*A.W. . Living the Christian life is a journey. 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. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. (Rom.12:2). In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that some are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. Look at your, If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. Let us turn our Bibles now to Acts 20:28-35. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. 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. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. When we study Scripture and see what God asks us to do to fulfill His purpose, eventually we find there are obstacles to God's will. The following five assurances help overcome the emotional barrier to yielding to Him even in your freefall moments: Whereas the emotional barrier says its not safe to trust God, the intellectual barrier says it doesnt make sense to trust God. Its a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. It can be frustrating to give up control of your life, however to be a follower of Christ it must be done. Paul fulfilled his role well despite the many difficult challenges which he faced at Ephesus. He had been doing this to the Ephesians for three years (54-57 AD), as he said to them in vv.18 and 31Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia,after what manner I have been with you at all seasonsTherefore watch, and remember, that by the space ofthree yearsI ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.. But its not that simple. They help us see how strong and powerful our God is. If He leads us to it, He'll lead us through it. 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. 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. Perhaps you want to serve the Lord but you face certain challenges that come with age. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. This actually happened to the Ephesian church about 40 years later. Jesus Tells Us to Love the Lord Yes, our pain and our disappointments are real and valid. Contributing financially to God's work is a great way to serve God. Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. Jesus said we will have trouble (tribulations) in this world. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. This would enable them to remain faithful to the end and to receive their eternal rewards in heaven. 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). In my two previous blogs, we takes about finding God's purpose in our lives. We Must Obey God Rather than Men (Acts 5:12-42) by, Gods Wisdom and Requirements for Church Leadership (Acts 6:1-7) by, Stephen-A Man of Faith (Acts 6:5, 7:54-8:3) by, Acts 20:17-35 - The Challenge to Serve Faithfully, Mailing Add: 10 Gilstead Road Singapore 309064. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. But God has something to say. 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. To draw near. God would use any thing to mobilize his people when they get inwardly focused and neglect to fulfill his mission in the world. Yes, we are sinners. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. Regardless of any problem or issue we face as a church; we must never neglect Christs mission: to reach the lost; to make disciples of all nations through the preaching of his word. 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. " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge " and " wisdom " (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. 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. Obstacles that we face in life are riddled with anxiety, fear, worry, anger, stress, and every negative emotion that you can think of. Romans 1:25. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". 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. Everything else comes after that. God made it possible for you to know. Many of us feel like we need to take a break from all the work we do for God. Growing in Christ wont be without struggles. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. Challenges in serving God. Download the free myCBN app. God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. Will we be able to do these things well? Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. 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. You might start to lose some of your faith in God. Weve tried it. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. "Listen to advice and accept discipline . This is His purpose of why we were created and the reason why we are here on earth. Ive tried it before. If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. We Never Heard Back. 3. We are here to help and encourage you! But this one thing we know:God is faithful! God rewarded their faithfulness and decision: If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. 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. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. Paul would never think of himself apart from the Lord Jesus. Yes, we have sinned. 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. 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. 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 . But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. Continue to commit to Him doing His will, trust in Him. God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. Three years was actually the longest time that Paul served in one city throughout all his missionary journeys This was because of its strategic location in reaching out to the whole province of Asia. God has to earn our favor. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. The apostles were the shepherds of the church. You cannot serve both God and money". 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? We imagine that if God is putting us through something, he expects us to accomplish his will. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. The Lord has blessed Life Church with 66 years of service to Him. The same thing is true of Life Church. Fear and faith cannot co-exist, and they battle for space within us. There is no right way to pray, all you have to do is begin speaking with God. Rejection and betrayal are part of life and help us grow closer to God when we realize our weaknesses are actually strengths. Jesus is praying. The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back again. During his third missionary journey, Paul spent most of his time in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of present-day Turkey. God calls His people to serve and love one another with humility. The writer to the Hebrews commands us to draw near to God. Money Money. Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. We can focus and realign our thinking through prayer, daily devotions and meditation. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.The counsel of God here refers to the complete Word of God which we now have in the 66 books of the Bible. 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.. (NLT). Have you seen how crazy my life is? This is a fear that doesnt tempt us to stop believing; it tempts us to forfeit a life of intimacy with Jesus because we just dont think that kind of life is possible for us. God rewards faithfulness. 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. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. However with God, your biggest setbacks can become your biggest comebacks. If we struggle with either of these obstacles, Hebrews 10 speaks up with the good news that Jesus abolishes both fears at the cross. Remind yourself that you are a child of God and you were put on this earth for a reason. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? 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. He knows about every detail of you, and has your best interest at heart. In order for us to get grace we have to surrender ourselves to God and accept His grace as a free gift. 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