God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. 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. Challenges in serving God. During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. In the following paragraphs, I have listed 10 common things that can interfere with our walk with God. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. Required fields are marked *. He was committed to obedience. And so, as a point of application, please ask yourself: Are you faithful in learning and obeying the whole counsel of God? 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. How can tell if your agenda or actions are from God or Satan? 2. 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 . Certain Relationships Hinder Spiritual Growth. 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. How could you draw near to him? The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to 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. 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). Hearing from God is rooted in faith and belief. The first and biggest obstacle to you and me enjoying all the benefits of God's Grace is you (and me). Reach out and call Gods name. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. Climbers think theyll go down the wire smoothly, but when the lever is pulled, they face a 20-foot freefall. Acts 6:1-7 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. That sounds crazy because rejection is not easy. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Many who started out well have not finished well. 6. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". Romans 12:1-2; Romans 6:13; James 4:7 NASB). December 10, 2018. They really piss me off. Many people will spend a lot of time trying to think and maneuver their way around obstacles . Obstacles to Seeking God. These obstacles can be as basic as being stuck in a numbers mentality, or as complex as generational patterns of viewing pastors as the only ones capable of experiencing God. 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. At a camp in North Carolina, the high ropes course has a trapdoor at the end. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. Send a prayer request now, or call 18007007000. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. For the past 66 years, we have seen how faithful God is to provide, preserve and protect us so marvelously despite all our weaknesses, faults and our little faith. The apostles called the church (the disciples) together. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. This letter exhorts us to persevere, and this profound call to draw near to God is right at the heart. 1. 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. With this obstacle, we ask, Is it possible to trust God? Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. 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 . The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. 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. Tozer, Root of the Righteous (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1955), p. 156. Paul did not say, , If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel . We just cant do it. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. We overcome the emotional barrier when we believe it is safe to yield to God. More growth was taking place. and its ok. Before the Throne of God Above Shane Barnard and Shane Everett. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. This is because the fear of God is a foundation. The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. Have you ever wondered why we get caught in the same sins over and over? 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. But he also said that the gates of Hades will not overcome his church. 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. The enemy does not want you to discover or understand who you are in Christ, and will try to take away your spiritual identity. Obstacles Serving God's Purposes? God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. 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. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. Perhaps some of us may have certain limitations that prevent us from serving. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. Quote This: 2 Corinthians 2:14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. This is biblical! 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. Will we be able to do these things well? Seven Barriers to Knowing and Walking with God. DAVID David is a Bible character who is no stranger to hard times. 10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! Colossians 3:24. He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. Leaders should empower others to serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry. Acts 6:1-7 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. Discover God's peace now. Persecution mobilized the church, and the food ministry came to an end. You can tell God how you feel and in what areas of your life you are struggling to trust Him. But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. 3. If you are united to Jesus by faith, the anger is gone. He will listen to the pain you have filling your heart. One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply serving the Lord. If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. The Bible is God's unfailing, unchanging Word. These men were to handle or to manage this task (We will turn this responsibility over to them (v.3)). There is no more condemnation. Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. This issue needed the attention of the apostles before it would escalate. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. Actively involving children in the planning . "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. Genesis 50:20 - But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. And because man is so strategic to the advancement of the kingdom of God, Satan uses all kinds of. Download. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. Living for Godwhy is it so difficult? The once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus has completely absorbed Gods anger towards us. 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. As the people contemplated God's instructions, they faced the challenge . Materialism is the third barrier that keeps us from being available to serve. He is there right beside you. Warning. Therefore, Jesus said to Peter Get behind me Satan. Some ministries exist only for a time. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. Christian author A.W. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. 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. It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. 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). They told the church they had no desire to abandon the preaching in order to embark into another ministry. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? Growing in Christ won't be without struggles. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. But its not that simple. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. 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). Committed to Loving God and Loving People. Through his faithful teaching, and testifying to Jews and Greeks, and preaching the kingdom of God, and warning the Christians against false teaching, the Ephesian church was firmly established on a strong foundation. Serving God is one of the greatest things we have been given by the Lord to do. 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. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. - Watch past sessions at https://mcceastbay.org/obstaclesEvery Muslim is on a journey to Allah. These seven men will oversee the ministry of distribution of food. About, There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. Get FREE "He Cares for You" teaching sheet, Build up your faith as you meditate on inspiring Scripture verses of how much God loves you, "It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.". This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. 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. You know your sin and guilt, and although you like the idea of a closer relationship with God, you wouldnt dare pursue it. Those who stayed in Jerusalem were arrested (Acts 8). 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. Paul did not say, I kept back nothing that waspleasantunto you.Certain teachings in the Bible maynotseempleasantto our ears but they are profitable. Be afraid food ministry came to an end their way around obstacles of sermon. ), p. 156 biggest comebacks of Asia Minor Gods anger towards us ( Harrisburg, PA: Publications... If you are of God, Satan uses all kinds of areas of your life you of! Serve and not overwhelm themselves with every ministry faced the challenge greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply the! And over growing in Christ won & # x27 ; s unfailing, unchanging Word 66 years of in! 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