| We all have trials and tribulations. For those of us | | | | tribulum, a wooden frame with many nail like teeth |
| who call ourselves Christians, these things often | | | | that was used to separate weeds from the straw. In |
| occur because God allows them to happen in order | | | | the Greek, Tribulation is thilipsis: pressing together or |
| to strengthen us. When they come, do you glory in | | | | pressure. God allows things to happen to those He |
| them or worry over them? | | | | loves in order for them to see just how much He |
| In Romans 5: 1-3, it says: " Therefore being justified | | | | cares for us. It is a form of Godly discipline. |
| by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord | | | | When we discipline our children out of love, they will |
| Jesus Christ; By whom also we have access by faith | | | | not hate us for. As a matter of fact they will one |
| into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope | | | | day thank us for it, if we preserve. I have lived to |
| of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in | | | | see that happen with my children, with statements |
| tribulations also: knowing that tribulations worketh | | | | like: "I'm sorry, Dad, I won't do that again." You can |
| patience;" | | | | tell true repentance in the eyes of a child and the |
| The life of a Christian is like a light bulb. When you | | | | actions that follow. |
| buy it all you see is glass, metal and a filament. When | | | | In the Bible, oil and wine are symbolic of joy. Olives |
| you screw it into a light socket, it is still glass, metal | | | | and grapes are the fruits that make oil and wine, but |
| and filament. We can flip the light switch, but if there | | | | they are not oil and wine in themselves. They must |
| is no electricity there is no light. It takes a steady | | | | go through a process of being pressed, squeezed |
| flow of electricity for a light bulb to glow and | | | | and crushed before they become oil or wine. |
| illuminate the space around it. | | | | In order for Christians to be splashed with joy, we |
| A Christian must be empowered by God if they are | | | | must first be crushed - thus the reason for trials and |
| to shine upon the earth. Then men will see the life of | | | | tribulations. The fullness of joy comes when we have |
| God, not their own, and that will bring honor and | | | | gone through trials and tribulations and can "glory" in |
| glory to our heavenly Father. Empowerment comes | | | | them. God will grow his olives and grapes and then |
| when our old sin nature is clocked with the | | | | He will press out His oil and wine. You could be going |
| empowering spirit which resides in every believer. | | | | through this "pressing out," but hold on for joy |
| So if we are to rejoice in hope, we must glory in | | | | comes in the morning. |
| tribulations. There is a passage in Job that says " Man | | | | You can go on living a life of failure and complain, or |
| is born unto troubles, as the sparks fly upward. " If | | | | you can live a life of joy and rejoice. Provisions have |
| you have ever watched a fire in your fireplace, there | | | | been made for us to glory in tribulations, if we will |
| are many sparks flying from the burning wood. The | | | | appropriate the resources that are ours through God. |
| trials and tribulations of man are like the sparks from | | | | When troubles come, face them with the assurance |
| burning wood - a lot. | | | | that God allowed them for our good - so rejoice. |
| The word tribulation comes from the Latin verb - | | | | Which are you, olives and grapes or oil and wine? |
| tribulare: to press, to afflict. The Romans had a | | | | |