The same thing is true of Life Church. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. Materialism. This doesnt happen automatically. You may be diligent in feeding others, but you also need tofeed yourself. This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10. All you have to do is put your trust in Him. You can tell God how you feel and in what areas of your life you are struggling to trust Him. 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. They dream of living in the lap of luxury, and this makes them covet more silver and gold for themselves. One great way to combat this is by spending more time at church with your fellow Christians. 10) 1 Corinthians 15:57 " But thanks be to God! And since Gods awful judgment on this world is coming soon, you must not delay obeying His command any longer. A church may have a great number of ministries or services. 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. These obstacles can be as basic as being stuck in a numbers mentality, or as complex as generational patterns of viewing pastors as the only ones capable of experiencing God. Persecution mobilized the church, and the food ministry came to an end. 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.*. (v.4) We will attend constantly or persist in prayer and the preaching of the gospel. Some use their service to God to upgrade themselves they urge people to give and give sacrificially to support their ministry, but they fly business class or in their own private jet, they stay in the most expensive hotels, and they eat at the most expensive restaurants. The apostles recognized the severity of the issue. Acts 6:1-7 The apostles remained faithful to the task of preaching and teaching Gods word. Its a rich relationship, not a mechanical one. 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.. The food distribution ministry was just caring for the needs of those in the church. He gave us a once-for-all sacrifice and he gives us never-ceasing intercession. The church has faced external and internal challenges since the day it began through the preaching of the apostles. But everywhere the disciples of Jesus went, they preached the gospel, and more communities were born in different towns. But Jesus was the sacrifice for us. The apostles handed the food distribution to seven men selected by the church. Are we a biblical people, or do we just get our truths from our emotions or non-emotions? And so, in order to be faithful to the Word, we need to declare all of it thewholecounsel of God. They wept, Gods pattern for his people! You think a person as messed up as you just isnt supposed to be close to God. When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness fulfilling our God-given roles. He is our perfect, spotless righteousness and our lives are hid with him on high. 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. If you are stuck in a pit of despair, dont let yourself give up. (7) Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. 9) 1 John 4:4 "Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them. Obstacles expose our weaknesses and increase our dependency upon Christ. 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 so as Proverbs4:23says, you mustKeep [your] heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life., Unfortunately not everyone in Ephesus heeded Pauls exhortation to guard themselves. Ask God for strategies to replace a negative habit with a positive, faith-filled habit. If the work of Gods kingdom depends entirely on our faithfulness what assurance is there that it will succeed? They came to provide comfort and sympathy to him. How do we keep doing all these things until we reach the end? We dont know for sure. It cant. There is no more condemnation. To be faithful to the Word is to give our attention to thewholecounsel of God. Here Paul begins his discourse to the church elders in about the same way that he begins every epistle by drawing attention to the Lord whom he served: the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul did not withhold any teaching of Gods Word from the Ephesians. As followers of Jesus, we battle against difficulties, obstacles on our way to accomplishing Christ's mission in this world. 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. Money from tithing is used to build God's kingdom upon the earth. (praise and worship, teaching ministries, financial ministry, homeless ministry, recovery ministry, jail ministry, outreach ministry, cleaning ministry, building maintenance , food pantry, missions ministry, and so forth). Others struggle to serve the Lord because of illness, a serious disease, or a litany or other reasons. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) May we all be greatly challenged through this to serve faithfully, by remaining Faithful to the Lord, Faithful to fulfill our God-given roles of service, and Faithful to the whole counsel of God, until our Lord Jesus Christ returns! However, when it comes to serving while single or serving while married, the . For example, Sara was able to conceive a child after years of inability through the help and faith of God (Hebrews 11:11). This was a great thing happening. Warning. We have to fully believe that God is in control and that He has a great plan for our life. This was approved by the church, and they selected seven men to take care of the ministry of food distribution. It isfaithfulness to the whole counsel of God. God's people cannot be shamed into serving God; they need to be challenged. He bore our sins in his body on the tree. They must be placed well above our own personal pursuits and interests. Paul was faithful in his role as a, In the earlier chapters of Acts we had seen that s. ome are called to serve as deacons, some as evangelists, and some as teachers. ". But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. 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. Through his faithful teaching, and testifying to Jews and Greeks, and preaching the kingdom of God, and warning the Christians against false teaching, the Ephesian church was firmly established on a strong foundation. Cf. "How pleased the Lord must have been when Abraham did as he was instructed, without question and without wavering.". All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. When we come within inches of making an enormous mistake that could lead to injury or some other kind of catastrophic failure, we have to praise God for allowing us to dodge a bullet. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 149 countries and territories, with programs and content in 67 languages. As church leaders, they needed to move into action to resolve this conflict. Job had three friends who came to see him when they heard about the misfortune that befell him. Click to Tweet Copyright March 4, 2019,Ken Boa, used with permission. 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. They had a great system going on, a great fellowship and God reminded them that though that ministry is important, it was not the mission of the church to run a food program, but to preach the gospel to those who are lost. These dark moments can leave you feeling frustrated, scared, and broken. This is because the fear of God is a foundation. Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. You can place your steadfast trust in Him. And therefore weve bunkered down into a Christian life solely about survival. 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.. Here are 4 ways to find contentment in Christ: #1 Accept rejection. There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. The death of Jesus and the intercession of Jesus, then, provide the grounds by which we can have a rich relationship with God. Yes, we are sinners. "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. It was a big issue for it could have become racial and had the potential to split the church. Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. 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. He gave us the tool or prayer so that we would never feel alone. -- James MacDonald #Church #Exclusion #Serving God So you can't lose serving God, and that all things work together for good. Can God change your life? God was Pauls confidence that the Ephesian church would remain faithful. 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. These challenges come to distract us from our mission; they come to make us quit running the race. 2. (Acts 4:34). Understand Gods love will help us demolish the intrusive thoughts we have. 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 In fact, faithfulness is the most important quality needed in serving the Lord. The point is that God is behind this. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. 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. Christian author A.W. They would rather increase in fame and fortune. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. 6. When the Israelites, out of a desire to be like all the nations, insisted on an earthly king, they turned from the will and warning of the One who knew what was best for them and they got what they asked for, though the results werent pleasant (1 Samuel 8:9-20 NASB). God wants you to be successful and triumphant, and has a great plan for your life. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. That sounds crazy because rejection is not easy. 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. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? You can be secure in Gods love, which is a demonstrated, sacrificial, and caring love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10, 19). God continued to bless them by bringing more people into the community. Nothing like a twisted ankle because you stepped on an uneven surface, rock or twig. Faith is from God and fear is from the enemy. Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.". I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! 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? It is acceptable to have feelings of anger at God when hard things of life happen. Join The Hoot & Howl community for access to all the insider info! Others have been blessed with spiritual gifts of faith, administration, discernment, hospitality, giving, mercy, or encouragement. . No tongue can bid me thence depart nor can anything else in all creation separate us from his love. Trusting God gives us direction (Proverbs 3:5-6). Yes, we have sinned. 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? We have already read the first 11 verses of the passage during the responsive reading. Everyone in the church knew who was overseeing the food distribution ministry. Its always telling us, Youd better take charge. So how do we stay yielded to God? In 1 Kings 19, we see how detrimental fear can be to hearing God. They even say,Surely God wants His servants to have the very best!, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. For more on this, read How to Have a Happier Life by Practicing Gratitude. Dont be afraid to stand up to obstacles and say God is here with me, I can overcome this through Him. Tozer acknowledged the paradoxes of a believers life and thinking: A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. Do you remember when you first yielded your life to Christ? In our study of the Book of Acts we have been following his three great missionary journeys which took place over a period of 10 years, between the years 47 and 57 AD. It would also distract them from the main mission. But overcoming feeling rejected is a secret to moving past approval seeking. The enemy of God, the devil will not stop until he turns away the people who are drawing closer to God. This helps to shift your perspective and gain the confidence needed to know you can handle it with Gods help. Climbers think theyll go down the wire smoothly, but when the lever is pulled, they face a 20-foot freefall. But its not that simple. I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! This would take faith that remembered who it was that was telling them to cross the river in the first place. How could you draw near to him? But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. As you dig into the Word of God, start with a great study Bible, ( this list has some of the most popular Study Bibles for women.) God will help you knock down that wall in front of you. And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'. It is God's will that we come to Him and serve. Paul belonged to Him alone, and so he lived to do the will of the Lord Jesus. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near . 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. This was their main priority: In a Christ-centered church the preaching and teaching of Gods word must be the main priority. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. The suggestion to handle the ministry: (v.3) 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). God did it. To draw near. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? Many times, we wonder about God's purpose in our lives. Sign up for a CBNDaily Bible Reading Plan. The fear of judgment keeps you from a rich relationship with God because you just cant believe that God can forgive your sin. All these things should remind us that God is working in our midst and has enabled us to grow. Copyright 2020 Life Bible-Presbyterian Church. One of the glories of God is that He left the majesty of heaven to have intimate relationship with us. Some even got so bold as to cursing the virus and sending it to hell., My Miracle by Arleen McNamara Brahn Walters March 2021 I dont think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. As a result of this they become spiritually weak, they fall into sin and become ineffective in their service. (It is not right that we give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. (ESV) We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. These are emotional, intellectual, and volitional barriers. Do you know that prayer was the secret of success in Pauls ministry? As a Christian, its important to not let your obstacles in life tear you away from your faith. We serve the same God who said: "And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. Paul was faithful in his role as achurch-planter, testifying of the Gospel of the grace of God wherever he went. 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? Fear. The apostles would give their attention to prayer and the preaching of the word. You know your sin and guilt, and although you like the idea of a closer relationship with God, you wouldnt dare pursue it. Send a prayer request now, or call 18007007000. This requirement is highlighted in the words which Paul spoke in v.19Servingthe Lordwith all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations(v.19). Three obstacles keep us from coming to Christ, and these are the same barriers that keep us from yielding to, trusting in, and submitting to Him on an ongoing basis. But now we come to the question. The answer is simple, but not necessarily easy. CBN's ministry is made possible by the support of our CBN Partners. Get to know others seeking Gods guidance and wisdom for life. Your browser does not support the audio element. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). The apostles were the shepherds of the church. Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. Before the Throne of God Above Shane Barnard and Shane Everett. The once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus has completely absorbed Gods anger towards us. Fast-forward now to a time about 40 years later, and we find this commendation that Christ gave to this church in Revelation 2:2, Thus we have seen that Paul and the Ephesian elders were faithful in fulfilling their respective God-given roles. The natural gravity of the flesh pulls us away from grace toward law-based living. Christians are called to make disciples, but we are not capable of changing people. We Never Heard Back. As we now enter into our 67thyear, let us resolve to give Him thefirst and central placein all that we do as a church, so that we may be faithful to Him. Theres really nowhere else to go, as the apostle Peter said, for true life eternal life is with Him alone. Christs mission must be the churchs main priority. Satan could not stop the growth of the church through outside influence. He was committed to obedience. Choose seven men from among you: men of good reputation (Good testimony) (known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. Jesus isnt appealing to the irrational, but to a higher truth. So, this distribution of goods took place before and there wasnt a problem. Audio Version. Reach out and call Gods name. Then look to these promises. A spiritual war is taking place. And that's hard to do. Psalm 32:11, "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!". When we spend too much time in a secularized society, the enemy can infiltrate and weaken our spiritual walls. 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). God has to earn our favor. When the stresses of this world and the worst of suffering might seem to extinguish our hope, it doesnt. Please see the Disclosures for how it will all go down. Its a God-accomplished relationship, not one that we contrive. Worse, some of us feel too exhausted we just want to stop serving Him. If you dont know how to manage the small, then you wont be able to manage the big. At a camp in North Carolina, the high ropes course has a trapdoor at the end. Fear is the first item listed in Joshua's challenge to the people. Luke 1:37 ESV / 248 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful (NLT). The ministry of food distribution lasted until the severe persecution broke out and people had to be mobilized. Paul explains to the Philippian church that the evidence of true Christianity is found in humble service to each other. This shows that Jesus was a very big part of Pauls life. God loved you so dearly that He gave His one and only Son to save you from your sins. Reduces Ego: When seekers realise that serving God happens very nicely after praying and not taking doership of the act, it helps in reducing ego. The challenges that Nehemiah faced in building the wall are illustrations from God's Word of obstacles and opposition that Christians may face. He said, "you cannot serve both God and money.". Thats why Christ also sent the Holy Spirit to work within each believer. 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. He will listen to the pain you have filling your heart. You can be confident in Gods ability to handle your problems (Job 42:2). There are obstacles in our way. They were appalled when they saw the severe suffering Job was experiencing. . 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. This means that we should not leave out any unpleasant teaching like the wrath of God and the existence of hell. Potential to split the church through outside influence the one who goes before you Me ; and where I,! Shane Everett he lived to do the will of the grace of.... 4:4 & quot ; if anyone serves Me, he is the place. 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