In addition to natural gravity, Satan uses the same methods repeatedly and they work much of the time. This is because the fear of God is a foundation. Hearing from God is rooted in faith and belief. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. But God equips us to overcome obstacles . Were on a mission to change that. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. . 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. We relish our sin too much to renounce it. These commands, then, can seem foreign to us. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness fulfilling our God-given roles. More growth was taking place. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. 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? Paul did not say, I kept back nothing that waspleasantunto you.Certain teachings in the Bible maynotseempleasantto our ears but they are profitable. Then look to these promises. 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. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. 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? Draw near to him. Paul would never think of himself apart from the Lord Jesus. Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:13; James 4:7 NASB). This is better than anything we could imagine. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply serving the Lord. Galatians 5:16 (NASB) calls us to walk in the Spirit. The Greek word for walk, peripateo, means to walk around, to conduct oneself. Walking is a step-by-step process, a sequencing process of behaving habitually. The fear of judgment keeps you from a rich relationship with God because you just cant believe that God can forgive your sin. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Here are 4 barriers to getting through to God: 1) Harboring secret sin. 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. Trusting God gives us confidence not a flesh-driven confidence, not confidence in the wrong things (like money/possessions) or with wrong motives, but confidence rooted in God and His Word (exemplified by the Bereans of Acts 17:11). - Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/obstaclesEvery Muslim is on a journey to Allah. Get more than a Sunday sermon. Download. Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. All Rights Reserved. Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. 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. There are obstacles in our way. Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. God wants you to be successful and triumphant, and has a great plan for your life. (Rom.12:2). Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. they did not let this issue distract them from their mission. Will we be able to do these things well? 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.*. 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. Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. These are so easy to obtain on-line. Has your love for the Lord grown cold? 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 is biblical! Solutions to obstacles: One gets to learn from the obstacles faced by other seekers and what they did to overcome the obstacles. 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 ). Challenges in serving God. First, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because of Jesuss sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1920). If He leads us to it, He'll lead us through it. 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. Paul then left Ephesus to visit all the churches he had planted in Macedonia and Achaia during his previous missionary journey. This requirement is highlighted in the words which Paul spoke in v.19Servingthe Lordwith all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations(v.19). Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. 3. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. 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. And that's hard to do. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. Send a prayer request now, or call 18007007000. 4. 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. This was approved by the church, and they selected seven men to take care of the ministry of food distribution. 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. No matter what problem is in your way, God is right beside you walking you through each step. He is patient toward us, always showing his mercy toward us, always deals with us in his steadfast love. Reach out and call Gods name. He is much more powerful than any obstacle you will ever face! Then he decided to return by a merchant ship to Jerusalem, sailing southwards along the coastline of Asia Minor. 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 Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. They can give you advice on how they turned to faith in times of trail and what helped them. 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. You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. . You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. 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. (Hebrews 10:1922). 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. Many who started out well have not finished well. (Acts 4:34). There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. How do we deal with these ongoing barriers in our lives? We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. The answer to this is that our confidence must ultimately be placed in God. At a camp in North Carolina, the high ropes course has a trapdoor at the end. . Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? -- 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. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? You can be secure in Gods love, which is a demonstrated, sacrificial, and caring love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10, 19). Staten Island, NY 10314, http://sichristianchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sept.19.mp3. Jeremiah 32:27 states I am the Lord, the God of all mainkind. 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. The second part of verse 21 gives us another reason to draw near to God: Jesus prays for us. The preaching and teaching of Gods word. God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. Growth is great, but with much growth comes great challenges as well. 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. 2. Quote This: 2 Corinthians 2:14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. One great way to combat this is by spending more time at church with your fellow Christians. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? Obstacles Serving God's Purposes? If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. You inevitably will be faced with moments in life that seriously challenge you. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. They really piss me off. Colossians 3:24. Its a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving churchwithin three years. Discover God's peace now. Abraham Taking Isaac to be Sacrificed. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? 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 . If you handle the small things, God brings you big things to handle. It can be frustrating to give up control of your life, however to be a follower of Christ it must be done. 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. In my two previous blogs, we takes about finding God's purpose in our lives. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. And everyones role is important for the church to grow and to be used of God. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. 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. Gods people are to be molded or conformed by Gods pattern and not the worlds pattern. Download the free myCBN app. To move in. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). To be faithful to the Word is to give our attention to thewholecounsel of God. Matthew 17:20 ESV / 89 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. 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. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what they, There is always a temptation for those who serve the Lord to get so busy and involved with serving that they neglect their own walk with God. There is no right way to pray, all you have to do is begin speaking with 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. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the. Discover short videos related to mike todd obstacles and serving god on TikTok. The apostles prayed for these ministry leaders and their ministry. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. By: Ysrael De la Cruz At the beginning of the pandemic, I was able to witness many so called prophets come out to predict what the Lord was telling American through the worldwide epidemic of Covid 19. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. 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. It isfaithfulness to the whole counsel of God. The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. Yes they certainly did. We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. Actively involving children in the planning . God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. Gods plan may seem confusing, unconventional, or mysterious at times, and especially when you are facing difficulty. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. It may just a sprained ankle or a runny nose or a toothache, but it hinders our performance The question we should ask ourselves today is: Are you fulfilling your God-given role in His kingdom? Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. . How could you draw near to him? These verses will strengthen your faith in God. Elijah, God's prophet, had just had an . 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. How do we trust and submit to God? The challenges that Nehemiah faced in building the wall are illustrations from God's Word of obstacles and opposition that Christians may face. December 10, 2018. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. They see the ministry of the Word merely as a means to get what theywantinstead of what theyneed. Himself apart from the Lord Jesus Christ high ropes course has a great plan for life. Inevitably will be faced with moments in life tear you away from your faith thewholecounsel God! We be able to do is begin speaking with God because you just believe! 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Negative, wicked, or call 18007007000 role as achurch-planter, testifying of the time Word. A positive, faith-filled habit information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. much...
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