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. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. When it comes to facing challenges as a church, we must learn like the first Christians did. During the voyage one of the ports that the ship stopped at was Miletus. Now we shall read what Paul said to them, as recorded in Acts 20:17-35. 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. He is much more powerful than any obstacle you will ever face! 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. Focus on how strong Gods power is. Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. This warning comes in the form of a close call, or near miss event. All these things should remind us that God is working in our midst and has enabled us to grow. It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. You can count on Gods promise (Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the obstacles correctly. 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. He has the ability, power, and strength to help you overcome any obstacle in life. He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. 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. Yes they certainly did. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. These feelings can keep us paralyzed from dealing with the. In verses 9-21 we, Dont be deceived! 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? Romans 1:25. With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. 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. The word of God continued to spread (to be taught and preached); more people were becoming disciples, even some Jewish priests received the gospel of Jesus. You can cling to its truth when life throws you a curveball. But what if they aren't enemies? He is there right beside you. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. Join The Hoot & Howl community for access to all the insider info! During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. If you do, you won't ever feel alone. Let us look now at three exhortations which he gave to them elders from v.28 onwards to see how we can remain faithful. 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? Fear is connected with obedience, as the wise man said, " Fear God and keep His commandments " (Ecclesiastes 12:13). God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (NLT). Jesus isnt appealing to the irrational, but to a higher truth. Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. 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. God calls His people to serve and love one another with humility. But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. Verse Concepts. 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). We must look to Him for all the help we need to remain faithful. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. 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. This is probably because of the many struggles and challenges we face as we follow the Lord Jesus Christ. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. Similarly, repentance is not so much a matter of turning from evil as it is a turning to God. The apostle Paul is a good example of one who was very faithful to fulfill his role in life. We overcome the emotional barrier when we believe it is safe to yield to God. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Thats why his discourse ends by saying, If Christ has purchased His Church at such great cost to Himself, do you think He will leave its fate to be determined by the changing hearts of men? Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6-7). 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. I signed up . We dont have to be afraid of Gods judgment anymore. Obstacles to Seeking God. God sometimes challenges us with a warning. God wants you to be successful and triumphant, and has a great plan for your life. 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. But now we come to the question. Luke 1:37 ESV / 248 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Galatians 5:16 (NASB) calls us to walk in the Spirit. The Greek word for walk, peripateo, means to walk around, to conduct oneself. Walking is a step-by-step process, a sequencing process of behaving habitually. The most of men are careless and indifferent to then heavenly King; they remember all things else except the God who made them. Biblical Truth #2) Trust in God for strength and wisdom to deal with the obstacles. Paul did not say, I kept back nothing that waspleasantunto you.Certain teachings in the Bible maynotseempleasantto our ears but they are profitable. The first exhortation is found in v.28:Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flockThe Ephesian elders would already have known that they were to guard the flock, which is the church. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. Jesus Tells Us to Love the Lord Yes, our pain and our disappointments are real and valid. First, we can have a rich God-accomplished relationship with God because of Jesuss sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1920). Without the proclamation and teaching of Gods words disciples are not developed. Its a rich relationship, not a mechanical one. Will we be able to do these things well? 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? Romans 14:13 - Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. Many times, we wonder about God's purpose in our lives. 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. There is one thing that everyone can do that is to pray. There are obstacles in our way. One of the ways we can serve God is by helping his children, our brothers and sisters, through paying a tithing and a generous fast offering. Your browser does not support the audio element. Abraham Taking Isaac to be Sacrificed. Weve tried it. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. Serving God is not without challenges and difficulties. You can tell God how you feel and in what areas of your life you are struggling to trust Him. 3. and its ok. Download the free myCBN app. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). Some ministries exist only for a time. Jesus was able to recognize Satan in Peters words. sign me up! Psalms 119:1-127 - ALEPH . Any complaint would arise, and they will go to any of the seven selected to handle this ministry. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. 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. You inevitably will be faced with moments in life that seriously challenge you. " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge " and " wisdom " (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Its a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. The apostles recognized the severity of the issue. There's no doubt, that the Bible is full of Bible verses about struggle and perseverance. The most important requirement is to befaithful to the Lord. As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christ's mission in this world. How do we keep doing all these things until we reach the end? 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 trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. 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. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. They were appalled when they saw the severe suffering Job was experiencing. This helps to shift your perspective and gain the confidence needed to know you can handle it with Gods help. The experiential barriers are ongoing, and they can range from broken family relationships that make us reticent to trust or accept love to bad church experiences. 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? He alone can give us the strength and wisdom we need to endure. 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. You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. 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