He said to them earlier on in v.20,I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, There is an important detail here which I want you to notice. As followers of Jesus, we will struggle with trials and tribulations. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.He worked as a tent-make, to provide not only for his own needs, but for the needs of others as well. They dream of living in the lap of luxury, and this makes them covet more silver and gold for themselves. 1. Perhaps you want to serve the Lord but you face certain challenges that come with age. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. Others struggle to serve the Lord because of illness, a serious disease, or a litany or other reasons. The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. We see in God's dealings with people, that in almost all cases, God uses the obstacles/difficulties and overcoming them, as a means to inculcate great character in people and to prepare them and use them for great purposes. God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. 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). We must always trust that God has a plan and He has a reason for allowing something to happen. Serve the Lord with gladness. 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. 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. Jesus was able to recognize Satan in Peters words. Many who started out well have not finished well. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. 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. If you are united to Jesus by faith, the anger is gone. This is a spiritual thermometer. Psalms 119:1-127 - ALEPH . Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. Jesus said we will have trouble (tribulations) in this world. No matter how many ministries a church may have, if the preaching and teaching of Gods word is not the main priority then I doubt that true disciples are being developed. If you are still outside Christ, you are still in your sins. . The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation" ( Isaiah 12:2 ). As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. They were responsible for that. Verse Concepts. It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. Jesus is the only way to restore our relationship with God, and so He is the only way we can truly serve God as well. Certain Relationships Hinder Spiritual Growth. Choosing our own way over Gods is always a losing option. To move in. 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. If Jesus had to endure them, so do we. Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back again. God calls His people to serve and love one another with humility. And we must be very thankful to Him. Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. God made it possible for you to know. Psalm 32:11, "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!". An important part of the gospel is that in Jesus Christ we can begin to serve God again with the promise of being able to serve him perfectly and forever in the age to come. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. As the people contemplated God's instructions, they faced the challenge . It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God's purposes and . God Will Allow You to Go Through Impossible Situations to Produce a Supernatural Dependence in You. Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. But God has something to say. Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? 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. Fast-forward now to a time about 40 years later, and we find this commendation that Christ gave to this church in Revelation 2:2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: andthou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.The elders had faithfully kept watch over their flock and had exposed the false teachers who tried to subvert the flock. With this obstacle, we ask, Is it possible to trust God? May this occasion also be a time for each of us to search our own hearts with this question: Are you more faithful to the Lord or to yourself? All Rights Reserved. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. I'm sure you all could have guessed this one would be on this list. "The way is hard that leads to life," He said ( Matthew 7:14, ESV ). Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. How can tell if your agenda or actions are from God or Satan? Image Credit: Hero Images/Hero Images/Getty Images. With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? 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. Job eventually repents and is humbled before God. Christian author A.W. More Ken Boa on Trusting God in Turbulent Times. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. In our choices, we dont so much turn to evil as we turn from God. Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Courses, As we thank God for His faithfulness today, let us be reminded that God requires faithfulness from us. Remember, rather than call the equipped, God seems to like to equip the called. Jesus is praying. 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). This email address is being protected from spambots. Challenges in serving God. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. However, this didnt stop the gospel; the believers continued to be strong in their faith amid persecution and their number continued to increase. 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. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. If you are stuck in a pit of despair, dont let yourself give up. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. If youre not turned toward Him now, will you take a moment right now to yield to His Spirit once again or maybe even for the first time? The suggestion to handle the ministry: (v.3) The three tools Satan uses to keep us ineffective on the volitional level are as follows: These three tools work, often interrelatedly (Ephesians 2:1-3), against the life of Christ in us and present the volitional barrier to our trust in Him. We can speak to God about the obstacles we face in a safe, judge-free setting. Fear of the unknown can prevent us from following God's promptings to serve and fully accept all that He has for us. Your browser does not support the audio element. Two of the biggest barriers to adults being engaged in serving the body of Christ are these feelings: "I don't have anything in common with those I want to serve" and "I don't have anything to offer.". He died in our place. Has your love for the Lord grown cold? This is similar to how the higher law of aerodynamics supersedes the lower law of gravity for a hang glider. Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. Yes they certainly did. December 10, 2018. We ought to do our best to remain faithful, but what if our best is not good enough? There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. Fourth, Psalm 1 says that successful people do not get tangled up with negative, wicked, or limiting people. It is God's will that we come to Him and serve. It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. This ministry functioned well before, as we are informed in chapter 4 that there was also distribution of funds (there was no needy people among them); the first Christians cared for their needs by sharing and distributing goods. Solutions to obstacles: One gets to learn from the obstacles faced by other seekers and what they did to overcome the obstacles. Picture this scenario: people complaining that others were being shown special favor in the distribution. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . Jesus has an active, priestly role for our sake at the Fathers right hand. Living the Christian life is a journey. Actively involving children in the planning . But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. Theres really nowhere else to go, as the apostle Peter said, for true life eternal life is with Him alone. Here are four reasons it makes sense to trust God, as the holder of this higher reason and truth: If you overcome the emotional and intellectual barriers, one barrier remains: the volitional barrier. Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. This then is what it means toserve the Lord with allhumilityof mind.The Lords interests must always come first. When we spend too much time in a secularized society, the enemy can infiltrate and weaken our spiritual walls. 1. 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. It requires a true heart in full assurance of faith. This is a full and rich and satisfying relationship one that is more real to us than anything else. We Never Heard Back. 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. Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. Repent and believe right now! He will listen to the pain you have filling your heart. In chapter 6 Satan tried to distract the apostles from their main mission. As you travel to Allah, you will inadvertently face obstacles. According to 2 Timothy 3:16All scriptureis given by inspiration of God, and isprofitablefor doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.All scripture is profitable not just some of it or most of it, but All of it. Reach out and call Gods name. Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. He didn't say, "you should not serve both God and money.". A true heart in full assurance of faith to stand up to obstacles and say is. 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