Do you have a problem in your life? Well, doesn't everyone? Problems are a part of life, and we all have them. But we need to be sure just exactly what the problem really is, because often it's not what we think.

I've heard women say things like: "My husband won't tithe---and he doesn't want me to tithe, either. And it IS his money, after all, because I've never worked outside the home. What in the world am I supposed to do? I'm sure God will understand that I wanted to tithe, but I just can't do it, because my husband will have a fit."

The problem here isn't whether or not her husband tithes--- the real problem is that one (or maybe even both) of them ARE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD !!!! And until he/they get right with God, it doesn't matter whether they tithe or not! The same is true of baptism, or missions, or any other church function or activity--- if someone is not right with God, they do these other things in vain. The real problem is their unsaved or back-slidden condition.

Have you ever heard someone say, (or maybe even said yourself) "My marriage is going down the tube. I know we're headed for a divorce, but I just don't know what to do." But what is the real problem here? The real problem is that one or both of you ARE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD !!!! And until you get right with God, you can't fix the other problems in your life.

Have you ever said, or heard someone say, "My children won't listen to me, they are smart-mouthed and disrespectful, I just don't know what else to do." Or maybe, " My child is on drugs, and I just can't handle it anymore." Or, "I think my child may be involved in a gang- he's become so secretive, and he's gone until all hours of the night. He's been in trouble with the law, and I just don't know what to do anymore."

These are real and serious things that are happening in millions of homes all over this country. But what is the real problem? Drug abuse and bad behavior is a symptom, not the actual problem. Just like fainting is a symptom of low blood sugar, or fever is a symptom of infection--- the real problem is the disease that produces the symptom, not the symptom itself. And the disease that produces the symptom is what needs to be addressed. Until you treat the disease itself, any 'cure' is only temporary---- the problem will just keep coming back, getting worse each time. The real problem is that these children, and maybe their parents, ARE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD !!!!!

(Now, it is important that we understand---- even persons who ARE right with God face problems in their lives. The Bible says that God will cause the sun to shine on, and the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust alike ( Matt. 5:36) And when we face these problems, even though we are right with God, we need to look at them as a time of testing of our faith. But that isn't what we are dealing with in this lesson. What we are dealing with here is identifying the real problem--- the total lack of salvation, or the back-slidden condition, of ourselves or our loved ones.)