TheNewsGuru

Tag: By Femi Aribisala

  • God is not a problem-solver – Femi Aribisala

    God is not a problem-solver – Femi Aribisala

     Article of Faith

    Contrary to what many Christians may have been led to believe, God is not a problem-solver even though He solves problems. If we define God as a problem solver, we will be frustrated and disappointed when he adamantly refuses to solve our problems.

     

    The psalmist says: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19). Nevertheless, we often groan like David: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22:1).

     

    The confidence we have in adversity is the presence of God. He says: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:2).

     

    God wants us to know that most problems are not problems because we have Him.

     

    God did it

     

    Indeed, God is the One who creates the problems we want Him to solve. He is the One who suffered Israel to hunger in the wilderness to teach them that life is in His word. Where is God when we are confronted with difficulties? He is right there, teaching us life lessons. (Ezekiel 48:35). 

     

    It was God who gave Paul “a thorn in the flesh.” When Paul prayed about this, Jesus simply told Him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

     

    When Paul then understood that his affliction was designed to keep him from pride, he made an instructive resolution: “Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

     

    Good problems

     

    Problems do not last. What they often require is endurance, which is tonic for the soul. Solomon says: “Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.” (Proverbs 20:30).

     

    Jesus says to the church in Smyrna: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10).

     

    Problems are often for our good. Therefore, God insists we go through them. Since God is the beginning and the end of all things, all problems originate from God and end with Him. Since God is good, all problems end in God’s goodness.

     

    Thus, Paul says: “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28). David says to God: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:71).

     

    I AM

     

    God is not interested in solving our problems because there are divine purposes in them.  God only has one purpose, and that is to reveal who He is. He prescribes problems for us for one fundamental reason: “That you may know that I am the Lord.” (Exodus 10:2).

     

    He repeats this purpose 80 times in the Old Testament. Sometimes He shortens it and simply says: “I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 18:5). He says that 165 times in the Old Testament. Jesus says: “I am He.” (John 13:19), a further abridgement of “I am the Lord” that appears in both the Old and the New Testament.

     

    They are all derivatives of the name of God revealed to Moses: “Say to the children of Israel ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14).

     

    Higher revelation

     

    In effect, problems are designed to take us to a higher revelation of who God is. Thus, Job testifies to God after his afflictions: “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” (Job 42:5).

     

    Jesus was the one behind Lazarus’ adversity. So, when He was informed that Lazarus was sick, He did nothing. Then He said: “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad.” (John 11:14-15).

     

    Jesus healed the sick who did not know Him. But He had something better for Lazarus, His friend. To the privileged, He says: “You will see greater things.” (John 1:50).

     

    Therefore, He waited for Lazarus to get worse. Then He waited for him to die. Then He waited for him to be buried. And then, He showed up.

     

    Martha, Lazarus’ sister, could not hide her disappointment. She told Him: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21).

     

    But Jesus wanted this family in Bethany to know Him not just as a healer, but as “the resurrection and the life.” He said to her: “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26). Then He raised Lazarus from the dead.

     

    From bad to worse

     

    Lazarus’ case  demonstrates that bad things give more glory to God than good things. Indeed, God has a vested interest in ensuring that things go from bad to worse before He makes them better:

     

     “That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.” (Isaiah 41:20).

     

    For this reason: “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.” (1 Samuel 2:6-7). “He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.” (Job 5:18).

     

    From Doctor to Nurse

     

    God healed me of bullet wounds and called me to a healing ministry. But one day, while in the shower, I discovered a swelling in my groin. The Lord said to me: “Femi, it is a hernia. Go and see your doctor.”

     

    This led into one of those epic battles with God as I insisted that He should heal me, and He maintained that I should go and see a doctor. My position was that, since I know God as a healer, He should just heal me. But He refused.

     

    My standoff lasted nearly 2 years. When I finally relented and went to see my doctor, he told me the hernia would have to be surgically corrected. That worsened the situation for me. What is the point of being in a healing ministry and, nevertheless, having to undergo surgery?

     

    When I finally had the surgery, God told me to read this scripture:

     

    “Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.” (Psalm 41:1-3).

     

    Then God said to me: “Femi, you know Me as a Doctor, but I also want you to know Me as a Nurse.”

  • God’s signature tune – By Femi Aribisala

    God’s signature tune – By Femi Aribisala

    “I have planted this garden in your mind”.

    God is the God of peace. (Romans 15:33). When He speaks, even to the storm, peace is established. (Mark 4:39).

    The psalmist says: “I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints.” (Psalm 85:8). Joseph told the pharaoh who wanted the interpretation of his dream: “God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” (Genesis 41:16).

    Rest of God

    One of the names of God is Jehovah-Shalom. Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of peace. (Romans 10:15). The sons of God are sons of peace. (Luke 10:6). When Gideon built an altar to the Lord, he called it “The-Lord-Is-Peace.” (Judges 6:24).

    The peace God gives is very precious. It is completely different from the peace of men. Men often conceptualise peace as the absence of war. This is then negotiated through diplomacy and international peacekeeping. But God’s peace cannot be obtained at the United Nations. It is not the transient peace of the world.

    God’s peace is the peace of the heart and mind. It is an internal, as opposed to external, peace. It is the peace that comes from confidence in God and faith in Him. Isaiah says to God: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3).

    People often say in frustration: “I just want some peace and quiet!”  When you hear this, you know the complainant is seeking elusive peace of the world. For there to be peace in the world, there must be calm and quiet. Not so with the peace of God.

    The peace of God remains even in turmoil. It persists even in the middle of storms. It resides in the confident assurance that the word of God can never fail. Jesus says: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

    River of peace

    The peace of God is constant and unrelenting. It is immune to situations and circumstances. It is likened to a river. God says: “‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river.” (Isaiah 66:12).

    Rivers flow in one direction without stopping. So it is with the peace of God.

    The peace of God is inscrutable. It does not make sense. But it is amenable to prayer. To have it, you must be: “Anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

    God’s peace stands protective at the door of our hearts and does not allow worries to enter.

    Heritage of peace

    Jesus is our peace. He mediated peace between God and man. He mediated peace between the Jew and the Gentile. He gives us peace of mind.

    We are often particular about what God has not given while overlooking what He gives. The main thing God gives and withholds is peace. He says to Jeremiah: “I have taken away My peace from this people.” (Jeremiah 16:5).

    When Jesus was going back to heaven, He willed peace to believers. He said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27).

    This means the person that has received peace from God must guard it jealously. “A man of understanding holds his peace.”(Proverbs 11:12). He does not relinquish it.

    We are inclined to guard our material possessions. We burglar-proof our houses. We put our treasures in safes. We put our money in the bank. We put our gold in Fort Knox. But our hearts are wide open. This is foolish.

    There is no greater instrument of peace than the word of God. Therefore, God counsels: “My son, give attention to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:20-23).

    Worry worshippers

    Worriers worship problems. They run from pillar to post, increasing their blood pressure. God worshippers are different. Like Jonah, we sleep through storms because God “gives His beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127:2). When we invite God into our situation, the very first thing He does is flood our hearts with His peace.

    This peace is the signature of Jehovah Shalom. It tells us the ever-present God is manifestly there. That is why Moses, in his wisdom, was not in a hurry to take the children of Israel out of Egypt to the Promised land.

    He said to God: “If You don’t go with us, we are not going.”  He knew without God’s presence they would know no peace on the way. Therefore, God reassured him: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14).

    However, the Israelites did not have faith in God. They could not trust Him to protect them against their enemies. Therefore, they could not enter God’s rest.

    Blessing of peace

    Jesus renews the invitation to God’s peace to all humanity. He says: “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29).

    We may be labouring for money. We may be burdened because we do not have a child. We may be depressed because we do not have any pride of life like a job, a car, or a home. But the Lord does not promise any of these.

    He is not a God of money. Neither is he a God of children. He does not say: “Come to Me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you a job, car or property. He says: “I will give you rest.”

    Contrary to what we may have been told, God does not bless people with houses, cars, lands, or jobs. He blesses people with peace. The psalmist says: “The LORD will give strength to his people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11).

    Revelation

    The Lord visited me and led me through the early chapters of Genesis. He told me He planted a garden, east of Eden. In it was every kind of precious and luscious fruit. The garden was planted by the rivers of water, and the trees brought forth their fruits seasonally.

    Then the Lord suddenly turned the entire episode on me. He said to me: “Femi, I have planted this garden in your mind. I want you to tend the garden, to keep it and dress it. Every plant that I have not planted must be uprooted.”