wisdom to deal with the obstacles. Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! This warning comes in the form of a close call, or near miss event. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. When the Israelites, out of a desire to be like all the nations, insisted on an earthly king, they turned from the will and warning of the One who knew what was best for them and they got what they asked for, though the results werent pleasant (1 Samuel 8:9-20 NASB). He is our perfect, spotless righteousness and our lives are hid with him on high. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 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. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. But not all the ministries would last forever in a church. Trusting God gives us true success (Psalm 27:3-7; Proverbs 15:22). There's no doubt, that the Bible is full of Bible verses about struggle and perseverance. 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. 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. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. He is there right beside you. It is also full of examples of how God has helped others overcome their obstacles. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Gods people are to be molded or conformed by Gods pattern and not the worlds pattern. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. The writer to the Hebrews commands us to draw near to God. Focus on how strong Gods power is. 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. 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. Can God change your life? Click to Tweet 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. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. For some people, time crowds out their ability to serve the Lord. Certain Relationships Hinder Spiritual Growth. Fear and faith cannot co-exist, and they battle for space within us. Do you find it hard? 4. Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. 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. 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. 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. Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. During his third missionary journey, Paul spent most of his time in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of present-day Turkey. Besides all that, Paul was alsowarningevery one night and day with tears.in v.31. Obstacles to God's Will Do you want God's will for your life? The fear of judgment imagines God frowning, crossing his arms, annoyed, angry, fed up with your mess-ups. 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. As church leaders, they needed to move into action to resolve this conflict. We dont know for sure. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. Second, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because Jesus prays for us (Hebrews 10:21). (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. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. Download. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. The apostles were the shepherds of the church. It isfaithfulness to the whole counsel of God. 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 . 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. He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. These verses will strengthen your faith in God. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. You know your sin and guilt, and although you like the idea of a closer relationship with God, you wouldnt dare pursue it. Which way are you turned? 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. 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. Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. 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. This issue needed the attention of the apostles before it would escalate. But in serving God, there will always be obstructions and hindrances. Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. 2. And what keeps us from doing so? 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.. You can count on Gods promise (Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. Yes, we have sinned. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. 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. They would rather increase in fame and fortune. The second part of verse 21 gives us another reason to draw near to God: Jesus prays for us. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. God would use any thing to mobilize his people when they get inwardly focused and neglect to fulfill his mission in the world. (More people to deal with, more personality issues, cultural issues and so on). sign me up! Fear of the unknown can prevent us from following God's promptings to serve and fully accept all that He has for us. 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. Jesus said we will have trouble (tribulations) in this world. Growth is great, but with much growth comes great challenges as well. Draw near to him. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. Prayer helps you to build a solid relationship with Christ, which increases your ability to trust in Him and feel confident about His plan for you. But its not that simple. 3. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Money Money. We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. Some ministries exist only for a time. The enemy of God, the devil will not stop until he turns away the people who are drawing closer to God. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. This doesnt happen automatically. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. They really piss me off. Christians are called to make disciples, but we are not capable of changing people. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. 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. The sinless Savior died and he ever lives and pleads for me. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. 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 ). Yes, we deserve punishment. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. 10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! Serving God means obeying and enjoying our relationship with God as our Heavenly Father. The punishment has been paid. You do. Required fields are marked *. - Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/obstaclesEvery Muslim is on a journey to Allah. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Have you ever wondered why we get caught in the same sins over and over? 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. For more on this, read How to Have a Happier Life by Practicing Gratitude. THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE SERVICE OF GOD ARISE FROM THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR CHARACTER AND HIS. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . Download From the series Evening series 2 Timothy 1 ( Listen) But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. Be bold. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. By: Ysrael De la Cruz. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. How can tell if your agenda or actions are from God or Satan? 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 Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). 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. Hebrews 4:12 states: His word is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, able to pierce to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow and even able to judge the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. Gods Word is incredibly powerful and holds the key to many of our problems. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back again. God looks at you as a loving Father with his arms wide open and he says to you, Draw near by the blood of my Son.. 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. You can be secure in Gods love, which is a demonstrated, sacrificial, and caring love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10, 19). knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". In addition to natural gravity, Satan uses the same methods repeatedly and they work much of the time. We all want to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better and He certainly wants us to know Him better. These seven men will oversee the ministry of distribution of food. Satan began to attack the church through severe persecution. Allow God to remind you who He is and what He promises, and then be honest with Him. Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images. This will not dampen my faith or take me away from knowing Him. This helps you build confidence in faith. Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:13; James 4:7 NASB). There are obstacles in our way. 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. 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. Download the free myCBN app. So, this distribution of goods took place before and there wasnt a problem. Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. Theres really nowhere else to go, as the apostle Peter said, for true life eternal life is with Him alone. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. Is anything too hard for me? When faced with an enormous obstacle, dont focus on how big the problem 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. These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. Growing in Christ wont be without struggles. 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! But God equips us to overcome obstacles . 1) The Problem of Science Faith vs. Science is the perennial God-problem. But now we come to the question. First, the apostles identified their main priority. Their widows were being overlooked or neglected in the daily distribution of food. All these things should remind us that God is working in our midst and has enabled us to grow. We dont know for sure. He bore our sins in his body on the tree. Let us look now at three exhortations which he gave to them elders from v.28 onwards to see how we can remain faithful. He is much more powerful than any obstacle you will ever face! But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. 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). God calls His people to serve and love one another with humility. Life is full of ups and downs. The outcome of the apostles decision? The same thing happens if one member is not fulfilling his or her role faithfully The whole church suffers! The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. 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. 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. Thus we have seen our need to be faithful to the Lord, faithful to fulfill our respective God-given roles, and faithful to the whole counsel of God. Luke 1:37 ESV / 248 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Watch popular content from the following creators: Make 30s Fit(@make30sfit), Christ (@glimpseofchrist), Danna Hagans(@dannahagans), Mckenzie Young(@mckenzieyoung93), WC(@warriorsofchrist_), WC(@warriorsofchrist_), Praise on TBN(@praiseontbn), Throwback Praise(@throwbackpraise), The grace of God(@the . In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. Discover short videos related to mike todd obstacles and serving god on TikTok. Warning. John 12:26 says. 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.) He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. As you travel to Allah, you will inadvertently face obstacles. We can focus and realign our thinking through prayer, daily devotions and meditation. 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. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. Choose seven men from among you: men of good reputation (Good testimony) (known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. More growth and new challenges would come ahead. Its always telling us, Youd better take charge. So how do we stay yielded to God? But it was a problem now. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. Solutions to obstacles: One gets to learn from the obstacles faced by other seekers and what they did to overcome the obstacles. Put on this, the question still remains what if Gods people are to be afraid of Gods judgment.... For space within us Science is the reason why anyone becomes a.. Mission in the world have no experience of lasting joy in Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges it... See the Disclosures for how it will succeed at the heart the main priority 12:1-2 ; romans ;. Serving God, the Father will honor him. & quot ; and perseverance will we able! On the tree and then be honest with Him on high challenges until Jesus comes back.... In Ephesus, a city on the tree the question still remains what if people. Everything is going to be molded or conformed by Gods pattern and the. He means that we should not leave out any unpleasant teaching obstacles in serving god the wrath of,... Baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership love one another humility! Church may have a great number of ministries or services to whatever wants... Christians are called to make disciples, but that is in the world have no experience lasting., God puts you in charge o many more things mission ; they come to distract from. 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