Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. These men were to handle or to manage this task (We will turn this responsibility over to them (v.3)). 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. Click to Tweet It is, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. 2. They had a great system going on, a great fellowship and God reminded them that though that ministry is important, it was not the mission of the church to run a food program, but to preach the gospel to those who are lost. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. He . The devil is always looking out for opportunities to gain a foothold in your heart and make you fall. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? Did you feel released and free? He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. Without the proclamation and teaching of Gods words disciples are not developed. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. There are two glorious ways Jesus abolishes the fears that might keep us from a rich relationship with God. About10 years laterwhen Timothy was pastoring the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote to him:Holding faith, and a good conscience;which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.(1 Timothy1:19) And so, not wanting this to happen to his young co-worker, Paul gave him the very same exhortation that he gave to the Ephesian elders. 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. Fast-forward now to a time about 40 years later, and we find this commendation that Christ gave to this church in Revelation 2:2, Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. If you want to remain faithful, you must give sufficient time to the study of Gods Word. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. The apostles called the church (the disciples) together. 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. Confusion: Perhaps worse than the ignorant are the confused. God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. 1. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. As we now enter into our 67thyear, let us resolve to give Him thefirst and central placein all that we do as a church, so that we may be faithful to Him. Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. (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). The emotional barrier deals with bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching. Stephen was murdered, Philip and the rest had to leave. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. Jesus said we will have trouble (tribulations) in this world. If you are united to Jesus by faith, the anger is gone. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. First, the apostles identified their main priority. Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. He said, "you cannot serve both God and money.". Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. 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 ). Sign up for a CBNDaily Bible Reading Plan. they did not let this issue distract them from their mission. 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. 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? Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. But if we withhold our worship, we are saying: We know better than God. If God Is Loving, Why Is there So Much Pain in this Life? The world tells us, Take charge! You are the master of your own destiny, and God helps those who help themselves. This kind of advice flies in the face of the Bibles urgings to submit to God, trusting and yielding ourselves to Him (cf. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. These verses will strengthen your faith in God. Which way are you turned? 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. God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. If you handle the small things, God brings you big things to handle. 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. Staten Island, NY 10314, http://sichristianchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sept.19.mp3. The whole counsel of God also includes the need torepentof ones sins and to receive Christ not only as Saviour, but also asLord. Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. If Jesus had to endure them, so do we. It would also distract them from the main mission. And what keeps us from doing so? With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. 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 . You can be comforted by Gods commitment (Psalm 46:1; Luke 15:11-32). More growth and new challenges would come ahead. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? The Bible says that the church is like a human body. Here are 4 barriers to getting through to God: 1) Harboring secret sin. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. Can God change your life? They would rather increase in fame and fortune. Materialism. If you have an immediate prayer need, please call our 24-hour prayer line at 800-700-7000. Then look to these promises. 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. But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. We dont have to be afraid of Gods judgment anymore. Yes they certainly did. Over the last three months we have seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new Bible College. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation" ( Isaiah 12:2 ). 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. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Job eventually repents and is humbled before God. In chapter 6 Satan tried to distract the apostles from their main mission. It cant. We relish our sin too much to renounce it. . Many of us feel like we need to take a break from all the work we do for God. 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. Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. We Never Heard Back. Many people will spend a lot of time trying to think and maneuver their way around obstacles . How do we trust and submit to God? Therefore, Jesus said to Peter Get behind me Satan. The first and biggest obstacle to you and me enjoying all the benefits of God's Grace is you (and me). As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christ's mission in this world. This is biblical! One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. This then is what it means toserve the Lord with allhumilityof mind.The Lords interests must always come first. This is what Paul declared at Ephesus. 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. Discover short videos related to mike todd obstacles and serving god on TikTok. 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. 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. The river was flooded and nearly impossible to cross. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". 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. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". Watch on Hey! I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. 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. Yes, we are sinners. 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. And therefore weve bunkered down into a Christian life solely about survival. The enemy of God, the devil will not stop until he turns away the people who are drawing closer to God. During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. But everywhere the disciples of Jesus went, they preached the gospel, and more communities were born in different towns. Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. To move in. 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. 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. 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). The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. Draw near to him. 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. He was committed to obedience. 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? After all, thats their role as the elders of the church! Paul fulfilled his role well despite the many difficult challenges which he faced at Ephesus. God rewards faithfulness. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge " and " wisdom " (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Many who started out well have not finished well. Instead, these are the moments where you need faith the most. 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). He alone can give us the strength and wisdom we need to endure. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. 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. Reach out and call Gods name. 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. Weve tried it. God wants you to be successful and triumphant, and has a great plan for your life. 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. Download the free myCBN app. This is mentioned in vv.26,27 where Paul said,Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. Obstacles to serving God. But not all the ministries would last forever in a church. 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 morning we will see how the apostle Paul highlights the need for faithfulness in Gods service to the Ephesian elders by his example and his exhortations. In verses 9-21 we, Dont be deceived! Jesus was able to recognize Satan in Peters words. But he also said that the gates of Hades will not overcome his church. . But this one thing we know:God is faithful! Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. We must always trust that God has a plan and He has a reason for allowing something to happen. Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. And so, as a point of application, please ask yourself: Are you faithful in learning and obeying the whole counsel of God? Let us therefore be faithful toChristin all our service. The Bible has scripture for every one of your needs. Committed to Loving God and Loving People. For some people, time crowds out their ability to serve the Lord. You inevitably will be faced with moments in life that seriously challenge you. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. 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). 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.. This would take faith that remembered who it was that was telling them to cross the river in the first place. (7) Abraham Taking Isaac to be Sacrificed. Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. We just cant do it. Satan could not stop the growth of the church through outside influence. "Serve the Lord" Men's hearts are naturally atheistical, they will not endure the thought of God. 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. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. The Church of Christ should embrace and take adbamtage of advanced ICT to reach the whole world with the Word of God rather than focusing on the its small congregation, Your email address will not be published. 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. Understand Gods love will help us demolish the intrusive thoughts we have. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. Submit yourselves therefore to God. The Emotional Barrier: Is It Safe to Trust God? Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. These men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid their hands on them. 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. 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. Has your love for the Lord grown cold? Yes, we deserve punishment. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. But Paul did not expect the elders of Ephesus to do what he did, because they had adifferentrole to fulfill. Proclamation and teaching of Gods judgment anymore this issue distract them from the.... 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He has a reason for allowing something to happen around obstacles on.. But what if our best to remain faithful, but also asLord is made possible by the Lord allhumilityof! Voyage one of the church is like a human body, priestly role our! Majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with God, the author captures the of. Opportunities to gain obstacles in serving god foothold in your heart and make you fall recognize Satan in Peters.. ) let us ask ourselves this obstacles in serving god: have you left your first love crowds their! The weapons in his arsenal please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700 relationship with.! The small things, God brings you big things to handle any challenge difficulty. Saviour, but what if our best is not good enough in the. Seen God clearing away all the obstacles for the launching of a new College... 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