Solving Problems God's Way Part 4 Series

Solving Problems Part 4: The Purpose Of Problems

Deut. 8:1-6 Job 14:1

Intro.

* Being a Christian does no make us immune to problems.

* As Christians we experience relational problems, financial problems, family problems, health problems, emotional problems, employment problems, parenting problems, and civil problems…just to mention a few!

* As Christians, we have major problems with our kids and we have minor problems with our kids.

Joke - A Great Cup of Tea

This is taken from the Dr. James Dobson Bulletin for June

1998.

Have you noticed that children sometimes try to be helpful,

but it makes your life more complicated?

I heard a story about a mother who was sick with the flu.

Her darling daughter wanted to be a good nurse. She fluffed

the pillows and brought a magazine for her mother to read.

And then she showed up with a cup of tea.

"You’re such a sweetheart," the mother said as she drank the

tea. "I didn’t know you could make tea."

"Oh, yes," the little girl replied. "I put the tea leaves in

the water like you do, and I boiled it, and then I strained

it into a cup. But I couldn’t find a strainer, so I used the

flyswatter."

"You what?"

And the little girl said, "Oh, don’t worry, Mom. I didn’t

use the new flyswatter. I used the old one."

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* We can have minor or major problems with kids, parents, employers or others.

* In fact, a Christian can and does experience some of the same problems he had before he was saved.

* Today many people want to escape their problems.

1) Some choose the path of alcohol and drugs as their way of escape. Both prescribed and illegal drugs are used as a means of escapism. People cannot deal with their problems so they attempt to drown their problems in alcohol and drugs.

2) Another means of escape is work. Some choose to become workaholics. It’s their way of avoiding dealing with their problems. They immerse themselves in what they do. Their mind is preoccupied with work instead of that “little relationship problem” he is having with the wife at home.

3) Others choose the path of reading as a means of escape. They wind up living in the unreal world of the printed page. Rather than thinking about or concentrating on their own problems, they find relief by filling their mind with the fantasy of other peoples lives.

* We have already talked about the causes of problems. Last week, we attempted to dig a little deeper into the root causes of some problems.

* This week … Purpose of problems

* Webster defines “purpose” = something set up as an object or end to be attained

* Problems are not coincidences, or chance, or happenstance; not luck or unlucky.

* There is a reason for all our problems and there is a purpose for each problem.

* God has an end to be attained… a purpose!

* Each problem you and I face will fit into one or more of these five purposes.

5 Purposes

1) To Conform Us To The Image Of Christ Rom. 8:28-29

Rom 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

* God wants me to become like Jesus in my character and my conduct!

* He didn’t just save us to take us to heaven… if that were all He had in mind he would have already taken us!

* We are diamonds in the rough! It takes intense heat and pressure to form one of the most precious jewels known to man.

* Illustration: Famous sculptor – huge rock – his plan was to make it look like a horse. He says, “I am going to make this into a horse!” “How are you going to make this ugly rock look like a horse?” asked one curious person. “I am going to chip away everything that doesn’t look like a horse!”

* The psalmist grew or matured as a result of his trouble or problems.

Psalm 4:1 “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.”

* Example: Paul – He learned contentment by going through the extreme experiences of life.

Philippians 4:10-12 “10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”