The church has faced external and internal challenges since the day it began through the preaching of the apostles. 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. The punishment has been paid. 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. Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. In verses 9-21 we, Dont be deceived! But it was a problem now. How do we keep doing all these things until we reach the end? God looks at you as a loving Father with his arms wide open and he says to you, Draw near by the blood of my Son.. Download From the series Evening series 2 Timothy 1 ( Listen) These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. Were on a mission to change that. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge.*. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. Jesus said in Luke 16:13 (NLT) "No one can serve two masters. 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. and its ok. God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. 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. THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE SERVICE OF GOD ARISE FROM THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN OUR CHARACTER AND HIS. It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. The trouble is, many congregations face substantial obstacles that make the daily practice of experiencing God more challenging. He was committed to obedience. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. But God equips us to overcome obstacles . Gods people are to be molded or conformed by Gods pattern and not the worlds pattern. In v.24 he reveals how willing he was to deny self in serving the Lord. Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shanes The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than one hundred popular worship songs and hymns. However you can always count on God to support you. Living the Christian life is a journey. The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. We can certainly learn how to handle any challenge or difficulty when we examine how the first century church handled her own challenges. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life. This command to draw near might be summarized as a summons to live in a rich God-accomplished relationship with God. 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. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. 1) The Problem of Science Faith vs. Science is the perennial God-problem. 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. But he also said that the gates of Hades will not overcome his church. We serve not just because we want to serve but love man has to carry out; that we have a loving Creator, a true genuine Father in every sense of the word. With God, you can move from being a victim to being a victor. 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. Michael Chriswell. It can be frustrating to give up control of your life, however to be a follower of Christ it must be done. Committed to Loving God and Loving People. Growing in Christ won't be without struggles. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. 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. His praying is mentioned no less than seven times in the Book of Acts. 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. Acts 6:1-7 By: Ysrael De la Cruz The church of Jesus Christ has faced huge challenges throughout it existence and will continue to face challenges until Jesus comes back Picture this scenario: people complaining that others were being shown special favor in the distribution. Two Obstacles in the Way But it's not that simple. The spiritual obstacle. The Emotional Barrier: Is It Safe to Trust God? Many times, we wonder about God's purpose in our lives. Obstacles to Seeking God. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving churchwithin three years. Our Christian life comprises of many obstacles we meet. Some ministries exist only for a time. These seven men will oversee the ministry of distribution of food. "Serving God" is one of the important reasons man was created from the beginning. When the stresses of this world and the worst of suffering might seem to extinguish our hope, it doesnt. 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. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. Following Jesus as our Lord and Savior not only means that we . (Rom.12:2). Then Satans strategy changed; he began to attack the church from the inside. What does God say about overcoming obstacles? And if praying is the only role that you can fulfill in Gods kingdom, then please make sure that you are a faithful prayer warrior pleading before Gods throne everyday. The apostles were the shepherds of the church. 3. Repent and believe right now! By: Ysrael De la Cruz. You are a Christian and no one can take that away from you unless you let them. Our sinful souls are counted free and our names are written on his heart. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. 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 arenotinterested in decreasing. Were to make a choice to make up our mind whether to trust and serve God or not, and then act accordingly. In the midst of difficulty and temptation, were told to come closer. 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 . Discover short videos related to mike todd obstacles and serving god on TikTok. . Whatever Peter said to Jesus did not support Gods plan. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. 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. The emotional barrier deals with bad experiences, but the intellectual barrier deals with bad teaching. The apostle Paul is a good example of one who was very faithful to fulfill his role in life. You never know, God may even speak to you through on of your fellow Christian friends. 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). 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. Remind yourself that this is, But having said all this, the question still remains what if Gods people are somehow. Obstacles to serving God. Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. How do we trust and submit to God? Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. More growth and new challenges would come ahead. And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. December 10, 2018. 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. Your browser does not support the audio element. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. I signed up . We must continue to work together tobuild a united church family that is committed to making disciples through Salvation, Sanctification and Service to the glory of God. This was a great thing happening. Serving God means obeying and enjoying our relationship with God as our Heavenly Father. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing. For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.". And it is the Holy Spirit who made the elders fit for their role as overseers, so that the flock would be well fed. Its always telling us, Youd better take charge. So how do we stay yielded to God? If He leads us to it, He'll lead us through it. God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. He is much more powerful than any obstacle you will ever face! You can tell God how you feel and in what areas of your life you are struggling to trust Him. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. . We are here to help and encourage you! You cannot serve both God and money". Challenges in serving God. 8) Luke 1:37 "For every promise from God shall surely come true.". (Hebrews 10:1922). Actively involving children in the planning . 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. 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. In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. It means submitting to Him even when it doesn't make sense and serving others faithfully even when they don't appreciate our efforts. As church leaders, they needed to move into action to resolve this conflict. Benefits Of Serving God: The Challenges, The Pains, The Blessings And The Rewards - Kindle edition by Kanu, Kenneth. 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. Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. Be willing to say yes to whatever God wants you to do. 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