If we struggle with either of these obstacles, Hebrews 10 speaks up with the good news that Jesus abolishes both fears at the cross. 3. Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. Thats why his discourse ends by saying,And now, brethren,I commend you to God(v.32a). The fear of disappointment, on the other hand, says, Oh yeah, I get that relationship stuff. We all want to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better and He certainly wants us to know Him better. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. Ive tried it before. Because the call of God is heaven bound, Satan opposes it with all the weapons in his arsenal. We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. Obstacles to God's Will Do you want God's will for your life? Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. They really piss me off. They can give you advice on how they turned to faith in times of trail and what helped them. Giving up our ways and will isn't easy but that is what moving into a . First and foremost, you must know that you are a part of Christ. But its not that simple. Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Look at what he said in v.33,34, When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness , Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of, 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. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. 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). Do you know that prayer was the secret of success in Pauls ministry? Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. Discover steps to bring you closer to Christ. How could you draw near to him? Without prayer all that we do willlackGods power and enablement. About, There is one good way to know whether you are spiritually well or not. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We can focus and realign our thinking through prayer, daily devotions and meditation. They dream of living in the lap of luxury, and this makes them covet more silver and gold for themselves. 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). Materialism is the third barrier that keeps us from being available to serve. He alone can give us the strength and wisdom we need to endure. Instead, these are the moments where you need faith the most. It is God's will that we come to Him and serve. Prayer is the best way to communicate one-on-one with God. 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. There's no doubt, that the Bible is full of Bible verses about struggle and perseverance. He will surely see to it that His Church will endure to the very end. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.". Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. 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. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. 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.. Fear of the unknown can prevent us from following God's promptings to serve and fully accept all that He has for us. It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. With this obstacle, we ask, Is it possible to trust God? Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). The preaching and teaching of Gods word. He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. We can manipulate Him into giving us what we want. The apostles would give their attention to prayer and the preaching of the word. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. These commands, then, can seem foreign to us. To draw near. 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. You can be secure in Gods love, which is a demonstrated, sacrificial, and caring love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10, 19). The apostles handed the food distribution to seven men selected by the church. 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. 2. To recognize and prepare for these common obstacles can be half of the battle to overcome them. . It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. The first and biggest obstacle to you and me enjoying all the benefits of God's Grace is you (and me). Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". Contributing financially to God's work is a great way to serve God. We are here to help and encourage you! Has your love for the Lord grown cold? 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. 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's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. Discover God's peace now. However you can always count on God to support you. 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. We have to fully believe that God is in control and that He has a great plan for our life. Focus on how strong Gods power is. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. Being full of the Spirit and being wise are evident qualities in a person. 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.. 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). With God, you can navigated the deepest and darkest valleys of life and walk high on the mountain. This was a great thing happening. 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? 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). The fear of judgment keeps you from a rich relationship with God because you just cant believe that God can forgive your sin. Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. You may be diligent in feeding others, but you also need to, If you want to remain faithful, you must give sufficient time to the study of Gods Word. One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is simply serving the Lord. Living for Godwhy is it so difficult? God allowed this to happen to mobilize the church from becoming inwardly focused. Try. 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? 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. Please do not think that there isno rolefor you at all in Gods kingdom. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. 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). If it has, one way to restore it is build yourself up spiritually. Elijah, God's prophet, had just had an . Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. Challenges in serving God. 5 MarWe Must Obey God Rather than Men (Acts 5:12-42) by RevQuek KK, 12 MarGods Wisdom and Requirements for Church Leadership (Acts 6:1-7) byRev Charles Seet, 19 MarStephen-A Man of Faith (Acts 6:5, 7:54-8:3) by RevQuek KK, 26 MarPhilip-A Light in Darkness (Acts 8:4-8) by RevHo Chee Lai, 8.00 am English Worship I9.40 am Catechism Class Sunday School 11.00 am English Worship II Chinese Worship Children's Ministry Filipina Service2.30 pm Thai Service4.00 pm Indonesian Service. The problem: a complaint from the Grecian Jews (Hellenistic Jews). 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.". Seven Barriers to Knowing and Walking with God. This means that we should not leave out any unpleasant teaching like the wrath of God and the existence of hell. Sometimes people who begin a ministry die or moved and there is not one else to carry it; they come to an end. In Pauls discourse we can see how greatly concerned he was that the Ephesian church should remain faithful. Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. You do. 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 ). (NLT). 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