Teen Articles
Problem Solving!
Teens Want To Know!: How can I solve my problems?
by Loren M. Chamberlain
Been getting any jabs or snide remarks lately for being a Christian? Have you been laughed at lately? Been made fun of because you returned a Twenty dollar bill you found to it's rightful owner? Well, take heart, relief is on its way. When Jesus returns He will give you rest from Troubles. You won't have to fight your own battles anymore because Jesus is going to take over in flaming fire with His powerful angels. All your enemies who would persecute you will be vanquished by Jesus, your personal Savior! Many times we face battles that are too big for us. The trouble seems overwhelming. Be courageous and wise enough to know which battles are yours and which battles are the Lords. Let the Lord fight those overwhelming battles for you.
Oh sure, its easy to say, "Let the Lord fight my battles for me," but how do I do that? Well, on the one hand it could be very easy. On the other hand it may be a little awkward in the beginning. We all know what it's like when me meet someone new. We just aren't sure what to say or do. We may want to be friends with someone, but how do we make this new person in our life a "Lifetime Friend?"
Why are the characters in funny papers or comic strips presented as Super-Heroes? All people need friends and everyone needs help from time to time with super-problems of life they can't seem to solve alone. People gravitate to Super-Heroes like Superman, Superwoman, Batman, Spiderman, etc. Wouldn't we all like to have a real Super-Hero for our best friend?
How did we establish a relationship with our best friend-- by sharing many things about ourselves with that person. Perhaps even our future hopes and dreams. We spend a lot of time with friends, so we get to know them pretty well. We find out where they live, what kind of clothes they like to wear, what kind of car they would like, and even their future hopes and dreams. Most importantly, do they have trust-worthy character or are they a character! We may confide in a best friend, sharing some of our most sacred secrets. In other words, we spend a lot of time with our friends and therefore, we learn whether we can trust them or not. That's why some of them turn out to be best friends and sadly, some don't.
Guess what happens when our best friends move away and we fail to keep in contact with them? We lose touch with them and we become very sad because we know how hard it is to find a good friend.
Well, if only people knew it, they could all have real Super-Heros for their best friends. All they have to do is get in touch with Them. Of course I'm talking about God the Father and Jesus and you can talk to Them anytime. They are the greatest of all "Super-Heroes." So how do we get in touch? By a method called "Prayer." Greater still, there isn't a single problem They can't solve. We can tell Them all our problems, good or bad, and They will still be our best friends. They won't tell anyone our secrets, They won't move away from us, They will supply all our needs and yes, sometimes many of our wants too. Got a major problem? Ask God the Father for the answer to any overwhelming problem, and tell Him Jesus sent you! He can, and will solve your problems and overcome all your enemies. Not only that, but if we make God the Father and Jesus Christ the centrality of our life, They will be our best friends, and They will give us Eternal Life.
Whether we know it or not, problems are inevitable. However, we don't have to face them alone. What we need to know is how to respond to them. James says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4, NIV)
James assumes we are going to have problems, but we can profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face painful problems, but to have a positive outlook ("consider it pure joy") because of what problems can produce in our life. James wants us to turn these problems into times of learning. Tough times can teach us tough lessons and perseverance. Surely we have all heard the old cliche, "When things get Tough, the Tough get going." God wants us to be strong, not a bunch of whining wimps!
For further personal Bible Study look up these other Scriptures dealing with perseverance (also called patience and steadfastness), see Romans 2:7; 5:3-5; 8:24-25; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7; and 2 Peter 1:3-9.
Teens Want To Know!: How can I solve my problems?
by Loren M. Chamberlain
Been getting any jabs or snide remarks lately for being a Christian? Have you been laughed at lately? Been made fun of because you returned a Twenty dollar bill you found to it's rightful owner? Well, take heart, relief is on its way. When Jesus returns He will give you rest from Troubles. You won't have to fight your own battles anymore because Jesus is going to take over in flaming fire with His powerful angels. All your enemies who would persecute you will be vanquished by Jesus, your personal Savior! Many times we face battles that are too big for us. The trouble seems overwhelming. Be courageous and wise enough to know which battles are yours and which battles are the Lords. Let the Lord fight those overwhelming battles for you.
Oh sure, its easy to say, "Let the Lord fight my battles for me," but how do I do that? Well, on the one hand it could be very easy. On the other hand it may be a little awkward in the beginning. We all know what it's like when me meet someone new. We just aren't sure what to say or do. We may want to be friends with someone, but how do we make this new person in our life a "Lifetime Friend?"
Why are the characters in funny papers or comic strips presented as Super-Heroes? All people need friends and everyone needs help from time to time with super-problems of life they can't seem to solve alone. People gravitate to Super-Heroes like Superman, Superwoman, Batman, Spiderman, etc. Wouldn't we all like to have a real Super-Hero for our best friend?
How did we establish a relationship with our best friend-- by sharing many things about ourselves with that person. Perhaps even our future hopes and dreams. We spend a lot of time with friends, so we get to know them pretty well. We find out where they live, what kind of clothes they like to wear, what kind of car they would like, and even their future hopes and dreams. Most importantly, do they have trust-worthy character or are they a character! We may confide in a best friend, sharing some of our most sacred secrets. In other words, we spend a lot of time with our friends and therefore, we learn whether we can trust them or not. That's why some of them turn out to be best friends and sadly, some don't.
Guess what happens when our best friends move away and we fail to keep in contact with them? We lose touch with them and we become very sad because we know how hard it is to find a good friend.
Well, if only people knew it, they could all have real Super-Heros for their best friends. All they have to do is get in touch with Them. Of course I'm talking about God the Father and Jesus and you can talk to Them anytime. They are the greatest of all "Super-Heroes." So how do we get in touch? By a method called "Prayer." Greater still, there isn't a single problem They can't solve. We can tell Them all our problems, good or bad, and They will still be our best friends. They won't tell anyone our secrets, They won't move away from us, They will supply all our needs and yes, sometimes many of our wants too. Got a major problem? Ask God the Father for the answer to any overwhelming problem, and tell Him Jesus sent you! He can, and will solve your problems and overcome all your enemies. Not only that, but if we make God the Father and Jesus Christ the centrality of our life, They will be our best friends, and They will give us Eternal Life.
Whether we know it or not, problems are inevitable. However, we don't have to face them alone. What we need to know is how to respond to them. James says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4, NIV)
James assumes we are going to have problems, but we can profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face painful problems, but to have a positive outlook ("consider it pure joy") because of what problems can produce in our life. James wants us to turn these problems into times of learning. Tough times can teach us tough lessons and perseverance. Surely we have all heard the old cliche, "When things get Tough, the Tough get going." God wants us to be strong, not a bunch of whining wimps!
For further personal Bible Study look up these other Scriptures dealing with perseverance (also called patience and steadfastness), see Romans 2:7; 5:3-5; 8:24-25; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7; and 2 Peter 1:3-9.
Copyright 2008 
Church of God International. All rights
reserved.
sky@cgi.org
Church of God International. All rights
reserved.sky@cgi.org