When asked to define “life,” one of my teaching associates of years past replied, “Life is just one d–n thing after another.”  A famous actress, when deciding on a title for the book she was writing about herself, settled on It’s Always Something, meaning that something was always going wrong in her life.  She died before her time from one of her many medical problems.  Some people, such as famous actors, athletes, musicians, etc., who seemingly have everything life has to offer, are not content with their situations. and are constantly looking for more, or better, or bigger things and stuff.  Notice how many such people have problems with drugs, sex, money, mental breakdowns, etc.  Notice how many people who win the lottery find themselves broke a few years later, or how many professional athletes, who make millions during their playing days, wind up dealing drugs, pimping prostitutes, working at menial jobs, etc.  just to pay their bills.  A number of them have done or are doing prison time.  Recently a famous basketball player noted that during his playing days he refused to buy everything they saw like many of his peers who kidded him while “spending like there would be no tomorrow.”  Those same people now call him asking for money.  A study pointed out that a high percentage of retired football players “have either filed for bankruptcy or are living under a bridge” within five years after retiring.  The first baseball player to make a million dollars a year actually did end up living under a bridge in Houston, Texas.  A former Olympic and professional prize fighting champion was last seen mopping floors as an hourly wage worker for the city in which he lived.  They had it all and it was not enough.  There was void in their lives and they filled it Satan’s way.

As noted in the previous series, Adam and Eve “had it all,” which included dominion over the earth and everything on, below and above it.  But that was not enough for them.  Like so many of their descendants, something was lacking in their lives, something that God offers but does not force-feed His human creations.  That something is God Himself.  God does not force Himself on anyone, not even Jesus of Nazareth.  He is available to fill the natural need with which each human is born–the need for guidance from a higher power.  Every one of us has refused His offer at some point in our lives, for “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).  The need for that “something” or “someone” is always there.  The problem arises when we fill it with the wrong “something” or “someone.”  That is when life’s problems begin.  Adam and Eve felt that need but chose the wrong god to fill it.  We must understand that 1) we all have that need, 2) either God or Satan will fill that need and 3) what we fill it with determines the direction our lives will take.

In the past I dealt directly with a loved one who was headed in the wrong direction.  Though successful and seemingly having all she needed for happiness, there was always the need for “more,” which she supplied in the wrong way.  She was always in trouble.  I told her that she had a serious problem and that her problem was spiritual.  Praise God she has finally figured out that I was right and is on her way TOWARD Christ’s strait (difficult) gate and headed TOWARD His narrow (one and only) path which will include true conversion.  At present she is super-religious in the church sense, “knowing” that she is where she needs to be spiritually.  There will come a time when I will have to burst her religious bubble and show her God’s Biblical way which, as this website is designed to do, proves that the Institutional Church way is the exact opposite of God’s way.  His way is hard to accept for those who have spent much of their lives walking the church way.  BUT THE TRANSITION MUST TAKE PLACE as the Apostle Paul tells us in Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1.  There must be a total separation from the Catholic/Protestant model owned and operated by God’s enemy.  This is impossible for those who care what the world, including the church world, thinks about them.  I have had people come to me, not their pastors, for spiritual help when life is coming apart.  However, they remain in their church systems which they know do not have the answers and the solutions.  Why?–pride and fear.  Pride keeps them from admitting that they are wrong, which they would be forced to do if they went with God.  Then there is the fear of losing their friends and family members on the spiritual level, which will happen.  Recall Jesus warning that to follow Him would make one’s family one’s enemy (Mat. 10:36).  The Apostle James warns that to be a spiritual friend of the world (including the worldly church and one’s worldly family) makes one God’s enemy (4:4).  We are to be in the world but not of the world.  For most people, this is impossible.

Only when church-installed blinders have been removed can the Truth seeker find the Truth he is seeking.  When he does he soon learns that, as the title of this series proclaims, ALL OF LIFE’S PROBLEMS ARE SPIRITUAL.  Most, though not all, of life’s setbacks, trials and tribulations–whether physical, mental, financial, etc.–are caused by sin.  Some problems are tests God puts us through to see if we will stay the Scriptural course.  God tries His people, sometimes severely, to “test one’s mettle.”  The Book of Job is a perfect example of this type of testing.  In the previous series I noted that God promises that when the true saint’s “enemies come at him one way they will flee from him seven ways” (Deut. 28:7).  Notice Who will send our enemies against us–GOD HIMSELF: “THE LORD WILL CAUSE YOUR ENEMIES TO RISE AGAINST YOU ….”  Sometimes His “fine print” can be hard to swallow.  But always remember that “All things work for the good of those who love the Lord.”  A preacher who is constantly suffering physical problems, “accidents,” etc. recently quoted that passage to me.  I reminded the false prophet that Jesus said we must prove our love for Him by keeping His commandments, “INCLUDING NUMBER FOUR.”  Not surprisingly, that bit of “fine print” ended the conversation.  God has shown me in vision what lies ahead for that false prophet.  It will be devastating, and possibly deadly, depending on her reaction to the coming “accident” she that will soon take place.  On three occasions the Lord has told me that He was going to kill three people who refused to believe what I had told them.  All three died unexpectedly and for no medical reason, each within two months of my hearing from the Lord.  One of them died a week and a half after I warned him.

God means business relative to removing sin from the lives of those who call themselves by His name.  The vast majority of churchman’s problems are the result of sins that he simply refuses to remove from his life.  God tells us: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jam. 4:7).  Notice who is in charge of getting rid of sin–“you.”  Using the Holy Spirit’s power, WE must resist Satan’s temptations.  God did not do it for Jesus and He will not do it for us.

As noted, some of our trials and tests are God-given.  Though He knew that Judas was a thief, Jesus made him the treasurer for the group by allowing him to “keep the (money) bag” (Jn. 12:6).  As we will see, He sometimes uses religious leaders, signs and miracles to test us.  Most people who are shown what you are about to learn refuse to accept it for it would mean they must enter His strait gate and walk His narrow way.  As He warned, few choose to do so.  Many are called to do so, but few take the call.  No matter what the test or problem may be, we can pass the test or solve the problem by, and only by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  Jesus of Nazareth set the standard for dependence on God.  Let us “walk as He walked” and “overcome as He overcame” (1 Jn. 2:6/Rev. 3:21).  Only those who do so will join Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God.  L.J.