You Are a Problem Solver
Many Christians act as though they should be given immunity to problems by Jesus. He actually countered this concept by saying:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world.” (Matthew 16: 33)
Sing it: “Oh, victory in Jesus ….”
He spoke truth, as He always did, when He foretold the truth regarding problems. Reality reveals that if you follow Jesus you will have problems. A casual observation will reveal that those who don’t follow Jesus have problems also. Having problems doesn’t make you different from anybody else. The difference is the resources with which to advantageously use them. The church in Thessalonica was spoken of as “…having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.…” (I Thessalonians 1: 6) “With joy?” Ask the average Christian , “How are you?” and sit down. You are about to get an organ recital. You are likely to get insight into what is necessary to fine tune every organ. As a bonus you were assured of being assured about the doctor who said he had never seen anything like it.
If Jesus wore a crown of thorns, why should we expect a bed of roses?
Make no mistake “…all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (II Timothy 3: 12)
The term often used for suffering is affliction. It came from the grape industry of the day. It was used to describe the process of putting the grapes under intense pressure to extract the juice. Thus, the process was used to make the grapes into a different productive product. That is what the end product of our afflictions are designed to do.
Affliction is somewhat a divine alchemy intended to be used to make of the bitter experiences better persons.
Outward pressure can produce inner peace. Jesus has committed Himself to giving us inner peace. He described His peace as being different from that offered by the world.
Outward persecution often produces inner power. When overcome by external circumstances we are sometimes driven to look for a source of supernatural power and peace. Jesus is that source.
Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and ruler of Rome, noted: “Man must be arched and buttressed from within else like the temple he will waver to the dust.”
He used two architectural sources of support to illustrate the point. For the Christian Jesus is that support. Call on Him for support in facing the affliction sure to come. He said it would. Got ‘um, use them, that is, rely on Him for peace.